California school offers ‘white student support circle’ after Chauvin verdict

A California school district is being criticized for offering a “support circle” for white students after Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder in the death of George Floyd.

A TikTok video with more than 4,700 comments shows an email from Piedmont Unified School District’s assistant superintendent about a “white student support group” for “white students who would like to discuss how the trial, verdict, and experiences related to the George Floyd murder are impacting you.”

Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died while in police custody last May, and his death sparked protests across the nation. He died after Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who is white, pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, as three other officers didn’t intervene.

Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Superintendent Randall Booker released a statement on Saturday, calling the email’s subject line referring to a “white student support group” as “a poor choice of words” that “led to the perception that White students needed the same kind of ‘support’ as our BIPOC students.”

“Students of all racial backgrounds rightfully pushed back on that idea. We agree, and we want to affirm in the strongest terms that our commitment is to give all students a place to express their feelings and to learn how to engage in important issues,” Booker said.

He added: “The intent of a circle for White allies is to discuss how to be a better ally in the pursuit of racial justice. Additionally, we are planning to offer circles open to all in order to give students of different backgrounds a chance to process together.”

The school district did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment Tuesday morning.

The district says it’s racial equality policy goals are committing the school to fighting institutional racism, making sure the district is “an inclusive and welcoming environment” for Black, Indigenous People of Color and getting rid of gaps in opportunity for BIPOC students.

This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 9:30 AM with the headline "California school offers ‘white student support circle’ after Chauvin verdict."