Once again, we are mourning the tragic death of a young Black man at the hands of police in our own backyard. Amir Locke, 22, was a brother, a son, a friend and an aspiring businessman. The repetitive cycle of unnecessary fatalities in the Twin Cities impacts all of us. We are all feeling and witnessing the impact of this terrible event, even more so because it happened so close to home.

This is yet another trauma in our community that brings a wide range of emotions, including sadness, hopelessness, anger, loss and pain. We are all impacted by what feels like a never-ending nightmare for our Black community in particular. Amir, Daunte, George, Jamar, and Philando’s lives mattered, and they should all still be with us today.

Please know there are resources to support you, and for you to support your students, as our community processes this latest tragedy. Each of our schools have a support team that is available to work with students and staff in times of trauma. All staff also have access to the Sand Creek Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This service is confidential and is provided at no cost to you and your household family members. 

One of the most important things we can do as adults in the SPPS community is to pay attention to our own emotions and work to pause before responding when facing difficult conversations. Additionally, we can do our best to offer patience and compassion to our colleagues, students and families. Below is a list of best practices and resources from the Office of School Support to assist you during this time. Please take care of yourselves and each other.

In partnership,

Joe Gothard, Superintendent

LINK: Supports Following the Death of Amir Locke