Over the last fifty years our nation’s consumer base has become and will continue to become more multiracial, multiethnic, and multilingual. Ergo, Vermont’s economic growth and prosperity depend on our ability to capture the attention of these multicultural consumers and provide them with goods and experiences that exceed their expectations.
Negative racial bias born from ignorance or a distorted whitewashing of history signals to consumers of color that they and their spending power are unwanted in Vermont. If our local economies are to succeed in the coming decades, we must have a world class educated workforce.
No one wants to do business with knuckleheads or start a business where schools fail to produce a workforce capable of being competitive in the marketplace of diverse consumers. Anti-CRT operatives who promote banning the teaching of the inconvenient truths of American history are existential threats to Vermont’s economic prosperity.
Vermont must position itself as a destination of choice for outdoor enthusiasts, tourists, conventioneers, college students, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists of color among others. And we need a workforce with the cultural humility to provide exceptional service. We cannot afford to have a dumbed-down workforce in our dynamic multicultural marketplace.
We also need to prepare students to succeed in our increasingly multiracial democracy. Vermonters of color now constitute 11% of the state’s general population, nearly double what it was a decade ago.
We are in a fight for the lifeblood of a strong, vibrant, and prosperous Vermont economy. We encourage our schools, school districts, and supervisory unions to teach a well-rounded and accurate portrayal of American history. Ignorance breeds bigotry and bigotry is bad for business.
The ask:
- Promote the bigotry is bad for business message to school board and select board members.
- Counter anti-CRT public messaging at school board meetings with the bigotry is bad for business message.
- Write op-ed or commentaries in support of the bigotry is bad for business message.