Why Minnesota is suing TikTok. Then, as we approach the beginning of the school year, we take a look at the controversy and confusion around charter schools. And, a Fond du Lac member is recognized for language revitalization.
—–Executive Producer: Victor Palomino Producer: Faaya Adem Anchor: Grace Jacobson Reader scripting: Joel Glaser, Victor PalominoFact checking: Joel Glaser, Victor Palomino Editorial support: Emily Krumberger Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
[sound element: NSS intro theme]
HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: In today's stories, why Minnesota is suing TikTok. Then, as we approach the beginning of the school year, we take a look at the controversy and confusion around charter schools. And, a Fond du Lac member is recognized for native language revitalization.
I'm Gracie J.
Minnesota's Attorney General is suing TikTok, alleging that the company prioritizes profit over the well-being of young adults. The lawsuit accuses the company of violating the state's consumer protection laws. The complaint filed in Hennepin County District courts says TikTok entangles young users in cycles of excessive use by preying on their underdeveloped brains. It also alleges the company is using unlicensed virtual currency that is sexually and financially exploiting young TikTok users.
Next, charter schools have been part of Minnesota's education for decades, but many people still don't know what exactly a charter school is and how they compare to public and private schools. Faaya Adem helps us to sort it out.
Faaya Adem: Minnesota is the birthplace of charter schools. The first charter school in the nation opened here in 1992. Today, more than 170 charter schools operate across the state, serving tens of thousands of students. But for many, the definition of charter schools is still unclear.
Brian Lozenski: I think parents and families are, and this extends back through the history of like public education in the United States, are always vying for opportunities, the best opportunities for their children, regardless of what structures those opportunities take.
Faaya Adem: Professor Brian Lozenski is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Educational Studies Department at Macalester College.
Brian Lozenski: Whether you're looking at traditional public schools, private schools, charter schools, they're all very different from each other. They all serve very different populations of students. They all have very different kind of like missions and purposes.
Faaya Adem: Unlike private schools, charter schools are public. They can't charge tuition, and they must admit students through a lottery when demand is higher than available seats. But unlike traditional districts, they run independently.
Brian Lozenski: Charter schools are not subject to a particular school board. So there's not a like what people say is a democratic process to elect the people who would be managing those schools. They're managed by authorizers, and then they're managed by directors of the school.
Faaya Adem: Charter schools may offer unique curriculum or specialized programs that traditional districts may not provide.
Kate Hinton: Each charter school is very different, and what they do. The charter school that I work at, we focus on an accelerated and an inclusive curriculum for all students So all of our students upon graduation have completed either calculus or a college-level math course.
Faaya Adem: Dr Kate Hinton, a Doctor of Education, is executive director at Math and Science Academy in Waterbury in the eastern metro area.
Kate Hinton: Other charter schools focus on, you know, some will work with students who have struggled in every school. And so they're trying to find a different way to connect with those students. So charter schools just give another option to families.
Faaya Adem: Dr Hinton says charter schools have little differences at the core compared to public school districts. For example, while Math and Science Academy is a charter school offering an accelerated curriculum, it doesn't restrict admission based on a student's performance,
Kate Hinton: We're still a public school. We still work. You know, we serve special education students. We don't get to do any admissions testing, not that we would want to, but we don't do that. So admissions to Math and Science, we have long wait lists, so it's always a lottery.
Faaya Adem: More than 30 years after the first one opened, charter schools have become a permanent part of the state's educational landscape. This is Faaya Adem for North Star Stories.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
A Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa staff member is being honored for her leadership in Ojibwe language revitalization. The Midwest Indigenous Immersion Network has named Alyza Savage as one of three Fellows for 2025–2026. The fellowship recognizes emerging leaders who use Ojibwemowin in daily life. Each fellow receives a $10,000 award to support their work. Fond du Lac leaders say Savage is a shining example of the community's efforts to preserve and strengthen the Ojibwe language and culture.
[sound element: NSS outro theme]
HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.