Lansing board debates federal guidance on 'DEI' and whether to launch districtwide policy and curriculum review

Lansing Public comment and a lengthy board discussion at the March meeting centered on a U.S. Department of Education Dear Colleague letter and the district's response to recent presidential executive orders that target diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in education.

Speakers at the start of the discussion urged the board both to defend DEI work and to avoid acting prematurely while litigation and federal guidance remain unsettled. Nicole Yudlinski, who identified herself as a Lansing parent, told the board DEI efforts have benefited many people and urged trustees to "state equivocally that diversity, equity, and inclusion will always have a voice in our schools." Several other parents, students and residents offered variations on that theme and on the legal limits of federal executive orders.

Why it matters: board members said the issue could affect federal funding and would require a substantial review of curriculum and training. Superintendent Marty Cobbs and multiple trustees described the scope of the work as large and proposed using the board's regular policy-review processes and the district chain of command so teachers and principals can raise specific concerns upward rather than bringing every lesson to the board.

Key facts and debate - The U.S. Department of Education document frequently referenced by speakers was presented to trustees in the meeting packet as a Dear Colleague letter and an accompanying FAQ; speakers and trustees repeatedly distinguished the letter's advice from binding law. - Several public speakers emphasized that Title VII and Title IX and existing state curricular requirements remain controlling law for schools; others warned that the executive orders and federal guidance were under litigation and could change. - Board member Amy Covey moved a resolution directing an immediate, board-level review of policies and curriculum to demonstrate district compliance and to 'initiate' the compliance timeline referenced in the federal letter. That motion was seconded and put to a roll call. - The roll-call recorded in the transcript shows: Mrs. Covey —Yes; Mr. Broomgard/Boingart —No; Mr. M. —No; Mr. Yoakam —No; Mrs. Workman —Yes; Ms. Wood —Yes; Mr. Bolland/Bollin —No. The transcript shows a 3-4 vote against the resolution. The board did not adopt that particular resolution.

Subsequent motion and next steps - After the failed resolution, Trustee Covey moved an alternative motion to direct the policy committee to review all board policies and to ask Superintendent Cobbs to consult with administrators about how to review curriculum and return to the board with a plan by the next meeting. That motion was seconded and a recorded vote appears in the transcript as 3 yes, 3 no and 1 abstention; the transcript does not explicitly record the chair's announcement of the final outcome for that second motion. - Several trustees said the work should follow the district's existing chain of command: teachers review lesson materials first, principals review at building level, then materials would be escalated to central office and the board only if changes were proposed that required board action. - Legal counsel and the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE/KSB) were discussed during the meeting; attendees said the state association had not yet issued statewide policy guidance tied to the federal letter and that litigation over related executive orders remained pending.

Voices from the public and staff - Speakers urging the board to avoid hasty action pointed to pending court challenges to the executive orders and argued the Dear Colleague letter was advisory and limited in scope. - Speakers urging the board to affirm DEI-related protections cited classroom practices, Title IX and the district's mission to serve all students.

Where this goes from here Trustees directed staff to consider how to structure a systematic review if the board asks for one. Several board members requested that any district review begin with an agreed, local definition of "diversity, equity and inclusion," use the existing policy-review calendar and avoid asking the board to read daily lesson plans. Superintendent Cobbs was asked to return with a recommended plan and timeline for any curriculum review.