Op Ed: Guilford Board of Finance clinging to DEI 

On April 21, 2025, a stunning discussion occurred at the Guilford Board of Finance meeting

Have you ever watched a Guilford Board or Commission meeting?  It’s the only way to witness “behind the scenes” discussions about issues that affect us, the taxpayers in Guilford.

It began when Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey asked,

“What’s at risk for the Board of [Ed] relative to special education funding – with the actions that have been taken by the Trump administration relative to DEI and other executive orders? Do we have a clear understanding of the potential exposure … where would we find the money to continue to do the things we’ve been doing, or do we just not do it anymore?”

In other words, how much federal funding does Guilford risk if our public schools continue to implement Superintendent Freeman’s “Equity and Social Justice” Initiative? If we lose this federal funding, how would the town cover the loss?  

According to Linda Trudeau, Guilford School Business Manager, the District “receives approximately $1 million in direct federal grants.” However, our school districts also receive about 8% locally from the State of Connecticut—primarily funded through federal grants, which will be jeopardized along with the $1 million in direct federal grants. So, 8% of our $74.4 million education budget amounts to $6 million.

Now we know what’s at stake for Guilford taxpayers if the town decides not to comply with President Trump’s executive orders regarding DEI, Title IX etc. B o F member Jonathan Trotta, spoke in favor of ending DEI in the Guilford school system. “At the budget meetings I recommended that we stop DEI and focus on traditional education.”  First Selectman Matt Hoey immediately silenced Trotta: “That’s pretty innovative thinking Jon … thanks for going on the record about that.” See the exchange.

Board of Finance Chairman Michael Ayles then weighed in,

“There is no way to isolate DEI (in Guilford Schools) … I look at it more as good luck trying to do that when it is embedded in everything that we do … I don’t even know how you would begin to think about it … It is so far-reaching and how would you quantify it tangibly?  That’s why there is pushback because you can’t.”  

Chairman Ayles’ comment was more correct than he knew.  

Superintendent Freeman hired DEI consultant Dr. Sharon Locke in 2019, to work with the Guilford School Leadership Team. The team was to “establish a systems framework for culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy to grow more equitable schools … as a way of being meant to infiltrate everything we do every day.” 

B o F member Robert Hartman was in support of Ayles. “Dr. Freeman alluded to this the last time we met.  He said there is nothing that we do that would qualify for such programs that are funded, or otherwise specific to, DEI and Equity.  It’s not black and white, it’s not cut and dry.”  

But this is demonstrably false.  

Since 2019, the laser-like focus of Superintendent Freeman and the Guilford Board of Ed has been their “Equity and Social Justice Initiative”–from their “Statement on Addressing Equity and Social Justice in Guilford Public Schools” on April 26, 2021— to the teacher recruitment videos. In Teaching in an Equity Focused District” Dr. Freeman begins, “In Guilford we are focused on Equity” (5 seconds in). Guilford Family Equity Liaison Rydell Harrison echoes this (26 seconds in). 

“I have wholeheartedly embraced the idea that we have recognized the need to address race and equity … we must take purposeful action to address systemic injustice … that is our goal; that will be our plan.” – Dr. Paul Freeman, “Equity and Social Justice in Guilford Public Schools” speech, March 11, 2021.

B o F member Meghan Scanlon reinforced Ayles’ comment, saying, “DEI is not just about race, it’s about neurodiversity and disabilities that are physical and mental … If you wrote down all the things that make you up and compare them to somebody else, that is diversity, equity and inclusion.” And if federal funds are withheld from Guilford Public Schools? “this to me is something … I think we should be investing from the general fund balance.” Ayles agreed.

On February 14, 2025, Craig Trainor, the Acting Assistant Secretary for the USDE Office for Civil Rights, sent a letter to every college and school district in the US — “the Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination … The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent … read the whole letter.

Editor’s note: On April 24, 2025, a federal court enjoined the Department from “enforcing and/or implementing” this letter (….Nat’l Educ. Ass’n v. United States Dep’t of Educ., No. 25-CV-091-LM) … until further notice.

Whereas the primary focus of the GPS system has been “Equity and Social Justice” since the Fall of 2019; whereas our Guilford First Selectman and our Board of Finance evidently see “no possible way” to isolate and/or discontinue DEI; and whereas it appears the Guilford Board of Finance will recommend that the town of Guilford cover any loss of Federal Grants by using the town’s rainy day fund, 

Therefore, the taxpayers of Guilford should be prepared for their property taxes to skyrocket. The madness continues in Guilford.

Dave Holman

(860) 213-1790

dave@dandeholman.com

All Guilford Board and Commission meetings are available to watch by going to the town web site at www.guilfordct.gov