Johnson County Park and Recreation District will rework diversity and inclusion statement following commissioner’s criticism

JCPRD diversity

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District board will continue working on a diversity and inclusion statement after county commissioner Charlotte O'Hara criticized a draft version, saying it included elements of "critical race theory." File photo of JCPRD headquarters.

A Johnson County commissioner’s criticism of a draft diversity and inclusion statement for the Johnson County Park and Recreation District has prompted the district’s board to reconsider the statement’s language.

County Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara said the proposed diversity statement, which was the result of months of workshopping by a committee of park district staffers, evoked elements of “critical race theory” and was “destructive” to Johnson County.

Charlotte O’Hara was elected to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners last November. File photo.

O’Hara brought her concerns forward Monday while visiting the park board’s regular meeting, where she insisted that no systemic racism exists in Johnson County.