The Pennsylvania Department of Education has rescinded its DEI standards for educators across the Commonwealth.
Several Pennsylvania school districts pursued legal action over DEI standards, and as a result, the state Department of Education rescinded its “Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education Program Framework Guidelines.”
The guidelines included nine controversial competencies with multiple standards that were required to be incorporated into teacher professional development programs. As an example, competency nine says that teachers should “educate oneself about microaggressions and their impact on diverse learners, educators, and families, and actively disrupt the practice by naming and challenging its use.”
The school districts filed suit because they did not want to comply with the guidelines. Laurel School District superintendent, Leonard Rich, said, “I sought to have the requirements rescinded because I believe in education not indoctrination.” As a result, the guidelines are now modified recommendations. However, some school districts are still choosing to follow them.
Many districts in southeastern Pennsylvania will continue to incorporate the standards into their teacher professional development program.
According to the mediated settlement agreement, “the Department hereby rescinds the previously issued Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education (‘CR-SE’) Program Framework Guidelines. School entities … have no legal obligation to implement or comply with the (CR-SE) Program Framework Guidelines.”
The agreement further states, “the Department encourages, but does not require school entities to incorporate the attached Common Ground Framework Program Guidelines into their continuing professional development plans.”
The modified, and recommended, guidelines now include suggested training topics. Much of the controversial language was removed in the revision process.
Central Bucks School District in Bucks County said, “like all educational materials offered for consideration by PDE, we will review the resource in question as we develop our professional development calendar and offerings for next year.” Downingtown and West Chester Area School Districts located in Chester County both said that their professional development plans are in alignment with the new recommendations and do not anticipate making any changes.
