Letter to the Editor from Joe Miler
Personal Connection to DEI Values
It’s becoming clear that there is a sea change occurring with regard to the concept surrounding ‘DEI’. Over the last few months, perhaps as a result of the upcoming elections, I’ve been having many conversations centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Those conversations, and more importantly, the people I have had them with, has finally led me to “touch the third rail” and write this LTE.
I have always questioned the concept of ‘DEI’. I never understood why this term had become so dogmatic to some that any disagreement between proponents and those with reservations could immediately end friendships or create such division. The words diversity, equity, and inclusion have always been a part of my values, perhaps not referred to in that order or via that acronym. In the blink of an eye, concepts that were fundamentally already agreed upon by most, somehow overnight became incontrovertibly true in only one interpretation.
New Canaan: A Testament to Inherent Values
As I always viewed these concepts, on a baseline level, each of these were, to me, simply stating the qualities of a good person. Treat others as you wish to be treated, be respectful, and be kind. As a child growing up, if I witnessed a fellow student being bullied, I would immediately do my best to put an end to it and bring my peer into the fold away from the aggressor to feel better and have some fun (usually during recess). This is how I was raised. It was simply who I was brought up to be at my core, and fundamental values which were the backbone of my childhood. I know for a fact it is also the way almost everyone who lives in New Canaan was raised as well. It is an easy observation to make because of how warm and welcoming this small town is. Ten years ago, before we had children, my wife and I decided to buy our ‘forever home’ where we would eventually have children, raise our family and plan to grow old. When we were looking for a place to start our family, we drove up South Avenue, staring at the beautiful archway of oak trees and looked at one another knowing this was truly an extraordinary place. We immediately fell in love with New Canaan and found our home. That first year, we were so amazed at how warm and kind the people who lived here were. Common courtesies, that have seemingly been abandoned, were extended by nearly everyone, all of the time. This is how I know my fellow New Canaanites were raised the same way. We were all reared the same way with regard to being a good person, being kind, and treating people with dignity and respect.
Questioning the Need for Specific DEI Programs
Somehow along the way a determination was made that the values already engrained in the fabric of the community needed to be isolated and individually addressed as a problem to be fixed. Proponents of ‘DEI’ in schools insist that ‘DEI’ refers only to the words it represents, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Anyone questioning the sudden need to distinguish diversity, equity and inclusion from the core values already embedded in each member of our town was immediately viewed as insensitive, unaware, exclusive, and complacent making them an outcast. Why such skepticism? For roughly the last three to four years, the amount of effort that has been put into analyzing and implementing the curriculums to ensure that DEI goals are specifically addressed in our schools, including but not limited to hiring outside consultants to assess New Canaan’s implementation of DEI, raises concerns. Additionally, evaluating how our district compares to consultant benchmarks leads to further questions.
For those who have stated that DEI is quite simply the basic meaning of each of these individual words, why is there a necessity to add anything else into the mix?
Elementary School Mottos: Inclusivity at the Core
At the end of the day, these concepts are already woven into the fabric of all of our schools so much so that they are reflected clearly in each elementary school’s motto which is reinforced multiple times a day each day to the students. East’s motto being “Work Hard and Be Kind,” West being “No matter the waves or weather, we’ll always swim together” and South being “Be Your Best Self.” If the overarching concern is about making sure that we are kind and inclusive of others of all walks of life, I am unclear as to how this is not already being achieved especially when we’ve made it the foundation upon which each school operates?
The Role of Parents in Instilling Values
With the objectives in place why is there a need to add specific criteria into our curriculums to be enforced by teachers and administrators? The responsibility and onus falls upon us as parents to make sure we are raising our children to be good people. As I’ve said before, the kindness, caring and inclusiveness of New Canaan is what makes New Canaan so special. There is no need to continue to advocate for specific DEI programs or materials as all of these concepts are already rooted in our children and community.
Rising Concerns Among Residents
This then leads me to further contemplate why there are residents vociferously advocating for specific and targeted methodologies, programs, and curriculum as it relates to DEI and forcing this upon parents and our children in a school setting? As I thought more and more about this, the only conclusion that I could come to is that perhaps there may be a little more behind the reasoning than is being stated. It is this concept, over the last few months, that I have heard mentioned in conversations with people whom I would not expect to hear it.
Shifting Attitudes Across Political Lines
Unaffiliated individuals and Democrats express to me (they know I am Republican), that they are finally starting to be a little uncomfortable with the everchanging, ambiguous concept of DEI. They are seeing what is happening, not just across the country, but right here at home. They too are saying out loud that they are concerned about what is being taught in our schools and the shift from focus on the fundamental subjects critical to a child’s academic and personal success to concepts that go far beyond the bounds of material to be taught in a school and almost aggressively delve into ‘dinner table’ conversation. These parents see not only a distraction away from academic rigor but also the implementation of questionable school work that is being assigned to their children. It seems as though the sweeping generalized framework of “DEI” as simply a benign addition to the curriculum has hit a tipping point and more and more people are comfortable stating their discontent.
A Call to Action Ahead of Election Day
I wanted to write this LTE ahead of election day to bring to the forefront of everyone’s minds, the previously internalized thoughts have become public conversations, and clearly, parties across the aisles have had enough. It is perfectly acceptable to say you have concerns about ‘DEI’ without fear of becoming a social pariah. I am not stating that this is the opinion of everyone in this town, however, given the many conversations I have had with persons of all parties, it seems that the tide has definitely turned. Parents are no longer willing to blindly trust what they are told at face value anymore. As a result, parents have now been alerted to the increased shift of focus on school assignments, material and curriculum, and what feels to some, as clandestine insertion of information that never existed before.
Choosing the Right Representation for Our Schools
This Board of Education race seems to have a different feel. It’s less to do with party affiliation and all about voting for what is best for the children. Parents know that the values they want instilled in their children come from them, their home, their values, not school goals or administration. There is a clear difference between Row A and Row B. Row B candidates Lara Kelly, Matt Wexler, Matt Campbell, and Hugo Alves strongly support Parents raising their children, and fervently advocate for the continued excellence in education for which our amazing schools are nationally recognized.
Joe Miller
