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A seven-member committee tasked with recommending ways to improve race relations in Franklin presented its final report to City Council March 8.

City Council authorized the committee on June 8, 2020 — two weeks after George Floyd, a Black man, died in police custody on a Minneapolis street corner May 25. A video of the incident — which sparked nationwide protests, including more than one in Franklin — showed Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin has since been fired and charged criminally with Floyd’s murder, and is to stand trial this month.

Mayor Frank Rabil had tasked the committee with bringing back recommendations not only for improving community-police relations but also for all aspects of life in Franklin. The resulting report, titled “A plan for racial reconciliation and relational repair,” breaks down the group’s suggestions by category: family, education, law enforcement, homeownership and politics.

“I grew up in Franklin, and Franklin was definitely, undoubtedly, playing by the American rules — and that was, Black people had a blank check that was bad,” said committee member Dr. Alvin Harris.

Harris is a graduate of Hayden High School, which served as the city’s separate high school for African Americans during the days of segregation. Now, it’s been renovated into apartments for senior citizens, but the lasting impacts of segregation can still be seen “where the railroad tracks divided the communities,” Harris said.

Other committee members included Ward 3 Councilman Greg McLemore; Franklin High School teacher Mona Murphy, who coordinates Hampton Roads Workforce Council’s in-school youth career program for FHS; the Rev. David Dillon of the Rock Church of Franklin; Andrea Holloman; Davida Fenner of the city’s electoral board; and the Rev. Nathan Decker of High Street United Methodist Church.

One of the group’s recommendations is to change how history is taught in schools. When discussing state history up through the Civil War, they’d like to see the term “enslaved people” used instead of “slaves.” Another asks that the city continue to apply for state grants like the Community Development Block Grant that helped fund the Madison Street neighborhood improvement program — which allowed residents of Madison, Washington and Roosevelt streets under a certain income level to receive financial assistance for making structural improvements to their homes.

“One of the best ways to have pride in our community is to own a piece of it,” Harris said.

That’s why he’s also hoping to see more financial literacy programs to help teach aspiring homeowners how to maintain good credit, file taxes and other life skills.

The report suggested mentoring programs for new parents and community sports programs could potentially involve the city’s churches. Other suggestions, such as supporting Franklin City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tamara Sterling’s plan to one day build a new school in the city, will likely involve City Council committing taxpayer funds.

“We felt that a new facility might bring a little pride and inspiration to our kids about getting an education,” Harris said.

The group also hopes to see a partnership with Southampton County Public Schools and Paul D. Camp Community College for career and technical training programs, as well as the funding of new technology and internship programs within the city’s police department to recruit African American officers. Housing incentives for teachers to move to Franklin and the funding of school resource officers in Franklin’s schools are additional recommended priorities.

FCPS had planned to place one school resource officer in each of its three school buildings at the start of the 2020-2021 school year, having received a grant from the Franklin Police Department to help fund the positions. But those plans got put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to division spokeswoman Cleo-Symone Scott, FCPS doesn’t currently have SROs and hasn’t budgeted them for the 2021-2022 school year.

“As 21^st century community leaders, we look back with regret and disdain on the era of slavery and racial inequality in America,” the report concludes. “We purpose to address and resolve the racial injustice in our society that has brought us to this present crisis. By God’s grace, our intention is to be initiators of relational recovery in the city of Franklin and beyond.”

According to City Manager Amanda Jarratt, the group’s final report has been distributed to the City Council members and some department heads, and will be discussed further at a City Council work session in the near future.