There are times you sit through a meeting and feel exhausted once the session is done. I felt that way as I walked away from the newly-remodeled Hamilton Southeastern Schools Administration Building Tuesday morning.
I was not a participant. I was covering the meeting as a reporter, but the discussion was revealing and often pointed.
The subjects were equity and inclusion, and the discussion was led by Dr. Erica Buchanan Rivera, Equity and Inclusion Officer for HSE Schools.
Ms. Buchanan Rivera spent time explaining to board members how she helps teachers with questions on how to handle specific situations in their classrooms related to equity and inclusion.
There was a lively discussion about gender equity, treatment of transgender students and how to address the academic performance of many minority groups in the HSE Schools student population.
The school district must be quick to respond when an incident happens, but Buchanan Rivera says HSE Schools need to be more proactive in handling such situations.
Buchanan Rivera presented an action plan for meeting certain goals, and reviewed the groups and committees throughout the school corporation that are working on equity and inclusion issues now.
I am sure many of the board members and HSE staff at this work session felt a little exhausted too, but much was accomplished during the meeting.