Statement From the Board of Regents and Commissioner of Education

“The Board of Regents and the State Education Department are committed to fostering a culture that supports the values of equity and inclusion for all New Yorkers. President Trump’s Executive Order banning racial sensitivity training in many workplaces is unconscionable, particularly now when our country is so bitterly divided on so many issues. At its core, sensitivity training is designed to bring people together by exploring the bonds that unite us as individuals. Once again, however, the administration seeks to divide Americans rather than bring us together. 

“We see inequity in the way COVID-19 has disproportionately harmed communities of color. We see inequity in the disparate schooling our children receive based on where they live. And we see inequity in the ways in which people of color are treated under the law. These inequities are born of ignorance and fostered by those who have not learned to value and respect people’s differences. Only through better understanding of our biases will we be able to work toward a future where all people are treated with the dignity and respect that everyone deserves.”