Category: Education

Penn Delco Puts Propaganda Over Education

An open letter to the PDSD school board

Board members, parents and students, teachers and administrators, residents and tax payers:

I’m writing to follow up on the establishment of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee now known as CARES.

While I was unable to join the very start of the meeting, parts of the presentation stood out. Instead of assuaging my concerns, I now have more questions than answers. I plan to view the archived meeting in it’s entirety as soon as it is posted online.

It was implied this committee should be adopted because other districts and corporations have DEI policies. Recent revelations about diversity training involving Coca Cola under the guise of equity show employees were told they need to be “less white.” In the United States there is no room for this type of discrimination and quite frankly this vile hatred. How can the board assure us this rhetoric will not be allowed to creep into the the policy setting process? What accountability will there be for an all volunteer committee? What is the criteria for selecting CARES members?

In addition, during the public comment section one of the speakers used “alt right” to describe those of us with concerns about the committee. This was in my opinion inflammatory, distracting from the substance of the issue. A prominent resident of Delaware County and well known blogger was castigated simply for publishing a letter I authored because they live in a neighboring district. This is the exact opposite of inclusivity. Part of the First Amendment guarantees our right to petition elected officials, of speaking freely and reporting events and opinions.

Finally, the committee was not even minutes old after being established when “cancel culture” surfaced. The lone dissenter on the school board was told in no uncertain terms to resign. So much for respecting other opinions. Is this how the committee will address issues they do not agree with? Will the person who made this comment be allowed to sit on the committee? How does this support an open and honest dialogue?

I intend to follow the development and staffing of this committee very closely. We must all continue to work together, as Americans, to continue to advance our cause to form a more perfect Union. As stated in my public comments, growing up in the City of Chester I grew up in diversity and never saw color or race until that was pointed out to me. I believe people, especially children, are inherently good and kind. I submit that if we continue to point out our physical and other differences, rather than celebrate our shared experiences of this unique melting pot that we are all truly blessed to be a part of, we will continue to drift further apart to our own detriment and to that of the young people we profess to be helping.

Sincerely,
Joseph B Dychala

Penn Delco Puts Propaganda Over Education

Penn Delco Lacks Evidence On Need For Committee

An open letter to Penn Delco School Board

Board members, parents & students, teachers & administrators,
residents & taxpayers:

I’m writing to express concern for a proposal to create a steering
committee for diversity, equity and inclusion.

The board states they recognize several points while providing no
supporting evidence to show how the current academic environment has
not lived up to the standards of PDSD, “To enable all students to
achieve, succeed and excel.” This appears to be an exercise in
implementing a solution before addressing issues with existing policy.
What is the “clear priority” and what are the “compelling principals?”

My concern extends to incidents currently taking place. An example is
a poster in an elementary classroom in the district, “what is said
here (classroom), stays in here.” While that may be a fitting slogan
for a travel ad to Las Vegas this is completely unacceptable for a
public institution charged with educating young minds.

In addition there is evidence of at least one district employee during
working hours soliciting on social media, attempting to collect
“evidence” in the forms of “anecdotes shared with anonymity.” In
America we have the right to face our accuser. Using taxpayer funded
time to further a cause, political or otherwise, with the intention of
changing district policy using “anonymous evidence” is a violation of
and disregard for the Bill of Rights.

President Eisenhower helped integrate schools so our Nation could live
up to our founding values. It’s time to stop pointing out the myriad
differences that make us unique and promote the two things we all have
in common: We are all human beings and Americans. Do we heed the words
of Martin Luther King jr who had a shared dream that our nation’s
children would not be evaluated according to their color or creed but
simply on the content of their character. Perhaps what we need is a
steering committee on American History and Civics.

Proponents of this change make false claims of “systemic” failure to
justify upending existing policy. As a lifelong resident of Delaware
County, a graduate of Sun Valley High School and a resident of the
district for nearly four decades I do not see the need for such
drastic changes. This would only create another level of bureaucracy
between our students and the teachers and administrators who are
tasked with educating our children.

I reject the notion the voters didn’t elect the most qualified
candidates to the school board; that teachers and administrators are
not currently equipped to solve problems for students on a case by
case basis; that the school board is incapable or unwilling of
addressing issues that have been escalated to them. I most certainly
reject the vocal minority that attempts to say Penn Delco is not
living up to their own mission statement and policies to the students.

I ask this resolution be unanimously voted down. The school’s function
in a civil society is not to tell the students what to think but to
prepare them to be critical thinkers. Thank you for taking the time to
read this email.

Sincerely,
Joseph B Dychala

Penn Delco Lacks Evidence On Need For Committee

Petition Seeks To Save Penn Delco — Please consider signing the petition for Penn Delco and share. The vote will be Wednesday, Feb. 24. It will be a zoom meeting 

The petition can be found at https://OurFight.online/f5267cfe-57b7-4032-a877-de60a4305536

As a school board director I feel a responsibility to make stakeholders aware of a resolution the board plans to vote on Wednesday.

The vote is on a Resolution that supports a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a political narrative we have heard for the last eight months across our nation. Students should not be used as a political pawns in the narrative and pandering to a political agenda.

The goals of political activist/organizations pushing this agenda is to incorporate this into our policies, curriculum and in the hiring of staff. This is a slippery slope to introduce the agenda. This will include, beyond what is already being inappropriately identified and discussed in the classroom, Cultural Proficiency, Critical Race Theory, Social Justice, White Privilege, Systematic Racism among much more which does not belong in our schools. 

Don’t be fooled if anyone says “This is just a committee”. No matter how you spin it this is a slippery slope to introduce the agenda. We have policies and procedures and in place that well define our mission.
Activist pushing this agenda have a petition that they are circulating to get this resolution passed. 

These are your children and your tax dollars and the board needs to here from you if you share my concerns. 

Your feedback is important. I am asking you to please comment below and let us know you are a Penn Delco resident.

Please SHARE this petition as the board will be voting on the resolution this  Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Time is of the essence.

Your email to the board would also be helpful. 

Doing what is right is more important than what is politically expedient

Thank you in advance,
Lisa Esler

Petition Seeks To Save Penn Delco