Acxiom, a Conway-based global customer intelligence company, has voiced its commitment to values of equality and its concerns about the Conway School Board‘s recent actions, including policies targeting the transgender community and another policy that, if approved, would drastically limit what can be taught.

The company stressed its commitment to “equal treatment of people,” as reflected in its role in a friend-of-the court brief in a federal lawsuit challenging Arkansas’s ban on gender-affirming care.

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In an Oct. 28 statement, Acxiom’s chief executive officer, Chad Engelgau, said the corporation “has a committed interest in preventing Arkansas from codifying discrimination against transgender people and, in the process, deterring current and potential employees, customers and businesses from participating in the Arkansas economy.”

“We will always defend our core, organizational values, all of which are underpinned by our belief that all people, regardless of gender identity, should be afforded dignity, respect, and equal treatment under the law,” he said.

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“Unfortunately, these values continue to come under attack, including recently in our headquarters’ community of Conway. The anti-transgender policies approved by the Conway School Board, along with bans on two books with LGBTQ+ themes, are at odds with Acxiom’s values and seem in direct conflict with Conway Public School’s stated values of Value and Respect,” Engelgau said in the written statement.

The CEO also took aim at proposed policy 5.5.2 that the school board thankfully has yet to approve.

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“We are further concerned that the school board is considering a policy that will prohibit the teaching of certain topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” he said. “This policy seeks not only to prevent but even punish educators from instilling in our youth knowledge of past practices on these topics. Practices that are at odds with the ideals of value and respect. Knowledge that could help prevent them from happening again in America.”

On Wednesday,  Assistant Superintendent Joel Linn told us that a “draft of policy 5.5.2 was discussed by the board at its Sept. 6 work session, which was conveniently not recorded as required by state law. “This policy has not been on any agendas since that time and is not currently under consideration,” Linn told me.

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But in an article dated Wednesday and online today, the Log Cabin Democrat quoted school spokeswoman Heather Kendrick as saying the board “wanted some revisions to” proposed policy 5.5.2 “before they considered moving forward” with it. Kendrick is out of the office, and Linn said he does not have access to her information.

Today, we confirmed with Hendrick her statement to the Log Cabin. She also said the board had “additional discussion with” Collum and school district attorney Jay Bequette on this proposal. at the Sept. 6 meeting.

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A recording certainly would have helped the board, the administration, the news media and the public keep up with the board’s shenanigans.

Here is Acxiom’s full statement:

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“Acxiom is committed to equal treatment of people. As we have stated before – including in joining an Amicus Curiae brief in this case – Acxiom has a committed interest in preventing Arkansas from codifying discrimination against transgender people and, in the process, deterring current and potential employees, customers and businesses from participating in the Arkansas economy. We will always defend our core, organizational values, all of which are underpinned by our belief that all people, regardless of gender identity, should be afforded dignity, respect, and equal treatment under the law.

Unfortunately, these values continue to come under attack, including recently in our headquarters’ community of Conway. The anti-transgender policies approved by the Conway School Board, along with bans on two books with LGBTQ+ themes, are at odds with Acxiom’s values and seem in direct conflict with Conway Public School’s stated values of Value and Respect.

We are further concerned that the school board is considering a policy that will prohibit the teaching of certain topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This policy seeks not only to prevent but even punish educators from instilling in our youth knowledge of past practices on these topics. Practices that are at odds with the ideals of value and respect. Knowledge that could help prevent them from happening again in America.

As a global data and technology company, our business continues to change and evolve. One thing that is a constant is our desire to find and nurture, without bias, the best talent to help us serve our clients. We continue to seek diversity of experience, diversity of backgrounds and diversity of thought, and encourage this within Acxiom, our communities, and beyond.”