Senator Koch and Michel,

My name is Kelly Lenz. I am a parent of 2 boy’s that attend Harambee Elementary School, which is part of the East Metro Integration District 6067. We choose to send our boy’s to this school. We made the choose. Why?

We choose Harambee for our boy’s because we feel as parents that our children need to experience an integrated classroom where cultural differences are embraced and celebrated. EMID has built terrific schools using integration funding that have fantastic arts and science programs, have innovative approaches to teaching cultural awareness, and provide students, including my “white” boy’s, an incredible learning ground for what their world will be and is. They are being prepared for what their workforce will look like – they are doing great at living in our colorful world.

There is no way that are local district could provide this learning environment. Yes, they have people of color at the local district, but their whole premise is not “community cultures and environmental science”. They are not truly integrated.

Without integration dollars, EMID will not survive. This great program that embraces all cultures in the East Metro will no longer exist. What a shame. We all need to get better at embracing all, and that is what this district does. Embraces all. How many districts can truly say that in this state? Not many.

Please do not take integration funding away. Please continue to embrace what the mission of the funding is about. Please embrace the Minnesota Integration Taskforce recommendations and keep integration funding alive!

Thanks – Kelly Lenz