Amid federal efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and control how history is presented, Parkland Assistant Principal Crystal George remains committed to celebrating diversity and ensuring the next generation of teachers can reach all students.
Supervising the world languages department at Parkland High School and serving as an instructor at Delaware Valley University has given George the chance to mentor both students and teachers as she works to broaden horizons.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” George said of the students in her Teaching and Supervising Diverse Student Populations course at Delaware Valley University.
George has been teaching the graduate-level course since 2019, and she said her goal is to help educators “be open and to make sure that you treat all students fairly.”
Although executive orders from the Trump administration have prompted some educational institutions to end or modify diversity, equity and inclusion programs, George said she’s been able to continue her teacher training efforts at Delaware Valley and also nurture new programs in Parkland School District.
Parkland High School is offering AP African American Studies for the first time this school year, and the 22 enrolled students are working on research projects that range from exploring the origins of segregation to learning how the myth of Black biological difference fuels medical racism.
George, a Black woman who was born in Bethlehem and moved to New Jersey at age 13, said she was in middle school the first time she had a Black teacher. She remembers that experience as a turning point and says all students should have the chance to learn from diverse educators who challenge stereotypes.
As the school’s coordinator of graduation ceremonies, George said she is reminded each year of how important it is for students and families to be able to celebrate together and mark educational milestones.
The work of ensuring that all students are able to have pride in their education has been complicated by everything going on in the country, George said, noting that it’s become harder to put on events that honor diversity at a time when federal immigration enforcement has made some students fearful of attending school.
Kellie O’Donnell, who retired last June after serving as world language chair at Parkland High School for 14 years, said her students always looked forward to seeing George at their cultural events.
George helped launch initiatives such as World Language Week and the creation of a heritage Spanish course for Hispanic students, O’Donnell said.
“I always feel like one of my things — and she supported that — was students should feel free and at liberty to celebrate their own heritage,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell is one of several fellow educators who said George’s calm demeanor allows her to navigate the daily fires of high school.
“I’ve never seen her lose her cool,” school counselor Bryna Witkowski said.
School counselor Allison McPeek said George has mastered how to talk logically to students when administering consequences.
“We work with a tough population, and she handles them really well,” McPeek said, “so it’s awesome to have her support.”
George said she wants all educators to understand that it’s not OK to hold different life experiences against someone and that getting to know students is the first step to building an environment where everyone can thrive.
George is approaching 30 years as an educator, having worked as an English teacher at Freedom High School for 18 years before joining the Parkland High administrative team in 2014.
She remembers how good “aha!” moments in the classroom felt, saying, “I love watching the kids’ faces” when they get something.
Now that she’s in an administrative role, she hopes that some students will have an “aha!” moment watching her be a leader.
“It’s a great experience for all students, and students of color, to see that, you know, you have attained something,” George said, “and they can do that too.”