Spokane School Board poised to approve its first comprehensive equity policy Wednesday

As Spokane Public Schools prepares to adopt the district’s first comprehensive equity policy, the timing couldn’t be better – or worse, depending on the source.

More than a year in the making and inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests in spring 2020, the document might win final approval during a board meeting Wednesday night.

Its overarching goal, summarized at the beginning of the document, is to live up to the district’s motto of “Excellence for Everyone” by “honoring the unique experiences of all students through recognizing the strength of knowing every student’s academic, social and emotional needs.”

It also pledges to “ensure that all students have equitable ‘barrier-free’ access to rigorous, engaging, multifaceted, and student-outcome focused content …”

The policy is overdue, said board President Jerrall Haynes, who noted it will eliminate barriers and improve access for students.

“Ultimately, I hope that this gets us one step closer to building a better school system, one where students and families need to be successful,” Haynes said.

“We know that every one of us comes from different backgrounds and life experiences. And every one of us has different goals. We value diverse school, and this equity policy is just one of many ways that we can show that.”

Board member Nikki Lockwood said in a statement that the equity policy “will ensure that the school district is committing to our vision of excellence for everyone. “

“We need all our students to be successful with their learning, to reach their full potential and for all our students, staff and families feel a sense of belonging in Spokane Public Schools,” Lockwood said.

“This is a policy that will raise all boats and continue the trend towards broader student success, more students feeling seen, heard, and valued. If we don’t, we can expect the same historical opportunity gaps and that’s not ok with me,” Lockwood said.

Critics say they’ve read between the lines and don’t like what they see. Some are expected to speak against the policy Wednesday night.

They claim the policy opens the door to teaching critical race theory as a new school year looms. Among them are two school board candidates, Daryl Geffken and Kata Dean.

“I think they are linked … I don’t doubt that,” Geffken said last week.

Haynes vehemently disagrees.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with critical race theory,” Haynes said. “This is about figuring out how to move our school system forward.”

The document, which has seen several rounds of editing since last fall, aims to “address structural systems with a focus on eliminating barriers and improve access for students.”

Other goals include increasing “student hope and resiliency through access to restorative interventions and culturally appropriate supports” and “foster a supportive learning environment and workplace that is free of discrimination, bigotry, and intimidation.”

The policy also provides for staff to be “trained and educated on anti-racism and anti-bigotry and provide protections for historically underserved staff.”

The document contains a section on hiring and staffing practices, which call for the district to “recruit, hire, support, and retain highly qualified diverse and culturally competent administrators, teachers, certificated support personnel, and classified staff through broad outreach, inclusive hiring practices, and culturally responsive retention strategies that support and value diversity in its staff.”