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Lakeville students urge "win time" and urge schools to keep inclusive messaging
Summary
Two Lakeville high-school seniors told the Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee that a dedicated help period ("win time") and visible inclusive messages make schools safer and support learning; one student said removing those messages harms students' sense of belonging.
Two Lakeville high-school seniors told the Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee on March 9 that a scheduled "win time" and visible inclusive messaging help students succeed and feel they belong.
"One thing I believe that every Minnesota school district should implement is something that we call win time," said Mina, a senior from Lakeville South, describing a dedicated period on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students to access resources or get extra help. A second Lakeville senior described similar homeroom/advisory arrangements at Lakeville that provide 30 minutes for study and check-ins and said those pockets of time "make a huge difference" for students and teachers.
Mina also described a recent local decision to remove posters with inclusive messages from district buildings and said removing reminders such as "Black Lives Matter" and "Everyone is welcome here" "changes the way students experience their schools" and undermines belonging.
The students asked the committee to value student voices and to consider policies that build support systems in school schedules and preserve inclusive learning environments. Chair members thanked the students for coming and said the committee aims to continue listening to student perspectives.
The exchange occurred at the start of a committee meeting that included several bills and public-testimony items; senators did not take any formal action tied to the students' remarks during the session.
