Teens protest Red Wing school race issues

Red Wing High. Lingering race issue surfaced in mid-morning walk-out from classes. This was after the school’s major Black History Month event was cancelled by Superintendent Bob Jaszczak.

Walk-out peaceful, but will it change things?

RED WING, Minn. — About 100 Red Wing High School students, mostly white, staged a peaceful walk-out to protest the cancellation of a Black History Month event at which Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was the scheduled guest. It was school Superintendent Bob Jaszczak who cancelled the Ellison event at the last minute. Jaszczak expressed concern that “significant disruption” might be triggered by Ellison, who is black. The walk-out was brief. The students paraded around the flagpole. Several placards proclaimed “Black Lives Matter.” Organizers with the school’s Black Student Union said they had no idea what it was that so worried Superintendent Jaszczak about what he called “a disruption.” Police said also said they hadn’t picked up any chatter about a disruption trough their sources. The walkout came the last day of February — the finale of Black History Month.  The observation has been around since 1926 although known then as Negro History Week. The students who organized yhe walk-out said they wanted to object to “a repeated set of acts committed against our student body” but were unspecific. Their online post: “We will take a moment tomorrow at 9:45 to honor Black History Month and fight for the change we want to see in our school.”  The walk-out, they aded, was”an act made to show support of Black students, staff, community and administration.

Earlier: Red Wing voids attorney general’s school visit

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Around the flagpole. Protest led with “Black Lives Matter” banner.