News Photo by Charles Madison The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education is pictured during its Monday meeting.

ALPENA — The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education said there’s still work to be done in the aftermath of a recent incident where hate speech and symbols were painted on the large rock in front of Alpena High School.

During its meeting on Monday, the board responded to allegations of racism after hearing from concerned residents during public comment.

In time allotted for public comment, parent Amber Ford read from a statement she had prepared, following a social media post that was widely shared on Facebook last week.

“What message are we sending our students of color when we condone racial slurs, bigoted jokes from our teachers, allowing 20 students in Confederate flag tee shirts to storm these halls, to intimidate their piers knowing that flag is a well recognized symbol of racism?” Ford said in her statement.

The board acknowledged it didn’t have all the answers at the present time.

“I don’t have all the answers,” Alpena Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said. “There’s more work to be done.”

When someone else asked during public comment why the school covered up a hate crime — referring to the large rock in front of the high school allegedly being painted with racial slurs and swastikas — Rabbideau said there is a subtle difference in what constitutes a hate crime in the eyes of the law.

“There’s actually a very nuanced difference and it lies in fact that rock is designed to be painted on, and in the eyes of the law that is a significant difference,” he said.

The board issued an apology last week for not addressing the issue sooner. The district also said police were investigating the incident, but did not go into specifics.

“We had good intentions to cover the rock up quickly, but we didn’t make a strong enough statement saying that this racism happened, and several students were harmed by this,” Rabbideau said.

In Other Business

The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education on Monday also:

∫ reported the APS Standard and Poors 500 credit rating rose from A- to A.

∫ heard the first reading of the new athletics handbook, which will require students to maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

∫ approved the 20220-23 APS instructional calendar spring break will align with that of Alpena Community College.

∫ approved a proposed increase of $22,500 for the construction of the APS pole barn.

∫ approved that Form L-4029 to enact the 2022 levy operating Millage of 17.7769 passed.

∫ approved Motion to approve at-risk student services for 2022-2025 be provided by NEMCSA and to award the bid for 2022-2023 in the amount of $438,710 to NEMCSA.