Midwest
Milwaukee Public Schools reportedly distributes 'de-center Whiteness' memo to teachers
Milwaukee Public Schools is apparently working to “de-center” and “dismantle” Whiteness in the classroom.
The Young America’s Foundation published an exclusive report on a 33-page memo titled “Educational Community and District Climate” from the school district that is meant to explain the “best practices addressing discipline disproportionality through a positive educational community.” A significant approach in the memo discussed “anti-racism” with a note on “Understanding Whiteness.”
“Whiteness is everywhere around us. Educational practices have been rooted in Whiteness and coming from a lens of Whiteness for years. Educators should reflect on which elements of Whiteness they see in education, which they participate in, and which elements they can work to dismantle,” the memo read.
The memo also listed videos to help faculty “continue [their] journey along the development” of understanding Whiteness. Among them included a discussion by author Robin DiAngelo and a video titled “Whiteness: WTF?”
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Milwaukee Public Schools include K-12 education. (iStock)
Another section of the memo was devoted to achieving “equity” in the schools, defined as “an allocation of district resources, supports, and opportunities that is based on the needs of students and staff.”
“Achieving equity may require an unequal distribution of resources and services in order to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to a free and appropriate public education,” the memo explained. “The strengths of students, staff, families, and community members shall be illuminated to eliminate implicit and explicit deficit thinking.”
The memo also implored staff members to “create space to have brave conversations about race” to “understand that race plays a role throughout society and education.” It warned faculty to move beyond beliefs such as “I treat everyone equally” and “I don’t see race.”
A section on “anti-racism” also recommended definitions from author and critical race theory advocate Ibram X. Kendi.
The memo included guides on how to promote “anti-racism.” (Superior Court of California)
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It was unclear in the report how widely the report was distributed among 156 schools in the district. However, Milwaukee Public Schools includes K-12 education.
Fox News Digital reached out to Milwaukee Public Schools for a comment but has yet to receive a response.
In 2021, a group of Minnesota principals and vice principals signed a letter pledging to push the goal of “de-centering Whiteness” and “dismantling the practices that reinforce White academic superiority.” The letter also suggested that practices such as standardized testing enforced “an Americanized version of a caste system in our schools.”
The phrase “de-center Whiteness” more recently appeared in a November Forbes article titled “3 Ways To Decenter Whiteness In Your Workplace.”
“Because White-centering is often left unexamined and unchecked, equity and justice have continued to evade organizations,” the piece read.
The Minnesota Public Schools memo allegedly acknowledged, “Achieving equity may require an unequal distribution of resources and services in order to ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to a free and appropriate public education.” (Photo By Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jasmyn Jordan, national chairwoman of Young Americans for Freedom, said, “What Milwaukee Public Schools are promoting is yet another example of a concentrated effort to eliminate a merit-based system and replace it with one that is focused on race. DEI is fundamentally against everything the left claims to stand for – it is the opposite of racial equality and inclusion.”
“As a student, I’ve seen DEI do more harm than good. Instead, the focus should be on achievement, character, and hard work.”
Read the full article from Here
Midwest
Audio of Ellison meeting with convicted fraudsters resurfaces as lawyer alleges Walz, AG share blame
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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is facing new scrutiny over a 2021 audio recording of him meeting with members of the Somali community who would soon be convicted of defrauding millions of dollars in taxpayer money.
In the recording, now obtained by Fox News, the would-be fraudsters can be heard asking Ellison to help them secure more funding, before the conversation then turns to campaign donations.
“The only way that we can protect what we have is by inserting ourselves into the political arena. Putting our votes where it needs to be. But most importantly, putting our dollars in the right place. And supporting candidates that will fight to protect our interests,” one of the Somalian community members says in the recording.
“That’s right,” Ellison responds.
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Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is facing new scrutiny over his connection to convicted fraudsters. (Getty)
Ellison has denied any wrongdoing regarding the recording, saying he was completely unaware of the fraudsters’ crimes at the time of the meeting.
“I took a meeting in good faith with people I didn’t know and some turned out to have done bad things. I did nothing for them and took nothing from them,” Ellison wrote in an April op-ed for the Minnesota Star Tribune.
HOUSE GOP BILL COULD TRIGGER SELF-DEPORTATION FOR SOMALI REFUGEES AMID MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces he will not seek re-election on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, at a press conference at the state Capitol in St. Paul. (Jerry Holt/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Ellison did receive campaign donations from some of the convicted fraudsters, according to the Center for the American Experiment, but he later returned those donations after they were convicted.
The recording was first unearthed by Minnesota attorney Kenneth Udoibok, who represents Aimee Bock, one of many convicted in the $250 million “Feeding Our Future” scam last year. Udoibok is arguing that state leaders like Ellison and Gov. Tim Walz need to be held accountable as well.
“I would like to see someone, someone in the state, I don’t care what if it is the governor, I don’t care what the attorney general, someone take responsibility,” he told Fox News in an interview.
“Mr. Ellison, your department that your agency represents have some culpability,” Udoibok continued. “As much as I like Mr. Walz, he didn’t take responsibility on behalf of his agency. The buck stops with him, and in the worst-case scenario, he ought to have fired the commissioner. He ought to fire the director of the food program, somebody.”
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Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., plans to ask witnesses about the 2021 recording at a House Oversight hearing on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with his plans.
Read the full article from Here
Detroit, MI
Detroit Red Wings blank Montreal Canadiens behind John Gibson
Detroit Red Wings on huge divisional game ahead: ‘Have to perform’
Detroit Red Wings Andrew Copp, Patrick Kane and Todd McLellan, Jan. 9, 2025, in Detroit.
MONTREAL — The atmosphere at Bell Centre never disappoints, especially when two Original Six rivals meet on a Saturday night.
The Detroit Red Wings tuned out the “Go Habs, Go,” chants and turned in a fine road performance, avenging an opening night loss and evening the season series. The Wings came away from their only visit of the season to the home of the Montreal Canadiens with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, Jan. 10, in the second of three meetings.
Alex DeBrincat added a goal to his night when he was left wide-open to rip Patrick Kane’s pass into Montreal’s net 34 seconds into the third period. Andrew Copp added an empty-net goal with 1:07 to play.
The Habs, who schooled the Wings, 5-1, back in the season opener in October, were denied on 27 shots by John Gibson as he earned his third shutout since Dec. 8.
Red Wings playoff position
The two points earned lifted the Wings (27-15-4) into first place in the Atlantic Division, a point up on the Tampa Bay Lightning (who have played three fewer games). Next up, the Wings host Metropolitan Division leader Carolina on Monday (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit), with the Hurricanes visiting on the night the Wings will retire Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91.
Rough stuff in Montreal
The Wings incurred some bumps along the way, especially Mason Appleton, who took one stick near the eye area and another – by teammate Elmer Söderblom – to the lips. At one point in the third period, Gibson had to check his helmet for damage after getting dinged by a puck.
But what a win.
The Wings came out with good pace, and there was a good deal of back-and-forth early on. The Habs shot wide on Gibson until more than five minutes in, when Ivan Demidov set up Oliver Kapanen just outside the crease. Kapanen’s shot slid into the paint, but Gibson was able to glove it before it crossed the goal line.
The Wings went on a power play seven minutes in, and the unit of Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin, James van Riemsdyk, Lucas Raymond and DeBrincat had such control of the puck they were out the entire two minutes – but the Canadiens did a good job getting in lanes to block shots.
Another man advantage materialized around the midpoint when Brendan Gallagher high-sticked Appleton in the face, but again the Habs prevented the Wings from generating shots on net.
Putting it in the net
Ninety-one seconds into the second period, the Wings were back on a power play. Larkin forced a save from Jacob Fowler on a doorstep shot, but the game was back at even strength when they made it 1-0.
Jacob Bernard-Docker had the puck at his own goal line when he sent a pass to van Riemsdyk (who arrived at Bell Centre dressed as Batman, for his 4-year-old son) along the boards. By the time he got to the red line, van Riemsdyk had two defenders on him, so he dumped the puck deep. But instead of going around the net, as Fowler thought it would as he skated behind his net to play it, the puck bounced off the end boards and out front, where Raymond turned it into his third straight five-on-five goal in the last three games.
The Wings built on their momentum just past the midpoint of the game when they converted during their fourth power play. Seider had the point up top and found DeBrincat along the left boards. DeBrincat made a short pass to Larkin, who took advantage of van Riemsdyk getting in Fowler’s line of vision to one-time a shot that gave the Wings a 2-0 lead.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.
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Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee woman attacked inside her home, neighbors charged
Tazjah Smith, Domonick Farmer
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County prosecutors accuse two people of attacking their neighbor inside her home earlier this month.
Charges filed
In court:
Court records show 22-year-old Tazjah Smith and 21-year-old Domonick Farmer are each charged with burglary and battery to an elder. Farmer is also charged with pointing a gun at the neighbor.
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Both Smith and Farmer made their initial court appearance on Thursday. Smith’s bond was set at $5,000, while Farmer’s was set at $2,500.
Neighbor attacked
The backstory:
It happened on Jan. 2. A criminal complaint said a 72-year-old woman said she was home when her upstairs neighbor, Smith, pounded on her door and accused her of “stealing groceries.” Smith then forced her way into the home and hit the victim in the face.
Court filings said the victim told police she was on the floor when she saw Farmer, who also lives upstairs, come in and tell Smith to “bear her a**.” The 72-year-old said Smith then hit her several more times before Smith and Farmer went upstairs.
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A witness said Smith also told Farmer to “get the gun,” and that Farmer came back with a gun that he “placed to the head” of the victim, according to the complaint. The witness said he told Farmer that it was “not worth it.” The witness also said Farmer demanded $20,000 and searched the home before they left without any money.
At the scene near 12th and Locust, court filings said police found “signs of a struggle” – including a cabinet door off its hinges, clumps of hair on the floor and a dented can of vegetables. The victim’s face and eye were swollen, and she was taken to a hospital.
Police found Smith and Farmer in the upstairs unit. Prosecutors said Smith “appeared to be covered in sweat with fresh scratches.” Officers searched the unit and found two guns, which matched descriptions provided by the victim and witness, and “small amounts” of methamphetamine and marijuana.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwauke County District Attorney’s Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
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