Plymouth-Canton community defends school district diversity policies amid outside attacks
Members of the public fill the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education meeting. June 10, 2025 | Photo by Leah Craig
Community members gathered at the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday to voice their vehement support for the district's inclusive policies and leadership. Attendance extended beyond the boardroom into the hallway.
The outpouring of public support comes on the heels of a contentious May 27 meeting, when six individuals used far-right and religious rhetoric to lambaste the school board. Further examination of social media accounts showed that these agitators were flown in from out of state specifically for the Plymouth-Canton Board meeting.
The individuals in question were paid operatives of Turning Point USA, a right-wing nonprofit that advocates for conservative politics in high schools and college campuses nationwide. Several community members pointed out that these six agitators were not stakeholders and, as such, were in no position to spread falsehoods about the school district.
Speakers at Tuesday's board meeting chose not to say the names of the agitators, explaining that identifying these parties only serves to amplify their bigotry.
Indeed, the meeting had a much different tone as district parents, students, staff, and alumni thoroughly condemned the events of the previous meeting.
'They weren't here to help our community,' said Michelle Mustakis. 'They were here to use us, to use you, and worst of all, to use your kids for the purpose of growing their social media reach. Kids for clicks. And what better way for them to grow their influence than to hit on all the hot topic buttons?'
Though no specific policy was mentioned, the May 27 speakers' inflammatory religious and political rhetoric was presumably a response to the district's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. Per their website, the Plymouth-Canton district is 'committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment for all students, staff, and families.' This commitment is reflected in district policy, most notably in the district's stance on transgender student rights.
In December 2020, the Plymouth-Canton board voted unanimously to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. The State of Michigan codified this policy in 2021, though the level of cooperation varies among school districts.
John Skutnik– whose three sons graduated from Plymouth High School– applauded the board's efforts to 'show our children that people who are different than them should not be feared but embraced and understood.'
Skutnik also pushed back on the agitators' comments from the previous meeting, particularly the claim that schools should be focused on 'reading, writing, and arithmetic.' However, Skutnik explained, 'education is also about learning how to communicate. Because all of those traditional subjects are useless unless you're able to communicate with people who are both like you and not like you.'
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