[M]ILTON — More than three dozen Milton Town School District employees and residents attended a community forum Monday evening in which educators openly expressed frustration about the slow pace of diversity training.
The 90-minute public forum at Milton Elementary/Middle School also included an overview regarding the district’s harassment, hazing and bullying policies, but the need for diversity training quickly became the focus of the discussion.
One woman said the district was “fragmented” and called for healing. She demanded to know when the school board last performed a self-assessment.
The board did not address questions about diversity training.
Milton school officials have grappled with criticism about high school football hazing incidents. Other racially tinged controversies involved changing the top district administrator and passing over an African-American candidate for athletic director.
This year, the district apologized to that candidate, LeVar Barrino.
In another incident, Black Lives Matter Vermont called for the resignation of Milton School District Superintendent Ann Bradshaw after a student was suspended after another student used a racial slur. Bradshaw has held onto her job and attended Monday’s gathering.
A 19-year-old former student has filed a lawsuit stemming from the football team hazing incidents. Two years ago, family members of the late Jordan Preavy also served the school district with a suit. Both men were sodomized with wooden objects at football team events. Colby Darling and Brian Lasell took plea deals in connection with the assaults.
At the forum, one woman who gave only her first name, Amanda, told meeting attendees that she and her husband recently moved to Vermont, adding they both placed a high value on equality. “It’s important diversity is respected,” she said, adding she also appreciated that “information on hazing” was made public.
School board member Michael Joseph and parent Rick Dooley engaged in an emotional discussion about diversity. Joseph, who was appointed to the board earlier this month, said he is committed to issues of equality and a safe and respectful school environment.
