October 27, 2022

On October 18th, Administrative Law Judge Jim Mortenson extended the deadline for his ruling on the proposed teacher licensing standards to November 23, 2022, prolonging his decision well beyond the November 8th election.

In its October 21st announcement of the changed deadline, the Teacher Licensing Board (PELSB) stated that the judge’s report “will detail whether all or some of the proposed changes have been approved and whether the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) has additional suggestions for consideration. If the ALJ disapproves all or some of the proposed rules, the Chief ALJ has an additional 10 days to review the rules and findings.” (emphasis added)

PELSB is the architect of the Marxist teacher licensing mandates. All the board members are appointees of Governor Tim Walz. If adopted, the new teaching standards will embed basic Marxist principles and practices such as critical race theory (CRT), fluid sexual identity, and gender politics into ALL Minnesota schools that hire licensed teachers, public and private. If formally adopted, the new requirements must be met to become licensed in Minnesota and, eventually, to have licenses renewed, including teaching in prenatal, Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), and Adult Basic Education.

Ever since the radical standards were widely exposed in June, they have become a flashpoint for parents, teachers, and those tracking the transformation of Minnesota education. The outpouring of public opposition to Judge Mortenson against the proposed standards also brought out strong statements of opposition from candidate for Governor Dr. Scott Jensen and from both House and Senate Republican legislators.

After a daylong public hearing on August 24th and after 455 public comments overwhelmingly opposing the new standards were posted during August and September, PELSB’s response was to blow it all off. Teacher Licensing Rules: Current Update. PELSB fully intends to proceed against the will of the public unless they are forced to retreat.

If Judge Mortenson rules clearly and unequivocally against the proposed teacher licensing standards in November, and if he is not overruled by the Chief Administrative Law Judge, teaching freedom in Minnesota will have gained a major, but temporary, respite. Temporary, because the same appointed board and politicians who brought us to this point remain in place.

But the November 8, 2022, election could change the entire playing field.

We don’t need to know the ruling of Judge Mortenson before we vote. Because right now, we already know that radical Minnesota Social Studies standards remain on the docket; Marxist-based cultural competency teacher training is already mandated for all teachers; and most Minnesota higher education teacher training programs have already voluntarily implemented these standards. And the teacher training requirements will be back, because the teacher training requirements are an essential component of the national system which has been designed to transform ALL of American education. This Marxist system intends to change the way our children think and speak in order to create a societal and cultural revolution from within.

We need change. Vote like your future depends on it. Because it does.