Mandatory diversity training is the event at the Guilford County school system, and David Beito is having none of it. The training is run by Crossroads Ministry, with whom David and the other members of the Alabama Scholars Association had a run-in at the University of Alabama. The teachers have expressed their own difficulty with the training.

The Andrews and Southwest teachers said mid way through their Crossroads session that they feel singled out.

The teachers, who are mostly white, said they felt defensive going into the workshop because they feel the assumption is they are racist and need the training.

They have been required to take this training, although typically the district allows each school to decide which training to offer or require of employees.

Parent Cheryl Smith wrote a letter to the News & Record about her concerns with Crossroads, particularly descriptions of whites being racist attributed to the Rev. Joe Barndt, a co-founder of Crossroads.

�I have problems with other individuals calling me names and saying ugly things about me or millions of other people when they don�t know me,� said Smith, who is white.

We have had our own experience with mandatory training, but based on David's reading it appears we got off lightly.