On June 29th, 2020, the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Board of Education voted unanimously to end the contract with the Madison Police Department (MPD). This victory was made possible after 3 and a half years of organizing and countless hours of community engagement, public testimony, and powerful protests led by Black and Southeast Asian girls and LGBTQI+ youth at Freedom Inc.
For the young people at Freedom Inc, police free schools are about reimagining and investing in the leadership, wellness, and creativity of Black youth and youth of color, implementing transformative justice in all schools, and give most impacted youth, parents, and trusted adults real decision-making power over schools. FI is currently demanding MMSD adopt their Community Control Over School Safety & Accountability Policy to create an accountability process for school staff who use police to harm children.
In April of 2021, inspired by the powerful work of the Black Organizing Project in Oakland, California, Freedom, Inc. launched their Black Sanctuary Pledge to ensure the safety and support for Black students, students of color, queer and trans youth, and youth with disabilities in our schools and community.
