Area school board OKs resolution for cultural standards

CHAMBERLAIN — After three months of discussion and four drafts, Chamberlain School District now has a cultural standards resolution on the books.

The school board approved the measure 6-0, with Cliff Stone absent Monday night, with little fanfare, as no one from The Coalition for Cultural Equality was present. Representatives of the group worked with some board members on the measure.

The resolution stipulates that the school district will foster inclusion, equality and diversity into the area community and measure progress in achieving a culturally positive learning community outside the school system, through annual learning opportunities or other avenues.

Superintendent Debbie Johnson told the board she wasn’t sure why no one from the group attended.

She said she told coalition representative Jim Cadwell about the resolution’s status with the board since the last board meeting two weeks ago.

“I think that they truly believe that they have voiced their opinion,” Johnson said of coalition leaders. “I just think (Cadwell) was comfortable with where we were at with the resolution.”

The coalition proposed the resolution in March at a school board meeting in Fort Thompson, several weeks before six students wore “White Pride World Wide” Tshirts to school on April 28. American Indians make up 36 percent of the district’s students, but the resolution refers to all minority students.

An attempt to reach Cadwell, of Chamberlain, was unsuccessful Monday night.

The latest draft came after a July 12 meeting with coalition and school board representatives and Johnson.

Both sides made compromises at that time, with the board agreeing to remove the word “attempt,” in favor of language that the district will follow standards that were proposed.

In exchange, coalition representatives decided to remove “institutional racism” from the resolution. That deals with unsaid things or policies in which students aren’t always treated the same.

Cadwell said last month the fourth draft showed the district was willing to make a commitment to accomplish standards. Both sides needed to be willing to give something up to get a working document, he said.

“We need to have something that is measurable,” Cadwell said.

The school board tabled the matter until the full coalition could weigh in on that draft. Johnson did not know if that meeting occurred.

Johnson said the resolution shows the school board is committed to meeting all students’ needs.

She said she gave board members a list of 14 policies in areas such as nondiscrimination and Indian policies and procedures that supported the resolution and what the district already did.

The resolution will be used as a guide for administrators and the board during the school year, along with supporting current policies, Johnson said.

“There are some things we will have to determine how we will measure it, and that’s what we talked about at those meetings,” she said.

Coalition members left that task up to district officials, Johnson said. Cadwell gave an example of conducting a survey as a measurement tool.

Board Chairwoman Susie Knippling, of Gann Valley, said she was pleased with the draft approved by the board. She said it is part of district policies to have cultural competencies.

“The new resolution says we have been working on that and we still are working on it,” Knippling said. “I feel that we really put forth the effort to be culturally competent in every way.”

Knippling, too, admitted that she was surprised that no coalition representatives were present.

“Hopefully, they’re happy with the resolution,” she said.

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