The Red Wing School Board issued a response on May 2 to the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee’s resolution of non-concurrence, promising a Dakota language class and staff diversity training.

“As we promise something, we will follow through,” Superintendent Karsten Anderson said.

The AIPAC submitted a notice on March 14, stating that they did not concur with the educational programming for American Indian children in Red Wing Public Schools. The notice included recommendations for the district to consider.

Recommendation 1: Beginning school year 2022-23 and each year thereafter, the AIPAC requests the Native American Literature Class at the high school be continued.

District response: In 2022-23, the district plans to continue the Native American Literature class as long as enough students sign up for the class and the district budget allows for the class.

Recommendation 2: Red Wing Public Schools shall continue to create both academic and social opportunities for all students and staff in all our schools which include Native culture, history and language.

District response: In 2022-23, Dakota Language and Culture class(es) will be offered as long as enough students sign up for the class, the district budget allows for the class, and an appropriately licensed teacher is available.

Recommendation 3: Beginning opening week for staff in the year 2022 and each opening week thereafter, diversity/anti- bias/cultural proficiency training be continued for all teachers and staff in Red Wing Public Schools. Including this training opening week would help make RWPS compliant with the MN Due North Education Plan. 

District response: For at least the next two years, the district will provide diversity and anti-bias training intended for all employees during the opening in service week. After the two-year period, the district will work with stakeholders to determine what equity-related training should be offered and the timing of that training.

The district is unable to guarantee the specific form and timing of diversity and anti-bias training in perpetuity because of the need for flexibility in topics and timing. For example, some training may be better suited for days throughout the year rather than during opening week. There may be a need to focus on other equity-related topics instead of specific diversity and anti-bias training.

Recommendation 4: Red Wing Public Schools shall continue to increase American Indian teachers in the district during the school year 2022-2023.

District response: The district will continue to actively recruit American Indian teachers and other staff members for open positions; however, we cannot guarantee that American Indian teachers will be hired for 2022-23.

Recommendation 5: Red Wing Public Schools shall continue to partner with the AIPAC in the writing and management of grants available to AI students within the schools.

District response: The district is willing to continue partnering with the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee on writing and managing grants.

Recommendation 6: The Red Wing AIPAC would like all student educational assessment data disaggregated by ethnicity and made available to us. For example, trend graduation rates, trend discipline data, trend special education data, trend math and reading assessments, and trend MCA data.

District response: The district is willing to work with the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee on the appropriate sharing of educational data disaggregated by ethnicity. However, the district will request assistance from the state and others to determine what can be shared, to whom the information can be shared, and how there can be assurances that the information is not provided to others.

“We can do this, but we have to be willing to learn and a lot of it is going to be uncomfortable … very uncomfortable, but it’s only for a minute. Trust me,” board member Nicky Buck said.

The response letter was approved by all board members except Pam Roe – who was not in attendance – and Holly Tauer.

“I won’t be supporting [this] tonight because I want more and I expect more … I want us to be more committed to  . . .  interrupting the system of things that have been perpetuated,” Tauer said.