Following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25, several of the city’s major institutions are cutting ties with law enforcement. Notably, the local school district has given in to community demands to get police out of its schools.
CNN reports that on Tuesday, the Minneapolis Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate its decades-long contract with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), which provided school resource officers at school buildings. The decision is a direct response to George Floyd’s horrific death.
“George Floyd died on the street slowly and deliberately strangled and our children watched,” Jenny Arenson, vice chair of the board said in a virtual statement. “Minneapolis police, individual officers and the city have work to do. And until they demonstrate they have done that work, we need to separate our relationship.”
Another chairwoman, Kim Ellison, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “I value people and education and life. Now I’m convinced, based on the actions of the Minneapolis Police Department, that we don’t have the same values.”
In a statement posted to Twitter, the Minneapolis Public Schools board stated that the leadership team is now preparing a new plan to support the safety of students and staff by August 18. Read below.
"The MPS leadership team & I are committed to preparing a plan that will support the safety of MPS students & staff in the coming school year by the Board resolution’s 8-18-20, deadline. We look forward to engaging students, staff and families in this process over the summer."
— Minneapolis Public Schools (@MPS_News) June 3, 2020
The Minneapolis Board of Education is not alone. Last week, just two days after Floyd’s killing, the president of the University of Minnesota declared that the campus would no longer contract the police department to provide security for events and large gatherings.
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