MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Wednesday, the Manchester School District (MSD) Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt provided a response following right-to-know requests regarding staff training for diversity and bias.
Goldhardt indicated that the district received public records requests from mayoral candidates Rich Girard and Victoria Sullivan seeking among other items, a list of staff training or resources that deal with subjects including diversity and bias.
Goldhardt felt that it was appropriate to share a list of those trainings (see below), adding that the trainings were voluntary prior to June 25, 2021 when the “divisive concepts” bill was passed into law.
“As spelled out in our district equity policy, Manchester School District is committed to providing training opportunities that help each employee develop the “racial, ethnic, and cultural competence to understand the contexts in which they teach, work, and learn,” said Goldhardt. “It’s what we mean when we promise excellence and equity in every classroom, every day”
He added that the MSD continually reviews professional development and training opportunities for compliance to all state and federal education laws and will continue to do so, with professional development opportunities evolving depending on the needs and requests of the district’s educators.
The district’s diversity and bias training became a focal point following the resignation of Daniel Concannon in late June, with Concannon claiming that the trainings promoted a philosophy of “anti-whiteness.”