Core Values? (BoE Mtg 07/13/2023)

My comments for the Union County, NC Board of Education meeting, July 13, 2023.

“Failing to do what one knows is right to do is sin.” — James 4:17

After the last BoE meeting, I read the UCPS Core Values. They state in part:

Management by Fact

The pursuit of quality and operational performance goals of the organization requires that process management be based on reliable data, information and knowledge gained through careful and systematic analysis. This requires that a set of processes are in place to:

1. Collect and analyze relevant data

2. Convert the data to information and knowledge

3. Share it throughout the organization to create the understanding and wisdom that are necessary to make appropriate decisions, solve problems, manage variation in and improve the system continually.

Such knowledge must be made available to all internal and external stakeholders.

Fairness and Equity All students, staff, and stakeholders shall be treated fairly and without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, handicapping condition or geographic location in the county.” (https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/Page/3236)

The bathroom policy proposal introduced last month ignores these values. It ignores data from which the NC DHHS operates. DHHS states that 44% of Queer youth report considering suicide, double the rate for high school students in general. DHHS’s Action Plan for Comprehensive Suicide Prevention calls for action to:

“Identify populations at risk,

“Provide crisis intervention with a specific focus on people with increased risk,” and

“Provide access to and delivery of suicide care.”

DHHS also seeks school-based youth suicide prevention with the engagement of youth and adult allies, training for NC schools, including intersecting with the needs of students who identify as LGBTQ+ and youth of color. (https://injuryfreenc.dph.ncdhhs.gov/preventionResources/docs/CSP-ActionPlanFinal.pdf)

If these are core values of UCPS, we should be able to expect the Board of Education to follow them. The proposed bathroom policy would exacerbate the plight of our LGBTQ+ students, becoming one more causal element behind the second leading cause of death among our youth.

“You are not to act against the life of your neighbor.” — Leviticus 19:16b



— ©Copyright 2023, Christopher B. Harbin 



http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/

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