Dear John, it's the Family Beacon, your weekly source for news on the issues that matter most in Minnesota and beyond! This week:
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Alpha News: Most Minnesota Students Still Not Meeting Proficiency Standards in Reading or Math, Test Results Show |
Via Alpha News
For the second year in a row, a majority of Minnesota students aren’t proficient in reading or math.
Results from the 2024 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) released Thursday show 45.3% of tested students are proficient in math and 49.7% in reading. As the Minnesota Department of Education notes, “students who took the MCA in 2024 scored about the same percent proficient as last year.”
The Minnesota House Republican Caucus said math and reading scores have declined by 17% and 16%, respectively, during Gov. Tim Walz’s time in office.
“Academic achievement challenges have existed pre-COVID, with declines exacerbated during school closures and interrupted learning,” Center of the American Experiment education policy fellow Catrin Wigfall said in an article analyzing the results. During the 2023 legislative session, state Democrats increased education spending by $2.2 billion, bringing the total education budget to $23.2 billion. State Sen. Julia Coleman, the Republican lead on the Education Policy Committee, called the new test scores a “warning to every parent that our kids are not getting what they need in the classroom.” “Despite record increases in funding and better attendance, testing scores are stuck. Minnesota fourth grade reading skills now rank lower than Mississippi. Governor Walz and Legislative Democrats have not given teachers and schools the flexibility and accountability they need to get our kids back on track,” she said. |
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Advancing School Choice in MN with Corey DeAngelis |
We wanted to alert you to an upcoming event regarding school choice featuring special guest Corey DeAngelis. Learn why school choice is sweeping the nation, what it takes to achieve school choice, how each Minnesota student could receive $7,000 to attend any school of choice, and what you can do to establish ESAs in our state.
Where? Minneapolis, MN When? September 20, 2024
More details and links for tickets below!
Polling consistently shows around 75% of American parents want School Choice with Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Here in Minnesota, the number is the same: 75%.
Parents want ESAs.
The good news for Minnesota parents is that nearly 70% of the Minnesota public supports them in their effort to secure the freedom and resources to find the best schools for their kids. |
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City Journal: Endangering Vulnerable Kids |
Via City Journal
Progressives have labeled Tim Walz a “champion of children,” citing policies he enacted as governor of Minnesota. Those policies, however, have endangered some of the state’s most vulnerable kids.
In May, Walz signed into law the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act, the most radical child-welfare-reform bill in the country. Inspired by activists’ complaints about racial disparities in the child-welfare system, the new law makes it harder to remove black or other “disproportionately represented” children from homes where they may have been neglected or abused. While supporters have argued that the law supports children’s welfare, in reality, it keeps black and minority kids in unsafe environments in the name of racial equity.
Activists seeking to reform Minnesota’s child-welfare system had long cited its racial disparities. Black children (including those of mixed race) make up 26.9 percent of the state’s child-protection cases (blacks constitute 11 percent of the state’s population overall); white children account for slightly less than half of all cases, though whites account for nearly 75 percent of the population. Reformers present these imbalances as evidence of racial bias, but black children nationally are three times more likely to die of suspected abuse or neglect than are white children.
Even before the passage of the law, Minnesota child-welfare professionals were more likely to leave black children in dangerous environments. According to a report by Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota, black children made up 26.1 percent of all child-maltreatment deaths between January 2015 and April 2022, well outpacing blacks’ share of the state population. The report’s authors note that “counties may have left Black children in high risk settings more frequently and for longer periods than children of other races and ethnicities.”
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Appeal Filed to Restore Christian Rehabilitation Program for Minnesota Inmates After DOC's Controversial Cancellation |
(Minnetonka, MN) - The Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) and co-counsel True North Legal (TNL) have filed an appeal to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States District Court’s decision yesterday to deny the motion for a preliminary injunction in its case to reinstate Plaintiff Anthony Schmitt’s highly successful Christian rehabilitation program at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud. UMLC argues that this termination has unjustly deprived prisoners of a proven and transformative resource solely because of the DOC's ideological opposition to normal Christian beliefs which have existed for millennia.
For over a decade, the entirely voluntary program led by plaintiff Anthony Schmitt and his team provided a lifeline for male inmates, helping them to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society by teaching principles of authentic manhood through Christian teachings. The program's success is undeniable. It graduated more than a thousand inmates, and scores of inmates reported restored family relationships, resolved personal conflicts, and significant personal growth as a result of their participation.
However, in July 2023, the DOC abruptly canceled the program, citing its “direct conflict with the diversity, equity, and inclusivity values of the DOC” because it defined manhood through a “biblical lens.” This decision was conveyed to Schmitt in an email from DOC Assistant Commissioner Jolene Rebertus, effectively ending a program that had become a cornerstone of inmate rehabilitation in the facility.
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Request a Voter Guide for YOUR Church Today! |
Election season can be stressful, since no ballot contains perfect candidates. However, there are candidates that are aligned to protecting life, family, and religious freedom. Do you want to know which candidates will fight for your values? Request your 2024 Voter Guide today!
Our 2024 Voter Guide survey has been sent to every major-party candidate running for state or federal office in Minnesota! During a typical election year, our staff distributes thousands and thousands of guides to churches and individuals around Minnesota. That's why we need to know how many copies of the voter guide your church or community group will need as soon as possible. Click this button to request copies of the nonpartisan voter guide today! |
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What Bills Passed During Legislative Session? |
Introducing Minnesota Family Council’s 2024 bill tracker. In addition to our email updates and action alerts, bookmarking this page will keep you informed on the issues that faced the Minnesota Legislature this year to do with life, family, and religious freedom.
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Upcoming Event: Till Kingdom Come Conference--Political Engagement in Light of the Lordship of Christ |
In an age that seems to have lost its political mind, how should Christians respond? Join Christ Bible Church and Riverview Baptist Church as we apply the lordship of Christ to our present political madness.
Dates: Friday, September 20 — 6:30 - 9:00 PM Saturday, September 21 — 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (Lunch Provided) |
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Our Legislative Scorecard: LIVE NOW
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After the controversial legislative session last year, we received many questions about how legislators voted. A common theme was, "How can I find out how my legislators voted on the issues that matter most to me?"
We're thrilled to be able to answer that question, with Minnesota Family Council's 2023 Legislative Scorecard.
Please use the button below to download your free, printable PDF of the scorecard. Please share it with friends, family, and pro-life Minnesotans. For this free resource to be valuable, it needs to reach as many people as possible! |
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Church Ambassador Network: Bring LIGHT to the Capitol! |
The Church Ambassador Network brings the gospel to the Capitol to encourage those hoping in Christ and confront those rejecting His lordship. You have the opportunity to ensure that this ministry continues and the light of the gospel shines in St. Paul.
Will you consider supporting the Church Ambassador Network with your church's missions budget? Watch the video below to learn more about the difference you can make by partnering with us. |
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True North Legal is an initiative of Minnesota Family Institute, fighting to protect life, family, and religious freedom in our legal system. Learn more about True North Legal and its crucial work at truenorthlegal.org. |
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Get the Parent Resource Guide
Responding to the transgender trend with truth and compassion starts with the Parent Resource Guide. Get your copy HERE today and invite a friend to do the same! Click to order your copy today: |
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Thank you for sharing Minnesota Family Council’s vision for strong families, communities, and culture through Christ. In this season of unprecedented challenges to life, family, and religious freedom, please consider giving us your support so that we can continue to be YOUR voice. Click here to give now.
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Moses Bratrud, Director of Strategy
Minnesota Family Council and Institute |
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Two Ways to Give
Support our grassroots policy and elections efforts through Minnesota Family Council (MFC). Support our education and outreach efforts with a tax-deductible contribution to Minnesota Family Institute (MFI). |
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