The Minneapolis teachers union is wrong - race shouldn't matter in teacher layoffs
Neither we, nor our children, can afford the play in equity politics supported by the Minneapolis public schools and teachers union
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Just when one thinks "wokeness" has reached its peak, progressives find a way to create new heights-and to no surprise, it stems from the teacher’s union.
Recently, a local story became front page news here in Minnesota. The story is based in Minneapolis, the heart of Congressional District 5, where I am running as a candidate in the upcoming election. The Minneapolis teacher’s union negotiated a clause that would lay off senior teachers in good standing before junior teachers with more melanin. Simply put – this agreement is illegal and racist.
I am not a lawyer. However, this violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This is an exercise in inequality, an attempt to institutionalize racism within the education system. It breeds racial contempt and deepens the far-left’s agenda to construct from within woke factories, otherwise known as the public school system.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MINNEAPOLIS POLICY TO LAY OFF WHITE TEACHERS FIRST COULD GO TO THE SUPREME COURT: LEO TERRELL
For decades, Minnesota led the nation in education ratings, usually ranking in the top 5. Currently, depending on the statistical source, Minnesota falls within between 15th and 33rd. This is both shocking and appalling.
We are the state with Medtronic, 3M, the Mayo Clinic, Waterous and Federal Ammunition - to name only a few. Innovation and solutions-based technologies has been a source of pride for Minnesotans. But when our students, of all colors, continue to fall lower and further behind, honest, perhaps even painful self-examination is critical.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AARON WITHE: MINNEAPOLIS TEACHERS' UNION EDUCATES ABOUT RACISM BY EMBRACING RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
IStock image of school lockers (iStock)
Teacher terminations should be based on measurable outcomes, merit, and seniority – full stop. Our children need a solid, robust education to develop the skills needed for opportunities and academic growth for personal and professional achievement. They need the ability to compete.
Teacher terminations should be based on measurable outcomes, merit, and seniority – full stop.
This includes those students who may have IEP’s, ADHD, and other types of classroom or learning challenges. Each child deserves the best educational opportunities that our tax dollars can present them. Minnesotans have never been afraid to invest in education. What Minnesotans do want, however, is a sizable and positive return on that investment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Education is one of the only professions in which a standard of key performance indicators (KPI) isn’t used as a primary benchmark for continued employment. We need to implement basic performance requirements to ensure that teachers are simply educating children and not prioritizing a woke agenda.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education." We need to ask ourselves, "Are we acting intelligently in the work of developing the character of our young ones?"
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I would posit, that self-segregating, expanding the racial divide and letting go teachers who may make a significant difference in the lives of our children based on skin color is a play in equity politics that neither we, nor our children can afford. To make a difference, we need to be different. And most importantly, we need to vote different.