Posted: May 13, 2025
On March 31st, Karis Stoudamire-Phillips and Mike Phillips got an urgent call from the Catholic elementary school their son attended. School officials informed them that a classmate had called their child a racial slur.
They rushed to the school to care for their son and met with Madeline School Principal Tresa Rast to seek resolution. But instead of meeting them with compassion and care, Rast called the police on the Black family. As Mike Phillips explains:
"We all know in American history what it is when police are called on unarmed Black men, and I'm appalled that she can just think that she can wield that power and put me in a position where you don't know what can happen."
"Questioning trust and wanting people to be accountable to why that trust doesn't exist is not a violent posture. So now, as a Black man, I have the police called on me."
Three days later, the school expelled their son.
No one should be ever punished for speaking out when they're experiencing injustice. Jesus taught that all people have inherent dignity and worth -- which means that Christian institutions should dismantle systemic racism, not uphold it.
SIGN NOW: The Madeleine School must hold Principal Rast accountable for her racist actions and demand her resignation.
Sign the petition:
Love thy neighbor.