Camille Wilson speaks with the Detroit Free Press about a recent Ann Arbor Public Schools board decision

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Ann Arbor Public Schools board has voted to remove allotted time and the board designation for specific groups that advocate for students with disabilities, Students of Color, and LGBTQ+ students from future meetings. Advocates have decried the move as a measure to silence marginalized groups. The decision is a revision to two of the district's board participation policies. The change opens up time for any group that requests time to address the board.

“Members of the groups that lost board designation claimed the board was trying to silence these advisory organizations, taking away a platform they'd long used to advocate for marginalized students. Board and community members who supported the changes said the move aimed to invite everyone to the table to speak, not just specific groups,” reports the Free Press.

The decision comes at a time when public school diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are the target of multiple executive orders. Camille Wilson, professor of education at the Marsal School, said in response: “Even if well-intentioned, the timing of this policy change is really unwise. It’s a time where local school boards should be conveying that everyone is welcome and showing their commitment to protecting inclusive feedback and diverse representation.”