Minnesota May Impose ‘Racial Consciousness And Reflection’ Requirements For Teachers’ Licenses

Minnesota is preparing to change their teacher licensing requirements so educators promote races, gender identity and sexual orientation in their curriculum, according to a 2019 proposal currently under consideration.

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board is proposing changes to the “Standards of Effective Practice” to include a new standard for teachers on “racial consciousness and reflection.” The changes to the standards require teachers to address their “power and privilege” and create opportunities for their students to be “agents of social change to promote equity.”

The additions to the standards entered a post-hearing comment period Thursday which will conclude on Sept. 13, the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website stated.

The changes require teachers to understand “impacts of individual and systemic trauma” including racism and micro-aggressions, the proposal showed. Teachers must support students as they “recognize and process dehumanizing biases, discrimination, prejudices and structural inequities.”

Minnesota teachers must also create an environment that affirms different “student identities” such as race, gender identity, sexual orientation and socioeconomic class, the draft stated. Teachers are also expected to be aware of and consistently check their own biases.

Under the changes, teachers are required to create opportunities for students to “learn about power, privilege, intersectionality and systemic oppression in the context of various communities and empower learners to be agents of social change to promote equity.” Critical thinking about culture and race should be promoted by educators so students can identify “missing narratives to dominant culture.”

Teachers’ “professional responsibilities” include understanding how their “biases and perception” can hinder their teaching and promote oppressive systems, according to the proposal. Curriculums that lack “multiple perspectives, cultures and backgrounds” must be identified and addressed by educators.

The rebuttal period for the proposed changes ends on Sept. 20 and will then be directed to an administrative law judge, the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website stated.

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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