Timeline

This is a timeline for Forest Lake Area Schools in Forest Lake, Minnesota.  It is important to see the swift progression of issues as the new board is seated Jan 2025, targeting Achievement and Integration (A&I) first, which then leads to dismantling the existing club policy in order to create barriers for LGBTQ+ and affinity groups, as banning them outright is against MN Law.  Following this trend of walking the legal line of white supremacy, the board seeks to eliminate the list of prohibited symbols; the Confederate flag, swastikas, and KKK symbols.  The community notices all this very quickly and organizes at both the student level (protest, walk out, petition, and speaking at meetings)  and adults; staff/parents/community members (letter to the editor, speaking at meetings, car parade, protest at the door, and this website).

Board members Curt Rebelein Jr and Luke Hagglund were elected in 2023 (for Jan 2024 seat) and were disruptive as a minority with actions such as walking out of meetings, stalling votes, and various other tactics. They both were clear about their dislike for the 'woke' (empathy) policies, any policy that aligned with equity and inclusion, and were against using school funding to support LGBTQ+ or any racial affinity group. This timeline starts as they gained two members who ran as MAGA candidates (for a non-partisan position) who were funded and endorsed by extreme conservative groups in MN and seized the majority.