A recent 6-1 Pennridge School Board vote halted — at least for now — instruction on the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). TaRhonda Thomas covered the decision for 6abc.

“I was actually shocked,” said NAACP Bucks County President Karen Downer. “[The district leaders] all knew that they were going to be up against some people who were going to be pushing back against it. But they all felt that they were prepared,” she said.

District parents — generally characterized as right-leaning politically — questioned everything from curriculum to the way it was implemented.

One parent expressed objection to a scholastic reading list. She claimed to support the district’s DEI goals but objected to the “…current premise that our society is racist and not inclusive. It’s a lie, and it harms everyone.”

Others supported the DEI curriculum.

A high school junior, for example, said that reading some of the recommended books on the DEI lists led to eye-opening conversations with classmates.

“Listen to me when I say removing DEI efforts from the curriculum will remove important lessons that your students deserve to learn,” she said.

The Pennridge School Board also voted to create an ad-hoc committee to recommend how to move forward on this topic. It will comprise 12-15 community members and three school board members.

More on this story is at 6abc.