Parent and community member tells board of racial misidentification, bullying and delayed responses at Red Wing schools

A community member delivering public comment at the Red Wing Public School District board meeting alleged multiple incidents of racial misidentification, bullying and what she called inadequate responses by school staff and administration.

The commenter said a secretary called to report a sick child but insisted the district had the wrong student, describing the episode as evidence that “brown children are interchangeable” and asserting the district had shared another pupil’s identifying information on a bus report. She said other students were subjected to racial taunts, that a lunchroom employee mocked children with developmental differences and that her own daughter was dismissed when seeking care for severe knee pain; two days later the daughter required surgery for septic arthritis. “There is racism prevalent in your schools, in the hospital, and in this very town,” the commenter said.

The speaker also said parents were not notified promptly after a separate school safety incident, alleging that some Black and Native students were locked in rooms for hours while parents waited outside. The commenter said she has filed a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and urged the district to use qualified professionals and training rather than simply hiring "nice" people. She asked the board what role community members should play in addressing these concerns.

Board members did not debate or act on the allegations during the public comment period. District staff previously acknowledged a reported weapon threat on Oct. 10 and said they had reviewed response and communication procedures with the Red Wing Police Department; at the meeting administration thanked staff for prioritizing safety while noting communication lapses the district intends to address. The board’s public-comment rules were read at the start of the meeting, including a 3-minute limit and an admonition that board members will not discuss public-comment topics during the meeting.

The commenter’s remarks were recorded as public comment; no formal board directive, investigation timeline or personnel action was announced at the meeting.