Democratic vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been touting his credentials as a former public school teacher on the campaign trail. However, critics have pointed out that the education performance in the North Star State has deteriorated under his leadership. Since taking office in 2019, students’ comprehension statewide for reading and math has seen a significant decline, while his administration has faced criticism for promoting what some describe as an extremist, ideology-influenced curriculum in schools.
Republican state Senator Carla Nelson, who is also a former teacher, has been vocal in her criticism of Governor Walz, accusing him of prioritizing far-left demands within his party over addressing real education issues in the state. She highlighted burdensome mandates on schools that have led to budget shortfalls and pulled teachers away from their students to comply with requirements.
Under Governor Walz’s leadership, reading proficiency among Minnesota students fell to 49.9% in 2023, down from 59.2% in 2019. Math comprehension similarly decreased from 55% in 2019 to 45.5% in 2023. Additionally, chronic absenteeism among students doubled from 14% in 2019 to 30% in the 2021-22 school year.
The Minnesota Department of Education revised the state’s social studies standards to include an “ethnic studies” component for K-12 students, a move that critics argue is aimed at influencing graduates with a radical worldview. A bill passed by the state Legislature in 2023 mandated all schools to offer some type of ethnic studies courses by 2026.
Catrin Wigfall, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment think tank, noted a shift in the education system under Governor Walz towards leftist ideology and woke political statements, rather than addressing the genuine challenges facing the public school system.
Governor Walz has also faced criticism for his handling of school closures during the pandemic. Critics have accused him of aligning with big teachers’ unions to extend school closures, which negatively impacted students’ education. As a result, Minnesota’s national education rankings dropped from 7th in 2021 to 19th this year.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer criticized Governor Walz for prioritizing teachers’ union money over students’ needs, leading to disastrous results in test scores. Despite criticism over the detrimental effects of school lockdown measures on students’ learning, Governor Walz defended his decisions, stating that students learned resiliency and problem-solving skills through remote learning.
In response to criticism, a campaign spokesman for the Harris-Walz ticket attributed school closures to former President Donald Trump’s handling of COVID-19. As the election season progresses, Governor Tim Walz’s record on education will continue to be a topic of debate and scrutiny.
