Star Tribune Editorial Board Endorsement: Collin Beachy, Sonya Emerick and Laurelle Myhra for Minneapolis school board

Opinion editor's note: Editorial endorsements represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. The board bases its endorsement decisions on candidate interviews and other reporting. Read all of our 2022 general election endorsements here.

Minneapolis voters will send five new faces to the city's school board next month — a majority of the nine-member board. None of the incumbents whose terms are up opted to run again, and one former member abruptly resigned, citing broken trust between the board, administration and the community.

The new Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) board will indeed need to address rebuilding trust after a difficult teachers strike last spring and the rollout of a controversial redistricting plan. Board members also must tackle declining enrollment, budget shortfalls, a lawsuit over hiring practices, and the growing number of student mental health issues. Declines in test scores among all students and continuing disparities in academic outcomes between white students and students of color, heightened by COVID-related remote learning for two years, are also on the agenda.

Yet arguably their most important task will be selecting a new superintendent following the departure of Ed Graff, the district's leader for the past six years.

The Nov. 8 general election ballot will include three district seats (1, 3, 5) and two at-large/citywide seats. Four are vying to represent the whole city, and two are running in the District 5 race. The District 1 and District 3 races are uncontested.

The Star Tribune Editorial Board's choices are Collin Beachy, Sonya Emerick and Laurelle Myhra.

At-large citywide

Beachy, 51, has been teaching for 21 years — the last eight in special education with MPS. As a current district employee, he cannot also serve on the board and would have to leave that position if elected.

Beachy told the Editorial Board that he was inspired to run by the murder of George Floyd (after which he took on an equity leadership role at his school) and the teachers strike. He is bright and thoughtful and strikes us as someone who would do his homework and carefully consider issues facing the board.

Emerick, 40, who uses they/them pronouns, is a community organizer, board member of the Autism Society of Minnesota, and a member of the district's special education advisory committee. They also have a special needs son. Their interest in board service was sparked by seeking services for their son, prompting them to think about advocating not only for him but for other MPS students as well.

They're also impressive and well-informed about school operations. Emerick said they're not "ashamed to be poor'' because it has taught them how to budget wisely and navigate many of the same federal and local programs that Minneapolis school families depend upon. They have demonstrated skills as a youth and street outreach worker and would prioritize equity issues affecting students of color and disabled students.

Former MPS board member KerryJo Felder, 49, served on the board in the District 2 seat but was defeated in her 2020 re-election bid. She is an organizer at Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation and is now running to return to the board in a citywide seat.

Felder touts previous notable accomplishments including bringing AP classes to some North Side schools. But she struggled to work collaboratively with her colleagues on the board and could be more disruptive than helpful during meetings. In a recent interview, she seemed scattered and not focused on the questions asked.

Then last week, she responded to social media posts that alleged she'd physically abused members of her family by saying the concerns were "valid" and that she is consulting with her doctor about possible "substance abuse" issues. We'd argue that she should focus on her health and end her campaign for school board.

Also on the ballot for an at-large seat is Lisa Skjefte, 40, vice president of community impact and engagement at the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center. She could not be reached by the Editorial Board.

District 5

Laurelle Myhra, 41, is director of Mino Bimaadiziwin Wellness Clinic, a clinic operated by the Red Lake Nation that offers pediatric mental health care and adult mental health and substance abuse treatment. An enrolled member of that tribe, Myhra holds a Ph.D. and is a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Myhra decided to run for school board after working on the MPS American Indian Parent Advisory Committee, where she learned more about the district's budget struggles and special education funding gap. If elected, she would look for a new superintendent with strong business acumen and one who has demonstrated skills at improving student outcomes and closing racial achievement disparities. Her experience as director of the clinic and her leadership on racial equity issues — along with her mental health expertise — would serve the district well.

Myhra is opposed by Lori Norvell, 50, executive assistant at Hennepin Theatre Trust and former math teacher with MPS. Norvell believes her perspective as a former teacher would be valuable and hopes she could help more educators and parents feel heard. However, in this race, Myhra is the better choice because of her range of experience.

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The unopposed candidates are Abdul Abdi in District 1 and Fathia Feerayarre in District 3.

Beachy, Felder, Norvell, Abdi and Feerayarre have DFL and Minneapolis Federation of Teachers union endorsements.