Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Race-Based Teacher Layoffs | Minneapolis News

Minneapolis News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 19, 2026 · 1m

A federal judge just tossed out the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Minneapolis Public Schools over its teacher layoff policy — not because it’s legal, but because the union that negotiated the contract wasn’t included as a defendant. The policy gives priority to teachers from “underrepresented” groups during layoffs, even if they have less seniority — effectively favoring Black teachers over white ones. The judge called this racial discrimination built into the contract, even if it hasn’t been used yet. He didn’t rule on whether the policy is illegal, but made clear it harms white…