(NAME-MCE) Critics say district discriminated against its own diversity advocate

[Anselmo Villanueva]

July 8, 2008

Critics say district discriminated against its own diversity advocate

The sudden dismissal of a Virginia district's minority liaison has
angered black community members and other supporters of the diversity
advocate. "We were appalled," said Reginald A. Early, president of the
local NAACP chapter. "There is no credible reason for her contract not
to be renewed, given that she was doing exactly what she was hired to
do. It just doesn't make sense. There's a disconnect somewhere."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070802690.html?hpid=moreheadlines

LOUDOUN COUNTY

Minority Groups Decry Ouster of School Advocate
	
Loudoun County's minority community is criticizing school officials
for failing to renew the contract of the district's first supervisor
for outreach.

Despite months of lobbying from teachers, parents and organizations
representing minorities, the school system ended its contract last
month with Beverly Bennett-Roberts, who was hired nearly three years
ago to lead the district's diversity efforts.

Supporters of Bennett-Roberts blame discrimination and the school
system's desire to maintain the status quo for her firing.
Bennett-Roberts and her attorney, Michael Miller, said the
termination, which occurred several months after her only evaluation,
was flawed and failed to follow the school district's written
administrative policies.

"We were appalled," said Reginald A. Early, president of the Loudoun
County NAACP. "There is no credible reason for her contract not to be
renewed, given that she was doing exactly what she was hired to do. It
just doesn't make sense. There's a disconnect somewhere."

Privacy rules prevent the district from commenting on personnel
issues, schools spokesman Wayde B. Byard said, adding that the
district maintains its commitment to diversity.

An advertisement for the job has been posted on the school system's Web site.

Early and others in the community are worried that the district's
decision will impede progress made during Bennett-Roberts's tenure and
could have a negative effect on its relationship with minorities.

In her evaluation in February, a copy of which she provided to The
Washington Post, school officials said Bennett-Roberts had an
"unwillingness or inability" to stay within her job description,
failed to alert her supervisor of negative perceptions of the school
district, failed to follow directions from her supervisor, provided
internal e-mails to people outside the school system without
permission of the originator and communicated with outsiders to
undermine or cast doubt on equity efforts.

"You have failed to develop the trust necessary to build a cooperative
relationship between outside sources and the school system," the
evaluation said. "You have demonstrated unethical behavior by
providing information to outside sources for the purpose of
discrediting Loudoun County Public Schools."

Edward Bourne, a member of the school system's minority-student
achievement advisory committee, said that from the community's
perspective, Bennett-Roberts's performance was "phenomenal." Many
people don't think the school system is being transparent about the
issue, he said. "I think there's a lack of trust there that really
needs to be addressed," he said.

When Bennett-Roberts came to Loudoun in November 2005, there was no
road map. Her job was a newly created position designed to focus on
outreach to various parent advisory groups, coordinating parent
volunteers and working with principals and schools to develop equity
teams.

More than 30 percent of the school system's 54,047 students are
minorities, 2007-08 figures showed.

Bennett-Roberts started a monthly diversity-training program and held
several workshops and symposiums that drew hundreds of parents. She
documented her experiences in a six-page report, including
observations that there are no women of color leading any of the
district's secondary schools and that many minority students and
parents think they are not noticed. She recommended that the district
undergo a "cultural audit."

Many minority parents said that for the first time, they thought they
had a voice and an advocate in the school system. Nearly two dozen
people from diverse backgrounds spoke in support of Bennett-Roberts at
School Board meetings in April, May and June.

Bennett-Roberts and her attorney say the school district violated its
evaluation policies by not having preliminary discussions about her
performance, and setting goals and objectives.

Bennett-Roberts said she was notified in December that she was in
danger of receiving an unsatisfactory evaluation. In February, she was
told that she had not met the district's standard for progress and
that her contract might not be renewed.

"I never had anything but the December meeting," said Bennett-Roberts,
who has held similar positions in Baltimore and Minnesota. "I was just
baffled by this whole process."

She and her attorney said they have not ruled out a lawsuit.

"This is bigger than me. This isn't just my fight," she said. "This is
about an organization that needs to change. Until they turn the mirror
on themselves, there will be more Beverlys."