NORTHAMPTON, Pa. — With a looming $6 million budget deficit and federal allocations on the line after recent presidential executive orders, Northampton Area School Board has voted to do away with its current educational equity policy.
The board voted Monday to have an associated committee put together a replacement for the outgoing Policy 832.
School officials also will decide later on a potential “extensive review of all curriculum," with details to come in spring.
Northampton Area School District could end up going over its coursework with a fine-tooth comb. That could include the removal of “all items including lessons, worksheets, practices, games, table top examples, discussions, etc., that relate to the prohibited topics discussed in the Executive orders."Northampton Area School Board agenda
Adopted in 2021, the district set Policy 832 in place “to prioritize the principle of educational equity through the fair and just allocation of resources, opportunities and treatment of students based upon each individual student’s needs.”
President Trump’s executive orders are aimed at slashing allocations for federally funded programs centered around diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.
Before the decision to cut Policy 832, a board legal representative said that while the policy likely would be the type targeted, the executive order's language didn't necessarily require removal of the policy.
Citing Jan. 29 order “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” and Jan. 20 order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” NASD could even end up going over its coursework with a fine-tooth comb.
That could include the removal of “all items including lessons, worksheets, practices, games, table top examples, discussions, etc., that relate to the prohibited topics discussed in the Executive orders,” according to the board agenda.
Millions of dollars at play
Board President Kristin Soldridge said NASD has millions at stake, including $2.2 million for meal programming for the district’s school cafeterias.
She said she wanted to be proactive instead of reactive with the situation.
Board member John Becker said, “If we believe all students should be treated equally, then why would we remove this policy? Why will we take it away? Because, in essence, that’s telling the public that we don’t believe in that.”
“If we believe all students should be treated equally, then why would we remove this policy? Why will we take it away? Because, in essence, that’s telling the public that we don’t believe in that.”Northampton Area School Board member John Becker, on removing Policy 832
Kim Bretzik, another board member, called having a measure such as Policy 832 a “ludicrous expectation” to begin with.
The district “is not equipped to deliver individualized education to every one of 5,000 students,” Bretzik said.
“So if you can’t do this — we can’t even properly maintain our facilities — why even have this other than to strut around and say, ‘We have an equity policy.’”
Paul Nikisher, a Lehigh Township resident, said DEI is "hurting the American public.”
“I guess maybe I’m old-fashioned or maybe common sense, but I’m looking for — and I think we are, as well — the best and most qualified when it comes to anything,” Nikisher said.
“I guess maybe I’m old-fashioned or maybe common sense, but I’m looking for — and I think we are, as well — the best and most qualified when it comes to anything."Paul Nikisher, resident of Lehigh Township, speaking on diversity, equity and inclusion
Regarding a deep dive into the district curriculum, Parker Flamisch of Moore Township said that surely would affect the district deficit.
“When is the school board going to begin actually focusing on improving the outcomes of the students of this district, rather than pretending we’re sitting in Washington, D.C., instead of Northampton, Pennsylvania?” Flamisch said.
