A Washington elementary school is hosting a safe space that excludes White students, according to an email from the school’s principal.
Centennial Elementary in Olympia, Washington, established a 5th-grade “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mentor Group” that the principal says excludes White students, according to a screenshot of an email shared with the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. The school district confirmed its authenticity.
The club meets weekly during lunch period, and Centennial Elementary is reportedly in the early stages of developing a 4th-grade “BIPOC-only” student group and adding a student ally club.
According to a spokesperson from the Olympia School District, the BIPOC Mentor Group is an “outgrowth” of a district wide effort to provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for students with an “emphasis on historically underrepresented populations including students of color and those impacted by poverty.”
OSD sent Fox News Digital a statement saying that the group allows for “more honest and open conversations” surrounding identity but added that they will remove any exclusions to participation.
“It serves students by providing opportunities for peer interaction and a space for social, emotional and academic support. This space allows for more honest and open conversations about differences and identity and how it impacts one’s experiences in school. It is designed to be a student-led group facilitated by an adviser to plan for leadership opportunities,” Susan Gifford, the OSD Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations, said.
“Groups like this are important for elevating voices and are instrumental in helping our district design a responsive educational experience that meets the needs of all students,” she added. “At the same time, we recognize that they cannot be exclusionary. Moving forward, we will ensure that school leadership and staff are specific about the purpose of these groups, while simultaneously removing any exclusions to participation.”
Affinity groups are a common practice among K-12 and collegiate institutions across the country in a push for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The most recent example is Fox News Digital reporting last month on a Rhode Island school district planning an “Educators of Color” event, which prompted accusations of violating state and federal anti-discrimination laws.
