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Leadership Profile: Fleurette King - Director of Equity and Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Flo King headshot
Randy Barber

En Español

Every student wins when we make our classrooms more welcoming, places where students see themselves reflected.

While DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing culture wars, BVSD’s new director of Equity and Inclusive Teaching and Learning, Fleurette (Flo) King, isn’t shying away from the word or the work.

“It is so easy to get caught up in the propaganda,” King admitted. “I think if you know the history of how civil rights or human rights have been developed, you go through these kinds of phases. Language evolves. Something could be good for five years, ten years, 50 years, and then boom, that next year we got to look at it a little bit differently.

“At the end of the day, DEI is a win-win for everyone, no matter what you call it,” King added. “Thus, it can be disheartening to see kids and adults dealing with dehumanizing language, such as being called the "N" word, the"R" word, misgendered or dead-named.  I am working on a model and resource to help enhance a sense of belonging and address dehumanizing language and actions.”

She likens it to efforts to make schools more accessible for students with disabilities, using Universal Design. The door-openers, larger bathroom stalls, ramps and curb cuts most certainly help people who have to navigate our buildings in a wheelchair or with crutches – but also every other student and staff member.

“Everyone wins from Universal Design, which ensures we are accommodating and being thoughtful for kids with disabilities. DEI is very similar,” King said.

She feels it is just part of public education’s role to prepare students for their future, whether they’re headed to college, the workplace, traveling, etc. 

“We are living in a more diverse society and world,” she continued. “We not only need to affirm the folks who are part of underrepresented groups – people of color, LGBTQIA+, women, girls, etc. –  feel affirmed, a sense of belonging and see themselves in the curriculum, but we also need to prepare dominant culture students – white, heterosexual, cisgender, neurotypical, whatever the case is – to also be able to function in a diverse world.”

While King knows the benefit that DEI can have institution-wide, her focus will be on teaching and learning. It was a change made by district leadership, following the feedback received during the independent review of the All Together for All Students Strategic Plan, which essentially indicated a need for a more targeted, intentional approach to supporting students, including in the area of DEI.

“I think this is a good situation to start here, because the classroom has such an impact,” King said. “I do see how our efforts can be broadened out, but I'm good staying in my lane right now. The classroom is such a significant space that can make a big difference for everyone – the teacher, the principal and the student.”

The goal, however, isn’t to force people to change, but to set the stage for how people treat each other within the district. 

“If you're going to work or study here at BVSD, these are going to be the expectations,” King said.

King says this can and should include healthy debates, deliberations and discussion. She, however, draws the line at any debate over the existence of any group. 

“There can be a debate and discussion on how we include transgender athletes, but not if trans athletes should exist or get to participate,” King explained. “Similarly, we can talk about how black culture can be better represented in the curriculum, but not debate whether or not they existed or contributed before and after enslavement.  This tends to happen to a lot of marginalized groups.”

In the process of ensuring that BVSD is a place that welcomes everyone and treats them with respect, she hopes we will inspire a more inclusive world. 

“It can be a really amazing, beautiful thing,” King said. “Everyone has the opportunity to have a legacy here. Uplifting these students is an amazing gift that we can offer them. They are our future. They are our leaders.

A wealth of experience in the higher education and corporate worlds
King recalls teachers that helped her become who she is today.

“I had some great teachers. I know I would not be where I am without them,” King said. “They saw potential, they affirmed that and they found creative ways to have me even explore that.” 

“I felt good about my identities,” added King who proudly identifies herself as Black, lesbian gender-non-conforming, Christian, yet also can agnostic at times, athletic person and prefers pronouns, she, they and per (a shortened version of person that serves as a gender neutral pronoun). “I saw myself in a diverse group of teachers and that was good. Having teachers of all different backgrounds was very helpful to me.”

In college, she actually considered becoming a teacher, before getting a taste of DEI work (known at the time as multicultural affairs) as a Resident Assistant. After earning her bachelor’s degree at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, she moved to Dubuque, Iowa to work in the dorms at Loras College.

“I got a dual position where I was running an all women's residence hall, but I was also the coordinator for the multicultural affairs center on campus,” she explained. 

She eventually would go on to lead DEI work at a number of colleges including DePaul University in Chicago (where she also earned her master’s degree), Princeton, University of New Jersey, University of Michigan, University of Connecticut, University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University (where she is currently working on her doctorate). 

“[DEI work] is fun. And it's rewarding,” King said. “There are challenges there that are very stimulating.”

For the past two and a half years, she’s gotten a taste of the corporate world with global juggernaut Cisco Systems, Inc., where she worked with employees around the world.

While that wealth of experience has given her a lot of tools to support DEI, she says her focus right now is meeting people and getting to know the organization.

“In the next few months, they're probably going to see a lot of relationship building, so that I can understand people's roles and where I can get plugged in or connect,” King explained. “You've got to connect with the people. They’ll give you the best thoughts and suggestions. I’ll be working to get the big picture of all the different perspectives and agendas and what's important to people.”

She intends to build upon the DEI work already underway here in BVSD, including the equity councils  and affinity groups that already exist. 

“I don't ever come into a place assuming I'm going to be like this savior of DEI,” King said with a laugh. “I come in thinking, ’okay, what is here already that we can uplift and build on?’ And then also, where are the gaps? Where might I be able to fill that? Where can I find resources for that? I come with a great curiosity. I love getting to know people and relationships.”

“It is important to build from where an organization is at, because you want to have their investment. You want to have them feel like they're a part of it.”

“There are always DEI advocates who have been in the game to make a place better.  Also, I think the collaboration with the NAACP, Right Relationship Boulder, and other groups are critical to the history of BVSD,” King added. “So I have to do extra research to understand that and bring in the voices and the stories and the perspective of BVSD’s various communities.”

Getting to Know Fleurette

Here are a few more details, so you can get to know our new Director of Equity and Inclusive Teaching and Learning.

A Midwesterner with a touch of New England and the South
When you meet Flo, it can often feel like you’re catching up with an old friend.

“I grew up in Ohio and feel like I'm a true midwesterner with our warm friendliness that we bring often, or willingness to have ease around folks. I also think I'm a little bit of a nutmegger from Connecticut, because I have that perseverance. A then a little bit of southern culture because my family has deep roots in the South.

Fishin’ with Flo
Outside of work, you can often find Flo on the shores of Boulder Reservoir, with a line in the water.

“I love fishing,” Flo said. “My dad was such an outdoors person and I had a huge influence on me. Every year in his honor, I get my fishing license and all my park passes, so I can make sure I stay out.”

She has become a regular at Dream Cove.

“It's really funny because I guess I've been there often enough that there are some people who kayak, who will see me sitting on the shore, and they will always speak to me and ask how I'm doing,” Flo said.

She went to her favorite fishing hole a few days before tying the knot with her wife.

“Water is a way to connect with my grandparents, whom I miss greatly, and my ancestors. So, I went fishing and caught several fish. It was like ‘they’re supportive,’” Flo recalled.

Competitive Racquetball 
Flo also loves to play racquetball.

“I love that it is a brain and brawn game,” Flo said. “It is as much about strategy as it is physically demanding.”

She used to practice six days a week for up to three hours and competed in a number of tournaments. 

“My body is also tore up because of it, but, yeah, I was a big player, and I really surprised a lot of people,” Flo said. 

Nowadays she enjoys teaching others how to play. 

“I”m playing with a younger guy now, Hakeem,” Flo said. “He's learning from me, but he's good. He beat me once, but he's trying to make it a streak and he hasn't been able to do it yet.” . He has so much fun, and he is such a student of the game.”

“It feels good because I've also taught a lot of people how to play and to find their strengths. I love doing that as much,” she added.

She loves to cycle too. Flo just completed 30 miles during the  Venus de Miles, a women-cycling event in Lyons in August. She was glad to see her BVSD colleague, Megan McCracken, who has done the ride many times.


 

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