Brian Butler
Brian Butler leaves no doubt about why he decided to pursue USC Rossier’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate.
“I felt DEI was something that, as a white male, I needed to be intentional about supporting,” said Butler, an executive leadership coach for the San Diego County Office of Education. “It was an area where I felt I had some blind spots. That old adage that to lead others you have to lead yourself? This program supports that.”
Butler is a veteran educator, who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. He began his career as a fifth-grade teacher and served as an assistant principal, principal and director of secondary education in the Colton Joint Unified School District in San Bernardino County before joining the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) about eight years ago.
At SDCOE, which serves 42 school districts, he oversaw career pathway development before taking on his current role as executive leadership coach. His responsibilities include mentoring new administrators and teaching a course to prepare candidates for the administrative credential. He also works with seven districts identified by the state as needing special support to address problems such as low academic performance or high suspension rates.
He said that the DEI certificate program has deepened his understanding of key concepts such as identity and critical race theory in a way that has enabled him to “lean into” difficult conversations that he previously would have avoided for fear of saying the wrong thing.
One of the most useful takeaways from the program for Butler has been learning about the phenomenon known as “the wallpaper effect,” which refers to a tendency for decision-makers to rely on broad summary data instead of peeling back the layers and looking at combinations of datasets for a more nuanced analysis of systemic inequities.
With a colleague from SDCOE who is also in the program. Butler applied this new understanding of data analysis to their work with a struggling San Diego-area district. They found that English learners with disabilities comprised a critical group whose needs were not being met. “Previously, the data was looked at differently, so we couldn’t see the disproportionate impact on those students,” Butler said.
Butler, who has an education doctorate from the University of La Verne, said the Rossier program will help him reach his ultimate career goal: becoming a district superintendent.
“Its giving me the tools to disrupt systems in a meaningful way to benefit students,” he said.