St. Michael Indian School issued a statement strongly opposing systemic racism, a stance that goes back to the founder of the school, St. Katharine Drexel.

 issued a letter on the death of George Floyd, strongly apposing systematic racism. 

"We are saddened, angered and heartbroken on the killing of George Floyd and of too many others who have been killed by law enforcement officers," St. Michael Indian School's board of directors said in a letter posted on the school's website. "The failure of these officers to live up to Christ’s teachings and their obligations to protect and to serve every American is rooted in the systemic racism that has plagued our country and world for too long. We must uproot racism, police violence and inequity in our society."

The founder of the school, St. Katharine Drexel, once said all prejudice needs to be uprooted, because it pulls people down. St. Michael Indian School was created by St. Katharine and her sisters after they recognized unfair treatment toward African Americans and Native Americans. St. Michael Indian School and other Catholic missions created by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament strive to offer equal education and service to Native Americans and African Americans. 

“If there is any prejudice in the mind, we must uproot it, or it will pull us down. If we live in the gospel, we will be people of justice," St. Katahrine once said, the board quoted in their statement.

The board of directors said in their statement that the foundation of Catholic schools is that all humans are "made in the image and likeness of God," which means all people should be treated equally.  

"We believe and teach the truth that the dignity of every human person lies in our creation," the board said in their letter. "We know that injustice persists; and we know, through Jesus’gospel message of love that it cannot last."

Using St. Katharine as its guide, the school will be prioritizing social justice to help fight injustice and racism in today's world. 

"Martin Luther King Jr. told us, 'The arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'" the board said in their letter. "St.Michael Indian School denounces all acts of hate and racism and commits to guide our students to be an active part of the change toward racial equality and justice for all peoples."