Is DEI a dirty word? These rural Ohio students don't think so.
Kelsie Bullock is a small-town teacher making a big impact - and proving that every student deserves to belong. A few years ago, she started a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Club for her Morgan County high school students. Now, as political attacks threaten programs like hers, Bullock and her students are standing strong, creating a safe space where everyone can connect across differences and feel proud of who they are - no exceptions.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS | Take a listen to NEA's School Me podcast for a discussion with Alice O’Brien, general counsel for the National Education Association, as she walks through your rights, risks, and opportunities to push back against anti-equality policies and fear tactics: A Lawyer Explains: "DEI" and Anti-Equity Policies in Schools | NEA || OEA members with questions are urged to contact their Labor Relations Consultant for guidance
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS | Take a listen to NEA's School Me podcast for a discussion with Alice O’Brien, general counsel for the National Education Association, as she walks through your rights, risks, and opportunities to push back against anti-equality policies and fear tactics: A Lawyer Explains: "DEI" and Anti-Equity Policies in Schools | NEA || OEA members with questions are urged to contact their Labor Relations Consultant for guidance
ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL | Click here for information from NEA about several recent court rulings impacting inclusive education in public schools.
- In February, 2025, the US Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter threatening schools and colleges across the country with the loss of federal funding in a matter of days if they continued to pursue vaguely defined “DEI programs.”
- The National Education Association, ACLU, and others filed a lawsuit to block enforcement of this directive, saying 'the Letter radically resets ED’s longstanding positions on civil rights laws that guarantee equality and inclusion and impermissibly infringes on the authority of states and school districts over public education, as well as the First Amendment rights of educators and students.
- In April, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, preventing the US Department of Education from enforcing the directive while litigation continues. Read NEA's statement on the court ruling here: Federal court grants preliminary injunction against Department of Education’s unlawful directive | NEA
HERE IN OHIO | Ohio lawmakers continue to propose legislation to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and offices in K-12 schools, extending the DEI ban they enacted on college campuses with SB 1 earlier this year. Click here to see recent news coverage.
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Featured Public Education Matters guest:
- Kelsie Bullock, Morgan Local Education Association member
- A biology and marine biology teacher at Morgan High School in McConnelsville, Kelsie Bullock enjoys listening to music, judging gymnastics, doing jiu jitsu and spending time with my husband and dogs.
- A Newark, Ohio, native, Bullock grew up doing gymnastics and loving animals. These two loves directed her towards attending Ohio State for their vet program and coaching gymnastics through her time in college. She quickly realized, once starting college, that becoming a vet was not for her. She thought back on her life and realized that she has always been somewhat of a teacher to her younger sisters, her teammates, and her school peers. This, coinciding with her coaching, led her to realize that she may want to be a teacher. So she switched her major to zoology with a focus in anatomy and physiology, something she wanted to teach at the time.
- After graduating with her first degree, Bullock had a few hiccups for her licensure and ultimately ended up going back to Ohio State to get her bachelors in life science education. During this second degree program, she took an equity and diversity class that she attributes to her turning point in life. She learned so much about the history and culture of marginalized groups in the US and it opened her eyes. From that point on, she has been dedicated to learning and serving to help marginalized groups.
- Bullock enjoys her job, which allows her to actively express her D.E.I passion while also teaching about a topic she truly loves. She gets to help students learn in more ways than one.
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About us:
- The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
- Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.
This episode was recorded on September 15, 2025.
