Once skeptical, Osseo parent group happy with district's racial equity policy

A parent group that pushed for changes to an Osseo school district racial equity policy says it's happy with the outcome.

The district's first equity policy promises things like training for staff and students, increased staff diversity and curriculum that reflects a variety of different cultures.

Last month, some parents said the policy didn't include enough input from the families it was going to affect. They complained that the district hadn't sought feedback on a policy draft.

Parents led by the nonprofit African Immigrant Services met with the district in November, and members of the group also provided input at a district policy committee meeting the day before the document was adopted.

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Recommendations included more accountability for the policy promises. AIS executive director Abdullah Kiatamba says the suggestions were included.

"Parents now have the courage and the confidence to raise issues that, in the past, so many policies passed without community input. This is one of the very few policies that have direct input from the community," Kiatamba said.

Osseo general counsel Margaret Westin says the district followed its usual process of getting input before a draft is written, then accepting comments before the policy is finalized.

But she admits it wasn't sufficient in this case.

"We should have done a better job of reaching out again to the communities that we serve," Westin said.

Westin said the district is considering changes to the input process for future policies like this one. Kiatamba said the parent group will keep pushing for other changes in the Osseo district like increased staff diversity.