It is unfortunate that we are writing this letter asking that the Columbus Public School Board to cut all contracts with the Columbus Police Department effective immediately. We now understand that the best way to make a statement is to act! We have been dormant and passive for far too long and have received the same response. The black and brown communities in Columbus and around the nation have suffered too long at the hands of unjust policing and justice systems. They have perpetrated heinous acts of violence and discrimination on our communities which have gone unchecked. Black communities, ravaged by this truth are left to their own devices to pick up the pieces of their lives while under watchful and prejudiced eyes of the police department.

We submit to you now is the time for change. Now is the time for actionable progress. We can no longer collude with the enemy of those we educate. Minneapolis public schools set a standard and started a revolution when they announced they would cut contracts with their local police department over their consistent and categorically racist practices. We need you to do the same thing, take the same stance. You need to send the same message! Until the police department actually starts to serve and to protect our children and their families, we are calling for a cease and desist! We can no longer allow them free access to our children to feed their school to prison pipeline. We can no longer depend on them to discipline our children with unreasonable and unnecessary force. We are asking you, the school board, those responsible for making sure education is equitable and accessible to all students to make the clearest and boldest statement you can as it relates to the disproportionate unlawful policing practices to black and brown communities throughout Columbus.

Sign this petition to let the school board members know that you will no longer stand by and watch as our civil servants wreak havoc and take advantage of our communities!