>>> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO TEACH AND EXPERIENCE DIVERSITY IN OUR STATE'S SCHOOLS?

AND HOW SHOULD THAT BE DONE?

WE'LL TALK WITH TWO NEBRASKA EDUCATORS.

PLUS, MOVING PAST COVID AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS A NEW SENATOR AFTER ANOTHER RESIGNS.

IT'S ALL AHEAD TONIGHT ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

I'M NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

THIS WEEK, WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT DIVERSITY IN EDUCATION.

AS NEBRASKA HAS GOTTEN MORE DIVERSE, HOW HAVE OUR SCHOOLS ADJUSTED TO THOSE CHANGES?

SCHUYLER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS KNOWS ALL ABOUT MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.

THEIR DISTRICT IS NOW 83% HISPANIC.

THE TOWN OF 6,000 IS LOCATED BETWEEN FREMONT AND COLUMBUS, AND STAFF THERE SAY THEIR DISTRICT HAS INITIATED SOME NEW THINKING TO LEAD ITS SCHOOLS.

>> I THINK IN THE MID '90s, THE CARGILL PLANT CHANGED AND EXPANDED AND AT THAT POINT WE STARTED GETTING AN INFLUX OF MORE IMMIGRANT WORKERS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, THAT'S WHERE THEY'VE SEEN THE GREATEST DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT.

>> A LOT OF TIMES, IN OUR BUILDING, WE'RE GETTING KIDS WHO HAVEN'T HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOOL OR THEIR FIRST TIME IN THE COUNTRY IS IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO, THERE'S THE CULTURE SHOCK THAT ALSO COMES WITH THAT.

WE KNOW NOT ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE FLUENT IN ENGLISH YET.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

LIKE, THAT IS 100% OKAY.

AND WE DON'T REALLY EXPECT IT.

WE ALSO KNOW TOO THAT NOT EVERY SINGLE PARENT IS, AS WELL.

AND ACTUALLY, THE MAJORITY OF OUR PARENTS PROBABLY ARE SPANISH SPEAKING ONLY, WHICH THAT SOMETIMES CAN CREATE A BARRIER, BUT WE HAVE -- WE HAVE SO MANY STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE BILINGUAL THAT WE'RE STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE PARENTS.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF SPANISH SPEAKING STAFF EITHER.

WE HAVE SOME, BUT WE DEFINITELY DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER LIKE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOES.

>> WE KEEP THEM TO OURSELVES!

[ CHUCKLING ] >> THEY STEAL ALL OF THEM, SO THEY CAN GET THEY WILL ALL.

I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THEY'RE SCARED OF THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS BUT THEY'RE GREAT KIDS UP THERE.

>> WE'VE CHANGED OUR MODEL FROM HELPING TO SERVING BECAUSE HELPING ASSUMES THAT YOU'RE IN A BETTER PLACE THAN SOMEBODY ELSE.

>> WE MAKE A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS IN OUR SCHOOL, IN EDUCATION, THAT KIDS KNOW HOW THINGS OPERATE AND SCHOOLS AREN'T THE SAME IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

A FUN STORY, I HAD A KID WHO GOT INTO A FIGHT A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND HE GOT INTO A FIGHT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.

THAT'S HOW YOU HANDLED IT, WHERE HE CAME FROM.

AND I SAID, "DUDE, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU DO HERE.

AND I SAID, GETTING THROWN ON THE GROUND ISN'T FUN, IS IT?"

AND HE'S LIKE, "NO."

AND I SAID, "THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

LIKE, IT'S ABOUT TALKING IT THROUGH AND FIGURING IT OUT."

SO JUST HAVING THAT BASIC CONVERSATION, HE'S BEEN A MODEL STUDENT SINCE.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT PIECES FOR THOSE KIDS.

>> PARENTS HERE, LIKE, THEY SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, THEY TRUST OUR TEACHERS, AND THEY WILL HELP OUR TEACHERS.

LIKE IF OUR TEACHERS ARE EVER TO CALL AND ASK ANYTHING OF A PARENT, IT WILL BE DONE THE NEXT DAY.

THAT REALLY, TO ME, SHOWS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTIVE OF OUR SCHOOL 100%.

AND, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT THAT WAY FOR EVERY COMMUNITY.

BUT FOR HERE IT IS, AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S A TRULY HIDDEN GEM.

>> JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT IS MAHA YOUNES, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY, THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER THERE.

AND ALSO, PETER FERGUSON, THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR AT LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> LET'S START OFF WITH WHAT WE DO KNOW.

NEBRASKA'S POPULATION IS BECOMING MORE DIVERSE OVER TIME.

MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO, ABOUT 82% OF THE STATE WAS WHITE.

JUST LESS THAN 10% WAS HISPANIC AND 4.5% WAS BLACK.

THE 2020 CENSUS SHOWS THE POPULATION IS NOW 76% WHITE, AND NEARLY 12% AND 5% HISPANIC AND BLACK.

AND THIS OBVIOUSLY LOOKS DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF THE STATE YOU LIVE IN.

DR. YOUNES, ARE YOU SEEING THESE SAME KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS ON THE CAMPUS AT UNK, AS WELL?

>> THAT'S DEFINITELY TRUE.

WE ARE, IN FACT, OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS, THE NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW AND WE HAVE SEEN 106% INCREASE SINCE 2010.

AND AS OF ENROLLMENTS FOR FALL, 2022 IS ALREADY ABOUT OVER 20% WITH DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

SO, WHATEVER WE SEE, THE TREND MANIFESTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

>> PETER, LINCOLN HAS LONG BEEN A SITE FOR REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.

OMAHA HAS BEEN, TOO.

HAVE YOU NOTICED AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION FOR LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS?

>> NO, WITHOUT QUESTION.

I MEAN, AS YOU REFERENCED IT IS A PREMIER RESETTLEMENT SITE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

OUR DISTRICT REFLECTS ALMOST A GLOBAL COMMUNITY, AND A GLOBAL ECONOMY WITH 43,000 SCHOLARS BEING THE SECOND LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE.

OUR LARGEST, SIMILAR TO WHAT UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEY EXPERIENCES, OUR HISPANIC LATINO POPULATION IS OUR LARGEST AND THEN IT'S FOLLOWED BY OUR TWO OR MORE RACES AND THEN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION.

IT'S A RICH DISTRICT AND IT'S ALSO AWESOME TO SEE WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE HALLS OF ANY OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> DR. YOUNES, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU BECAUSE UNK HAS A GOAL OF BECOMING A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION WHICH BY LAW WOULD MEAN MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE STUDENT BODY IS HISPANIC.

WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR UNK AND FOR THE STATE OF NEBRASKA?

>> I THINK THE MORE DIVERSITY WE CAN HAVE ON OUR CAMPUS, THE RICHER THE CLIMATE, THE BETTER PREPARED OUR WORKFORCE WILL BE, AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO BE A PLACE WHERE ALL PEOPLE FEEL WELCOMED.

AGAIN, AS THE WORKFORCE IS DIVERSIFYING, WE SEE IT ON OUR CAMPUSES.

AND THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO ACCLIMATE OUR TEACHING STYLES AND PRACTICES, CREATE PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT STUDENTS, AND BEYOND THE HISPANIC POPULATION, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT DIVERSITY ALSO INCLUDES FIRST GENERATION.

A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS THAT COME ON OUR CAMPUSES ARE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS.

THAT MEANS THEIR PARENTS DID NOT GO TO COLLEGE.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME WITH DISABILITIES, THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS.

WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE VETERANS, SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DIVERSITY, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE LGBTQ+.

WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS OF DIVERSITY, EVEN WITH THEM, THE HISPANIC POPULATION THAT IS EMERGING, THERE IS DIVERSITY.

AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S VERY INCLUSIVE, AND AGAIN, FROM EVERY ASPECT OF CAMPUS LIFE WHETHER IT'S THE FACULTY THAT WE RECRUIT, THE CURRICULUM WE TEACH, THE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT WE EMPLOY ON CAMPUS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

THIS CHANGE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IN THE END, IT BENEFITS EVERY GROUP OF STUDENTS AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOVE, BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE SEEN AND HEARD ON THE UNK CAMPUS.

THAT'S OUR GOAL.

>> AND PETER, LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS ITS OWN GOALS FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LIKE WORKING MORE WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROMOTING EQUITY FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE OVERALL DIRECTION THAT LPS IS MOVING IN THIS AREA?

>> RIGHT, AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EQUITY, THEY THINK IT JUST HAPPENED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND IT'S JUST AN INITIATIVE OR A PILOT AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THE LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1932.

I ALWAYS KIND OF TONGUE IN CHEEK SAY IF EQUITY JUST STARTED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAYING, "WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THESE YEARS?"

EQUITY HAS BEEN INFUSED, IT'S PART OF THE FABRIC OF WHO WE ARE AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, INCLUDE -- LAST YEAR OUR BOARD MADE FOUR BOARD GOALS AND EQUITY WAS INFUSED IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE.

THEY WERE THE FOCUS OF THOSE GOALS.

ONE OF THEM DEALS WITH GRADUATION WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY WE WANT EVERY SCHOLAR TO NOT JUST GRADUATE, BUT TO BE READY, I KEEP SAYING, FOR A GLOBAL ECONOMY SO THEY CAN GO TO A POST SECONDARY LIKE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEY AND BE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

OUR OTHER ONE IS JUST ADDRESSING DISPROPORTIONALITY.

THAT'S THOSE SCHOLARS THAT CHECKING PEOPLE'S BIASES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION IN SUSPENSION.

THEN, IT'S GETTING INDIVIDUALS TO EXPERIENCE HONORS COURSES AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S EQUITABLE -- NOT JUST EQUITABLE, MAKING SURE THERE'S REPRESENTATION.

WE TALK ABOUT AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

IT'S NOT THAT BLACK AND BROWN SCHOLARS CAN'T ACHIEVE.

IT'S PROVIDING THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK OUR LAST ONE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER IS JUST INCREASING CERTIFICATED STAFF.

I WOULDN'T JUST SAY OUR CERTIFICATED STAFF.

BUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR SCHOLAR, AND JUST OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

WE HAVE ALMOST 8,000 EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S NOT JUST IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S NOT JUST MATH, SCIENCE, ENGLISH, BUT THAT'S ALSO OUR BILINGUAL LIAISONS, THAT'S ALSO OUR TECHNICIANS, AND WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS ALMOST 3%, A LITTLE OVER 3% IS TEACHING, IS CLASSROOM STAFF, WE HAVE SCHOLARS THAT GO THROUGH K-12 EDUCATION THAT DO NOT EVER SEE ANYBODY THAT REFLECTS THEM.

NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE PHENOMENAL TEACHERS, BUT REPRESENTATION MATTERS, AND YOU HEAR THAT STATEMENT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

IT REALLY, REALLY DOES.

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES AND WAYS TO GRAB INDIVIDUALS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA KEARNEY AND OTHER PLACES TO REALLY REFLECT AND HONESTLY BE A PART OF THE SCHOLARS LIVES AS THEY GO FORWARD.

>> YOU BROUGHT UP A LOT THERE.

I HOPE WE CAN GET TO SOME OF THAT.

YOU ALSO HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT COMING IN NEXT YEAR, DR. PAUL GAUSMAN OF SIOUX CITY.

IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH HIM, OF ALL THE THINGS YOU JUST LISTED, WHAT'S PRIORITY NUMBER ONE WHEN IT COMES TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?

>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO GET IN AND SEE BUT I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THE COMMUNITY EXPRESSED BUT ALSO OUR SCHOLARS AS WELL AS OUR FAMILIES THROUGH THAT WHOLE INTERVIEW PROCESS WAS THAT WE NEED TO BE A DISTRICT OF EQUITY, OKAY?

AND WE MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BEING SAID, AND IT'S BEING USED AS A BAD WORD OR A TERM AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER.

NO, THAT'S WHO WE ARE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY SCHOLAR GETS WHAT THEY NEED WITH INTENTIONALITY WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY, AND WITH THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR THAT TO OCCUR.

THAT'S NOT JUST OUR SCHOLARS AND OUR FAMILIES, THAT'S ALSO OUR STAFF, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

IT'S SITTING THERE AND MAKING SURE WE ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.

NOT -- EQUITY AND INEQUALITY ARE DIFFERENT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY GETS WHAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT, AND I WOULD SAY, WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY AND WITH A SENSE OF INTENTIONALITY SO WE COULD TRULY BE THE DISTRICT THAT WE WANT, AND WE'RE SERVING EACH AND EVERY SCHOLAR, AND NOT PICKING AND CHOOSING WHO WE SERVE.

>> DR. YOUNES, YOU MOVED INTO YOUR CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER POSITION LAST SUMMER.

WHAT WAS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE FOR YOU AT UNK?

>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING THAT PETER SAID APPLIES AT THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

PRIORITY IS LOOKING AT OUR CURRICULUM, OUR FACULTY, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO RECRUIT DIVERSE FACULTY THAT REPRESENTS OUR STUDENTS.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BLACK AND AFRICAN AND HISPANIC, AND NATIVE AMERICAN FACULTY AND STAFF ON OUR CAMPUS AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT THAT POPULATION, ESPECIALLY TO RURAL NEBRASKA.

BUT WE HAVE A WEALTH OF RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN ENJOY THERE ONCE THEY GET THERE.

RECRUITMENT IS A CHALLENGE.

THE OTHER THING IS, CREATING HOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN WELCOME EVERYBODY AND PROVIDE THEM THE RESOURCES TO SUCCEED THERE.

SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF ONBOARDING AND SUPPORT FOR FACULTY AND STAFF ONCE WE BRING THEM THERE.

THE SAME APPLIES WITH STUDENTS.

THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR CURRICULUM.

HOW CAN WE SHARE CURRICULUM, PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO COMPETE IN A SOCIETY THAT'S CHANGING CONSTANTLY?

HOW CAN THEY BE PREPARED?

HOW CAN WE EQUIP THEM WITH THE SKILLS TO ADAPT AND TO ADJUST AND TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES?

THAT'S ESPECIALLY PRESSING IN RURAL AREAS.

CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEBRASKA.

WE STILL HAVE DIVERSITY AND IT'S GROWING.

IF YOU LOOK AT GRAND ISLAND AND LEXINGTON, THE DIVERSE POPULATION AND PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE GROWING IN NUMBERS THERE, AND SO WE HAVE TO ADAPT OUR PRACTICES TO INCLUDE THEM AND TO ENSURE THEY HAVE EQUITABLE RESOURCES ACROSS THE BOARD FROM THE MINUTE THEY ENTER CAMPUS UNTIL THE MINUTE THEY EXIT.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT IS THAT WHEN WE PAVE THE WAY FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO DO THEIR BEST, WE SUCCEED.

OUR RETENTION RATE FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS ON CAMPUS IS THE HIGHEST OF ALL GROUPS, INCLUDING WHITE STUDENTS SO WE KNOW THAT THEY CAN SUCCEED.

WE JUST HAVE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES.

BECOMING A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR UNK BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO ACCESS FEDERAL FUNDING AND A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO AGAIN, MENTOR AND SUPPORT STUDENTS AND CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CAMPUS SO THAT IT CAN MEET THE CHALLENGE FOR OUR WORKFORCE FOR THE STATE.

>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS RECENTLY ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS HAS DEALT WITH IT.

THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS DEALT WITH IT, AS WELL.

ONE OF THE CORE CONCEPTS OF CRT IS RACE AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT AND NOT MERELY THE PRODUCT OF INDIVIDUAL BIAS OR PREJUDICE BUT IT'S EMBEDDED INTO OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AND OUR POLICIES.

SO, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DOES CRITICAL RACE THEORY COME INTO THE CLASSROOM AT ALL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS?

LET'S START WITH YOU, DR. YOUNES.

>> WELL, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THE GREAT MAJORITY OF EDUCATORS IN THE STATE DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT.

IN FACT, OUR FOCUS, OUR ATTENTION IS TOTALLY ON PROVIDING FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND PREPARING OUR CAMPUSES FOR WHATEVER CHALLENGES THAT COME UP.

SO, WE ARE FOCUSED ON CREATING AN ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE EDUCATION FOR EVERY NEBRASKAN.

I DON'T SPEND MY TIME THINKING ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

IT DOESN'T EVEN ENTER MY MIND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S TRUE FOR THE MAJORITY OF EDUCATORS.

BUT, I SUPPORT AND STAND WITH OUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM'S STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE LAST JULY, WHERE PRESIDENT CARTER AND CHANCELLOR KRISTENSEN, CHANCELLOR LEAH AND GOLD ASSERTED THE IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT AND A CLIMATE WHERE STUDENTS AND FACULTY CAN ENGAGE IN FREE DISCUSSION IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

THE REALITY IS, WE ARE VERY BUSY TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND PREPARE OUR CAMPUSES FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC AND GOD KNOWS WHAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW THE MAJORITY OF EDUCATORS DON'T.

>> PETER, WHAT ABOUT FROM A HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE?

>> YEAH.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID, BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT PART OF THE CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SO I THINK THERE'S THIS MISNOMER AND UMBRELLA THAT IT'S A CATCH-ALL OF EVERYTHING, AND NO, WE'RE JUST LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY, AND MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO PREPARING OUR SCHOLARS AND ENGAGING OUR FAMILIES TO BE ENGAGED IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.

WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

AND THAT'S PROVIDING PROPER NARRATIVES AND ACCURATE NARRATIVES OF WHAT HAS EITHER OCCURRED OR IS OCCURRING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.

BUT I WILL SAY EMPOWER, TO EDUCATE, AND TO ENGAGE A DIVERSE ARRAY OF PHENOMENAL YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH OUR HALLS EACH AND EVERY DAY.

THAT'S NEARLY 43,000.

CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS NOT A CLASS, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR TEACHERS GO HOME AND STUDY.

OUR ADMINISTRATION, LIKE YOU SAID, SPENDS TIME.

WE'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHAT IT IS, BUT THAT'S NOT AN ASPECT OF K-12 EDUCATION AND I CAN STRONGLY STATE THAT BY BEING IN CLASSROOMS, BY TALKING TO YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THEY DON'T SPEND A TREMENDOUS -- THEY DON'T SPEND TIME WITH THAT AT A FIRST GRADE LEVEL OR AT A SENIOR LEVEL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT RACE, IT'S GENDER, IT'S SOCIOECONOMIC, IT'S POLITICAL, IT'S GEOGRAPHICAL, IT'S DISABILITIES.

WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT HERE, AND I WANT TO ASK YOU BOTH, AS YOU LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF DIVERSE EDUCATION, WHERE DO YOU SEE IT GOING, AND WHERE DO YOU SEE IT MAKING THE MOST IMPACT?

WE'LL BEGIN WITH YOU, DR. YOUNES.

>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I LOVE AND CELEBRATE DIVERSITY.

I REALLY LOVE IT.

I WANT OUR CAMPUS TO BE VERY WELCOMING TO EVERYBODY SO COME TO OUR CAMPUS.

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ON THE UNK CAMPUS!

WE WILL SUPPORT YOU.

WE WILL HELP YOU.

I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO GROW, AND I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID BECAUSE DIVERSITY IS A HUGE UMBRELLA AND UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, WE HAVE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE HAVE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH ALL KINDS OF DISABILITIES.

WE HAVE LGBTQ+ AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE AND THE BIGGER THE UMBRELLA, THE BETTER.

AND WHEN WE SERVE ONE ASPECT, ONE LITTLE FRACTION UNDER THAT UMBRELLA, EVERYBODY BENEFITS.

WE'RE STRONGER, WE'RE RICHER, AND WE'RE BETTER PREPARED FOR THE CHALLENGES OF SOCIETY.

>> PETER, JUST A MINUTE OR SO LEFT, BUT GO AHEAD.

>> I THINK, AGAIN, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, AND I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WE WANT TO MAKE NOT JUST SAFE SPACES, WE WANT BRAVE SPACES.

WE WANT THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COME IN AND BE THEIR TRUE AUTHENTIC SELF.

THAT'S OUR LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY.

THAT'S OUR NATIVE AMERICANS.

THAT'S OUR INDIVIDUALS THAT WE SAY HAVE DISABILITIES, BUT HAVE TREMENDOUS ABILITIES.

OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, IT'S ABOUT DIVERSITY, IT'S ABOUT EQUITY, IT'S ABOUT INCLUSION.

BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT BELONGING.

>> YES.

>> AND AS I CLOSE, I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, AND WE KNOW THAT LPS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE.

WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO, BUT I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME TREMENDOUS STRIDES.

>> YES.

>> FANTASTIC.

PETER FERGUSON IS THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR AT LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND DR. MAHA YOUNES IS THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AT UNK, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA," AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD DISCUSSION.

A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD, BUT WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS IT SOUNDS LIKE.

>> WE'RE READY.

>> THANK YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THIS INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT'S PROGRAM ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

JUST GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ SPEAKINGOFNEBRASKA AND YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS.

>>> HOW DO WE MOVE ON FROM THE PANDEMIC AND MAKE COVID ENDEMIC OR SOMETHING WE LIVE WITH LIKE THE FLU?

HERE TO DISCUSS THAT IS DR. JOSUE GUTIERREZ, A FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN AT SALINE MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN CRETE.

DR. GUTIERREZ, THANKS FOR COMING BACK AND JOINING US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> COVID CASES CONTINUE TO PLUMMET ACROSS THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY.

RIGHT NOW, THE NUMBERS LOOK GOOD.

ACCORDING TO CDC DATA, ABOUT 220 NEBRASKANS TEST POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS EACH DAY.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE NUMBERS SINCE LAST SUMMER, BEFORE THE DELTA SURGE HAPPENED.

IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

OR IS THIS JUST A CALM BEFORE ANOTHER STORM?

>> YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS LOOK VERY GOOD.

LIKE YOU SAID, THE CASE COUNT HAS ACTUALLY TRENDED DOWN WHICH IS A GREAT THING.

NOW, WE ALSO NEED TO BE THINKING OF, MAYBE THIS IS NOT MORE RELIABLE AS THERE ARE A LOT OF HOME TESTS HAPPENING BUT OVERALL, THE CASES ARE TRENDING DOWN SO THIS IS VERY GOOD NEWS.

HOSPITALIZATION RATES ARE ALSO TRENDING DOWN.

THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT INDICATOR THAT WE ARE GETTING BETTER, THAT WE ARE IMPROVING IN ALL THESE THINGS.

HOW DO WE MAKE THIS, OR DO WE STILL THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ENDEMIC DISEASE PROCESS?

I THINK WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE.

AN ENDEMIC IS A DISEASE PROCESS DEFINED AS A DISEASE PROCESS THAT HAS RELIABLE NUMBERS, RELIABLE GROWTH RATES.

A PANDEMIC IS SOMETHING THAT CAN EXPONENTIAL LIKE COVID, OF COURSE.

RIGHT NOW, WE SEE THAT WE'RE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC STAGES.

AN ENDEMIC THRESHOLD IS WHENEVER WE CAN SEE FROM THE PANDEMIC TO AN ENDEMIC THRESHOLD CAPACITY HAS CROSSED.

WE'RE STILL NOT THERE YET.

WE SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR COVID ARE STILL VERY HIGH AND IF WE LOOK AT THE AVERAGE DEATHS IN A WEEK, WE'RE STILL A LOT HIGHER THAN PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, SO WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

BUT IT'S HOPEFUL.

>> BEFORE WE GET THERE, THOUGH, ARE THERE THREATS YOU'RE SEEING THAT COULD KEEP US FROM GETTING THERE?

>> AT TIMES, WE SEE THAT OMICRON HAS MULTIPLE VARIANTS, AS WELL.

OMICRON IS BA.1 AND WE ALSO HAVE OMICRON BA.2 THAT WE ARE SEEING SURGE IN SOME OF THE COUNTRIES AND WE SEE THAT THE TRANSMISSIBILITY IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT WE'RE STILL MONITORING THE SITUATION YET.

>> WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF LONG COVID?

THE IMPACT OF COVID ON THE BODY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME?

>> I THINK LONG COVID DOES -- I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE PATIENTS THAT HAVE HAD A LOT OF FATIGUE, HEADACHES, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOGGINESS IN MIND AND ALSO AN EXTENDED COUGH, AS WELL.

WE KNOW THAT LONG COVID DOES EXIST AND DOES HAPPEN AND WE NEED TO BE VERY WELL AWARE OF IT.

I THINK A LOT OF PHYSICIANS ARE WELL AWARE THAT IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT HAS HAD SEVERE COVID OR A MILD CASE OF COVID, WITH LONG DRAWN-OUT PROCESSES, WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND JUST WATCH THEM A LITTLE CLOSER.

>> BOTH OMAHA AND LINCOLN HAVE NOW DROPPED THEIR MASK MANDATES.

DO WE STILL NEED TO BE WEARING MASKS AT THIS POINT?

>> I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD LOOK AT THEIR RISK LEVEL.

I THINK THAT IF SOMEONE HAS NO RISK FACTORS, MEANING IF THEY'VE HAD THREE OF THEIR SHOTS, EVEN THE BOOSTER, IF THEY HAVE NO TYPES OF COMORBIDITY PRECONDITIONS AND THEY'RE PRETTY HEALTHY, I THINK SOCIAL DISTANCING AND NOT WEARING A MASK IS OKAY AS LONG AS YOU'RE ALSO THINKING OF YOUR FELLOW MAN.

IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE AT HOME WHO IS HIGH RISK, MEANING DOES NOT HAVE VACCINES OR HAS COMORBIDITY CONDITIONS, THINK OF THEM, AS WELL.

I THINK IT'S A VERY PERSONAL DECISION FOR EACH ONE BUT ALL IN ALL, MASKS ARE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED ACCORDING TO THE CDC AND OTHER GUIDELINES.

>> JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT, BUT ARE YOU PRETTY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE SUMMER?

ARE WE GOING TO GET BACK TO QUOTE/UNQUOTE NORMAL?

>> I'M PRETTY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE SUMMER, AS LONG AS THERE'S NOTHING HITS US IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR.

I THINK WE'LL BE OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT, DR. JOSUE GUTIERREZ, FROM SALINE MEDICAL SPECIALTIES IN CRETE, THANKS AGAIN FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

FOR THE LATEST PANDEMIC NEWS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ CORONAVIRUS.

>>> IT'S BEEN AN EVENTFUL WEEK IN THE NEBRASKA STATE LEGISLATURE.

HERE WITH AN UPDATE IS NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS REPORTER FRED KNAPP WHO COVERS THE UNICAMERAL FOR US.

FRED, SENATOR MIKE GROENE OF NORTH PLATTE RESIGNED AMIDST SOME CONTROVERSY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT WAS REVEALED A COMPLAINT HAD BEEN FILED AGAINST HIM, FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING PICTURES OF A FEMALE STAFFER WITHOUT HER KNOWLEDGE.

GROENE RESIGNED, THERE'S NOW AN INVESTIGATION HEADED BY SENATORS ANNA WISHART, TOM BRIESE, AND JOHN ARCH.

AND THEY WILL ALSO BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES TO THE PROCESS IN HOW THE LEGISLATURE HANDLES HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS.

>> THERE'S ALSO AN INVESTIGATION AS WELL WITH THE STATE PATROL INVOLVED?

>> RIGHT.

>> MIKE JACOBSON IS THE MAN THAT GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS HAS APPOINTED TO TAKE SENATOR GROENE'S PLACE.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM.

>> AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE WHERE HE WAS INTRODUCED.

HE WAS ASKED ABOUT HOW HIS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY DIFFERS FROM THAT OF SENATOR GROENE AND HE SAID THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY VERY SIMILAR.

THEY'RE BOTH CONSERVATIVES.

HE SAID HE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT STYLE.

BUT HE SAID HE'S AGAINST RAISING TAXES, HE'S PRO LIFE, AND HIS APPOINTMENT DOESN'T CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF THE NONPARTISAN LEGISLATURE, WHICH HAS 32 REGISTERED REPUBLICANS AND 17 REGISTERED DEMOCRATS.

>> WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO HALFWAY OR JUST PAST THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

WE'RE STILL DEBATING SOME MAJOR ISSUES.

ONE OF THEM IS INCOME TAXES.

>> RIGHT.

THEY JUST ADVANCED A BILL ON THE FIRST ROUND TO CUT THE PERSONAL AND CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATES.

BUT THERE REMAIN SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COST, WHICH TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ABOUT $400 MILLION A YEAR IN REDUCED REVENUE.

THAT'S AGAINST A BUDGET OF ABOUT $5 BILLION SO IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL CHUNK.

AND THERE'S ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BENEFITS.

WHILE SOME OF THEM GO TO MIDDLE INCOME FOLKS, MOST OF THEM GO TO UPPER INCOME FOLKS, AND SO THERE MIGHT BE ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE THAT.

IT ALL HAS TO BE BALANCED WITH OTHER PROPOSALS LIKE ELIMINATING SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES, DOING SOMETHING MORE ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, AND BALANCING THE BUDGET.

>> THIS IS A SHORTER 60-DAY SESSION, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE STILL GOT MAJOR ISSUES THAT ARE HANGING OUT THERE THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED YET.

>> ABSOLUTELY, THE SENATORS HAVE JUST NAMED THEIR PRIORITY BILLS, AND IT'S FROM EVERYTHING FROM ABORTION RESTRICTIONS, TO CONCEALED CARRY ABILITY -- TO CONCEALED CARRY GUNS WITHOUT A PERMIT, THE BIG GOVERNOR PERKINS CANAL PROPOSAL, AND A QUESTION OF NEW PRISON CONSTRUCTION.

>> AND THAT PERKINS COUNTY CANAL, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $500 MILLION PRICE TAG FROM THE COVID FUNDS FOR THAT, RIGHT?

AND IS THAT STILL ON THE TABLE?

>> WELL, IT'S NOT IN THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, $100 MILLION WAS SUPPOSED TO COME FROM THE ARPA FUNDS AND $400 MILLION WAS SUPPOSED TO COME FROM THE STATE CASH RESERVES.

AT THIS POINT IT SOUNDS MORE LIKE THEY'RE HEADED TOWARDS A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY AT LEAST.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY DAYS AHEAD SO YOU'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH IT FOR US.

>> EXCELLENT.

>> THANKS, FRED.

FRED KNAPP BRINGS US EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE EVERY DAY.

LISTEN FOR HIS RADIO UPDATES AT 5:45 AND 7:45 WEEKDAY MORNINGS AND 5:45 IN THE EVENING ON NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA.

YOU CAN READ HIS STORIES EACH DAY ON OUR WEBSITE AT NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/NEWS.

>>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

THANKS TO MAHA YOUNES, PETER FERGUSON, AND DR. JOSUE GUTIERREZ FOR JOINING US, AND TO FRED KNAPP FOR HIS REPORTING.

WE'LL BE OFF FOR A FEW WEEKS.

ON MARCH 17th, WE'LL ROUND OUT OUR SPRING SEASON BY LOOKING CLOSER AT THE AFGHAN REFUGEES WHO HAVE RECENTLY COME TO NEBRASKA.

UNTIL THEN, I'M DENNIS KELLOGG, THANKS FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US.

WE'LL SEE YOU IN A FEW WEEKS.