Tim Walz’s tenure as Governor of Minnesota has drawn significant attention due to his controversial education policies. Should he and Kamala Harris secure the presidency, Americans may witness an intensified push for the Biden-Harris administration’s initiatives regarding education.
In May 2023, Walz and Democratic leaders in the Minnesota legislature approved a $2 billion education bill that critics argue functions as a funding mechanism for progressive groups and agendas. A notable provision in this bill mandates the availability of feminine hygiene products in boys’ bathrooms for students in grades 4-12. Additionally, the law allocates $6 million towards implementing “ethnic studies” courses in schools starting in the 2027-2028 academic year. According to education policy analyst Stanley Kurtz, while such courses may appear as benign heritage education, they are steeped in “race-based neo-Marxism,” encouraging students to challenge and overhaul the American government system.
Minnesota students will now be required to examine topics related to “the roots of contemporary systems of oppression,” learning lessons intended to address both historical and modern injustices. This has been characterized as a rebranding of Critical Race Theory. Furthermore, Walz has made it obligatory for this ideology to be integrated across all subjects, from mathematics to literacy. Kurtz highlights that Walz’s framework for ethnic studies is even more extreme compared to the approach taken by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has resisted similar education policies.
In an attempt to extend his ethnic studies policies, Walz tried to impose these mandates on private and homeschool settings in 2022 but was unsuccessful. He has also been vocal about opposing what he labels as “book bans,” referring to parental controls aimed at removing sexually explicit and inappropriate materials from school libraries. In May 2023, Walz enacted a law that restricts schools from banning or limiting access to any age-appropriate books based solely on their viewpoint or content. This has been interpreted as providing protection for educators to present graphic and explicit content to students.
During the pandemic, Walz favored the national teachers’ unions over the interests of individual teachers and families, which led to extended school closures. If he and Harris were to gain the presidency, the National Education Association, which has endorsed their campaign and advocates for school closures and Critical Race Theory, would likely find a supportive ally in the administration.
Concerningly, the implementation of Walz’s progressive education reforms has coincided with a decline in student performance. When Walz became governor in 2019, 59% of Minnesota students were rated proficient in reading, and 55% in math. By 2023, those figures had dropped to 50% and 45.5%, respectively. Additionally, the state’s chronic absenteeism rate has surged from 14% to 30% over the same period. Consequently, Minnesota’s schools have dropped in national rankings from 5th to 17th place.
Despite these troubling statistics, Walz has not shifted his focus towards traditional education reforms, opting instead to deepen the implementation of perceived leftist ideologies in schools. His policies resonate with the Biden-Harris administration’s approach; earlier this year, the Biden Department of Education revised Title IX regulations to mandate that educational institutions receiving federal funding allow transgender students access to facilities corresponding to their gender identity and required the use of preferred pronouns.
The Biden administration has also endorsed the controversial 1619 Project as a teaching resource and allocated funds to promote Critical Race Theory in classrooms across the country.
As the new school year approaches, education remains a critical concern for millions of American parents. With the presidential election looming, Walz’s education policies could significantly influence parental support for presidential candidates.