Several Twin City area school districts have created a shared template and response guide to address racial harm in schools — incidents where students are targeted with slurs, discriminatory language, or treatment based on their race or ethnicity. The protocol was developed collectively so that individual districts could adapt it to their own schools.

During the meeting, speakers described concrete examples of the problem. One person recounted finding racial slurs written in marker on a classroom board, apparently done deliberately to intimidate students. Another speaker defined racial harm as actions that make students "feel unsafe" based on their race, skin color, or ethnicity.

The protocol centers on three key principles: establishing clear procedures for responding to incidents, holding people accountable for their actions, and using restorative practices focused on healing rather than punishment alone. "We have to hold people accountable for their actions because that's what creates safety for our children," one speaker said. "Accountability really does heal."

The response guide included in the protocol is designed to help school administrators and staff address racial harm equitably and consistently across buildings. While speakers acknowledged the protocol is a work in progress, they framed it as a significant commitment to students. "I think there's revisions that can and should be made, but I think it's an incredible first step and I think it's an incredible promise to our students to continue to better ourselves and get better," one council member said.

The protocol represents an effort to move beyond isolated responses to individual incidents toward a coordinated, district-wide approach to preventing racial harm and supporting affected students.