By Nicole Montesano • Staff Writer • 

Commissioners object to diversity training

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Comments

tdmur

Liberals Dingbats overtaking Mac.

Lulu

$19,000? Is Silas Hyphenated off his rocker? Oh, excuse me--that comment shows insensitivity to the mentally ill. I'm feeling a tad microaggressive.

Megan

Thank you for the great coverage of this issue. I am shocked by Commissioner Starrett’s inability to recognize that citizens of color in this county first, exist, and second, will interact with county employees, and third, deserve to do so without being treated inappropriately. $19,000 is extremely affordable training for 350 employees, and it’s part of the training budget (meaning, the spending of this amount on training had ALREADY BEEN APPROVED — the only question at hand is whether this specific training is acceptable to the majority of the Commissioners).

Finch

It is extremely sad that training is necessary to have people treat each other nicely and get along. It's called common sense. This whole diversity thing is crazy and out of control.

Pebbles578

If it's in the budget already and earmarked for training, AND it was in the top 3 choices by the majority of EMPLOYEES who would be the ones taking said training, then why is this even an issue? The math on 19k for 350 employees comes out to $54.29 each which is a great deal for a training class.
Periodic diversity training is very important for employees who work with the public. It allows them the opportunity to remember who they are, recognize their own biases, and take steps to reflect and deal with those biases before interacting with their customers. This process ensures the customers are treated with the utmost respect and receive the assistance they came for without feeling degraded, insulted, or shame.

Pebbles578

When I said "great deal", I meant as in a good buy. Most trainings are a minimum of $99 each.

Lulu

I give up.

Jim

I’ve been through diversity training several times. It’s absolutely a waste of time. It’s just a justification to try to keep from getting sued. If you have any compassion, common sense and a descent heart people will do what is right. The rest of them are untrainable.

Lulu

How about: "Keep your hands to yourself and refrain from any personal remarks or assumptions."
Please send me my $19,000.

Don Dix

With over half the total county employees, HHS makes the most noise, yet gets the least done. Now they 'need' diversity training to better do their job? -- Pitiful!

Diversity training is for those who have no compass -- they need to be 'instructed' on how to act. So, could one gather from this 'training request' that HHS has incompetent and/or biased people on the job?

Finch and Jim have it correct -- and Lulu just taught that class online @ 11:12 this morning.

Aorta1775

Just by using the term "White People" shows the ignorance of those involved in this. Diversity training focuses on understanding not categorizing. The County Commissioners and those involved in this need a lesson in understanding that words have power. The separation has already occurred even before the training started. Its sad... they cannot get over the "white people" phrase. Please join the rest of us in the 21st Century where we are all just "PEOPLE". Thank you.

fir tree

Hey Jim, you said "It’s just a justification to try to keep from getting sued." Based on the county's track record of lawsuit after lawsuit I have to wonder if their new insurance carrier is recommending this training. They obviously need some training of some type. Starrett is just playing to what she thinks is her political base. Still just an actor.

actionjax

Thank goodness for Commissioner Starrett it seems she is the only one looking out for the taxpayers of Yamhill county. People do not need diversity training and if they do then they have a very serious problem. It doesn't take whole lot of reading or good breeding for someone to understand the concept of treating people the way you want to be treated. As a person of color and a minority I personally get tired of everyone walking on egg shells because diversity training classes cause people to be leary of communicating with one another because they may utter the wrong word. It's people like you Megan who make working with other's difficult. It's always those very white progressive thinkers who propose to speak for minorities and those who are marginalized on a daily basis. Please do us a favor we don't need you to speak for us we have our own voice. If you feel you have to say something please do it for those marginalized white folks maybe they'll find your privilege a little less repugnant and superior than we do. Commissioner Starrett please use that 19,000 towards a lot to build apartments on for low income families or programs to help young parents not for classes to teach people manners.

Sally G

I just completed 18 hours of diversity training that focused on white privilege and white supremacy culture. It was outstanding -- understanding these concepts are essential to living and working in a multi-cultural nation. It takes more than just being "nice" to other people. As an ordained minister, a psychiatrist,and a county resident, I strongly support the plan that our county workers receive this training that is standard and necessary.

Sponge

Too many people are afraid of their own shadows these days. Discrimination and oppression seem to afflict everybody, except for the virtuous victims. The need for safe spaces and eradication of trigger words has crippled higher education. People can’t even discuss legitimate differences of opinion without offending somebody. These diversity trainings serve to legitimate the group-think in vogue for today. Professionals need to do their jobs professionally, without the unnecessary burden of couching their speech to appease the over sensitivities of the perceived downtrodden.

Finch

Sponge and actionjax -- outstanding posts and so true.

Megan

Hey, actionjax, do you know me? Guessing not, so maybe don’t try to silence me based on the 5 letters of my first name.

Megan

Sponge, you know what’s super funny about your comment? It was Commissioner Starrett who said on Tuesday that she finds the words “white privilege” and “microaggression” to be offensive. Just. The. Words. were so offensive to her that she wants to make sure employees who specifically asked for this training don’t get it.

For those here for the comment-thread version of a diversity training, that’s called “white fragility”.

Imagine

actionjax

Megan C. Yep I know you and the mafia that you march with.

Aorta1775

Actionjax

The term "person of color" is derogatory j itself. It is nothing but a new way to say "colored people". It should be removed from the vernacular. I am if Spanish decent I am not a person of color. This term further divides by again categorizing. J habe been trying for years to get people to stop saying this. We are all just people. The perpetuation of this kind of thinking is the problem. Take care.

actionjax

Aorta, I respectfully disagree the problem is the worlds love and fascination with being offended.

Aorta1775

Actionjax
I think maybe you should do some history research. Words do have power. What we say is at least as important as what we do. Packaging something up in a new way so that it looks nice does not take away that it stinks. In am actually surprised that so many people forget what it used to be like just 4o years ago. It was not pleasant. If we allow t hi is language to creep back into society we are taking a step back not forward.

RobsNewsRegister

Instead of race, why aren't we categorizing people by blood type? It seems that would make more sense biologically. I'm being audacious, but the point is that we are a pluralistic society where the goal should be everyone treated as an individual. The whole idea of mass grouping seems a bit offensive. Go to Asia and tell those in various countries they are all the same (e.g. Japan, S. Korea, Vietnam, China, .. etc.). I don't think they would appreciate it. Do the same in Europe, Africa, Latin America, and so on.

Joel

Thank God we have Rick Olson and Mary Starrett to stand up to the liberal thought police. These are unsettling times...where you cant even work in government without being coerced into taking one of these far left liberal indoctrination classes.

treefarmer


The article states that the training was “……requested by the employees, and they will help design the curriculum.” Doesn’t sound much like coercion to me, but then I am not at all familiar with the power and influence of “…… far left liberal indoctrination classes.”

Sponge

Megan, I'm glad you felt safe enough to comment on how "super funny" you find my post, in light of your charge of Commissioner Starrett's "white fragility." You have demonstrated the ugly truth that these trainings do nothing to actually address the apparently unlimited states of "fragility" we seem to be discovering in our sensitive society. All you really want is to validate the label.

gregtompkins

I don’t like to see those two at odds. What I find ironic though is the folks who get most bent out of shape about “inclusion” are white liberals. Take a drive into some of those uber leftist hoods in Portland and notice those “in our America” yard signs. They wouldn’t know true diversity if it smacked them in the head. And I’m sure they would be the first to object to a low income apartment complex filled with illegals coming anywhere near their toney neighborhoods and fake yard art.

gregtompkins

I found out there is a term for this it’s called “limousine liberalism.”

Stella

I've got a great training idea:

Currently (for months) Planning is closed 1/2 day Wednesday for training. Based on the numerous remands from Luba I vote to shut Planning down completely and restaff the top and absolutely retrain.

Stella

Training would be how to deny a winery without grapes etc no need for Silas to keep er going. After all Mary and gang approved his "needle exchange" (an ambulance to deliver needles to drug addicts) last week.... now they just need those camps/campers back

Stella

Sorry I meant

Approve "wine tasting" and rentals when the farm produces and literally has zero 🍇 grapes

Stella

Ps. Mary Starrett obviously needs this class more than anyone... If she's an example of our County employees it's money well spent

Funny the three commissioners approve needle exchange at a budget committee vs formal session a month before they get the workshop to even know what they approved. I'm thinking this obviously much needed training class gets more time to decide than that.... truly amazing.

PS. The audio from that meeting would do well on Facebook or utube

Stella

Hennessy the community member was great except all her "white people" should be substituted with "everyone" Or she needs the class too.

Drew1951

What the hell is wrong with diversity training? If it was not necessary, it would not be an issue. Think about the dunderheads who march chanting, “Jews will not replace us!” Yes, I know that didn’t happen here but based on some of the hateful comments posted it is entirely possible. Any work we do to broaden our range of understanding is NOT a waste of time!

treefarmer


Drew1951 – So refreshing to see a voice of reason now and again. (although I would respectfully suggest that “dunderheads” is not the way some might describe the raging torch-bearing mob of Nazis marching in Charlottesville – unless someone told you there were “good people on BOTH sides,” of course.)

And I agree with Stella’s observation that the audio of the meeting in question would be of great interest. I did a search but couldn’t find anything posted yet. Anyone have a link?

Stella

Treefarmer

The audio is posted. It's on the Commissioners meeting page (click on audio link for formal session last Thursday). I'll try to figure out how to post a link.

Stella

www.co.yamhill.or.us/meetings

Then scroll down to Formal Session Thursday, August 8th

Then scroll over to audio

Stella

Oops I guess it was actually started on the Tuesday informal session on August 6th

Same link... audio is posted (not sure how to post it elsewhere)

RobsNewsRegister

The president put his foot in it with that statement but he was referring to people who were protesting removal of a Robert E. Lee statue (the rally was first going to be held in Lee park) as voted by the city council Since April 2017. They were on the news earlier in the day. Many of his close family are Jewish (see below). He was not talking about Neo-Nazis marching while saying "Jews will not replace us". He also moved the American embassy to Jerusalem in 2018 - the first president ever to keep that campaign promise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanka_Trump

treefarmer


Hey Stella – Your directions are great, I found the audio with no problem. Unfortunately my vintage laptop, with the volume cranked up to 100%, is only delivering a ghostly whisper. I’ll see if I can borrow a “fancy phone” from someone to check it out that way? (I have a “vintage” phone too,) Anyway, MANY THANKS!

Rob – Sorry, I’ve heard that “justification” before and it doesn’t ring true. I do not believe that the person in the White house is an anti-Semite OR a white supremacist, but it seems obvious that he doesn’t want to chance alienating or riling up anyone in his base who holds those abhorrent beliefs. It might at least discourage the radical nutjobs (who believe - and declare - that they are doing his bidding) if he was willing to give a clear full-throated condemnation of home-grown terrorists and their ideologies. (You may have noticed he has no problem condemning plenty of people, groups, cities, countries, etc. in no uncertain terms?) The mumbled teleprompter pabulum and half-hearted denunciations might seem sufficiently sincere for his regular true believers, but the nutjobs will continue to translate the tepid rhetoric as a wink and a nod.

Megan

Treefarmer, it’s not your computer, it’s the county’s terrible audio recording. If they moved meetings to McMinnville’s civic hall they’d have access to better equipment, but.... for some reason this isn’t a priority for the majority of the board.

RobsNewsRegister

I take back the statement about he put his foot in his mouth. See transcript from the LA Times below and search for "fine people". If you read the entire statements he makes it pretty clear whom he is talking about and he also condemned both Neo-Nazis and White supremacists that day. Note - this is all from the Aug 15, 2017 transcript.

"...and I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally..."

"... You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name..."



https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-charlottesville-transcript-20170815-story.html

David S. Wall

"Starrett accused Halloran-Steiner of advancing a political agenda."-Commissioner Starrett fails to mention her support for the Halloren-Steiner's political agenda concerning [HB 3383]. Or, is she just pissed Haloren-Steiner is on more Board of Directors of "Non-profits?"

[House Bill 3383]is a "joint-venture" in which Yamhill County is going to operate a very, very costly "Community-based child welfare" program with the State of Oregon. Currently [HB 3383] is in the Joint Committee of Ways and Means. I'll bet many of you fellow taxpayers haven't even heard of this political agenda between Starrett and her favorite hyphenated HHS Director.

Commissioner Starrett also fails to mention [HB 3199] which serves to "give-back the equity in a foreclosed property to the former owner." Currently, Commissioner Starett and her Commissioner buddies seize foreclosed properties(instead of allowing the public to "Bid" on the properties) and turn them over to "Non-profits" under the guise of a "Public Benefit." This is going to get interesting if [HB 3199] becomes law and the former owners of the foreclosed properties now "Gifted" to select "Non-profits" wants their "equity" returned from their former foreclosed properties. We all must thank Representative Noble for enabling Starrett's "political agenda" to move forward.

So...if Commissioner Starrett likes the "political agenda" espoused by the hyphenated empire builder-she confers her blessing (such as [HB 3383])-if not we all suffer from her diatribe into race relations.

Don't forget, Commissioner Starrett successfully twisted Commissioner arms to vote for her "private gate" up on NE Smith Road. Clackamas County dissented.

David S. Wall

Stella

Dave Wall

It's hard to believe so many crazy ideas pass (you forgot ambulance to deliver needles to drug addicts last week) yet diversity training requires further debate đź‘€

RobsNewsRegister

Reading through the transcript of what Trump said after the Charlottesville riots (https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-charlottesville-transcript-20170815-story.html) I get frustrated with how what he said is portrayed by many in the media. He made it VERY clear at THAT time whom he WASN'T talking about "..I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists.." yet that is how his comments are depicted again, and again, and again. It appears nothing other than an obvious slander.

First Russia, Russia, Russia, and now this. What gives? I guess we have little choice now but to dive into source documentation from time to time. I also find it interesting how a reporter challenged his insinuation in 2017 this could lead to the removal of Thomas Jefferson and even George Washington artifacts. Calls to remove Thomas Jefferson are underway in several locales across the country and a Washington mural may soon be painted over in San Francesco.

FitChic

Aorta1775

If saying "person of color" is derogatory, as you say, then so is "white privilege, which was exactly Ms. Starrett's point. Diversity training can be beneficial, but not when the focus is to shame white people for being white!

Diversity training 101: Be kind, be humble, and embrace and celebrate (not avoid) each other and our differences.

actionjax

It's hard to believe that people do not find calling out people by their color (white) and immediately alienating that group appalling. Thankfully Rick and Mary see that putting people on the defensive is wrong. I'm not white but I certainly don't need this type of forced re-education/brainwashing/silencing done on my behalf.
The most privileged people pushing this agenda. Look at Kulla who is basically a drug dealer and just imagine how many black men and women are in jail for the same exact thing he's doing. He wants to tell other's about privilege but should clean his own filthy house first. He tells people how to handle the homeless population by land sharing but refuses to share his own land the hypocrisy is unbelievable.

treefarmer

Some of the words posted in this thread are so rancid and devoid of redeeming value that one yearns for some way to UN-read them. (I assume that was the intent?)


Aorta1775

FitChic

Are you joking? You cannot be serious here? WOW. SMH.

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