SE Twin Cities

Minnesota state Sen. Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson) said he was happy with the way Gov. Tim Walz is handling reopening schools in the fall, but believes there are areas that can be improved upon. 

“I am pleased with the direction the governor chose today, but there is still room to give more authority to local schools," Newman said in a press release from the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus. "The so-called ‘matrix’ is an unnecessary addition that the governor will use to overrule local officials."

Newman said he believes school districts should be able to have flexibility in creating their own plans. 

"As we have said for weeks, rather than a statewide mandate forcing schools to reopen using the same protocols, every district should be given the flexibility to do what is best for their own communities. Experts like the American Association of Pediatrics and the director of the CDC all agree that it’s best for students to be physically present in classrooms," he said in the press release. "Local school officials understand their communities better than anyone in St. Paul, and they should be able to reopen if at all possible."

Walz's plan for reopening school is also a little late in being announced, Newman said. It would have been better announced a few weeks ago, which would have allowed for families, teachers and schools to have more time to better prepare for the upcoming school year.