This document summarizes a text campaign conducted with members of the Mankato ISD 77 community in partnership with Good Party. You can find the original version of their full report at the end of this document.

Curriculum & Education Reform

Summary

Citizens express significant concerns about the direction of public education curriculum. Many advocate for a stronger focus on core academics, arts education, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and diverse perspectives, while also calling for classrooms to remain free from political or gender-related agendas.

Analysis

Feedback highlights a broad range of priorities and frustrations regarding curriculum design:

• Core Focus: Emphasis on restoring academic rigor, vocational pathways, and skills like logic and emotional intelligence.
• Arts Decline: Multiple citizens cited cuts to arts and music programs, teacher reductions, and growing class sizes that have made quality instruction difficult.
• Ideological Concerns: A strong tension exists between those prioritizing traditional academics and those advocating for inclusivity. Many respondents explicitly requested that classrooms avoid politically or socially charged content.

Representative Quotes

“Arts Education has been absolutely gutted over the past half dozen years or so. Teachers have been cut, band lessons have been cut, prep times have been taken away, and rehearsals have become unmanageable due to high student-to-teacher ratios.”

“I can support education that encourages people into the working world but do NOT approve of any and all bulls*** courses, and that includes most sports programs.”

“Schools should stay focused on core education and keep classrooms free from any political or gender-related agendas.”

“1) Mandate a logic class.
2) Teach emotional intelligence.
3) Bring music instruction back into the mandated curriculum.
4) Stand strong in teaching the value of diversity and new opinions.
5) Provide access to books of all types so youth can learn about realities outside our community.”

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High Taxes

Summary

Citizens express deep frustration over high taxes, particularly school levies, stating they can no longer afford them and may be forced to move.

Analysis

There is a clear and consistent sense of financial strain due to taxation levels.

• Affordability Crisis: Many residents, including retirees, report that taxes have reached an unsustainable level.
• School Levies: Repeatedly cited as a key source of frustration, especially as citizens perceive declining academic results despite increasing tax burdens.
• Breaking Point: Several comments suggest families are considering leaving Minnesota if taxes continue to rise.

Representative Quotes

“We cannot afford any more taxes. We are going to have to move out of Minnesota if it continues.”

“Reduce school levies! Lower taxes! We pay enough in this state , it’s ridiculous!”

“We are being taxed to the poor house and student grades just keep going down.”

“Stop taxing the retirees. We can’t afford it anymore.”

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School Environment & Safety

Summary

Citizens express deep concern about school safety, student discipline, academic focus, and the conduct of adults at school-related events.

Analysis

Community feedback indicates strong demand for safer, more disciplined learning environments:

• Safety First: Calls for improved protection of students, teachers, and staff suggest anxiety over security in schools.
• Classroom Discipline: Many citizens feel rules are inconsistently enforced and that administrators need to back teachers in holding students accountable.
• Academic Focus: Concerns persist about distractions from core learning due to political or social issues.
• Community Conduct: Several respondents highlighted poor parent behavior at sports events, describing it as harmful to children and reflective of a wider breakdown in community standards.

Representative Quotes

“The safety of our children, teachers, and staff in school.”

“Improve school safety and raise the bar for academics.”

“Discipline in the classroom and holding kids responsible for their behaviors; starting with the administration.”

“The parent behavior at sporting events, the way parents yell at the officials is unacceptable.”