#Minneapolis school board unanimously votes to terminate city police contract

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A Minneapolis police officer aims a gun before firing at protestors near the 3rd Precinct.
Reuters

The Minneapolis school board unanimously voted Tuesday to terminate its contract with the city’s police department over the killing of George Floyd.

Minneapolis Public Schools will stop any further talks with the police department, with the superintendent responsible for coming up with a new plan to keep schools safe by its meeting next month.

“I value people and education and life,” school board chairwoman Kim Ellison said in an interview with the Star-Tribune. “Now I’m convinced, based on the actions of the Minneapolis Police Department, that we don’t have the same values.”

The department had previously supplied the public schools with “school resource officers.” Kimberly Caprini, another school board member, added that she believed it is “completely unnatural to have police in schools.”

Floyd died on Memorial Day after officer Derek Chauvin was filmed in a widely seen video kneeling on his neck during an arrest. His passing has sparked outrage and demonstrations in cities across the country.

The school board’s vote follows actions from the University of Minnesota, which last week announced it would be significantly limiting its ties with the city’s police force.

Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff said the security changes will be in place for the start of the next school year in September.

“The MPS leadership team and I are committed to preparing a plan that will support the safety of MPS students and staff in the coming school year by the Board resolution’s August 18, 2020, deadline,” Graff said in a statement.

“We look forward to engaging students, staff and families in this process over the summer.”