Fort Worth board endorses statement that police practices ‘rooted in White supremacy’
The Fort Worth public school board vowed in a resolution Tuesday that the district “has the power and the duty to be part of the solution to dismantle institutional racism.”
The resolution includes an assessment from the district’s racial equity committee that foundations of policing were infused with racism.
“We ... are horrified, outraged, and saddened by the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and other Black citizens in our country in recent weeks, including Fort Worth’s own, Atatiana Jefferson,” the committee’s members wrote in part.
“While certain groups see law enforcement as members of society that pledge to protect and serve, communities of color have had numerous traumatic experiences that have been historically ignored. Police practices are deeply rooted in White supremacy stemming from night patrols, slave patrols, and the Texas Rangers. These traumatic experiences impact every area of our Black community, including the school systems.”
Fort Worth Independent School District Board President Jacinto Ramos Jr. suggested that the board would in the future consider the role of law enforcement officers in the district.
The board would likely have a “balanced conversation about what that looks like,” Ramos said.
Ramos and Trustees Quinton Phillips, Tobi Jackson, Anne Darr, Norman Robbins, Anael Luebanos and Ashley Paz voted to adopt the resolution. Trustees Daphne Brookins and Carin Evans did not attend the meeting.
Beyond the resolution, Phillips said during the meeting conducted via videoconference that he was pleased district students and alumni were participating in demonstrations.
“It does my heart well,” he said.
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 9:25 PM.
