The Red Wing School District has canceled a Black History Month event featuring Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison due to “concerns over significant disruptions.”
Red Wing schools cancel Black History Month event with AG Keith Ellison over concerns for ‘significant disruptions’
Ellison, who has opposed President Donald Trump’s initiatives regarding deportations and transgender athletes, was set to speak at an optional assembly for high school students.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 26, 2025 at 11:14PM
Superintendent Bob Jaszczak announced the move in a letter to parents and faculty Wednesday. He did not elaborate on what disruptions were anticipated and did not immediately return a request for more information from the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Ellison, who has been outspoken about his opposition to President Donald Trump’s initiatives regarding deportations and transgender athletes, was set to speak at Red Wing High School on Thursday in an optional assembly for students.
The event was meant to celebrate historic achievements of Black leaders, particularly those who broke through barriers in public service, according to the school district. Ellison is the first Black person to be elected to statewide office in Minnesota.
In his letter, Jaszczak said the district’s “commitment to uplifting the voices and experiences of our most marginalized students remains steadfast.”
“Educating students about racial harm is essential to help them recognize how words and actions, whether intentional or unintentional, can perpetuate discrimination and inequality,” the statement continued.
The move to cancel the event comes as the Trump administration has attacked Ellison for not embracing its immigration mandates.
Wednesday, the White House released a memo that called out Ellison and two St. Paul officials for public statements they’ve made about local law enforcement not needing to cooperate with federal efforts to arrest and deport noncitizens.
Specifically, Ellison said state law and the U.S. Constitution prohibited local law enforcement from holding people in jail for the sole purpose of turning them over to federal immigration authorities.
Thursday, it was reported that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested a lawsuit could come if Minnesota continued to allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump issued an executive order banning such participation.
Ellison had previously given a formal legal opinion to the Minnesota State High School League which said that complying with the executive order would violate the state’s Human Rights Act. After Bondi’s comments, a spokesperson for his office said Ellison’s legal opinion still stands.
Anne Robertson, a spokesperson for the Red Wing School District, said its Black History Month programming this year included hosting a Black Student Union conference with students from other districts, along with other daily lessons and field trips to learn about local Black history figures.
Minnesota Republicans appear to see an opening with the U.S. attorney general for a broader legal push against Democrats in the state.
