Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) rejected appeals from the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the representative body for the state’s six Catholic dioceses, for inclusion in the Building and Cyber Security Grant Program, despite a $17.6 billion budget surplus. He approved similar security grants for public schools but denied this modest request for nonpublic institutions.
These requests were made in both 2022 and 2023. In a letter to Walz, the Minnesota Catholic Conference wrote, “There are approximately 72,000 students enrolled in Independent, Catholic, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim nonpublic schools in our state.” The letter highlighted that excluding them constituted a discriminatory act against their students.
In response to rising concerns about school safety, particularly after the March 2023 mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, carried out by a transgender attacker, the organization petitioned Walz to extend security aid to nonpublic schools. The request sought inclusion in the Safe Schools Program, which currently provides emergency response training, security upgrades, and mental health services only to public entities.
Minnesota Catholic Conference went on to add, “The legislation supported by our collective organizations provides state aid to school districts, intermediate school districts, charter schools and nonpublic schools for this program. Unfortunately, this program currently does not cover nonpublic schools, charter schools, and intermediate school districts, and it is a levy-only program for school districts.”
The Conference urged Walz to convene a special legislative session to pass a bill that would provide security grants of $44 per student, regardless of school affiliation. Though the proposal had bipartisan support, including from members of Walz’s own party, he chose not to call a special session.
Meanwhile, Walz authorized state funding for a “trans refuge,” aimed at protecting individuals seeking gender-affirming medical care, underscoring a perceived divergence between his priorities and those of religious schools seeking protection.
In light of the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Walz is facing additional heat for his decision to fund transgender support resources and not schools with faith affiliations.
