Home
Town News & Announcements
Shaftsbury Board Opposes Federal Request for School Compliance
Posted: April 9, 2025
SHAFTSBURY – After an executive session at Monday's Select Board meeting, the board approved a statement opposing the state request that superintendents sign a Certification of Compliance to do away with the DEI policies in Vermont schools.
Town Administrator Paul Iken, at the board's request, emailed their statement to the superintendent of the Southwestern Vermont Supervisory Union.
Board Chair Naomi Miller read the statement from the board:
"In adherence to the Constitution of the State of Vermont and the Town of Shaftsbury's Declaration of Inclusion, we urge the SVSU Superintendent to join other Vermont Superintendents in refusing the Vermont Agency of Education's request to sign a Certification of Compliance that would make us complicit with a potentially unconstitutional directive from the Executive Branch; and further, to call on Secretary of Education, Zoie Saunders, to join our neighboring states in refusing this Executive Branch directive." In sending a copy of the statement to the Banner, Iken commented that Select Board members understand that since Friday State Education Secretary Zoie Saunders "has walked back her request and has instead decided to sign a blanket Certification of Compliance. However, the Selectboard wanted to show support for and encourage non-compliance by the SVSU."
She referred further questions to Miller.
"Although Secretary Saunders "walked back" her request to the Superintendents late yesterday, we consider it likely that the Federal government will continue to increase this pressure on states' AOEs (Agencies of Education)," Miller wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon. "We believe it is important for municipalities around our state to let their Supervisory Union Superintendents know that we expect them to continue to resist these demands - and that we will have their backs when they do so."
At the board's reorganization meeting in March, Miller reaffirmed the our Declaration of inclusion the board approved in February 2023.
It reads: "The town of Shaftsbury condemns racism and welcomes all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability or socio-economic status and wants everyone to feel safe and welcome in our community. As a town, we formally condemn all discrimination in all of its forms, commit to fair and equal treatment of everyone in our community, and will strive to ensure all of our actions, policies and operating procedures reflect this commitment. The Town of Shaftsbury has and will continue to be a place where individuals can live freely and express their opinions."
Background
School districts statewide are being asked by the Vermont Agency of Education to submit compliance certificates in light of a federal order for schools to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs and threats to cut federal funding if they stay in place.
In a letter to school district officials, Saunders said they must provide certifications by Thursday. The agency has to "reaffirm our compliance with existing law that AOE has always followed in our administration of federal funds," she wrote.
"Schools may not operate policies or programs under any name that treat students differently based on race, engage in racial stereotyping, or create hostile environments for students of particular races," states an information sheet from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights referenced by Saunders.
President Trump in January ordered "the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear." He described DEI programs as "illegal and immoral."
Joint statement.
On Monday, Saunders and Vermont Attorney Charity Clark issued a joint statement clarifying their position on the matter.
"Importantly, none of President Trump's executive orders are legally binding related to instruction in Vermont classrooms," Saunders stated. "The Agency of Education continues to provide information to the field, reassuring school districts that current initiatives, which are perfectly legal as a matter of state and federal law, can and should continue." "We will not give in to misleading and damaging myths about diversity, equity and inclusion work," she added. "Nor will we allow these myths to distract us from our commitment to creating inclusive environments where students feel they belong and know they are supported by their educators."
Echoing Secretary Saunders' sentiments, Clark, said in the joint statement, "Vermont has been following the law, will follow the law, and we will continue to protect Vermonters against any unlawful actions by the federal government."
SVSU Response
On Tuesday afternoon, the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union [SVSU] issued the following statement: "Last Friday, April 4, in response to a request from the U.S. Department of Education, the Vermont Agency of Education issued a requirement to superintendents to certify compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which is the existing law prohibiting race, color, and national origin discrimination in programs that receive federal assistance. Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union and its member districts have always been in compliance with the Civil Rights Act."
The statement goes on to say that on Monday, April 7, after discussion with various stakeholders, "the Vermont Agency of Education, in consultation with the Attorney General's Office, determined that Vermont will send a single, statewide letter certifying that Vermont schools are in compliance with applicable current law – and reject conditions or assurances that are not supported by current law."
The SVSU and its member districts continued in its statement, saying, "we want to reaffirm to our community that we are committed to the health and success of every student and staff member, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, family economics, class, geography, ability, language, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity."
Compliments of:
The Bennington Banner
Posted/Author: Mark Rondeau
