6-15-20

Dear Washburn Community, 

Washburn’s Student Council stands with the Minneapolis community during this time in demanding justice for George Floyd. The murder of George Floyd has been devastating to the community, but we acknowledge that this event is a continuation of persisting problems in our country. Systemic racism is deeply rooted in the United States. This not only severely affects the lives of the African American community through institutional prejudice, but the community as a whole and we need to commit to making systematic change. 

This commitment to change includes the WHS Student Council. We know it is important to show solidarity with the black members of our community, but simultaneously recognize that there are many improvements we can make within our own establishment. In order to properly represent Washburn’s student body, we know that our group must be more diverse. It is our responsibility to devote our efforts to evolve as a group. It is also the responsibility of our non-black peers to take time to make changes within themselves to support the uprooting of discriminatory systems that have led to the murder of innocent black Americans. 

We not only demand that community leaders address social injustices through systemic changes in the areas of police reform, voting rights & access, and economic disparities in our city, but we call on our whole school community do the following:

• Commit to practicing anti-racism work at school and in our own personal lives

• Acknowledge and address the systematic problems in our own school system that create divisions and separations between white students and students of color 

• Listen to and uplift the voices of students of color

We encourage our students to be advocates in whatever capacity they can. It is important to educate ourselves in order to become strong advocates for social justice. Being an active member of the community and working to affect positive change is what is most important. Recently the Minneapolis School Board passed the resolution to ban School Resources Officers from Minneapolis Public Schools. This is a big change that students campaigned for, so know that our voices are being heard. 

Our voice is our power and we should never stop using it to create a brighter, better world. Please join us in this important work. What does “Washburn Demands Justice” mean to you? 

In solidarity,

Washburn Student Council