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Gas prices are high, but they’ve been higher: five charts
Minnesotans’ wallets have been hit with a double-whammy this spring as both gas prices and inflation climb. The surging gas costs are paining consumers and making headlines here and across the country — but just how bad is it? Once adjusted for inflation, gas prices are not out of the historical norm. Here’s more on Minnesota’s […]
95% of Minneapolis teachers participating in strike, district data shows
About 150 teachers and 100 education support professionals reported to work during the first week of the Minneapolis Public Schools strike, according to the school district. The teachers and staff crossing the picket line represent a small fraction of Minneapolis Public Schools’ workforce: fewer than 5% of the district’s 3,200 teachers and 8% of support […]
Rep. Ilhan Omar rallies in support of Minneapolis teachers during strike
Minneapolis Public Schools agreed to include class size caps in teacher contracts and adjust the pay structure for education support professionals, the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers leadership announced Monday. The offers are the district’s closest yet to the union’s demands — but as the strike stretches into a fifth day, the two parties still aren’t seeing […]
Minneapolis teachers union, district remain millions apart on pay proposals
Teacher pay proposals from the Minneapolis Public Schools and the teachers union remain millions of dollars apart as the teachers’ strike stretches into its third day, according to summaries published by the district Wednesday. The update is the public’s first look at the proposals on the bargaining table since December, when the district and union […]
Minneapolis teachers rally at Capitol for more education funding
The Minneapolis teachers union called on lawmakers to put some of the state’s projected $9.3 billion budget surplus toward education funding during a rally at the state Capitol Wednesday afternoon. Hundreds of supporters, including families and students, joined the union at the Capitol on the second day of the teachers strike. This is the first […]
Minneapolis teachers strike while the labor movement is hot
Jessica Mueller was in tears after she heard Monday night that Minneapolis teachers were officially going to strike the following day. Mueller, a special education teacher at Field Elementary, was distraught about being away from the classroom when her students are working so hard to master foundational skills, like reading. Holding a picket sign outside […]
Minneapolis teachers strike for first time in 50 years
Minneapolis Public Schools teachers and staff went on strike Tuesday for the first time in more than 50 years. Classes were canceled as teachers and staff picketed outside schools across the city with signs reading “The kids are not alright,” and “On strike for safe, stable schools.” Following months of stalled negotiations, both the teacher […]
Most Twin Cities school districts facing budget shortfalls, survey says
Thirty-five school districts in the Twin Cities metro expect budget shortfalls in the 2022-23 school year, according to a survey released Monday by the Association of Metropolitan School Districts. The projected deficits range from $500,000 in the Centennial and Columbia Heights school districts, to tens of millions in the state’s largest districts. AMSD said the […]
Minneapolis Public Schools invites teachers to cross picket line as strike nears
Minneapolis Public Schools told teachers they have a “right to work” in an email Wednesday afternoon, five days before a potential strike could begin. The email from MPS human resources said the district wanted teachers to know their rights in case of a strike. It included instructions for crossing a picket line, prompting criticisms from […]
Senate poised to pass GOP ‘Parents Bill of Rights’
The Senate is poised to pass a slate of bills Thursday that supporters say will strengthen parents’ influence in their children’s education and opponents argue is unnecessary and potentially harmful to LGBTQ youth. Senate Republicans have made the proposed “Parents Bill of Rights” a priority this session, joining conservatives in more than a dozen states […]
Minnesota public defenders may be nearing strike
Public defenders across Minnesota could be nearing a strike after the state sent a “last, best and final” offer that attorneys say doesn’t address “longstanding and rampant issues.” Teamsters Local 320 represents more than 700 public defense attorneys and staff statewide. The bargaining team unanimously recommended members reject the offer, according to a news release, […]
Bill to ban discrimination based on natural hair passes the House
A bill to specify that Minnesota law prohibits discrimination based on hair styles and textures cleared the House with bipartisan support Monday. The CROWN Act — which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” — would add a definition of race to the Minnesota Human Rights Act that includes “hair texture and […]