The Hamilton County school board pulled the educator diversity policy from its agenda Thursday, effectively ending discussions around eliminating the policy for now.
School board member Felice Hadden, R-Ooltewah, said at the start of the policy committee meeting that she was removing the educator diversity policy from the agenda and would not be submitting it to the March 12 board agenda for a vote.
“Frankly, it’s not worth the distraction from the other business that is really important at this time, meaning the policy stays,” she said. “It stays as is.”
Hadden, who chairs the policy committee, had added a proposal to rescind the policy to February’s school board meeting agenda. At the time, she said that she was planning on discussing it further at the board’s next policy committee.
(READ MORE: Hamilton County school board to consider rescinding educator diversity policy)
Hamilton County school board ends talks to eliminate educator diversity policy
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.”
On Thursday, Hadden said the policy might come back months later. That statement was followed by loud calls of “no” from the crowd.
Nearly every seat in the boardroom was filled, and security officers stopped allowing more people into the building once capacity was reached. Community members held signs in support of the policy, ranging from “The data is clear: Diversity matters” to “Est. 2021. This policy is younger than kindergarteners.”
The proposal to eliminate the educator diversity policy has been met with pushback in recent weeks, with both the Hamilton County-Chattanooga NAACP and Hamilton County Principals Association putting out statements urging the board to keep the policy.
School board member Karitsa Jones, D-Chattanooga, sought to clarify the status of the policy, stating that she wanted to leave it as it is.
“If she pulls it today and we don’t discuss it today, cause I get where this is going, she can bring it back in September because I’m gone the 31st,” Jones said. “I’m not gone from this body, but I’ll be gone from this dais. But my point is, if she pulls it, can I ask for it to go back and for it to be voted to remain?”
Jones, whose term ends in August, is not running for reelection.
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The policy remains exactly as it is written until the board changes it, board attorney Scott Bennett said, and it will not be changed if it’s not on a meeting agenda.
School board member Larry Grohn, R-East Ridge, noted that the board had updated the policy in July to reflect a change in Tennessee law.
“My objection was this was being brought up after we had already voted it into policy, so I was confused as to why we were bringing it up when we had already established this in July last year,” he said. “I’m all for pulling this, and let the policy remain as it is.”
The board’s educator diversity 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.
Contact education reporter Shannon Coan at scoan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.