(WATCH) Minnesota School Board Votes Unanimously To Pay Non-White Teachers Extra (VIDEO)
Early this month, the Mankato School Board voted unanimously in favor of a policy that could result in higher compensation being awarded only to non-white teachers in the district.
Board Chair Jodi Sapp has previously come under criticism for asking concerned parents to dox themselves before commenting on school concerns. She has since apologized for her actions. Her leadership led the school board to vote to change district policy so that non-white teachers only can earn “additional stipends” to serve as mentors to other non-white colleagues. According to the new policy, the district will also be “placing American Indian educators at sites with other American Indian educators and educators of color at sites with other educators of color.”
These new initiatives are intended to “increase opportunity for collegial support” for BIPOC teachers and to increase the district’s retention rate among teachers from these non-white demographics.
Critics allege that placing teachers in specific work environments primarily due to their racial background seems to be segregation. Board members defended against this claim before voting on the policy change.
Board member Erin Roberts said, “When you’re one [minority] of a [white] majority it can be very isolating and lonely. 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.”
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
Vice Cahir Kenneth Reid added, “it creates global citizens at the end of the day.”
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
However, these new policy changes have received some attacks. State Rep. Jeremy Munson (R-MN) criticized the new policy, saying, “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.”
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The board adopted the policy language from Minnesota statute 122A.70 which orders “school districts must develop teacher mentoring programs” and allows districts to reward “additional stipends as incentives to mentors of color or [those] who are American Indian.”
Also, the state legislation mandates that districts “must” design mentorship programs that “may” incorporate racial stipends as part of their overall planning.
Click here to view a copy of the amendment that was approved by the Mankato Area Public Schools. The board of directors agreed to approve all of the modifications highlighted in red.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for any updates.
