Liberty school board member rejects equity work, disrespects district diversity officer
Liberty School Board member Scott Connor needs a lesson in manners. His behavior at a recent school board meeting was unbecoming of a public official.
Connor repeatedly referred to Andrea Dixon-Seahorn, a Black woman and the district’s first chief equity officer, by her first name. Several times Connor interrupted Dixon-Seahorn as she tried to answer questions about equity training in the district.
In one exchange, Connor questioned Dixon-Seahorn about a webinar she attended on critical race theory, a hot-button topic all over the country.
Connor opposes teaching the nation’s history from a different perspective, he told fellow board members.
“CRT is mentioned a couple of times in this report,” Connor says. “I’m just curious as to what she took away from it.”
Dixon-Seahorn asked Superintendent Jeremy Tucker and the school board if she could address the concern, but she never really got a chance to do that.
“What did you learn, what did you hear, what do you think?” Connor asked, then repeatedly interrupted Dixon-Seahorn in mid-sentence.
“I would say it was informative,” Dixon-Seahorn replied. “That’s my take on it.”
The hostility from Connor, a four-term board member and former president, was uncalled for. His lack of decorum was on full public display.
“Where do you think we are at, Liberty, with CRT and DEI?” Connor asked Dixon-Seahorn, who spoke maybe three words before Connor rudely cut her off again.
Dixon-Seahorn is tasked with implementing the district’s strategic plan to address diversity, equity and inclusion issues in the majority white district. The job is hard enough.
Connor also had a contentious exchange with school board president Nick Bartlow, and accused him of possible Sunshine Law violations.
Hopefully, tensions on the school board between its current and past presidents won’t derail diversity initiatives. Connor was the lone vote against a recommendation from Dixon-Seahorn to begin the next phase of the district’s equity action plan.
Like most suburban districts, Liberty has had to contend with multiple issues, including bullying and incidents of racism. Leaders have taken steps to improve equitable opportunities for all students to learn and expand its workforce with educators of color.
It’s a new day in public education. Districts are more culturally sensitive and aware than ever. Acknowledging a professional Black woman by her appropriate title isn’t difficult.
Dixon-Seahorn has a doctorate in educational leadership and instruction from William Woods University. She was Liberty’s executive director for elementary education prior to her appointment as chief equity officer. Dixon-Seahorn has been a building principal and equity education consultant. She deserves respect.
And you don’t bring in a Black woman to lead the charge and then berate her in a public setting.
Connor’s unprofessional behavior even caught some of his colleagues by surprise. “Scott, you’ve worked too hard on this board to go this direction,” his fellow board member Angie Reed told him. “I’ve never seen you do that and I have watched board meetings for years.”
Connor owes Dixon-Seahorn an apology. And he needs to work out whatever differences he has with how Bartlow governs.
