Sen. Carla Nelson’s Academic Balance Bill Passes Education Policy Committee

A bill requiring academic balance passed the Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee. Authored by Senator Carla Nelson, Chairwoman of the Education Finance Committee, the legislation is in response to recent reports of bias and agenda-driven curriculum in Minnesota public schools that appear to favor one particular political, ideological, or moral outlook, at the expense of another.

“Neither students, nor teachers, check their free speech when they enter a public school,” said Senator Nelson, a former public school teacher. “However, no student should fear that their grade hinges on political or ideological agreement with their teacher. This commonsense policy reinforces existing nondiscrimination standards, and strengthens local accountability through the establishment of a reporting procedure.”

Just like current state law that requires school board policies for bullying, harassment, hazing, and many other topics, Senator Nelson’s legislation would establish locally determined academic balance policies for staff and students. The academic balance policy must at a minimum 1) prevent employees from requiring students to express their personal political or social beliefs for academic credit; 2) create a learning environment with access to a broad range of opinions pertaining to the subject of study; 3) prohibit assessment based on political, ideological, or religious beliefs; and 4) prohibit the introduction of controversial subject matter without a relationship to the subject being taught. The legislation also guarantees that any district adopted policy cannot violate any collectively bargained agreements.

“If teachers want to advocate on behalf of their political, ideological, religious, or anti-religious views, they are entitled to do so,” added Senator Nelson. “However, they are not entitled to do so before an audience of captive students, at taxpayers’ expense.”