Windham Southeast School District Board of Directors
Brattleboro, Vermont April 22, 2025
To: Zoie W. Saunders, M.Ed.,
Secretary of Education
Vermont Agency of Education
1 National Life Drive, Davis 5
Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
zoie.saunders@vermont.gov
Tracy B. Watterson, M.Ed.,
CPM Assistant Director, Student Support Services Division
Vermont Agency of Education
tracy.watterson@vermont.gov
Rebecca McBroom
Chair, Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying Prevention Advisory Council
Vermont-NEA
rmcbroom@vtnea.org
Re: Urgent Call for Inclusive Representation on the HHB Prevention Advisory Council
Dear Secretary Saunders, Ms. Watterson, and Chair McBroom,
On behalf of the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board of Directors, we write to express both a concern and a call to action regarding the current composition of the Vermont Harassment, Hazing, and Bullying Prevention Advisory Council (HHB Council).
Despite our shared commitment to equity and student well-being, it is deeply concerning that the Council currently includes no individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). In a state that publicly affirms the value of inclusive education, this absence is not only problematic—it risks compromising the Council’s ability to fulfill its mission with the breadth of insight and cultural responsiveness required.
Secretary Saunders, we are heartened by your own words upon stepping into your role, when you stated:
“From the start of my career, I have been unwavering in my commitment to foster and expand an environment where equity, access, and opportunity are at the forefront of our educational agenda.”
It is precisely in the spirit of that vision that we ask you now to exercise your discretionary authority to appoint at least one qualified BIPOC individual to this Council.
This is not only consistent with Act 129 and the Council’s statutory purpose—it is foundational to its legitimacy and effectiveness.
Why BIPOC Representation Is Essential
1. Disproportionate Impact of HHB on BIPOC Students
The U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) highlights a troubling reality: BIPOC students are more likely to face racial harassment and to be disciplined more harshly than their peers. These patterns make it essential that those with lived experience of these inequities have a seat at the table.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. 2013–14 Civil Rights Data Collection: A First Look. 2016.
2. Inclusive Councils Yield Better Outcomes
As documented by Scott E. Page in The Diversity Bonus, diverse leadership teams—particularly those inclusive of racial and cultural diversity—are more effective at developing responsive, innovative public policy. If the HHB Council is to lead this work in a way that reflects Vermont’s full student population, it must reflect that population in its own membership.
Page, Scott E. The Diversity Bonus. Princeton University Press, 2017.
3. Representation Builds Trust
Advisory bodies that reflect the communities they serve earn trust and legitimacy. As Gordon, Iwamoto, and Yip note, racially representative school leadership correlates strongly with students’ perception of fairness and connection—both essential conditions for addressing bullying and harassment effectively.
Gordon, Derrick T., et al. “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in School-Based Disciplinary Actions.” Child & Youth Services, vol. 39, no. 1, 2018, pp. 55–77.
A Path Toward Accountability and Inclusion
We respectfully encourage the Agency not only to act now to remedy this situation, but to build toward a more inclusive and representative future as well. Formalizing seats on the HHB Council for organizations such as the Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity, the Vermont Educators of Color Association, and the NAACP would help ensure that equity is not an aspiration, but a structural commitment.
We are eager to support the Agency in identifying strong, qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of our state and who will enrich this Council’s work with critical perspectives and deep expertise.
Thank you for your leadership as well as your attention to this matter of educational equity.
Respectfully submitted,
Windham Southeast School District
