At the Confluence of COVID-19 and Anti-Black Racial Violence: Exploring Independent Schools’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic and heightened awareness of police violence against Black Americans in 2020 reverberated throughout educational institutions including private, non-religious schools. This survey study (n=242) sought to understand the impact of these crises on independent schools’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leaders. Results indicate that while 45% of included schools had a robust DEI practice pre-2020, these crises created an environment of these competing crises. Many schools experienced reductions in resources and increasing resistance to DEI. Overall, pre-2020 robustness of a DEI practice did not predict school responses to the crises. Implications for DEI policy and leadership are discussed.