Follow up on Washburn High School racial incident
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MPR News reporter Tim Post writes,
Hundreds of people gathered in an emotional meeting last night at Washburn High School in Minneapolis to discuss how best to move forward in the wake of a recent racial incident at the school.
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On Jan. 11, four students wrapped string around the neck of a dark skinned doll and hung it in a stairwell. The students posted pictures of the doll online, provoking an outcry from parents, students and members of the community.
At last night's meeting people voiced different opinions on how best to move on, while school officials expressed shock at the incident and pledged to do a better job of educating students about the racial context of what happened.
Washburn's principal, Carol Markham-Cousins, told the crowd of nearly 400 people gathered in her school's auditorium, that like many of them she was shocked by the incident.
"I was incensed, outraged, embarrassed, humiliated and angry that this would happen at our diverse and rich school," she said.
Markham-Cousins has been criticized by some parents because she didn't publicly comment on the incident until five days after it happened. She apologized for the delay, but insisted the school and the district are committed to tackling the issue.
"We're going to face this," she said. Of the incident, she said, "It's racist and its wrong."
On Thursday, Jan. 24 Tom Weber will speak with Minneapolis School Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson about what came from the meeting and what other responses or changes the district is considering.
