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Students, advocates press board on racial harassment and paid adviser for Black Student Union
Summary
A student described racial harassment at school and community members urged the board to hire a paid adviser for the Black Student Union; the board directed its negotiations committee to review making the BSU adviser a paid position and report back in March.
A child who addressed the Red Wing School Board described repeated racial harassment at school and said the experience forced the student to leave in-person classes. Community speakers used the public-comment period and a later agenda discussion to press the district for stronger supports for students of color, including a paid adviser for the high school Black Student Union.
An unnamed student told the board the move to home instruction left the student “in a state of shock and anger” and said adult behavior at the school drove the decision to stay home. “I want the school to change so this don't happen to any other kids,” the student said during public comments, describing repeated incidents and a resulting feeling of isolation.
Amber, a community member who addressed the board later in public comment, criticized the district’s racial makeup at leadership levels and said the problem is systemic: “White school board, white superintendent, white directors, white principals ...” Amber told the board she would continue speaking until the situation changes.
Ashiri Warren, a volunteer Black Student Union adviser, described organizing the group, hosting a regional BSU conference and running programming including Juneteenth events, book giveaways and field trips. Warren said she has done the role as a volunteer and urged the district to fund a paid adviser. “I’ve done all volunteer work so far, and I put in a lot of time,” she said, adding that students need a consistent, paid staff advisor.
District staff and board members discussed the proposal. The superintendent reported that advisers’ stipends and adviserships are currently bargained items with the union and that converting the Black Student Union advisor into a paid position would require negotiating an MOU or bargaining change. The superintendent said he and staff had already compiled a list of comparable adviser duties and recommended directing the negotiations committee to review pay, job description and whether retroactive pay would be appropriate.
Board members asked for a recommendation and for a memorandum of understanding to be ready for the March workshop; the board directed the negotiations committee to meet with staff and bring back a recommendation. That direction was framed as board guidance rather than as a formal vote.
The discussion on hiring a paid adviser followed sustained public comments about racial incidents and support for students of color. Board members and district staff said they intend to review the adviser role alongside bargaining representatives to avoid unintended contractual consequences.
