Minneapolis teachers union defends race-based layoff policy amid backlash: 'Made up by the right wing'

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Leo Terrell on Minneapolis prioritizing race for layoffs: This is discrimination

Fox News contributor Leo Terrell torches the decision by Minneapolis schools to use race when deciding who to lay off first

The Minneapolis teachers union defended a controversial policy regarding race-based layoffs after fierce backlash, arguing that the criticism is being ginned up by the "right wing."

The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Minneapolis public schools agreed to a plan that allows for the firing of teachers based on race if the district decides staff layoffs are necessary, regardless of seniority. The policy was agreed to last Spring to settle a two-week teacher strike. It read that starting this school year, "if excessing a teacher who is a member of a population underrepresented among licensed teachers in the site, the district shall excess the next least senior teacher, who is not a member of an underrepresented population."

The policy was blasted on Twitter as being "illegal" and a "gross violation" of the Constitution. But the union leadership has begun to push back.

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"The same people who want to take down teachers unions and blame seniority are now defending it for White people," Greta Callahan, president of the teachers unit at the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, said, according to the Associated Press. "This is all made up by the right wing now. And we could not be more proud of this language."

Minneapolis school teachers hold placards during the strike in front of the Justice Page Middle school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States on March 8, 2022. (Photo by Kerem Yucel/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) ((Photo by Kerem Yucel/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))

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The purpose of the policy, according to the agreement, is to make up for "past discrimination" by the district, which "disproportionately impacted the hiring of underrepresented teachers in the District, as compared to the relevant labor market and the community, and resulted in a lack of diversity of teachers."

Callahan and Vice President Marcia Howard also went on GMA3 to address the controversy, not only defending the policy but saying it "doesn't go far enough."

"We need to retain our educators, especially those who are underrepresented," Callahan said. "And this language does one tiny, miniscule step towards that, but doesn't solve the real crisis we're in right now."

Asked why the clause, which was settled months ago, is getting so much attention now, Howard said the timing was "very suspect," blasting media for running with the "non-story." 

"Now it's coming out because some third-rate, off brand, Breitbart Minnesotan website decided to put it out there, and the MAGA media picked it up," she charged. "And they were waiting for mainstream media to run with this story. It's a non-story."

Classroom with empty wooden desks. (iStock) (iStock)

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Howard, who is African-American, noted that in her years of teaching, for many of her students she was the only educator they had who "looked like me."

"The part that is the issue is that our students deserve to have intellectualism in academia, be represented by people that are underrepresented, African-Americans, indigenous folks, people of color," she continued. "They need to. And in order for us to get a foothold, we needed to put something in place to recruit and retain them."

She added that there was no risk of layoffs, noting they are actually experiencing a teacher shortage.

Teachers from the Earth School speak out on issues related to lack of COVID testing outside P.S. 64, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. In a reversal, New York Mayor Eric Adams is considering a remote option for schools. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File) (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File)

Asked if the union was concerned how litigation could impact their plans, Callahan responded that their priority is "what's best for students."

"No, that is not one of my concerns at all whatsoever, and we welcome any challenge to it," she said.

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Critics continue to blast the policy as illegal.

"If you’re a Minneapolis teacher laid off out of seniority order or merit basis because of your race, call a lawyer – it’s illegal to do this!" Harmeet Dhillon, CEO and founder of the Center for American Liberty and a trial lawyer at Dhillon Law Group in San Francisco, recently tweeted.