JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An alumnus of The Bolles School wants to help the private school with its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Justice Dixon is part of the Black Bolles Alumni Group, which was formed in June after Bolles and other area private schools in the spring 2020 semester were at the center of social media criticism by students and graduates of color who posted their experiences with racism at the campuses.
Dixon told News4Jax on Tuesday he wants to have one or two of his fellow members sit on Bolles’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to help the school create change.
His request comes after Bolles decided it would not move forward with a planned diversity curriculum.
“It appears as though they have a different idea of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Dixon said.
News4Jax uncovered last week that six days before the Bolles announced its decision to drop the Pollyanna curriculum, the Board of Trustees and others received a message signed by five former board chairmen saying financial support was in jeopardy if the school adopted the curriculum.
“As a past board chairman, alumnus and past-parent, we are deeply concerned about the direction of our school,” the letter said in part. “... Now, it seems we are responding to social agendas, requiring these agendas within our curriculum and telling students how to think.”
Current President and Head of School Tyler Hodges responded last week to News4Jax’s inquiry about the letter, acknowledging it was sent, but Hodges said it had nothing to do with the school’s decision to drop the curriculum.
“It did appear the donors used their influence to push back against the first real opportunity for change,” Dixon said.
Dixon said he has not heard back after reaching out to Bolles about putting one or two of the members of the Black Bolles Alumni Group on the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to help the school create change.
“All the accounts we’ve seen, people have had not-so-great experiences there, and our goal is to make sure that that doesn’t happen in the future,” Dixon said.
Dixon also has suggested a mentoring program where Black alumni can mentor Black students, but he said he hasn’t heard much from the school in return.