Beyond the Buzzword: How Visalia Unified Has Managed to Embed DEI

Without using the term “DEI,” VUSD focuses on creating equal opportunities for all students through everyday practices and district-wide principles. Politics aside, diversity, equity, and inclusion remain a priority throughout the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD).

By: Isabel Barycki

As national debates on DEI circulate throughout the nation, many have begun to push away from these types of initiatives in schools and the workplace. While headlines circulate in the media, the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) has ensured the incorporation of DEI through a simpler, practical approach: focusing on inclusion, opportunity, and student voice without relying on buzzwords. 

But what does DEI even mean? Many definitions circulate in the media, and it’s easy to get lost in the confusion. To put it simply, DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and is a set of principles aimed at ensuring that all individuals, whether in schools or workplaces, feel supported, respected, and have access to equal opportunities.

While there’s no specific overarching DEI policy in VUSD, there are many guiding principles that embed DEI. 

Todd Oto, Board member in the 3rd year of his first term as trustee for the Visalia Unified School District, explains that, “what we do have is policies that individually represent those issues.” For example, there’s a policy on civility that deals with inclusivity and diversity district-wide. According to Oto, DEI is embedded not through one initiative, but collectively across different policies.

Furthermore, when approaching issues in the community that may threaten diversity, equity, or inclusion, the board manages to use guiding documents, commitments, and a core belief system that stresses equity, inclusion, and community engagement. These manage to tackle any problems that may occur with students or the allocation of resources.

Luckily, in his time as a board member, Oto has not witnessed in the boardroom, or any discussion with the board when they work together, debates about DEI. Oto said, “It’s part of the context, but it’s never been an issue that we’ve had to discuss or debate.”

Even if federal debates about DEI continue, Oto emphasizes that local school boards ultimately follow the law. If changes occur at the federal level, their effects will trickle down through the state, especially in terms of funding and accountability.

“If anything changes at the federal level,” Oto said, “it would filter through law to a degree and then affect how funding and accountability occur, filtering down through state and local school districts.”

“School boards don’t exist to flout the law, you take it into consideration,” Oto said.

Superintendent Kirk Shrum, who is concluding his 3rd year as superintendent, is proud of recent work around the Strategic Plan that reflects principles of DEI. 

Shrum said, “When it comes to thinking about the spirit of things like DEI, I think it’s reflected in what we do.”

Shrum explains how the strategic plan reflects access to resources, academic opportunity, and extracurricular opportunity regardless of school. In creating this plan, they interviewed students, community members, and had a lot of faculty meetings with staff, “Really to get input on what did people want to see for the future of the Visalia,” Shrum said. 

The strategic plan and guiding principles help ensure equity in funding, curriculum, and discipline across the district. While approaches may vary based on specific needs, the ultimate goal is to give every student equal access to opportunities.

When responding to any controversies he may receive from community members or parents, Shrum said, “I try to take it back and get away from fixating on a term and really make it about what it is that you want for your child.” 

In the end, Shrum highlights how people mostly want to feel safe, supported, engaged in the learning process, and how they want an opportunity to be college and career-ready, have their voice heard, and equal access to opportunities.

Shrum ensures that DEI isn’t a big, scary term but rather  “we’re just really talking about making sure everyone feels valued.” He said, “That’s what the education experience should be.”

Although DEI isn’t always named, its principles are baked into the district’s goals.

At Redwood High School, diversity, equity, and inclusion can easily be seen throughout the campus. Whether it’s our elevators and ramps that ensure physical accessibility, to ethnic studies classes and cultural clubs that celebrate identity, DEI is present even if it’s not mentioned aloud. 

Redwood Principal Dr. Brandon Gridiron describes the current state of DEI at Redwood as overall positive. Gridiron said that at Redwood, they’re very intentional with a focus on ensuring kids have diverse access to opportunities to be included on campus.

Dr. Gridiron said, “When I think of that, I think about how do we consider the diverse population of kids we have. Their interests, their hobbies, the things that they enjoy.” 

To do this, Dr. Gridiron has intentionally sought out student perspectives through surveys to understand the culture of our campus, be in tune with the vibe of the kids, and to ensure students have an equal voice.

School clubs, school activities, rallies, sports, various programs, and other opportunities allow kids to connect, enabling Redwood to continue being successful in creating a diverse and inclusive environment at Redwood High School.

If any issues may arise, Gridiron ensures that we should be “able to effectively respond to issues that may arise and so it’s just about being aware of what’s going on and making sure that we’re prepared to respond and even if were not prepared to respond, that we’re honest in that.”

“We’re going to do our best to be right, but we don’t have to rush, and we need to consider everyone’s perspective when we’re making decisions so that way we can make sure that we make the best decisions for our kids,” said Dr. Gridiron.

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