Education headlines
Daily news stories
Stories from media sources around the state, updated Monday through Friday:
Friday, March 21, 2025
Star Tribune
Author of ‘The Kite Runner’ speaks out against controversial book ban policy in St. Francis schools
From “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood to “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, school reading materials have been stripped from school libraries due to the suggested guidance of reviewer website, BookLooks.org, which seeks to warn parents of “objectionable content” in books.
AP News
Trump sketches the start of a roadmap for winding down the Education Department
The executive order Trump signed Thursday to do away with the department did not offer a timeline or instructions, but his administration appears poised to carve away all but the department’s most vital operations.
Fox9
‘The Kite Runner’ author ‘bewildered’ by book ban in St. Francis Area Schools
Khaled Hosseini, author of “The Kite Runner” said books are an invaluable opportunity to live in another person’s shoes – just for a little while – and to hear his book is being called “harmful” is “bewildering.”
KARE11
State asking people to share how US Education Department dismantling impacts them
The Minnesota Department of Education has launched a portal asking people to share how the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education impacts them.
Minnesota Daily
UMN early childhood development program expands to tribal communities in Minnesota
Wezhinoo’igejig combines coursework in child development, early childhood teaching methods and Ojibwe immersion pedagogy, according to the program website. The program is designed for early childhood professionals who want to increase their Ojibwe language skills through work with children and hold a strong mission towards language revitalization.
Minnesota Reformer
Trump signs order directing Education secretary to shut down her own department
The order, which is sure to draw legal challenges, “also directs that programs or activities receiving any remaining Department of Education funds will not advance DEI or gender ideology,” referring to diversity, equity and inclusion.
MPR News
How the Education Department cuts could hurt low-income and rural schools
The Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) awards money to low-income and rural school districts. More than a quarter of the country’s public schools are in rural areas.
WCCO
Minnesota leaders react to Trump executive order to start dismantling U.S. Department of Education
Minnesota organizations and leaders are expressing concern after President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to begin dismantling the Department of Education.
Education Minnesota press releases
Education Minnesota launches new ads supporting better pay pensions health care for educators
Trump abandons public education with latest executive order
Minnesota educators and students could pay the price for federal chaos
Teacher of the Year candidate field narrowed to 31 semifinalists
142 teachers are candidates for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year
