DistrictOEO reports 1,587 investigations; N-word use and spikes in national-origin and gender-identity incidents noted

The Davis County School District Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) presented its quarterly belonging-and-inclusion report to the board, detailing investigations, trends and professional-development work aimed at reducing harassment and improving school climate.

OEO lead Dennis Hill and colleagues told the board they investigated 1,587 allegations of harassment, discrimination or related conduct through winter break. Of those cases, staff said about 18% were found to meet the three-prong harassment standard the district applies (objectionably offensive conduct based on a protected class that impacts an individual). OEO staff said a larger share of cases were classified as policy violations that did not rise to harassment; during an exchange later in the meeting staff clarified the first-semester distribution as roughly 18% harassment, 58% policy violations, about 15% that did not meet policy thresholds, and the remainder recorded as insufficient evidence.

OEO staff identified recurring and emerging trends: - Racial slurs: Staff said the district continues to see pervasive use of the N-word directed at Black students; in the cases the district investigated, they said white students were the primary users of the N-word at roughly a 2-to-1 or 3-to-1 ratio compared with students of color in incident reports. OEO described this as the largest recurring category of harassment. - LGBTQIA-targeted language: Staff reported repeated incidents of demeaning uses of "gay" and related terms; half of the incidents in a recent wave were linked to a TikTok trend in October, the presentation said. - National origin and gender-identity spikes: Staff said proportionate increases in cases tied to national origin and gender identity appeared after winter break; those areas were identified as rising concerns.

OEO described a response model that emphasizes education first. Staff said educational supports accompany disciplinary responses and that recidivism has decreased; they reported repeat respondents currently make up about 9% of cases.

Professional development and school supports described in the presentation included a "priority schools" initiative (initially focused on junior highs and expanding to elementary and high schools), cultural-liaison trainings, assemblies and targeted classroom- or grade-level interventions where data show hot spots. OEO staff highlighted Shoreline Junior High as an example of strong local practice; Shoreline staff had presented earlier in the meeting on advisory and PBIS practices.

The OEO also reported results from teacher focus groups: 195 teachers participated across the district, with an average tenure near 10 years among participants. Teachers told researchers they want more agency, classroom-level frameworks, sustained professional development and clearer feedback on reporting outcomes. Focus-group participants recommended more elementary-level prevention, clearer district guidance and steps to reduce the burden on teachers and staff of color who are often relied upon to lead equity-related work.

Director Ben Nash and others described a forthcoming "priority school symposium" where schools will present their culture-and-climate goals and next steps; those goals will be incorporated into schools' TSSP (school-improvement) plans.

Board members asked for disaggregated details and follow-up data; OEO staff said more granular breakdowns (for example, grade-level trends) are available and can be shared with the board. Multiple board members and the superintendent praised the OEO teamfor the research and outreach.

Ending: Staff said they would continue weekly monitoring of cases, expand priority-school supports districtwide, and share additional disaggregated data with the board and schools; the board expressed support for further community engagement through school community councils.