Demand Change

Dear, XX

Can I count on you to support our students and end discipline disparities in Minnesota schools? In Minnesota, students of color and American Indian students with or without disabilities continue to be placed on failing school trajectories through their overrepresentation in special education identification, placement into restrictive educational settings, and schools’ exclusionary disciplinary practices.

I am calling on you to provide educators with implicit bias training, ongoing culturally competency training, and the time and focus to build healthy, transformative relationships with students. Given Minnesota’s teacher to student racial composition of 96% White teachers to 30% students of color and American Indian students (MDE Report Card), implicit bias deserves critical attention. Researcher Walter Gilliam described implicit biases as “…subtle, often unconscious stereotypes that guide our expectations and interactions with people.” Ongoing and required equity training in implicit bias for all teaching staff is needed to reduce racial disparities in special education identification, disciplinary occurrences, and the number of students of color and American Indian students in restrictive settings. Will you support this for all teachers?

Support these policy changes to end racist practices in Minnesota schools!

Dear, XX

Can I count on you to support these policies to end discipline disparities in Minnesota schools? In Minnesota, students of color and American Indian students with or without disabilities continue to be placed on failing school trajectories through their overrepresentation in special education identification, placement into restrictive educational settings, and schools’ exclusionary disciplinary practices. Please stand up for our students and support those policy changes now!

1.All districts should provide educators with implicit bias training, ongoing culturally competency training, and the time and focus to build healthy, transformative relationships with students.

2.All districts should have standards for special ed placement and ensure all students, especially students of color and American Indian students, have the opportunity to succeed.

3.All districts should modify the PBIS System to reflect culturally and linguistically diverse students

4.All districts should agree to partner, report out, and seek assistance from the MN Department of Human Rights to promote trust and transparency

5. All districts should implement a standard protocol for identifying EDB students. Support these policy changes to end racist practices in Minnesota schools!