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Jacksonville activist groups call on Duval Schools to embrace diversity and inclusion

The Jacksonville Leadership Coalition, Public School Defenders and Take ‘Em Down Jax demonstrated outside district headquarters ahead of a school board meeting.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Several community activist groups rallied outside Duval County Public Schools headquarters Monday, demanding the district embrace diversity and inclusion, “teach true Black history” and put banned books back on classroom shelves.

Jacksonville Leadership Coalition, Public School Defenders and Take ‘Em Down Jax met outside before a scheduled 6 p.m. school board meeting, hoping to catch the attention of school board members.

Pastor R.L. Gundy said the board needs to select a superintendent who will promise to commit to “diversity and inclusion of all students and teachers, regardless of age, race, color and ethnic background or gender” in the same way the last superintendent, Dr. Diana Greene, did.

“This is America. We are diverse, and everybody has a right to be a human,” Gundy said. “When you don’t allow them to be a human, you are not a democracy anymore. You are a fascist nation.”

He said he believes the district is not in compliance with a federal court order to be inclusive of all people following desegregation from the Middle District of Florida that was signed years ago by a judge.

“It’s wrong. Every human being has a right to be treated like a human being, regardless of their race, their race, their gender, their ethnicity, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation. They have a right to be treated like a human.”

Gundy said he's looking got teachers who have resigned in Florida to join a possible lawsuit to challenge the state and district "if necessary" to protect their rights.

The groups also want to halt the naming of Riverside High School’s stadium, which the board voted on Monday night.

Gundy said the district has not involved Riverside students and alumni in the naming process or asked for their input.

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