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July 28, 2000/25 Tammuz 5760, Vol. 52, No.46
Gilbert city, school board act to protect diversity
BARRY COHEN
Community Editor
The City of Gilbert is readying to throw a one-two combination to protect its growing diversity. The school board has adopted a racial harassment policy, and the city council is launching a diversity task force.
While some Gilbert residents believe two punches are not enough, others question whether any needed to be thrown.
On July 14 the Gilbert school board unanimously passed a racial harassment policy in response to the fallout from the violence from the "Devil Dogs," an alleged white supremacist youth gang.
"When the whole issue first raised itself, the NAACP volunteered to help write the harassment policy, on condition that it deal just with the race issue," said Paul Houston, associate superintendent of the Gilbert school system.
The school board "felt that race was the biggest problem. They would get that policy up and running and come back with religion and gender at a later time," said Gilbert City Councilman Mike Evans.
Some residents are wondering whether the school board will act next to protect religious diversity.
Any additional harassment policy should be "all-inclusive" to protect religious and sexual preference diversity, said Cheryl Williams, who recently stepped down from a leadership position in the Sonoma Parent Teacher Student Organization, associated with Sonoma Ranch Elementary School, to care for her four children.
Houston anticipates that harassment policy statements dealing with religion and gender will be presented to the board for consideration in September.
Mayor Cynthia Dunham said the diversity task force implemented by the city council is a response to rapid growth.
"It's kind of like a test to see what we are made of in terms of how we work with this opportunity, said Dunham. "After all, diversity is a good thing."
"Roughly, Gilbert's population has doubled every five years," said David Cannella, a spokesman for the city. In 1990, the population was 29,188; in 1995 it was 59,338; this year's estimate is 105,000.
Evans said the city council is using a two-tiered system to respond to diversity issues - setting up a task force first, and through this group, developing a commission.
He added that the commission's exact responsibilities have yet to be determined.
Letters have been mailed to those nominated to serve on the task force, he explained.
In September, the task force will hold the first of three to five meetings, "to come up with criteria to select those to participate on the diversity commission," he explained.
One Gilbert resident questions whether any such effort is needed to protect his community's diversity.
Concerning adding a religious harassment policy, he said, "My view is that (a negative attitude toward Jews) is sensationalized," said Larry Slater, a Jewish resident who has lived in Gilbert for eight years.
He said that in March a classmate made an "offensive comment" to one of his sons.
"The administration made an immediate 'no tolerance' response," said Slater.
He has three children in the Gilbert school system, in fourth, sixth and eighth grades.
Dr. Zura Ubogy described a 1995 incident involving her daughter, then a sixth-grade student at Val Vista Elementary School. When discussing a classroom reading assignment involving a Jewish character, her daughter's teacher asked if any students were Jewish. Ubogy's daughter raised her hand. The teacher said she could not be Jewish because Jews have big noses.
After she called the principal to complain, Ubogy immediately received an apology from her daughter's teacher.
"She did not know how prejudiced it was," said Ubogy.
To educate administrators and faculty members, the school system will begin in August to implement diversity training sessions, said Houston.
The timing coincides with the city's launching its diversity task force.
The Anti-Defamation League is providing trainers to teach "A Classroom of Difference," ADL's anti-bias curriculum that educates students and teachers about prejudice, bigotry, diversity and critical thinking, said Richard Kasper, ADL regional director.
Julia McCleve, chairwoman of the Gilbert School Board, could not be reached for comment by press time.
While the Gilbert school board has adopted a racial harassment policy, the Tempe Union High School District in neighboring Tempe last fall approved an "all inclusive ... no tolerance policy," said Veronica Osmers, community relations liaison.
The policy, which encompasses gender, race and religion, will be implemented this fall, she added.
Francine Fastenberg, who has two children in the Gilbert school system, is pessimistic about the new racial harassment policy.
"It's so accepted to say slurs," she said. Those who say these things "do not even think it is wrong," she added.
But she says that parents are not entirely to blame for their children's behavior. She said the influence of their peer group is a major factor.
Gilbert City Councilman David Crozier agreed.
"My guess is that only some (of the blame) belongs with the family. If (parents) tolerate it and do not stop it in the home, it is almost like accepting it," he said. But when fellow students' ignorant attitudes are added to parents' silence, "you have a bad situation."
Concerning whether the school board should adopt other harassment policies, he said, "other issues need to be addressed and should not be missed."
"You have to remain vigilant and approach people with respect if you want things to change," said Scott Christopher, professor of family studies at Arizona State University and parent of a daughter in the Gilbert school system.
In the meantime, "We have to be appreciative of efforts that have been taken and stop and see if more needs to be done."
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