Protect Our Public Schools!

Minnesota legislators & Gov. Tim Walz

No matter what we look like or where we live, most of us want similar things for our children. We want them to grow up safe, supported and loved. We want them to attend welcoming schools that prepare them for success after high school.  

Unfortunately, the wealthiest few and the lawmakers who do their bidding have used budget deficits to make that more difficult by exacerbating inequities in our schools. In 2010, they cut or delayed state education aid instead of addressing the real issue – decades of chronic underfunding.

Minnesota still hasn’t recovered from these past actions. The state’s share of funding schools hasn’t kept pace with inflation—it’s now 11.8 percent less than it was in 2003 in real dollars.

We can’t let that happen again or it will mean real consequences for our schools. Larger class sizes. Fewer counselors, social workers and education support professionals to work one-on-one with students. And an even more devastating teacher shortage, making it even more difficult to recruit and retain teachers of color and those working in Greater Minnesota.

Minnesota can do better.

Sign our petition to call on Gov. Tim Walz and state legislators to stave off cuts to school funding, address the disruptions to education caused by COVID-19 and start making strategic investments to fully fund welcoming schools that work for everyone!

To: Minnesota legislators & Gov. Tim Walz
From: [Your Name]

No matter what we look like or where we live, most of us want similar things for our children. We want them to grow up safe, supported and loved. We want them to attend welcoming schools that prepare them for success after high school.

Unfortunately, the wealthiest few and the lawmakers who do their bidding have used budget deficits to make that more difficult by exacerbating inequities in our schools. In 2010, they cut or delayed state education aid instead of addressing the real issue – decades of chronic underfunding.

Minnesota still hasn’t recovered from these past actions. The state’s share of funding schools hasn’t kept pace with inflation—it’s now 11.8 percent less than it was in 2003 in real dollars.

We can’t let that happen again or it will mean real consequences for our schools. Larger class sizes. Fewer counselors, social workers and education support professionals to work one-on-one with students. And an even more devastating teacher shortage, making it even more difficult to recruit and retain teachers of color and those working in Greater Minnesota.

Minnesota can do better.

I call on Gov. Tim Walz and state legislators stave off cuts to school funding, address the disruptions to education caused by COVID-19 and start making strategic investments to fully fund welcoming schools that work for everyone.