The Mathews County School Board grappled with the question of what is “equity” as several members of the public, and one board member, implying that the term is being used to give special rights and privileges to previously marginalized groups.

During the public comment period at the start of Tuesday’s meeting in the Mathews High School media center, Dr. Mari Gibbs of North questioned the word’s use in several items on the night’s agenda, including in teacher performance evaluation standards, one of which calls for teachers to demonstrate “a commitment to equity and provide(s) instruction and classroom strategies that result in cultural inclusive and responsive learning and achievement for all students.”

“What does ‘a commitment to equity’ mean,” Gibbs asked.

Sharon Frye of Port Haywood was blunt in her assessment, saying of buzzwords like “equity” and “inclusion”—“all of that is Critical Race Theory.” Jack Kirby of Cobbs Creek said that Gibbs deserves an answer to her questi...