June 3, 2020 – Last night, the Minneapolis Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate its contract with the Minneapolis Police Department. Board members said the values of the school district and the police department were simply not aligned. During the meeting, one board member said, “It is completely unnatural to have police in schools.”
This is a victory for the many Minneapolis students and families who, for years, have pushed the school district to end its $1 million contract with the police department and instead invest in counselors and other supports for students.
Students, families and advocates across the country have long struggled to dismantle deeply-entrenched school policing systems. Minneapolis is proof that we can envision safe and supportive schools without law enforcement interventions that disproportionately target students of color.
We congratulate the Minneapolis Board of Education for making the right decision and the students, families, and teachers who pushed them to do it.
See related IDRA statement: Minneapolis School Board Resolution Would End Contract with Police Department
Recent Podcasts 