Group Voices Equity Concerns to Duluth School Board

The Community–Based School Equity Initiative gathered outside the administrative offices after becoming aware of some of the district's plans for next school year

DULUTH, Minn. – A group of parents and educators are voicing their concerns to the Duluth School Board. They’re upset about a number of inequities and unmet needs kids are facing in the district.

Monday afternoon, the Community–Based School Equity Initiative gathered outside the administrative offices after becoming aware of some of the district’s plans for next school year.

Among the concerns the group says are problematic, financially penalizing schools like Denfeld High School, because of student absences in some classes. They say taking funds away from the schools will cause an achievement gap and ultimately impact graduation rates.

“To think that any of our staff wouldn’t be doing everything possible to foster attendance is just disrespectful,”says Kevin Skwira-Brown, with the Community-Based School Equity Initiative. “To think we need to use punitive issues to make that happen is really problematic. We should be working together.”

The school board met with the group Monday to help address some of the issues they’ve raised and stressed the importance of parents to help the board look closer at areas that concern them.

“One of my hopes of your organization is that you can help us better reach out to families that don’t currently have a voice or are being hear at the district level,” said Nora Sandstad, third district school board member.

Another issue the group brought up is improving bus transportation. They want to see added routes to decrease the distance kids are walking to the bus, with a goal of lowering absences.