Video demonstrated to Denver South students: Do not connect with the law enforcement in case of racist attack

Luige Del Puerto

August 24, 10:10 PM August 24, 10:10 PM

This piece was originally posted by the Denver Gazette. It is republished with their sort permission.

Pupils at Denver's South High School were being revealed a online video that explicitly warned versus contacting the police in the scenario of a racist or transphobic assault, declaring legislation enforcement officers have been properly trained to watch users of minority groups as "perpetrators of violence."

"Armed police existence frequently escalates, fairly than decreases, the risk of violence in a situation," the video's narrator suggests. "Simply because law enforcement have been educated to see men and women of colour, gender nonconforming people, and Muslims as criminals, they frequently take care of victims as perpetrators of violence."

The narrator provides: "So, if the victim has not questioned you to get in touch with the law enforcement, do not — I repeat — do not simply call the law enforcement."

The video clip, titled "Don't be a Bystander: 6 Strategies for Responding to Racist Assaults," was proven on Tuesday, the first working day of faculty, to college students huddled within a health club.

In a statement, the Denver Police Basis criticized college authorities for showing the video clip to learners, calling it "dismaying" and "reprehensible."

"Whilst it is commendable of university administration to teach students relative to doable responses to racial attacks at university, it is reprehensible of them to include a suggestion that particularly states not to call police although concurrently telling learners they must set themselves front and middle of the trade," the basis reported.

"Sharing this suggestions is irresponsible as, initial and foremost, there are bias-inspired functions that are required report circumstances and delayed reporting results in much more damage to the sufferer. It also puts college students in predicaments they are not trained to take care of. Furthermore, it discourages cooperation of the victim, probably primary to no accountability of the offender and their actions, and finally, it portrays officers as the issue in the condition."

Rachel Goss, the school's principal, acknowledged the movie was shared with learners in a concept posted on the school's site.

"I am composing this be aware to emphasize that the intention powering the video clip was to deliver empowerment for folks who may possibly witness these forms of attacks, not to have any sort of adverse impression on the longstanding relationship concerning the Denver General public Educational institutions and the Denver Law enforcement Section," Goss wrote.

Goss stated the video "provides solutions for probable interventions that do not consist of getting in contact with regulation enforcement."

"As Principal of Denver South Higher University, I stay dedicated to doing work with and carry on to strengthen this partnership amongst our faculty and users of legislation enforcement. Make sure you know that, as a school community, we are intent on making certain the safety of all nevertheless partnering with the DPS Dept. of Safety and Denver Law enforcement," Goss stated.

"South is devoted to fulfilling all responsibilities of getting necessary reporters of suspected mistreatment, together with abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation. Our endeavours contain our ongoing partnering with and reporting to the suitable entities."

The incident is the latest in a tumultuous marriage between Denver General public Educational institutions and legislation enforcement. The DPS Board of Training voted in 2020 to take out college source officers from campuses.

On its web site, Denver South describes itself as dedicated to currently being "anti-racist" and to "dismantling systemic and structural racism in training, creating educational access, and facilitating good results to Black and all College students of Shade."

The movie has been seen approximately 43,000 moments due to the fact it was posted on YouTube in 2017. Generated by the Barnard Middle for Investigate on Ladies, the video's creators reported it features an "an abolitionist method to bystander intervention that does not rely on the law enforcement."

Established in 1971, the New York Town-centered center says it provides scholars and activists with each other to progress "intersectional social justice feminist analyses and to boost social transformation."

The online video commences by expressing the United States has a "extended history of violence" towards persons of coloration, the disabled, Muslims, immigrants, and LGBTQ folks. It also reveals images of historical discrimination, these as a white female pointing to a indicator that says, "JAPS Keep Moving. This is A WHITE MAN'S Neighborhood," and pics of law enforcement arresting black women of all ages.

The video clip features a number of ideas to bystanders who witness a racist or transphobic assault, these types of as chatting to the victim, not provoking the perpetrator, and documenting the incident if it is secure to do so and the victim isn't going to object.

The video clip also implies supporting the target by "sticking close to."

Tip No. 4, the online video says, is to "prevent the police."

The Denver Police Foundation identified as Denver South's conclusion to demonstrate the video clip to its 1,700 students and staffers "capricious."

"Exhibiting a movie that states 'police have been skilled to see folks of shade, gender nonconforming folks and Muslims as criminal' and that 'they generally take care of victims as perpetrators of violence' is not only a blatant misrepresentation of the training acquired by the Denver Law enforcement Section and regulation enforcement as a whole, but it also encourages anti police attitudes," the team reported.

"South Significant ought to be a chief in DPS universities, educating their pupils on how to be accountable stewards in the local community. As an alternative, nowadays, administration chose to perpetuate a harmful, hazardous and likely violent rhetoric. Students, mother and father, workers, administration, and the neighborhood really should be appalled by this actions."

Goss claimed the safety and perfectly-being of college students and staffers is the school's "top rated precedence."