A message from the superintendent: LPS staff available for students and families

Lincoln Public Schools families,

I am angry and concerned about the uptick of violence towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) reported across our country and even here in Nebraska. Tuesday’s attack and murders of AAPI women in Georgia was yet another stark reminder that racism, bias and hate are alive in our communities. Too many of our students, staff, friends and neighbors live in fear. They fear for their safety doing everyday things that many of us don’t think twice about. 

Please know that here at Lincoln Public Schools these attacks and acts of blatant racism will not be tolerated. We will work together to stop the hate and to end the violence. We need to do more. All of us need to speak up and speak out against acts of racism and hate. We need to provide support and listen. We need to stand together in solidarity with the AAPI community. 

At Lincoln Public Schools, we understand that our community is scared, angry and struggling with these recent events. Like all of us, our children are also experiencing these wide range of emotions, and they are trying to navigate their feelings and the current world around them. The grief and unsettling emotions families and students are experiencing are only compounded by the fact their lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic.

At LPS, we remain committed to supporting students and families as our community comes together to work on systematic change. We want our students to have a safe place to express their concerns and to be heard. We have various staff available for any LPS student who would like to talk about their feelings and their concerns. Students and families can contact a trusted LPS employee, or fill out this form and one of our staff will connect with you and your child. 

Families, we also want to provide you with resources as you are talking with your child about these events. Here are tips you can use when talking with your child about traumatic events.

Safety is one of our top priorities at school and we know you as caregivers are in the best position to help your children stay safe.  If you or your child has a safety concern, please contact us either by phone (402-436-1000) or through the green “Safe to Say” button found on our website. For emergencies, please contact 9-1-1.

This is about caring for one another. We must collectively embrace hope and help our students and neighbors understand that each of them is valued and important. Their lives, voices, contributions and achievements give us hope. 

Together, we must stand against hate and fight racism.

Steve Joel
Superintendent

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