MOUNT VERNON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Parents are asking the Rockcastle County School Board to consider options to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the district.
At Tuesday's board meeting, two parents of minority students asked the district to take action to create a more welcoming environment for students of color.
Rachelle Riddle, mother of a Black son in the district, said she has concerns about incidents of hostility toward minority students in the district and a lack of training among faculty to properly handle such situations.
Riddle worked with two other district moms to create "Rock M.O.M.S. (Rockcastle Mothers of Minority Students)," as well as a diversity club for students.
She claims she has been meeting with district officials over the past two years in an effort to improve diversity training and representation in schools, but her concerns have not been addressed.
“We’re not here to complain but to seek resolution as parents and advocates for all kids,” Riddle told the board during Tuesday's public comment period.
According to Kentucky Department of Education data, roughly 95% of the Rockcastle student population identifies as white. 100% of the faculty identifies as white.
Riddle and Rock M.O.M.S. hope to see more diversity in school staff, DEI training programs and DEI officers in the district who can serve as a resource for students with concerns.
“I think that Rockcastle County is an example of what happens when you don’t have DEI in your schools,” Riddle said. "Things are overlooked when you don’t have the perspective that you need to communicate across differences and those are the tools that we really need in our schools to help our kids.”
School board members did not address the concerns during Tuesday's meeting.
Superintendent Carrie Ballinger declined to provide a comment to LEX 18 after the meeting.
