Community resources amidst Kim Potter trial

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

The trial of Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter has been a subject of a great deal of discussion throughout our community. To help families have discussions about the trial with their children, we have provided the resources below. Check back on a regular basis for additions and new resources.

What to expect at school:

• Classroom teachers may make connections between their course content and current events. This may include explicit connections to the Kimberly Potter trial (example: high school civics class studying the judicial system) or indirect connections (example: artistic expression to convey emotions).
• School social workers and other adults are available each school day to support students that may need more individualized opportunities to process their feelings and experiences.

Resources for families:

• This article from National Public Radio provides ideas from child development experts about how parents and caregivers can support children in processing scary news or community events.
• This article from Children’s Minnesota provides information about helping children heal following a traumatic event including ways to access therapeutic services.
• Children respond to traumatic events in many different ways.  This article from the National Institute of Mental Health provides information on common responses to traumatic events by age group and ways parents and caregivers can help children navigate their feelings following traumatic events.
• The city of Brooklyn Center is encouraging all residents to sign up for the CodeRed Emergency Response System.  This emergency notification system will be used to provide residents with time-sensitive information.