Police ride-alongs, teacher observations requirement proposed for MN lawmakers

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A new proposal making its way through the Minnesota Legislature would require members of education and law enforcement committees to have ride-along trips with police, and observation days in schools, as part of their duties as lawmakers who decide policies that could affect both.

Teacher, school observations required for Minnesota lawmakers

What we know:

Under a bill sponsored by Rep. Andrew Myers (R-Tonka Bay), referred to as the "boots on the ground bill," a member of the legislature serving on a committee with jurisdiction over K-12 education policy or finance, "must spend at least 12 hours over the biennium observing a teacher or administrator in an elementary, middle, or secondary school."

Commonly referred to in the context of political budgeting, a biennium is two years, which often coincides with election cycles.

The bipartisan proposal would then require each member of Minnesota’s House of Representatives to report on the hours, name of the teacher, grade, and school that they observed.

"We need to start listening to the people that are executing on the policies that we put forward – supporting our schools and teachers," Rep. Myers said before the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee, noting he was a father of four kids currently in school, with a sister who is a teacher as well. "A lot of parents, students and teachers have reached out saying ‘thank you’ for bringing this forward. I’m trying to amplify the voice of those students, and educators, to produce the best policies in our schools… If you know your teachers, you know the level of frustration they have that we’re not listening to them."

Several testifiers spoke on behalf of their appreciation of the proposal before the committee as well.

"I listen to teachers who cry weekly because they are so overwhelmed by new reading mandates and expectations put on them, and changes in standards and curriculum," said Rachel Falkowski, Wayzata Education Association Teachers Union President.

However, arguments from DFL lawmakers raised concerns regarding mandating the requirements for legislators who already have a background in both industries.

"I have concerns about mandating something that is unnecessary, particularly for members who already have that on-the-ground experience," said Katie Jones (DFL-Minneapolis).

The bill will head next to an education policy committee for further discussion on its way to potentially becoming law.

Police ride-alongs required for Minnesota lawmakers

Dig deeper:

A similar proposal authored by Rep. Myers would also require a member of the legislature who serves on a legislative committee with jurisdiction over public safety policy or finance to participate in a ride along with law enforcement, or a fire department, for at least 12 hours each biennium.

"Supporting our law enforcement officers and firefighters isn’t just about protecting them or supporting them financially, it’s about listening and learning about what they do every day to create policies that keep all of our communities safe," Rep. Myers said before the committee. "Very similar to the last bill, this is just an opportunity for us to get outside our comfort zone and see every day what law enforcement and firefighters go through. This is a bill that will lead to a more collaborative effort."

The bill was referred to the House Public Safety and Finance Committee for further discussion as well.