Leaked text messages portray school board as union puppets

A text message exchange between a high-ranking Minneapolis School official and the head of the Minneapolis teachers union provides new proof that the Minneapolis School Board is completely controlled by the union.

The text exchange between Minneapolis Federation of Teachers President Greta Callahan and Eric Moore, Chief of Research, Accountability, and Equity for Minneapolis Public Schools was leaked yesterday to the website Bright Light Small City. The January text messages show Moore angling to be the next superintendent of schools and asking for support from Callahan.

Which begs the question: why would Moore need the support of the union president to become superintendent? Doesn’t the school board select the superintendent? The answer of course is that the school board is completely beholden to the teacher’s union and the union president is calling the shots on who the next superintendent will be in Minneapolis.

And when you follow the money, you understand why. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers endorsed and supported most of the current school board. In fact, it’s very difficult to win a seat on the board without union support.

The union endorsed Josh Pauley for school board in 2018 and then picketed his house during the strike prompting him to resign from the board! Apparently, it’s easier to resign your seat than vote against the wishes of the powerful teachers union in Minneapolis.

Callahan never commits to helping Moore with his ambitions in the texts, and instead reminds him they are in the middle of bargaining a contract. But she does voice her support for a leadership change at Minneapolis Schools.

Most people focused on how the leaked text messages will impact the current negotiations because Moore happens to be part of the school district negotiating team. While there is certainly drama to be found in a member of Superintendent Ed Graff’s staff working behind the scenes to get him fired, the real story is the fact that the union has all the power in the district. No wonder they can’t make a deal to end the strike.