On June 22, 2026, Representative Brad Finstad sent a letter to Minnesota Commissioner of Education Willie Jett to “express concerns regarding the influence of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Learning for Justice program and related social justice frameworks being integrated into the Rochester Public School District.”
Neither Representative Finstad nor any member of his staff contacted Rochester Public Schools (RPS) before sending the letter to ask whether Learning for Justice curriculum, materials, or frameworks are currently being used in RPS or have been used in recent years. If they had reached out to inquire, Representative Finstad's staff would have been informed that Rochester Public Schools has not adopted, approved, or implemented Learning for Justice as curriculum, required instructional materials, or a formal instructional framework.
In Minnesota, local school districts are responsible for selecting curriculum and instructional materials that align with state academic standards. The Minnesota Commissioner of Education does not select or approve the curriculum used by local school districts. For that reason, Rochester Public Schools would have been the appropriate entity to contact for accurate information about what is being taught in RPS classrooms.
Rochester Public Schools remains committed to transparency, accuracy, and respectful dialogue about the education of our students. We welcome questions from elected officials, families, and community members and are always willing to provide factual information about our curriculum, instructional practices, and the work taking place in our schools.