Charter schools’ inclusion in lawsuit could be a disaster for minority students
(St. Paul, MN) – Katherine Kersten, Senior Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment, released a statement on the latest court ruling in the Cruz-Guzman lawsuit, which seeks a sweeping plan to sort Twin Cities students into schools on the basis of their skin color:
“Minnesotans of all political stripes agree that the racial learning gap is the most serious problem our public schools face. High-performing charter schools that place special emphasis on the needs of racial minorities have been most successful in shrinking that gap. The Cruz-Guzman lawsuit attacks the ability of these charter schools to perform their critical mission.
“The court’s decision not to dismiss charter schools from the suit will be a disaster for minority students—and for parents’ ability to choose a school that best serves their children’s needs—if the plaintiffs are successful.”
Katherine Kersten is an attorney and writer who served as a Metro columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune from 2005 to 2008 and as an opinion columnist for 15 years. Katherine has written on cultural and policy issues for national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, Christianity Today, Policy Review, and First Things. For two years, she served as a regular commentator for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” and has also made guest appearances on FOX News, MSNBC, and NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” among others.
Center of the American Experiment is “Minnesota’s Think Tank.” For more than 25 years, the Center has been the most impactful and effective public policy organization in Minnesota, leading the way in creating and advocating policies that make Minnesota a freer, more prosperous and better-governed state. The Center is a civic and educational 501(c)(3) organization.