Tuesday night, Kingfield resident Tracine Asberry was sworn in as the first school board member to specifically represent Southwest Minneapolis.
Asberry won an uncontested election last year after her three opponents dropped out after they were unable to win an endorsement of the Minneapolis DFL party. Despite this, Asberry spent the following months visiting with local PTAs, community groups, and area residents in a campaign-style effort to meet constituents.
In her speech, Asberry said board members faced a high calling:
The Pedagogy of the Oppressed states: "There is no such thing as a neutral educational process. Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity to it, or it becomes ‘the practice of freedom,' the means by which [humanity] deals critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world."
As Board Directors, we must listen to all educational stakeholders in a manner that ensures equity to stay relevant as we work collectively with our Superintendent and the Staff. In this manner we will support policies and decisions that meet the needs of every student that enters our schools to ensure that student thrives academically—to be college and career ready leading to the transformation of our world."
