Teachers and students at Maplewood Middle School are holding conversations on racism like many across America in the wake the Derek Chauvin verdict.

Maplewood Middle School Principal Dara Gronau says the conversations are important because students can learn the facts and it can help get their questions answered.

"We don't teach in a vacuum, and kids are going to have, you know, they might have misinformation because that happens sometimes. They might have just lingering questions. Maybe they didn't talk about it at home, maybe they did, and they disagree, or we just have a space where they can come to school and talk about it with their teachers and with their peers," says Gronau says.

She adds that parents are supporting the school for addressing topics like these.