Schools Are Abandoning DEI. How a Different Approach Can Preserve It (Ep. 35)

Dec 12

Episode Notes

School mission statements across the county commonly included language about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. DEI training for educators was also common. But that’s changed in recent years as school culture wars erupted around the books students have access to: how students learn about history, race, and gender identity, and anything that smacks of “woke” ideology. DEI, as perceived by its advocates, is a unifying concept, but because a growing segment of the population perceives it as a divisive, alienating, and controversial, school officials in many districts have stricken DEI language from their mission statements. Many have eliminated DEI personnel positions and the trainings they once offered.

My two guests, Channa Pitt and Dennis DiMaggio, both with extensive experience with DEI programs, weigh in on the causes of the backlash, and they offer concrete ideas that could lessen the resistance to DEI to the point where educators, parents, and students would embrace it. The key, they say, is to shift away top-down training from DEI “experts,” to authentic and safe engagement where individual identities are not placed in neat categories (e.g., oppressor and “oppressed” or “privileged” and “victims”). They suggest focusing on personal narratives and memoirs to build empathy and understanding across differences, focusing on shared values rather than divisive political rhetoric, and engaging in open, curious conversations where people feel heard and respected rather than judged.

Featured Guests:

Channa Pitt, Ph.D., is the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), where she leads the departments that provide technical assistance, professional development, and other customized support to districts in Sacramento County. Prior to joining SCOE, Pitt was the Director of Social-Emotional Learning at Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD). There, she designed and led the implementation of a district-wide approach to meeting the needs of the whole child: social, emotional, and academic. Before joining FCUSD, Pitt was a senior researcher at the Learning Policy Institute in Palo Alto. There, she co-led the design, management, and authorship of qualitative research studies focused on deeper learning, climate, and culture.

She began her career in education as a high school English teacher and literacy coach in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She co-founded and served as principal of a charter school in New Orleans. She has a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. from Stanford University and an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Pepperdine University.

Dennis DiMaggio, an advisor to the Prohuman Foundation, entered the Organizational Development field in 2002 after a 10-year career in Health Care Management. Currently serving as Vice President, Coaching & Development in the Beverage industry, Dennis leads a team of 25 Learning Professionals in the US and Canada, serving over 10,000 associates. Enthusiastic to share experiences and learn from others, he is a frequent speaker at the Long Island Society for Human Resource Management, a panelist on sales coaching by the Corporate Executive Board and interviewed on the subjects of Organizational Learning and Empathy in the Workplace by T&D Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Dennis is certified as a Master Trainer through Development Dimensions International (DDI) and the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

In the classroom and virtually, Dennis facilitates interactive sessions on leadership topics, including Delegation, Coaching, Communication, Diversity & Inclusion, Change Management and Developing Talent. Dennis is a former member of the Forbes Coaches Council, and a certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, Marshall Goldsmith’s Stakeholder Centered Coaching and The Gallup Corporation.

In his individual and team coaching, Dennis employs Personality Type, Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence, 360 Feedback, Psychological Safety, and Strengths-Based tools and assessments. Dennis is a facilitator with Braver Angels and also served as Board Chair for Heritage Instructional Services, an Educational Co-Op in Maryland and on the Advisory Board of Louisiana State University’s Leadership Development Institute.

I have been teaching on the subject of Diversity and Inclusion for over 20 years. When done right, it affirms everyone and brings out the best in people. When done poorly, it divides and isolates.