Since its founding, the Worcester Education Collaborative (WEC) has proudly and resolutely focused on promoting the principles of DEI – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – in Worcester and beyond. WEC’s belief and commitment is that every child – no matter their race, immigration status, gender identity, socioeconomic background, or ability – deserves access to a good education in a welcoming environment. This is shown in WEC’s mission to advance excellence and equity in education for all Worcester Public School students. You can see this commitment in the events WEC organizes, the programs it runs, the policies it fights for, and the partnerships it builds.
Although the phrase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – DEI – is a more recent one, the ways of thinking it represents have guided institutions and informed decisions in Worcester and across the country for decades. Its principles emerged from the civil rights movement and built on long-standing national promises to counter discrimination and affirmatively and intentionally work toward equality of opportunity.
DEI in education represents three closely linked ideas:
Diversity, which promotes greater variety in background and thought of the education workforce, teaching practices, and learning materials
Equity, which advances concepts of fairness and justice in access to educational programs, services, and resources
Inclusion, which ensures that all members of the school community feel a sense of belonging while having their voices heard and their contributions valued
Taken together, the DEI principles contribute to a shared goal of promoting the fair treatment and full participation of all students in education – a goal widely held by Worcester residents. Supporters of the principles of DEI recognize that Worcester has a diverse population with a wide range of different talents, needs, viewpoints, backgrounds, and experiences reflecting the richness of our various cultures, histories, religions, and genders. These principles are essential to creating and maintaining a functional, pluralistic democracy in our city and across the country.
Worcester residents can see the DEI principles in action every day in a variety of ways. Some examples include:
School messages that are translated into different languages so that all parents understand about their children’s experiences in school.
Programs that give all students the specific supports they need to succeed in school and thrive after they graduate.
Well-defined and unbiased hiring processes and criteria to make sure people are hired for jobs in the schools based only on their qualifications and skills.
Changing physical spaces to better accommodate those with temporary and permanent disabilities.
Using books and other learning tools that reflect different cultures and encourage student discussion so that all students feel welcome and included in the classroom while advancing a set of common values.
In recent years, opponents have tried to make Americans believe that DEI is harmful and in opposition to our shared American values. They have deliberately twisted its meaning, spread false information about its purposes, and tried to confuse the public about its impact on their lives. It is critical for everyone to understand why these claims are wrong.
One common claim is that DEI efforts lower performance standards and elevate personal identity over merit. In fact, the opposite is true. DEI practices ensure that all qualified people have equitable access to opportunities – whether it involves student access to educational programs or adult access to school jobs. Research has shown that bias, rather than lack of qualifications, has historically excluded talented individuals from underrepresented groups from access to many opportunities. DEI practices work to correct this imbalance by removing systemic barriers and allowing the best candidates to rise based on their knowledge and skills, not just their backgrounds.
Another common claim is that DEI efforts emphasize differences in identity and create division rather than cohesion in the school community. This claim ignores a key element of DEI – its emphasis on inclusion. As a result, DEI practices try to create learning environments where everyone feels valued and included. Research shows that when people feel like they belong, they become more engaged, productive, and collaborative. These practices also help people understand and appreciate the different viewpoints and perspectives of those with different backgrounds and life experiences. This serves to promote unity rather than division.
A third common claim is that DEI practices lead to discrimination by elevating historically disadvantaged groups over historically privileged ones. This is not the case. DEI practices create a fairer system where access and success are based on merit and capability rather than systemic advantages possessed by historically privileged groups. These new approaches allow those who had been previously overlooked or excluded to become visible, creating healthy competition for all.
DEI benefits the entire community – not just a few groups. Talents and skills are equally distributed across all groups in a community, but opportunities and access are not. DEI practices allow us to do all we can to make sure that everybody in our community has an opportunity to be successful and to contribute to the greater good. Our community makes better and more equitable decisions when collective experiences and perspectives are equally represented. Decades of research have shown that the principles and practices of DEI drive greater innovation, improve critical thinking, and lead to more effective problem-solving. At the same time, it also gives everyone a fairer chance to succeed in their schools and workplaces.
Creating and maintaining a fair and healthy community depends upon a continuing commitment to DEI practices. In the face of the unrelenting attacks on DEI occurring in national political discussions, WEC will maintain this commitment because we recognize that advancing excellence in the Worcester education ecosystem cannot occur unless we also advance equity. Moving forward, WEC will work to counter misinformation about DEI and ensure that our community understands its authentic meaning and benefits. We invite you to raise your voice and join us in this effort. Together, we can stand in defense of educational equity, human dignity, and the shared future we seek to build. Our community’s success depends on this.
