Chamberlain panel looks at changes to proposal

CHAMBERLAIN — Chamberlain School Board members discussed changes to a proposed cultural standards resolution Monday night.

Susie Knippling, school board chairwoman, said she would like to see different words used for “institutional racism” in one section of the latest draft. It states the school district will address institutional racism and strive to provide a culturally proficient learning community for all.

Board member Leanne Larson agreed, saying that language is negative.

“It was a very positive draft until we got to that,” she said.

The board heard the second reading of the resolution, which was proposed by The Coalition for Cultural Equality at a March meeting with the school board in Fort Thompson. That occurred several weeks before six white students wore “White Pride World Wide” T-shirts to school on April 28.

Board members first looked at the measure two weeks ago. That draft contained the phrase “institutional racism.”

Superintendent Tim Mitchell said he had added the institutional racism language in a previous draft for a committee of board and coalition members working on the resolution.

Citing a national journal article, Mitchell has said that while institutional racism is unintentional, it can still have an effect.

He also reviewed other slight changes to the resolution. One part specifies that the district had 337 of 858 students — or 39 percent — in fall 2009 who were minorities.

One standard states that inclusion, equity and diversity will be disseminated and incorporated into the organizations’ mission statements, achievements and strategic plans.

Another wording change involves the school board determining measures to monitor progress in achieving culturally proficient learning communities through ongoing and annual evaluation and assessment of its practices. Mitchell said the school board should decide those measures and progress.

Knippling asked Mitchell to e-mail board members with a definition of institutional racism.

Jim Cadwell, a coalition member from Chamberlain and school board candidate, said afterward the full coalition hasn’t had a chance to review the second draft.

He noted that Mitchell had made a statement regarding institutional racism and wasn’t sure why the board was struggling with the clause.

Mitchell also told the board about an in-service day Monday in which staff learned about education of American Indian youth and the challenges that face them, tribes and their way of life.

The board plans to hear the third reading and conduct a vote on the resolution on June 14.

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