Follow the Money, ethnic studies racket part 4: ever Evolving

In this fourth part of our series on ethnic studies nonprofits in Minnesota, we Follow the Money™ flowing to a group called Education Evolving.

As we pointed out earlier, Education Evolving was one of five nonprofit groups to sit on the 36-member committee that re-wrote the social studies standards for K-12 public schools in the state.

The committee took the unprecedented step of adding the topic of “ethnic studies” to the subject. After a two-year delay, the state Dept. of Education (MDE) has submitted (p. 313) the revised standards for incorporation into the state’s regulations. MDE proposes to add the following language to state regulations on ethnic studies.

This exercise was sold to the public as a mild rebalancing, an exercise in inclusion to provide more information to students on the contributions made to Minnesota history from certain minority groups.

The words “resistance” and “organize” highlighted above, along with the use of the mandatory “will,” unmask the purely political nature of “ethnic studies” as practiced in Minnesota.

If the proposed rule is adopted, the ethnic studies standards will have the force of state law.

The new social studies standards are now in a rulemaking proceeding before a state Administrative Law Judge. Public comments will be accepted until October 25. A two-day public hearing on the proposed rule may be held on November 8-9. To submit a comment on the proposed rule, start here.

[I submitted a public comment. If you choose to do so, please note that the confirmation email to set up a comment account went directly to the spam filter on my email account.]

As we also documented in Part 1, this skewed view of ethnic studies will soon be incorporated into every subject taught in Minnesota public schools, in every grade from kindergarten through high school. In doing so, newly-enacted state law requires that MDE be advised by a specific nonprofit coalition, called the Minnesota Ethnic Studies Coalition (METC).

METC is not a nonprofit itself, but a “project” run by the group Education for Liberation Minnesota. EdLib MN is not a nonprofit itself, but a “chapter” of the national nonprofit Education for Liberation Network, a corporation registered in Detroit, MI. Education Evolving is one of 18 METC members. METC members include the state teachers union (Education Minnesota) and the local Minneapolis teachers union.

According to records on file with the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Education Evolving was founded in 2015.

According to the group’s 2021 IRS Form 990 tax return, the nonprofit is incorporated as a 501c3 tax-exempt charity, earning annual venue of more than $800,000.

Where does the money come from? The usual sources.

The Bush Foundation (old 3M money) has given the group nine donations over the past eight years totalling nearly $2 million.

Earlier this month, the Minneapolis Foundation gave Education Evolving a grant for $45,000,

Back in 2018, Education Evolving also received a $45,000 grant from the Minneapolis-based McKnight Foundation (also old 3M money).

Other private, family foundations have kicked in cash, as well.

As we have documented over and over, the same handful of prestige private foundations fund multiple nonprofits in the same subject area. In turn, these nonprofits are all appointed to the official state advisory boards, giving this single viewpoint the illusion of widespread, grassroots support. They speak with one voice, in this instance, drowning out the concerns of parents, students, and taxpayers who don’t support their radical agenda.

Much of the Bush money specifically goes to underwrite the annual Student-Centered Learning for Equity conference that Education Evolving hosts.

One session during this year’s day-long SCL4E event in May was designed “to combat anti-CRT backlash while amplifying the work of those pushing for Ethnic Studies.”

Education Evolving is a lobbyist organization registered with the state Campaign Finance Board. The individual who represented Education Evolving on the social studies committee is the nonprofit’s registered lobbyist.

In 2020, the group’s executive director gave $500 to Joe Biden’s election campaign. Over the past dozen years, employees of Education Evolving have given $4,350 in political campaign contributions, all but $250 of which went to Democrats.

And round and round we go.

In this series,

Part 1 looks at the nonprofit Education for Liberation Minnesota.

Part 2 examines the work of the Minnesota Educational Equity Partnership.

Part 3 looks at the work of Unidos/Navigate MN.