Data harvest misguided

This evening our children brought home a form from the Mead School District entitled “Ethnicity and Race Data Collection Form.” According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Mead School District is required under state statute to obtain and report this information. I fail to see how racial and ethnic profiling benefits the education of our children in any manner.

School staff members are required to complete the form on behalf of any student for whom the form was not returned. Instruction has been provided to “best determine” the racial and ethnic background of their students to comply with this requirement. Asking school district staff to arbitrarily select the racial and ethnic background of a student is offensive and serves as an example of the absurd and invalid nature of this data request.

As parents, we strive to teach our children that people are people, regardless of race, ethnic background, physical handicap or any other item that could lend itself to the formation of discriminatory beliefs. As a society, it’s time to accept one another for who we are, not for the differences that stand us apart. This data-collection process needs to be abolished.

Brady Cass

Spokane