JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval County School Board members are considering removing diversity, equity, and inclusion from its district policy handbook. But as of now, the DEI language remains.
Cami Sams, the district’s Executive Director of Policy and Compliance, said she does not want to risk losing federal dollars for the continuation of DEI practices.
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“I don’t know if we can predict when that will impact us or when these policies will be reviewed, but I do think that for us as a district, that’s something we do have to look at,” Sams told board members.
The Policy Handbook Review Committee shared this agenda packet (see below).
PUBLISHED - May 28, 2025, Policy Handbook Review Committee - REVISED4 - GC by ActionNewsJax on Scribd
The lines of red text that are marked through signal the proposed removal of a policy.
This was done so by Sams.
Some of her suggestions include removing the equity policy, eliminating cultural considerations when creating curriculum, and scrapping language that prohibits racial, gender, and age discrimination.
Sams reiterated to members that this is only an attempt to be compliant with the federal executive order.
“We wanted to bring this policy forward to the board because the law has updated,” she told members.
Board members spent hours discussing how the policies in the handbook could be reworded for compliance but still incorporate language that is fair and welcoming.
Board Members Darryl Willie and Reginald Blount tossed around the idea of swapping out the word “diverse” for words like “broad” or “multi-talented.”
“It’s important to figure out some word that explains to the public that we do want you if you’re a veteran, or if you’re coming from somewhere else, or if you have a different background,” Willie said.
Board Chair Charlotte Joyce, though, believes the district will continue to use fair practices in hiring because discrimination is already illegal.
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“We’re not really looking at your ethnicity, we’re not looking at your gender, we’re not factoring those things into consideration,” Joyce said.
Board Member Melody Bolduc told her colleagues that she is for diversity, too. But feels like it is forced when the DEI language is included in policy.
“I don’t want it engineered. I’d like it to happen natural,” Bolduc said.
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DCPS spokesperson Dr. Tracy Pierce said that this conversation is just the first of many as the board continues to iron out the details of what this policy revision could look like.
“After today’s conversation, we’ll take all of that input back and our team will kind of rewrite the policy and try to get it to a point where the board will have its debate and arrive at final language that they can agree on,” he said.
Pierce encourages people to stay up to date with the board’s meeting agendas as he expects more conversations about DEI through June.
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