Anderson reelected school board chair

“Pervasive throughout now is a dogmatic belief that systemic racism has overtaken the Anoka-Hennepin School system and action must be taken to eliminate it through our equity achievement plan,” Audette said. “This plan directs activities that waste precious classroom time, and which undermine American values and education and principles that are timeless, and we learned this year Anoka-Hennepin spends literally countless millions of dollars on it. The list includes changes to curriculum across many academic disciplines that increase the focus on race essentialism and other principles that many of you know and refer to as CRT.”

Audette claimed that standards-based grading has lowered the district’s academic standards, “which leaves our children under-challenged and unprepared for the real world, where high-quality, on-time work is a requirement of employers.”

Audette also took issue with social and emotional learning programs.

“These are progressive programs designed to appear virtuous while they undermine the role of the family and teaching values to children,” Audette said. “SEL goals are ill-defined; there’s little evidence to support claims these programs drive greater academic achievement for growth.”

Following Audette’s comments, board member Kacy Deschene paused for a moment before voting in support of Anderson.

“I vote ‘aye,’ strongly,” Deschene said.

No board member spoke to rebut any of Audette’s claims.

Other leadership posts

Nicole Hayes was reelected board vice chair on 5-1 vote with Audette opposed again.

Jeff Simon was reelected clerk on a 6-0 vote.

Erin Heers-McArdle was reelected treasurer on a 6-0 vote.