In response to national challenges, Rochester Public Schools superintendent defends district's approach

Yahoo

06-03-2025

Mar. 6—ROCHESTER — Amid a complex political environment, Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel has reiterated what he views as the right approach to move forward.
During a presentation on Tuesday, March 4 about his overall goals for the district and the work his administration has done so far, Pekel touched on the challenges of leading the district during a time when the federal administration is threatening to make changes.
"We have not been ideologically driven on either side of the equation," Pekel said. "We have been about the academic success of kids, but kids can't succeed academically in environments that are hostile to them."
In recent years, the district has become a local lightning rod for controversy about topics, like how to accommodate transgender students and more broad initiatives surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion.
With the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the federal government has indicated it plans to rout out the focus on issues it views as problematic. In February, the U.S. Department of Education issued a "dear colleague" letter to schools, instructing them to move away from taking race into consideration with their programs and initiatives.
"Educational institutions have toxically indoctrinated students with the false premise that the United States is built upon 'systemic and structural racism' and advanced discriminatory policies and practices," the letter reads. "Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them — particularly during the last four years — under the banner of "diversity, equity, and inclusion' ('DEI'), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline."
Three weeks later, on March 1, the department released a second document clarifying some of its stances in a Frequently Asked Questions document pertaining to its original letter.
In both the original letter and the follow-up document, the department referred to a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 2023 about the use of race in college admissions: Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College.
"While the facts of the case before the Supreme Court were specifically about racial preferences in university admissions, the Court applied broad reasoning to its decision, which has broad implications for race-based policies in education," the department said in its Frequently Asked Questions document.
One of the questions in the document was whether DEI programs are unlawful under the Supreme Court decision. According to the department's directive, the actual teaching of various topics is not prohibited in and of itself as long as it is done in a way that isn't exclusionary, the document said.
"Schools with programs focused on interests in particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world would not in and of themselves violate Title VI, assuming they are open to all students regardless of race," the document says. "Nor would educational, cultural, or historical observances — such as Black History Month, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or similar events — that celebrate or recognize historical events and contributions, and promote awareness, so long as they do not engage in racial exclusion or discrimination."
The Department of Education's initial letter, which was released Feb. 14, said schools that don't comply could lose access to federal funding. In the second document, the department said violations could lead to "enforcement through administrative proceedings or referring the case to the Department of Justice."
Newly appointed Education Sec. Linda McMahon issued a statement on Monday, March 3, under the heading "Our Department's Final Mission." In the statement, McMahon emphasized the department would have three "convictions:"
* "Parents are the primary decision makers in their children's education."
* "Taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning in math, reading, science, and history — not divisive DEI programs and gender ideology."
* "Postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs."
"My vision is aligned with the President's," McMahon wrote, "to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children."
McMahon stated three times in her statement the intent to transfer education back to the states.
K-12 education is already primarily administrated locally, including when it comes to curriculum.
Although he didn't refer to McMahon or any other specific allegations, Pekel rejected the notion that the district has been working contrary to parents.
"We have never undermined the ability of parents and guardians and other caregivers to be involved in their kids' education," he said.
Despite the face-value implications of the directives of the U.S. Department of Education, it has yet to prompt Rochester Public Schools to make any changes to the way the schools operate.
During an interview following the release of the original document, Pekel said neither executive orders nor "Dear Colleague" letters have the force of law. He went on to explain the Minnesota Human Rights Act remains the "controlling authority" for the issue.
"We're not freelancing," Pekel said at the time. "We're following the law."
The Department of Education has taken multiple opportunities to prompt people to report violations of its directives, including in both the "Dear Colleague" letter and the follow-up FAQ sheet. It also opened a portal on its website where it says "students, parents, teachers, and the broader community" can "report illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning."
Rochester Public Schools became the focus of a complaint in 2024 before the new administration started. The organization Parents Defending Education filed a complaint against Rochester Public Schools, claiming the district violated both the Civil Rights Act, as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by only offering some resource opportunities to teachers of color.
Part of that complaint referred to the district's "grow your own program," which provides a path for employees of color to become teachers.
The underlying reason for the district's Grow Your Own initiative is to make its teaching staff be more reflective of the student population. In December 2024, the district released a report, showing that 5.6% of the district's teaching staff are teachers of color. By comparison, more than 40% of the district's student body are students of color.
Pekel didn't mention the complaint filed against the district during his presentation on Tuesday, but he did reiterate his stance that having a diverse teaching staff is important for the success of students.
"We know that the research is conclusive that if a Black student has a Black teacher, the academic benefits are powerful and sustained," he said. "That's not questionable anymore."
Parents Defending Education also lists RPS on its "IndoctriNation Map."
Despite the federal government's focus on routing out programs it sees as problematic, the complaint filed against the district has not yet prompted any investigation into Rochester Public Schools.
Nor has the federal administration given the district any specific requirements about things it needs to change to come in line with its directives.
"At this time, we have not received any substantive guidance or direction from either the U.S. Department of Education or MDE," RPS Communications Director Mamisoa Knutson said.
During his presentation, Pekel also referred back to an initial statement he made following the inauguration about how Rochester Public Schools was "staying the course." He clarified that the statement was not intended to be a way to engage in the "battles" taking place in the national conversation.
Instead, he said the comment was meant to signify that he's confident the district is taking a "common-sense, pragmatic approach that's good for all of our kids."
"That's why I'm confident that despite the huge issues that are happening around us, we can keep going in Rochester," Pekel said, "Because we've defined this as being about the academic success of all of our kids. And you don't get to academic success unless you are addressing the environment in which kids are learning."