To the Edina School Board:
This letter serves as a formal request for the Edina School Board to include a discussion on reversing the removal of the South Asian Cultural Liaison as a specific line item on its next agenda.
As a collective of parents, students, staff, community members, and organizations, we are deeply concerned by the decision to eliminate the Liaison position. Although the Administration intends to redistribute these responsibilities among other district staff, we remain unconvinced that such a decentralized approach can match the specialized care and dedicated service previously offered. The ongoing presence of cultural liaisons for Native American, Somali, and Spanish-Speaking families further highlights the essential need for roles within the Edina school community capable of offering such specialized support. Indeed, the many communities represented within Edina face their own unique challenges but we are united by the shared need for representation and culturally-specific attention in a way that seeks to promote unity proactively, rather than retroactively.
For the Edina Asian and Asian American community specifically, the dedication shown to students, families, and the community by Dr. Sayali Amarapurkar in her role as Liaison has been exceptional. Since 2018, she has been instrumental in welcoming and guiding Asian and Asian American families joining the Edina school district. Her contributions include producing the Monthly Parent Newsletter for Asian families—a vital resource for many—and resolving numerous linguistic and cultural misunderstandings. Furthermore, Dr. Amarapurkar has provided personal support during critical times, including mental health crises, medical emergencies, and behavioral incidents, often working well beyond standard school hours to serve the community.
If this matter is placed on the agenda, we see a valuable opening for partnership with the Edina School Board. As one of the District's fastest-growing communities, we look forward to participating in the public comment portion of the upcoming meeting. Our goal is to provide the Board with direct insight into how this decision affects our community. With this goal in mind, here are our asks:
1. A vote in favor of putting the South Asian Cultural Liaison onto the Agenda of the Tuesday, May 5, School Board Special Meeting or either School Board Session/Meeting on Monday, May 11.
2. A response to this communication as to how individual school board members voted and at which meeting the South Asian Cultural Liaison will be discussed.
3. An opportunity for the undersigned to address the School Board on this topic during public comment.
We appreciate your time and consideration regarding this request.