Kane County Reporter

GOP gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) recently commented on efforts in Batavia to push Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. 

"The Batavia school board and parents should reject these calls for so-called DEI,' which makes politics and divisiveness the priority in schools that adopt it — not actual learning," Bailey said. "Batavia teachers should focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, not coddling self-absorbed students obsessed with the latest social trends. It is not the job of educators to turn our students into woke activists. This far-left indoctrination needs to stop. The focus should be on real learning. The fact is [that] 55 percent of Batavia HS students don't test at grade level. How about fixing that problem versus making up ones that don't exist? As governor, I will dedicate all taxpayer resources for schools to actual learning and instruction. I will abolish all funding of DEI initiatives.”

While Batavia has been pursuing the DEI initiative, its children have been steadily faltering in standardized exams. The latest Illinois Report Card shows over half of Batavia High School students don't test at grade level.

Jennifer Nevins said the DEI initiative is divisive. She complained to the school board.

"Tonight I am speaking to you clearly as a minority member in this crowd," she said at a school board meeting, according to the Daily Herald. "All I hear is 'divide, divide, divide.'" She claimed her daughter, who identifies as white, has been chased by other children and called a "racist." 

Early this year, school officials outlined a plan aimed at implementing more equity in the school system. They are set to offer district-wide equity training. The group’s efforts are expected to be finished by the end of the year.