Readers Write: Education, trans athletes, government efficiency

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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After reading the counterpoint by University of Minnesota Regents Janie Mayeron, Doug Huebsch and Mike Kenyanya on March 4, I found myself confused about what the actual resolution said (“Counterpoint: U resolution does uphold academic freedom,” Strib Voices). Although I did finally locate the text of the resolution, I doubt the actual language would be helpful to most readers. Let me suggest the following alternative language that might help readers understand the issue:

Whereas: The Board of Regents is terrified that the current federal administration will vindictively cut funding for the university over the smallest of perceived political slights.

Be it resolved that: “Institutional statements addressing matters of public concern or public interest are not permitted at the University.” (Actual language.)

Be it further resolved that: The board is aware of the problems inherent in this resolution. For example, the board doesn’t really expect that medical departments will stop promoting vaccines. The board’s goal is to provide some political cover for the university, so don’t get too excited.

Be it further resolved that: The board fully respects the rights of free expression of individuals within the university community. But please, don’t make life difficult for the board. For example, noncontroversial tenure applications would be nice over the next four years.

As a retired administrator at public universities, I empathize with the difficult situation facing the board. Faculty often think that university boards and administrators have magic wands (or hidden bags of gold) that can insulate universities from public pressures. Regents must sometimes be the anti-villains who appease political interests to preserve funding. But I cannot chase John Stuart Mill from my mind: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”

Ralph Townsend, Minneapolis

The writer is a retired university administrator.

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The U.S. is in a constitutional crisis. In a month’s time the executive branch has become dangerously authoritarian. There are elements of that plan that are creeping into Minnesota as well. On Feb. 27, the state House Education Finance Committee took up debate on HF 29, a bill whose description is: “Social studies standards adoption suspended and review cycle modified, ethnic studies requirements repealed, and ethnic studies appropriations cancelled.”

This bill seeks to repeal the legal standards that are set to go into effect in the 2026 school year. This bill would force schools to go backward and use standards from 2012. The bill would also take away hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of grants. The Education Finance Committee heard the testimony of a number of teachers, representatives from the Department of Education and several very well-spoken high school students who made beautiful arguments for why this bill should not go forward. To half the committee, those pleas apparently fell on deaf ears. Testimony in favor of the bill came from people who are part of a special interest group called the Center of the American Experiment, a far-right extremist organization that seeks to dismantle the public education system.

Minnesotans need to oppose this anti-democratic effort and come together to stand strong in the face of the growing threat of fascism. It doesn’t matter what party you belong to, all of us must protect democracy. We, as Minnesotans, need to find common ground to resist this destruction.

Tim Biocic, Mankato

The writer is a teacher.

Rochelle Olson’s column, “GOP squander leadership by attacking trans girls” (March 5) is almost artistic in the way it dances around the truth. For example, Olson perpetuates the myth spread by progressive lawmakers that the Preserving Girls' Sports Act would lead to invasive physical examinations to determine someone’s birth sex. The bill says or implies nothing of the kind.

Olson continues to wrongly suggest that a January poll in the New York Times, which found that 79% of Americans believe in preserving women-only teams, was limited to collegiate athletics, when in fact there was no such qualifier.

As the legislative testimony of four doctors, including a physician at the USA Olympic Training Center made clear, it is unfair to ask girls playing on female teams to make room for male athletes who identify as transgender. Female athletes understand this, and are standing up to fight it.

Olson agrees that it would be unfair if male athletes were snapping up medals and records in girls’ sports, but denies that this is happening. It is happening. To take just one example, Olson’s assertion would certainly be news to the female athletes in Washington state who saw all three podium spots in a women’s cycling competition taken by transgender competitors last year. How many more examples does Olson need before this narrative falls apart?

Moses Bratrud and Renee Carlson

Bratrud is communications director of the Minnesota Family Council. Carlson is general counsel at True North Legal.

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An open letter to elected Minnesota Democrats, both state and federal: Please stop expending scarce political capital on the trans athlete issue. These individuals deserve our support and sympathy, but the bigger issue is protecting LBGTQ+ individuals and members of the BIPOC community from discrimination in voting, housing, employment, pay, etc. The trans athlete issue is a distraction from other assaults on the Constitution and rule of law, similar to using the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as a loyalty test to screen journalists.

Newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is tasked with dismantling the Department of Education. Title IX is embedded in the Department of Education and still generates controversy. The Supreme Court has shown that there is no such thing as settled law. Misogynistic elected and appointed officials have already used anti-DEI policies to discriminate against women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations. Eliminating Title IX is a logical next step to satisfy the goals of DOGE saving federal dollars. If Title IX went away, mandated female sports in schools would be eliminated and there would be no more trans athlete problem, win-win-win. And doing away with Title IX would be a major distraction from the theft of dollars from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Michael Bennett, Eden Prairie

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I’m glad that the Republican Preserving Girls' Sports Act was defeated. Spare me all the pearl-clutching and talk of protecting girls. The people who really need to be protected are our trans kids, who have these adults coming out of the woodwork to terrorize them when all they want to do is be their authentic selves. These kids are not hurting anyone, but the adults carrying signs and shouting hate and slurs are definitely hurting them.

Heather Bakke, St. Peter, Minn.

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How about we just mind our own business and let the kids work it out themselves?

Dave Porter, Minneapolis

Back on Dec. 18, 2024, the Minnesota Star Tribune published my letter pointing out how efficiently the government processed my passport renewal. It took only three days to have my new passport in the mail to me. This was made possible by Project 18F, a team of skilled government programmers who made websites more efficient, protected Americans from corporate scams, supported free tax filing and made weather data more accessible, among other projects. Project 18F was making government work better, faster and cheaper — in other words, more efficient. They were doing exactly what DOGE says it wants, and yet a few days ago everyone at 18F was fired. Now, why would that be so? Well, for one, the Project 18F employees served the citizens of the United States. But Musk and Trump want employees who serve only them. Project 18F built good things. DOGE just breaks them, and then complains that government is broken.

Jim Almendinger, Stillwater