Georgia's Professional Standards Commission has voted to remove the words "equity" and "inclusion" from the state's teacher preparation guidelines. This decision follows last month's vote to replace "diversity" and "diverse" with terms deemed clearer. According to Chairman Brian Sirmans, the University System of Georgia requested clarified expectations for incoming teachers, prompting the changes. He reportedly stated that terms like "diversity" and "inclusion" had become open to interpretation.

The Commission insists this move isn't meant to diminish opportunities for minority students, but rather to streamline training by eliminating potentially ambiguous language. The aim, according to Sirmans, is to ensure educators are equipped to meet the needs of all students. However, concerns remain about teachers' preparedness to handle diverse classrooms and create inclusive environments without explicit training in these areas.

Critics, like Aireane Montgomery of Georgia Educators for Equity & Justice, argue that removing these terms marginalizes certain communities. Furthermore, educator Tracey Nance emphasizes the importance of teachers understanding student identities in Georgia's increasingly diverse student body. "Diverse" and "diversity" will now be replaced with "different" in the standards. Fox News Digital contacted the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for further comment, but has not yet received a response.