If you thought you’d seen enough blatant racism from left-wing school boards with their introduction of highly divisive (and wholly incorrect) “critical race theory,” you were wrong, at least when it comes to one district in Minnesota.
The Mankato School Board voted unanimously in recent days to pay non-white teachers “additional stipends” not because of their added ability to teach or their superior education and knowledge, but strictly due to their skin color. In addition, the board voted to segregate teaching staff by race as well (remember when we had a civil rights movement in our country, circa the 1960s and 1970s, to desegregate our schools?).
What’s more, board members vehemently defended their blatantly racist policies and claimed that no one should believe their lying eyes — no “segregation” going on there, according to AlphaNews.
“When you’re one [minority] of a [white] majority it can be very isolating and lonely,” declared board member Erin Roberts. “To have a support system in place for them is not to segregate them, it is absolutely to support them … It’s not about trying to throw the few [BIPOC] individuals we have into one building. It’s about showing them they aren’t alone.”
“It creates global citizens at the end of the day,” Vice Chair Kenneth Reid stated.
School board votes unanimously on a policy that would pay non-white teachers more and place them in work environments based on their race (segregation).
Here a member defends the decision. Unreal pic.twitter.com/zMMY5oytEZ— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) December 22, 2021
Speech from another board member right before they all voted yes to adopt this policy. pic.twitter.com/OGDAPr4T6B
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) December 22, 2021
Republicans, being members of a sane party, objected mightily.
“Our largest local school district just voted to pay people differently, not on merit, or by the content of their character, but based solely on the color of their skin,” state Rep. Jeremy Munson said, referring to the additional financial incentives for non-white teachers.
Alpha News adds that this nonsensical policy — which is very likely unconstitutional — is actually codified in state law:
The Mankato School Board didn’t come up with this policy on its own. Rather, the board adopted the new language from Minnesota statute 122A.70, which commands that “school districts must develop teacher mentoring programs” and that districts may offer “additional stipends as incentives to mentors of color or [those] who are American Indian.”
Notably, the state law says districts “must” develop mentoring programs that “may” include race-based stipends. This means Mankato could have chosen to simply create teacher mentoring programs to boost staff retention without including a racial element.
“This is allowed and encouraged under a revision to Minnesota state Statute 122A.70. Mankato Area Public Schools Policy number 466 provides pay for black and native American school staff above which is paid to white employees,” Munson added.
“Section E of State Statute includes the new text between the “**”: In addition to developing a Staff Development Plan, the Staff Development Advisory Committee also must develop teacher mentoring programs for teachers new to the profession **or school district, including teaching residents, teachers of color, teachers who are American Indian, teachers in license shortage areas, teachers with special needs,** or experienced teachers in need of peer coaching,” Munson continued.
“I voted against this legislation. I called it racist when we debated it and believe it is wrong, racist, and unconstitutional to pay people more money or less money based solely on the color of their skin,” he remarked.
“Have your local school boards passed similar measures and what are your thoughts on this new direction?” he queried on Facebook.
Regarding the legality of this outrageous act, the U.S. Department of Education reminds on its website:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities operated by recipients of federal funds. It states: “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” In the education arena, Title VI’s protections apply to all public elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities—public or private—that receive federal financial assistance. Its protections extend to all aspects of these institutions’ programs and activities.
If some Minnesotan isn’t already queuing up a lawsuit, then shame on them.
