PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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Read about Shakespeare’s History Plays on page 6.
Counting down to our 90th Anniversary
April 18 - 24, 2024
H i s to r i
Vol. 90
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
No. 38
Is CPS missing its mark of reunifying families?
ca l Capsule
Sport Light
One Black family’s struggle with Child Protection Services
H is to r ica l Capsul e
By Cole Miska Contributing Writer
H i s to r
i ca l C
a ps u l e
Jimmy Lee su l e MS R H i s t o r i ca l C a p Jimmy Lee, the namesake of St. Paul’s Jimmy Lee Center, was a regular sports columnist in the St. Paul Recorder. This column, Sport Light, was published on Friday, April 26, 1940. By Jimmy Lee eal spring weather has begun to drive our local golf bugs out to the Twin City courses — for instance, last Sunday, surprised as we were, it was a fact that Doc Crump and Jimmy Hughes actually played 36 holes of golf — Boy, when those two play 36 holes in one day spring must be here! We also observed that Bert Davidson, Johnny Williams, Charles Noble and President Duke Coram are all geared in high for the coming seasons — Bert Smith, so they say, was suffering with a severe headache all during his game Sunday. Careful of Saturday nights from now on, Bert! — Davidson carded the best round of the day, a nice little 85 — not bad for the little fellow’s second time out. Club tournaments will be held the first Sunday in each month. Courses and times will be discussed in the regular monthly meeting — Baseball and kittenball enthusiasm is running high in St. Paul. Teams representing each sport will enter St. Paul’s Municipal ■ See SPORT LIGHT on page 5
old man, she did as many parents would and forbade her daughter from having further hen Shauntae contact. When Hobbs found Hobbs found her Trisha still talking to the man, teenage daughter she took a more drastic meaTrisha (whose name has been sure and pulled her out of a Does Child Protection Services do enough to keep Black changed to protect her iden- play where Trisha had one of families together? Photo by Freepiks tity) in contact with a 22-year- the lead roles. In response, Tri-
State’s Ethnic Studies Work Group takes up its controversial task By Al Brown Assignment Editor n Monday and Tuesday, April 15-16, members of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Ethnic Studies Working Group began developing the framework for the state’s Ethnic Studies legislation, which was passed during the 2023 session. According to the list of group members provided by MDE, the 27-member group
consists of ethnic studies teachers, parents, community members, college-level faculty, school board members, administrators, and four high school students. They will determine the necessary resources for districts to meet ethnic studies’ operational requirements. Geographic and social diversity among members will likely cause disagreements about what this framework should encompass, as the working group includes members from
Burnsville, Rochester, Cloquet, Stillwater, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Roseville. According to the MDE, “Ethnic Studies” means the interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity and indigeneity, focusing on the experiences and perspectives of people of color within and beyond the United States. Ethnic studies analyzes how race and racism have been and continue to be social, cultural and political forces, and ■ See ETHNIC STUDIES on page 5
sha ran away from home. Despite a snowstorm that night, Hobbs searched for Trisha and filed a missing person report with police. At the same time, an anonymous caller put in a tip with the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Child ■ See CPS on page 5
Pushback is expected throughout this legislative mandate, which many view as long overdue. Others say it is just education forced upon their children.
Black and Hispanic faculty underrepresented in higher education By Stacy M. Brown
Faculty diversity is still not representative of the students they teach.
new study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), commissioned by Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), has unveiled concerning trends regarding the representation of Black and Hispanic faculty members in higher education institutions. Despite modest increases in their numbers over the past two decades, Black and Hispanic individuals remain significantly underrepresented among college faculty. The study, which examined Photo by NNPA data spanning from fiscal years
2003 to 2021, found that while the proportions of Black and Hispanic faculty members have seen slight upticks, they continue to lag behind their representation in the broader workforce, particularly among workers with advanced degrees and professionals. Further, the study highlighted a stark disparity between the racial and ethnic composition of faculty and that of the student body, indicating a systemic issue within higher education. “Addressing the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic faculty is not only a matter of ■ See HIGHER EDU on page 5
New rideshare ordinance goes into effect July 1 By Tommy Witta he Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously on April 11 to delay the start of its new rideshare ordinance by two months. Instead of going into effect on May 1, the new start date is slated for July 1, giving the council more time to consider possible amendments to the law and giving new rideshare providers more time to set up. Councilmember Aurin Chowdhury said four rideshare startups have submitted applications for licensing as of April 10 to replace Uber and Lyft if
they depart. They are MOOV, introduced a measure to MyWeels, Joiryde and Wridz. rescind the rideshare ordiChowdhury authored the nance altogether, citing the amendment to delay the imple- “negative public opinion and mentation of the new ordinance. outcry” as reason to “start “I believe the extension of over.” The vote failed, with the implementation date is a only Palmisano, Michael Rainreally good thing for us here ville and LaTrisha Vetaw in fato accomplish things...for the vor and 10 against. ordinance that is really meant An investigation by the Minto support a fair minimum nesota Department of Labor wage for drivers in the City of and Industry into rideshare serMinneapolis and give riders vices showed a pay level of up an opportunity to participate to $1.21 per mile and 49 cents in a rideshare economy that is per minute for a ride across the rooted in justice for workers,” Twin Cities would meet MinChowdhury said. neapolis’ minimum wage of During the April 11 meeting, $15.57 an hour. However, the Councilmember Linea Palmisano ■ See RIDESHARE on page 5
Courtesy of Freepiks