Author: Sarah Cooke

After a jury returned guilty verdicts on the first- and second-degree manslaughter charges against former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter in the killing of Daunte Wright, Education Minnesota President Denise Specht released the following statement in response.

Eleven school workers have now died of COVID-19 during the current school year, according to the weekly data release from Minnesota Department of Health, which reported the latest death.

A second student has died this school year of a COVID-19 infection associated with schools, according to the weekly update of virus activity in the state released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health. 

The projected $7.7 billion surplus reported Tuesday gives the Minnesota Legislature an unprecedented opportunity to put a down payment on fully funding public education at a time when educators are at a breaking point.

Area educators will join North Dakota United President Nick Archuleta and Education Minnesota President Denise Specht on Wednesday morning to share stories of educating during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as it relates to the shortage of substitute educators.

The COVID-19 deaths of two school staff members brings the total for the current school year to 10, surpassing the eight staff members who died of COVID-19 infections related to schools in the previous school year, according to data released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health.