Over the last two weeks our state has been reeling over the deaths of unarmed Black people across the country at the hands of police officers and white supremacists. Some of the most recent names added to the generations-long list of Black people murdered in the US include: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, Jamel Floyd and James Scurlock. These deaths have inspired nationwide change, such as budget cuts to local police departments, the removal of unnecessary police presence where possible, and more generally the start of conversations about how communities can positively impact the lives of Black citizens everywhere. One of the ways that our community in Lincoln, NE can do this work is by removing police from our schools. 

Specifically in Lincoln, we have seen the inability of local law enforcement to fairly and safely do their jobs. Protests have turned violent here as officers from the Lincoln Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff's Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol improperly used their authority to escalate tensions and behave aggressively towards citizens who were exercising their right to peacefully protest. These tactics harmed the lives of many Lincolnites and cast more doubt that the police department is truly there to "protect and serve." As of right now, the Lincoln Police Department has direct ties to several Lincoln Public School buildings where they provide School Resource Officers. The presence of police officers in schools fosters the school to prison pipeline, puts Black students' safety at risk, and further traumatizes them in an already deeply white learning environment. 

Before the 2020-2021 school year begins this August the Lincoln Public School Board needs to sever the relationship it has with the Lincoln Police Department. This action is not unprecedented. Many school districts across the nation have either already taken this step or are currently deciding whether to do the same. Most notably, the Minneapolis Public School District voted to end its partnership with the Minneapolis Police Department just days after the killing of George Floyd. The Lincoln Public Schools Board can take the lead in Nebraska and enact the same changes being seen across the nation to better serve Black Students and other students of color in the LPS school system. 

After signing this petition please share it with community members and email the school board with these following requests:

1. The immediate end to the current relationship with LPD.

2. The recruitment of teachers of color, along with specific initiatives to retain them.

3. The implementation of further diversity training and required readings for all teachers and faculty that work within the LPS system.

4. The investment of funds to hire additional counselors, psychologists, and social workers. 

Their emails can be found at: https://home.lps.org/board/

Thank you for reading and signing the petition. Change is possible in Lincoln!