SE Minnesota News

As the 2020-21 school year approaches, Minnesota State Senate Republicans said they support letting school districts decide on how they want to operate.

The Minnesota GOP in the state Senate voted on a resolution to let districts figure out what their best options are in terms of returning to school. The other option is remote learning.

“Our kids have withstood so much change over the last few months and we must try to get them back to school safely,” Sen. John Jasinski (R-Faribault) said in a press release. “For many students, school is about even more than their education. Some rely on the daily routine for healthy meals and nurturing support. It’s time to restore local control so our schools can start planning for what will work best for them this fall.”

The Minnesota state Senators cited recent studies which argue that returning to school is important for the well being of students.

The GOP also cited the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) which said, “the AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with the goal of having students physically present in school. The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020.”

The GOP Caucus press release also reported that some parents were worried their children would fall behind if they were not allowed to go to the school. The release cited that the Minnesota Department of Education’s survey found 64% of parents want students to return to school in the fall.