Large crowd attends CUSD governing board meeting to discuss Deep Equity

From being applauded as a program, “designed to address opportunity gaps…achievement gaps in academics…[and] discipline gaps,” as described by a Kyrene School District parent, or a program that is “attacking students on the basis of their skin color,” according to Fox News reporter Tucker Carlson, the Deep Equity program has faced its fair share of criticism and praise nationwide.
To kick-start this movement, teachers attended a meeting regarding various student testimonies on discriminatory treatment. Whether this be fueled by race, gender, or sexual orientation, all of these issues fall under the umbrella of Deep Equity what it strives to prevent.
At the most recent Chandler Unified School District board meeting on Nov. 13, the Deep Equity program served as the primary discussion.
In a nearly-full meeting room, a total of 15 people presented a speech regarding their approval or discontent towards the implementation of this program. Naturally, these speeches resulted in a mix of applause, disapproval, and even laughter from the audience.
Each speaker presented their personal opinion that boiled down to the definition of the program was, and how it affects students. One of the most prominent issues surrounding the program was misinformation circulating about the program and its controversial ways of educating.
For example, speakers in opposition of the program referenced Corwin, the company that started Deep Equity, and their concerns with their means of teaching.
“Deep Equity is a comprehensive and systemic professional development process aimed at producing the deep personal, professional, and organizational transformations that are necessary to create equitable places of learning,” Corwin writes on its website.
However, some parents their information is deceptive, and claim that by emphasizing these natural divides, it contradicts Corwin’s intent.
“It’s an embarrassment for the district to be associated with this program,” one speaker claims after researching the program. Most who spoke in opposition to the program added that the district is hiding details behind the Deep Equity program, and finding the curriculum that it teaches is challenging.
Although those in opposition expressed their discontent towards the programs methods of teaching, none explicitly stated what they found to be problematic. Those affirmative with the program believe that there are flaws in the program, but they are not prominent enough to repeal it.
“All students should have access to critical, collaborative education; especially education that sustains and revitalized cultures or languages that [are] excluded,” anthropologist Matthew Krisler describes.
Despite these differences, both sides could agree that there are economic, racial, and social divides in the world.