A heated political battle is brewing in Minnesota, with Republican Congressman Jim Banks demanding an investigation into a professor appointed to a state ethnic studies working group. Banks, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Indiana and secured an endorsement from former President Trump, alleges that Brian Lozenski, an associate professor of urban and multicultural education at Macalester College, holds dangerous and radical views that are unfit for someone shaping education policy.
Banks’ concerns stem from Lozenski’s past statements calling for the overthrow of the United States, which he argues are rooted in his belief that the nation is “irreversibly racist.” Lozenski made these comments in a video published in June 2022 by The Solidarity Network, where he discussed his critical race theory research.
The congressman claims that Lozenski’s views, which he deems “radical and destructive,” pose a threat to the values of America and could influence the development of ethnic studies standards in Minnesota schools. Banks has called on Jennifer Hoppenstedt, interim inspector general of the Minnesota Department of Education, to investigate Lozenski’s history of advocating for insurrection and determine if his views have influenced the ethnic studies framework being developed by the working group.
Lozenski’s appointment to the working group came after his advocacy for Minnesota House bill 1502, which established the ethnic studies working group, and his experience teaching ethnic studies in St. Paul Public Schools. He has also founded a group called Education for Liberation Minnesota, which advocates for additional ethnic studies curriculum in Minnesota public schools.
Banks’ letter, sent just a week before the working group’s framework is set to be finalized, adds fuel to the ongoing political firestorm surrounding critical race theory. While Lozenski maintains that his views are focused on achieving social justice and equality, Banks argues that his views represent a fundamental threat to the principles of American society.
The controversy comes as Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who appointed Lozenski to the working group, are campaigning for re-election. With the election nearing, the issue of critical race theory and its place in education remains a divisive and politically charged topic, and this latest development is sure to escalate the debate further.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign, Lozenski, and the Minnesota Department of Education for comment but has not yet received a response. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
