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MPR News with Angela Davis

Angela Davis and Matt Alvarez

October 19, 2023 10:40 AM

The school board elections you won’t want to ‘sleep on’

a school hallway with a sign — A sign directing attendees to a Bloomington Public School Board listening session on Oct. 9.
Elizabeth Shockman | MPR News

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Culture war issues are increasingly playing a role in who gets elected to the school board.

Over the last few years, school board races have become a political battleground. First sparked by heated debates over mask mandates during the pandemic, the cultural issues of today range from parental rights in the classroom to diversity in curriculum.

School board elections used to be nonpartisan. But candidates running in this year’s elections have been endorsed by political groups, and large dollar amounts are being spent to sway voters.

With a heated competition across 40 Minnesota districts underway, do you know who’s on your voter ballot this November?

Turn Up Your Support

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.

MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talk about the importance of school board elections, the role board members play and what motivates people to run for school board seats.

Guests:

Elizabeth Shockman is an education reporter for MPR News.
Dana Ferguson is a senior politics reporter for MPR News.
Kirk Schneidawind is the executive director of the Minnesota School Boards Association.
Larry Jacobs is a professor of politics and the director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the Hubert H. Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.