This conversation explores the implications of recent changes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in education. A panel of educators discusses how these changes affect teaching practices, classroom environments, and student relationships. They emphasize the importance of maintaining inclusivity and building strong relationships with students and families, regardless of policy shifts. The discussion highlights the need for educators to adapt while remaining committed to fostering an equitable learning environment.

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Crystal Watson is a passionate mathematics educator from Cincinnati, serving as an elementary school principal. She is dedicated to helping cultivate spaces of belonging where deep learning and positive growth can happen. Her motto, “What do the students think?” reminds her to always take time to hear different perspectives, especially the children, in order to make sound decisions.

Jehan Hakim is a second-generation Arab-American Muslim woman and mother of four. She is a Bay Area native who was born and raised in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, California – and graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Though she’s been a community organizer and educator for decades. The depths  of her experience span from program management and coordination within school districts, to interfaith coalition building, community outreach, foreign affairs, and diversity.

Robert “Bob” Maranto is the 21st Century Chair in Leadership in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas, has served on his local school board, and with others has written or edited 18 books so boring his own mother refused to read them. He co-edited a forthcoming book, The Free Inquiry Papers, to by published by the American Enterprise Institute in April. Maranto. “Bob”and James V. Shuls. (2011). Lessons from KIPP Delta. Phi Delta Kappan 93: (November) 52-56, at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/003172171109300313.

Jonathan Butcher is the Will Skillman Senior Research Fellow in Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation. He has researched and testified on education policy around the U.S., including testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He is the author of Splintered: Critical Race Theory and the Progressive War on Truth (Bombardier Books, April 2022). He co-edited and wrote chapters in The Critical Classroom (The Heritage Foundation, 2022), discussing the racial prejudice that comes from the application of critical race theory in K-12 schools. In 2021, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster nominated Jonathan to serve on the board of the South Carolina Public Charter School District.

Ashley Eberhart is in her 11th year of teaching as a Spanish Teacher at Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas. She serves as the Vice President for the Texas Foreign Language Association and the Austin Area Chairperson for the Texas A&M Hispanic Network. Ashley has presented from the campus level all the way to the national level on various topics such as SEL classroom strategies, building relationships in the virtual space, and implementing authentic resources for World Languages to advance interpretive proficiency.

Devon Beck is a dynamic leader and advocate for education, equity, and community development. His career spans multiple sectors, including education, community engagement, and the music business, where he has pioneered new roles to address organizational needs.

A graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Devon began his career in education, holding various roles such as Teacher’s Assistant, Behavior Specialist, Geometry/Algebra Teacher, Family & Student Liaison, and Pre-Referral Coordinator for the Talbot County Board of Education. Through these positions, he developed expertise in mentoring and supporting students who faced learning challenges. His work reinforced his belief that reaching students at critical stages in life can have a lasting impact.