Former teacher, union president Greta Callahan seeks seat on Minneapolis School Board

By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor

MINNEAPOLIS — Late on a Sunday morning in mid-August, a group of supporters of school board candidate Greta Callahan met at Linden Hills Park to hear from the candidate and a couple of special guests and then go doorknocking.

“We are so lucky to have Greta in this race,” said State Representative Frank Hornstein. “We have someone who is going to fight for our kids, fight for our parents, fight for our communities.”

Callahan is running for the southwest Minneapolis District 6 seat on the Minneapolis School Board with the endorsement of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and the DFL Party.

Incumbent Ira Jourdain chose not to run for re-election.

A teacher since 2011, Callahan taught kindergarten in the Minneapolis Public Schools and for four  years served as president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59 — leading the union during its 2022 strike.

(Callahan recently chose not to seek re-election as MFT president and has accepted a position working for the Minnesota Nurses Association).

As a kindergarten teacher, Callahan began inviting local elected officials to come to her classroom to read to the kids — so those officials could gain some first-hand classroom experience.

In addition to Hornstein, one of her guest readers was Keith Ellison, now Minnesota’s Attorney General. He also was on hand to speak to Callahan volunteers at the August doorknock. He told her, “every step of the way, whether it’s the kids, whether it’s the union, you’ve put your heart  out there, every step of the way.”

The Minneapolis Public Schools face the challenges of declining enrollment, possible school closings, and a continuing racial achievement gap.

In Callahan’s view, the district needs to do more to meet those challenges head-on and engage with families to plan to revive the Minneapolis schools.

“I want MPS to be a place where people want to send their kids,” she said.

Right now, she said, the district is on a path to “managed decline” when instead it should be developing a plan for “purposeful rebuilding.”

During the height of the pandemic, with little chance for public input, the district adopted a controversial Comprehensive District Design plan which led to new school boundaries — and sped up an exodus of families from the district.

“Those of us at the time said, ‘this is dangerous,’” Callahan said, and predicted the now looming school closings.

“We need to have the political will to expand and enlarge the MPS system,” Callahan said. “The district continues to talk about cuts and  closing schools… Where is your plan to get those kids back? Where is your plan to stabilize the workforce? What are we doing to retain families?”

We need to have the political will to expand and enlarge the MPS system… The district continues to talk about cuts and  closing schools… Where is your plan to get those kids back? Where is your plan to stabilize the workforce? What are we doing to retain families?

“Families want safety and stability,” Callahan said. “These are things I’ve been shouting about for a long time… These are things I’m hearing at the doors.”

“I’m not coming and saying, ‘here is my plan,’” Callahan stressed. Rather, she’s amplifying what she’s hearing from families and school staff. “The only way to be successful is to co-create it with them,” she said. “Nothing will be successful without total buy-in.”

Callahan maintains that restoring the health of the school system is vital to the future health and safety of the city.

Callahan grew up in southwest Minneapolis, attending Burroughs elementary and Anthony middle school. She lives in District 6 and her son recently graduated from Southwest High.

Callahan’s campaign seeks volunteers for doorknocks and phonebanks. “There are 50,000 people in District 6,” she says. “We need all the help we can get.”

“This is coming down to pro-labor versus anti-labor in this race,” she adds.

She urged Labor Review readers who live in District 6: “Get a lawn sign… Keep spreading the word about what a pro-labor candidate will do to enhance the Minneapolis Public Schools and make Minneapolis a better place.”

Website:
gretacallahanforschoolboard.com