Petition for change at RPS

More than 1,000 people have signed the petition to for RPS to institute anti-racist reform

But first tonight..

A call for change in the rochester community.

More than one?

"* thousand people have signed a petition demanding the school district immediately implement anti?

"* racist education refor.

Kimt news three's raquel hellman talked to a rochester school board member and joins us now live with what this petition could mean for students ?

"* raquel?xxx live the petition is asking leaders here at the rochester school district to take action to create an anti?

"* racist school environment.

Take a look.

The petition includes several different demands ?

"* including that the district release a plan to hire and retain more black educators ?

"* administrators , staff, mental health counselors, and social workers.

According to the minnesota report card ?

"* more 40% of rps students are people of color ?

"* yet less than five percent of staff members are people of color.

And only one percent of staff members in rps are black.

And just look at this.

The petition has more than one?

"*thousand signatures.

Rochester school board member don barlow has a message for everyone who has signed it.xxx i hear you.

I get it, i can understand, i can relate.

It's my shared experience as well.

And we want to work to resolve these things.

The petition has not yet been formally presented to district administrators or the school board.

Once that happens ?

"* then the board will decide how to respond.

We also reached out to the superintenden t for comment ?

"* but the district's executive director of communication s tells us they don't feel comfortable commenting until they officially receive it.

Live in rochester, raquel hellman, kimt news three./// thanks raquel.

The pettition was started by rps alumni.

If you'd like to read the petition or sign it ?

"* you can find a link to it on kimt dot com./// today is a day that's been