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Auburn Union board votes to remove district DEI statement after heated public comment
Summary
After nearly two hours of public comment and trustee debate, the Auburn Union School District board voted to remove the district's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion statement from its website; supporters urged revision rather than erasure. The board will revisit related mission/vision work in a Sept. 14 workshop.
The Auburn Union School District Board of Trustees voted on Aug. 13 to remove the district's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion statement from the district website after extended public comment and internal debate.
Public commenters urged the board to keep or thoughtfully revise the statement. "This statement supports a more inclusive curriculum by incorporating diverse perspectives," read a letter from a retired educator that was presented to the board. Teacher association president Sarah Liebert told trustees that removing the statement would leave students "reduced to labels" and asked the board to consider how students and families would be affected by erasing the statement.
Board discussion centered on whether the statement represented a set of policies or merely a public value statement. One trustee argued the board should focus on the individual student and moved to remove the statement from the district website; the motion was seconded and, after a failed substitute motion to workshop a revision, the chair announced the motion to remove carried. The board did not adopt a replacement at the meeting.
Supporters told the board the statement signals to families that their children are seen and belong. "When students see themselves reflected in their learning environment and materials, it also boosts their sense of feeling welcome," a community member testified. Opponents framed the statement as open to politicized interpretation; during debate a trustee said such statements can be misconstrued as policies rather than aspirational language.
The board set a separate special session for mission and vision rework on Sept. 14; staff said the district will use that workshop and community feedback to inform future language and strategic-plan updates. The board did not vote on any specific follow-up process to replace the removed statement during this meeting.
The public-comment period included multiple speakers representing parents, teachers and local officials who urged amendment rather than deletion, and the chair thanked those who spoke for their civility and perspective.
