The Hamilton County Principals Association has come out against the school board’s plans to consider eliminating its educator diversity policy.
In a letter sent to the 11 Hamilton County school board members Wednesday, the association urged the board to maintain policies that support excellence and inclusivity, as well as said it believed maintaining a commitment to diversity is essential to preparing students for success.
“We know from daily experience in our schools that diversity matters,” the letter said. “It matters for student achievement. It matters for school culture. And it matters because students deserve to see themselves reflected in the educators who teach, mentor and care for them. Representation fosters belonging, broadens perspectives and strengthens the learning environment for all children.”
The letter was released a day before the school board is scheduled to discuss its educator diversity policy. February’s meeting agenda included a proposal to rescind the policy, and school board member Felice Hadden, R-Ooltewah, said at the time that she was planning on discussing it further at the board’s next policy committee.
IF YOU GO
— What: Hamilton County school board policy committee meeting
— When: 5 p.m. Thursday
— Where: Hamilton County Department of Education, 3074 Hickory Valley Road (Claude Ramsey Parkway)
The policy states that the board is committed to educator diversity and directs district officials to take several steps to support inclusive educator recruitment and retention efforts. It defines educator diversity as a teacher workforce that “reflects a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic backgrounds and pathways into the profession.”
The policy was first formed in 2021 in response to a 2019 Tennessee law that required school boards to set goals for educator diversity that took into consideration the diversity of the students it serves.
That law remained on the books until May, when Tennessee lawmakers passed the Dismantle DEI in Employment Act, which aimed to end initiatives in school districts, public universities and local governments that promoted considering race, gender, national origin, age and other characteristics in hiring decisions. It also repealed the previous requirement for districts to have an educator diversity policy.
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The Hamilton County school board updated its policy in July to reflect the change in state law. Since then, the topic of educator diversity has come up at school board meetings at least twice, with some members questioning the need for the policy. One called it a “racist policy” in December.
During the 2024-25 school year, the most recent data published by the Tennessee Department of Education, 76.6% of Hamilton County teachers were white, 7.9% were Black and 3.3% were Hispanic. That year, 45% of students were white, 29% were Black and 22% were Hispanic.
In a poll taken by the association, 96% of principals said they must express their opposition to the potential shift in policy, the letter said.
“Our position is not rooted in politics, but in practice,” the letter said. “As principals, we see firsthand how inclusive practices and diverse representation contribute to student engagement, trust and academic growth. We believe it is possible and necessary to uphold merit-based hiring while also affirming that a diverse workforce strengthens our schools.”
— Compiled by Shannon Coan