(Center of the American Experiment) — Over 60 days ago, American Experiment submitted straightforward public data requests for access to deliverables written by the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) Ethnic Studies Working Group that will guide public schools on the implementation of new ethnic studies requirements.
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (DPA) requires prompt response to these requests; however, MDE has yet to comply, raising concerns about transparency in the creation of a framework and professional development and instructional resources that must integrate controversial new ethnic studies standards and benchmarks.
Letters sent on Oct. 2 and Oct. 25, 2024 on behalf of American Experiment by the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) specifically request documents from the Ethnic Studies Working Group’s last public meeting in September. The working group used its last session to finish drafting deliverables that have been kept private despite the initial expectation that the public would get to view, and weigh in on, the direction MDE plans on taking ethnic studies instruction in all public K-12 classrooms.
“Membership and work completed by the working group is public, therefore it is accessible to the public upon request,” according to MDE’s Ethnic Studies Working Group Assumptions document.
The working group’s primary tasks were to “develop an ethnic studies framework with advisory guidelines for ethnic studies courses required”; “recommend professional learning requirement for educators and staff to facilitate the successful implementation of ethnic studies courses”; “recommend resources and materials to school districts and charter schools in which they may use to implement ethnic studies requirements and standards”; “identify or develop instructional resources that school districts and charter schools may use”; and “make recommendations for criteria for competitive grants for school districts and charter schools to develop, evaluate, and implement ethnic studies courses.” The deadline for completing these tasks was Oct. 31, 2024.
“Public feedback will be solicited on the draft framework,” continued MDE’s Ethnic Studies Working Group Assumptions document.
American Experiment’s complaint against MDE alleges violations of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and also alleges that MDE earlier this year spent months ignoring multiple requests by American Experiment for other information on the Ethnic Studies Working Group until UMLC threatened legal action for that violation of the DPA. The lawsuit seeks an immediate release of the draft framework—completed more than two months ago—and other requested data, and includes an injunction to end MDE’s alleged pattern of “stonewalling” or “slow-walking” responses to public data requests.
American Experiment and UMLC will continue our efforts to ensure government agencies comply with the law and operate in the public’s interest.
For more information about this case, see the complaint.
This article was originally published by the Center of the American Experiment.
Catrin Wigfall
Catrin Wigfall is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
Catrin’s experience in education and policy research began during her time with the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. Her interest in education policy led her to spend two years teaching 5th grade general education and 6th grade Latin in Arizona as a Teach for America corps member. She then used her classroom experience to transition back into education policy work at the California Policy Center before joining American Experiment in February 2017.
Catrin graduated summa cum laude from Azusa Pacific University in California, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
