Policy on Involvement of People of Color

It is the policy of the National Council of Teachers of English that it demonstrate sensitivity to the concerns of people of color and they be represented on all Council-sponsored programs, and that a similar policy be urged on affiliated organizations (conferences, assemblies, and affiliates).  People of color refers to historically underrepresented groups--African Americans, Pacific Islanders,  American Indians, Asian Americans, and Latinos.  To this end, the following actions are to be undertaken:

• to include people of color on all appointed commissions, boards, committees, task forces, and other official groups;
  
• to include people of color among the leadership of the above groups;
  
• to include people of color among the nominees presented by each nominating committee;
  
• to include in NCTE conventions and workshops sessions dealing with interests of people of color and using as leaders or consultants practicing teachers of color from the levels of instruction concerned;
  
• to include people of color in verbal and visual materials intended to represent or describe NCTE;
  
• to include people of color as targeted groups in any recruiting efforts.

In order to monitor the effecting of this policy, the Advisory Committee of People of Color will be maintained until such time as deemed unnecessary by the Board of Directors.

The intent of this policy should not be construed to mean every subcommittee within a commission, board, committee, task force, or other official group.

This policy was approved by the NCTE Board of Directors in 1980.  The policy was updated in February 1994 to reflect the action of the NCTE Executive Committee (November 1991) to use the term "people of color" or to use the exact term of ethnicity when referring to the historically underrepresented groups. The second item was added by the Executive Committee (September 1996) at the request of the NCTE Task Force on Involving People of Color in the Council. 

10/96

• a leadership database, including people of color, will be available as a reference for each NCTE Nominating Committee for the selection of candidates for offices.
  
• to ensure the regular election of persons of color to the NCTE Vice Presidency, the NCTE Nominating Committee is strongly recommended to run at least four slates of all persons of color in each twelve-year cycle.  (See the Election Policy on Involving People of Color.)

These elements were added in September 2001 to reflect action of the NCTE Executive Committee.