State orders Burlington schools to improve 'hostile' racial environment
The state Department of Public Instruction has ordered the Burlington Area School District to repair what the agency is calling a "racially hostile environment."
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Updated: 5:15 PM CDT Apr 12, 2021
State orders Burlington schools to improve 'hostile' racial environment
The state Department of Public Instruction has ordered the Burlington Area School District to repair what the agency is calling a "racially hostile environment."
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Updated: 5:15 PM CDT Apr 12, 2021
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DISTRICT HAS BEEN ORDERED TO MAKE. >> IT HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. REPORTER: DARNISHA GARBADE SAYS HER KIDS WERE SUBJECTED TO YEARS OF RACIAL HARRASSMENT IN BURLINGTON SCHOOLS. >> MY BLACK CHILDREN WERE REPEATEDLY CALLED TH N WORD, UNFAIRLY DISCIPLINED, FALSELY ACCUSED. REPORTER: SHE NOW HEADS THE BURLINGTON COALITION FOR DISMANTLING RACISM, AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE STATE LAST MARCH. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION LAUNCHD AN INVESTIGATION AND JUST RELEASE ITS FINDINGS. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FAILED TO APPROPRIATELY RESPOND TO THE HOSTILE RACIAL ENVIRONMENT AND FAILED TO ADEQUATELY INVESTIGATE THE MOTHER’S COMPLAINTS. AS PART OF THE RULING, WITHIN DAYS, THE DISTRICT MUST SUBMIT A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN >> THERE ARE CASES LIKE THIS ALL OVER WISCONSIN. I AM HOPING RULING WILL PUT ALL WISCONSIN SCHOOLS ON NOTICE. REPORTER: 12 NEWS ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ON CAMERA. INSTEAD, THEY PUT OUT A MESSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. >> THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY TREAT BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS DIFFERENTLY BASED ON RATE. -- RACE. THE SUPERINTENDENT ADDING THEY NOW HAVE ADDED AN ANTI-RACISM POLICY, STARTED EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND WILL IMPROVE RACISM REPORTING PROCEDURE >> NOT ONCE HAVE THEY SAID THEY ARE SORRY. REPORTER: THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPONDED ON FACEBOOK. HAVE YOU SEEN THAT MESSAGE? HE SAYS THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON CHANGE AND ARE COMMITTED TO THIS. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? >> I DON’T BELIEVE THAT AT ALL. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FIVE YEARS WITH MY FAMILY ALONE. THERE ARE OTHER OF FAMILIES OF COLOR GOING THROUGH THIS BEFORE I CAME TO BURLINGTON. REPORTER: IN BURLINGTON, HILLARY MINTZ, WISN 12 NEWS. PATRICK: THAT MOTHER YOU JUST HEARD FROM SAYS