Demuth plan makes funding private schools a priority at expense of public education
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota. Sept. 10, 2026 – The Republican candidate for governor’s new education plan prioritizes private and religious schools over the public schools that serve about 90% of Minnesota students, Education Minnesota said Thursday.
“Lisa Demuth is a disappointment to educators, families and students,” said Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota. “Sending our taxpayer money to unaccountable private schools hurts the vast majority of students who attend public schools in Minnesota. Demuth should stop falling for President Trump’s failed schemes and instead do something about soaring educator health care costs, class sizes that are burning out educators, recruiting teachers with better pay and pensions, and protecting paid family leave and unemployment insurance for all school employees.”
Demuth’s plan includes opting into President Trump’s national school voucher plan to send taxpayer money to private and religious schools, expanding the number of the schools eligible for state school safety money, changing regulations for teacher preparation programs, and creating a system of waivers for schools to seek relief from state requirements. Demuth has previously supported allowing schools to deny educators the paid family and medical leave benefits that other employees are entitled to and rolling back unemployment insurance for educators who are paid hourly.
Her school safety plan does not include commonsense gun control policies, which she blocked during the 2026 session of the Minnesota Legislature as the Republican House Speaker.
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
