Opinion:
Public School Board incumbents deserve a failing grade – low proficiency, increased spending, and safe spaces in South Washington County 833 school district
There's trouble in our public education system. First of all, proficiency rates are extremely low – in So WashCo 833 only 54% of students can read at grade level. Why is this important? Reading ability is predictive of future success. Test scores in math and science are also at an all-time low proven by the MN Dept of Educations’ own Report Card. The decline began in 2017 for math and 2019 for reading, well before the lockdown. Incumbents Schwartz and Van Leer, elected in 2013, have presided over this decline.
Spending: taxpayers should know that 50 cents of every dollar paid in property taxes goes to the schools in Washington County. Based on the above referenced reading, math and science scores, do you think we are getting a good return on our investment in our public schools?
Furthermore, according to a 2023 graph by the Center for the American Experiment, one can see how the overall MN State decline in reading and math began after 2018 while per pupil spending has increased dramatically. Again, couldn’t we have a better return on investment?
Further, the school district, overseen by the board, is failing in its eƯort to close the so-called “achievement gap”. This graph from 2023 shows that academic performance is far below the goals which the school district set for itself. Is the district just routinely making up charts and hoping no one notices when they don’t perform?
Finally, could it be that there are no safe spaces in the SoWashCo schools? Afterall, candidate and current board member, Hinz told a voter recently that locker rooms are not safe spaces! The MSHSL (MN State High School League) has adopted a policy allowing biological males to play in girls sports and be in girls locker rooms. In January of 2025 The SoWashCo 833 Board conformed to this policy ignoring the risks of potential injuries, lawsuits and the destruction of girls’ sports as a result. Why would one wait until there is a problem when trouble abounds already with serious (and permanent) injuries having already occurred nationwide? What motivation is there for girls to achieve athletically when they cannot compete on an even playing field?
In conclusion, these are just some of the challenging issues for members of the School Board in SoWashCo 833. Other problematic issues include top-down mandates that limit teacher creativity and classroom flexibility; whether members are independent or beholden to the union agenda; opt in and opt out policies; the failure of DEI policies to create a truly accepting, inclusive environment for all students; declining enrollment; and the eƯective use of taxpayer dollars, etc.
The SoWashCo 833 School Board needs drastic change, and voters can do this Nov. 4 by rejecting the status quo and electing new, energetic board members
who will be independent minded working for the good of all. The status quo is poor results, ever expanding building projects, and higher taxes. Vote out incumbents, Schwartz, VanLeer and Hinz, and elect new board members, ones that will bring
improvement, and pay attention to parents, children and teachers. Vote for Bryn Forstner, Juan Huerta and Lori Pecchia Michalski. They are dedicated to academic competition, safe classrooms and protecting girls’ sports and locker rooms.