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Calvert County Board repeals anti‑racism policy; community leaders and parents urge reinstatement
Summary
The Calvert County Board of Education voted to repeal Policy 10‑18 (the anti‑racism policy) and will post the decision for 30 days of public comment. The move drew sustained, mostly critical public comment from parents, civil‑rights groups and educators.
The Calvert County Board of Education voted to repeal Policy 10‑18, the district's anti‑racism policy, and announced the decision will be posted for 30 days for public comment.
Board President Karen Post (motion) moved to repeal the policy; a second was offered and the motion carried on a voice vote, recorded by staff as unanimous. The board did not include additional explanatory language at the time of the vote.
Why it matters: supporters of Policy 10‑18 said it provided concrete guidance for staff and a mechanism for responding to racist incidents. Opponents said the board's existing non‑discrimination rules are sufficient. The decision prompted dozens of speakers during the public‑comment period, many urging the board to keep the policy or to explain the rationale for removing it.
Board action and immediate explanation Board President Karen Post introduced the motion to repeal Policy 10‑18 during a discussion of policies up for review, saying the district already has a discrimination policy and that a separate anti‑racism policy is redundant. After a second, the motion passed on a voice vote. The board chair then said the repeal "will be posted for 30 days for public comment." The transcript records the motion and the chair's direction but does not include any additional, written rationale provided at the meeting.
Public response Community members and local organizations used the meeting's public comment period to press the board to restore the policy or to explain its removal. Deborah Harris, president of the Calvert County NAACP, said, "we are here today to express our deep concern regarding recent decisions by the board to remove the anti racism policy from the school district's strategic plan and related policies." Edsel Brown of the Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce told the board the repeal "signals to every student of color" that their experiences may not be acknowledged.
Other speakers recounted incidents they said demonstrated the need for an explicit anti‑racism policy, including reports of racial slurs, swastikas and graffiti in schools. Several speakers asked the board for a written explanation of the change and for a plan to address equity, discipline and culturally responsive instruction going forward.
Board and staff context At the meeting staff repeatedly said other policies and state law address discrimination; several board members agreed in discussion that existing state and local nondiscrimination frameworks apply. Supporters of the repeal argued a separate policy could imply prioritization of one form of discrimination over others. Critics said those arguments ignore the practical value of an explicit anti‑racism policy as a tool for school staff and students.
What comes next The board posted the repeal for a 30‑day public comment period, per the motion, and accepted public comment at the meeting itself. Many speakers asked the board to provide a written response to civic groups including the NAACP and to publish metrics showing how the district will continue to ensure equitable access, discipline fairness and culturally responsive instruction.
Community reactions and next steps will be reviewed at a future meeting or through the posted comment period; the board did not announce a date for reconsideration or further action at the meeting.
