Charter school teachers stand up for students

Members and supporters of the Education Minnesota Federation of Charter School Employees at the Community School of Excellence, a K-8 charter school focused on Hmong language and culture located in St. Paul’s North End, attended the January 21st school board meeting in a show of solidarity and to speak out against the negative impact of staff turnover on student achievement.  

Since winning union certification last summer, a number of the school’s staff have either quit in fear and frustration or have been terminated, including the recent firing of a popular 4th grade teacher and union leader while students were home over winter break.

The members wore matching blue t-shirts with gold stars on the back and the text "...because our WORKING environment is the students' LEARNING environment" as they entered the school library and filled it to capacity.  

3rd Grade teacher Eric Johnson challenged the board to investigate the source of the turnover as "we have already lost 6 staff only 5 months into the school year as the negative environment at this school has made CSE unable to retain its own staff."

Krysten Karpicke, who was terminated last school year said "the amazing students at this school need stability…but they continue to have it taken away because the environment is so bad that staff are either leaving or they are being terminated."  

Retired Como Park High School teacher Roy Magnuson praised the staff in blue by saying "It is time to say yes to some courageous people who are doing everything right to make things better."

Former CSE teacher and current parent Bong Xiong told the board "This problem of inconsistency in staff has hindered the overall health of CSE…will you be courageous enough to fix this problem? Because my daughter and over 960 other students here at CSE are counting on you to do that."