Accountability in Minneapolis, But There’s Much More Work Ahead

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The jury’s decision to convict Derek Chauvin in the trial over George Floyd’s death holds one person to account, but there is much more work ahead to end racial injustice in our country. This isn’t just about rooting out one bad apple, it’s about changing an entire system to better ensure the lives of our students, colleagues, and families of color are not at risk from the police.

There are many ways to engage with the issue of eliminating racial injustice in policing in our own communities.

How? We can listen to and learn from Black leaders and advocates who have long been speaking out about these issues. We can educate ourselves about proposed public safety reforms at all levels – campus, local, state, and federal. We can support public protests and build will for change. And on a personal level, we can continue to look inward and examine our own racist beliefs, blind spots, and biases (explicit and implicit) and change them.

We can challenge our families, friends, and colleagues to join us in our efforts to be the listeners and learners we need to be to support real change to systems that have long oppressed Black students and families in particular.

“As an education-focused organization, equity lies at the heart of our mission,” said NCAN Executive Director Kim Cook. “There can be no equity in education without equity in other areas of society, like public safety. We must make sure our students feel safe, secure, and supported enough to succeed in K-12, college, and beyond. This work must include addressing racial injustice in policing.”