Education Minnesota calls on Legislature, governor to use surplus to start fully funding schools
For more information, contact:
MEGAN BOLDT
651-292-4818 (work)
651-245-9163 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 28, 2022 – Education Minnesota President Denise Specht, along with educators from across the state, will discuss the union’s priorities for the 2022 legislative session at a news conference Monday.
The stressors of COVID-19 and our country’s ongoing racial reckoning have students and educators at breaking points in underresourced and understaffed schools. Education funding was at crisis levels even before the pandemic – the state’s share hasn’t kept pace with inflation for almost two decades.
“Luckily, Minnesota has the resources and an unprecedented $7.7 billion surplus to start fully funding public education and build welcoming schools at a time when educators and students need support the most,” said Education Minnesota President Denise Specht.
The virtual news conference will begin at 4 p.m. and is open to journalists only. Please register in advance at https://edmn.me/2022session. Others may watch it live on Education Minnesota’s Facebook page.
Educators from across Minnesota will share some of the most pressing issues facing students, school staff and families including:
- Increasing mental health supports for students and educators.
- Addressing staffing shortages and class size issues that give our educators less time to teach and care for our students.
- Treating education support professionals with the respect and compensation they deserve.
- Building welcoming schools by recruiting more educators of color and offering students an honest curriculum that accurately represents our diverse backgrounds and history.
| Who: | Education Minnesota President Denise Specht and teachers, school counselors and education support professionals from across the state. |
| What: | News conference to talk about Education Minnesota’s legislative priorities to improve public education for students, families and educators. |
| When: | 4-4:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 31 |
| Where: | Zoom meeting open to reporters. Please register in advance at https://edmn.me/2022session. Others may watch it live on Education Minnesota’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EducationMinnesota |
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.
