Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) is facing mounting criticism after reports revealed his administration denied repeated requests from Catholic schools for a modest security grant—despite a $17.6 billion state budget surplus and the approval of similar funds for public schools.
The Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), which represents the state’s six Catholic dioceses, submitted letters in 2022 and 2023 urging the governor to include nonpublic schools—such as Catholic, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim institutions—in the state’s Safe Schools Program and related cybersecurity initiatives. According to the National Catholic Register, those requests were denied without explanation, even as public schools received tens of millions in grants.
“There are approximately 72,000 students enrolled in independent, Catholic, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim nonpublic schools in our state,” the MCC wrote in its 2023 appeal to Walz. “The latest school shooting at a nonpublic Christian school in Tennessee sadly confirms what we already know — our schools are under attack.”
The reference pointed to the March 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville, where six people, including three children, were killed by a shooter who identified as transgender. That incident sparked national concern about soft targets like faith-based schools, which often lack the resources for high-grade security systems.
Security Requests Fell on Deaf Ears
Despite the well-documented rise in threats to religious institutions, Catholic leaders say they were effectively excluded from Walz’s $50 million “Building and Cyber Security Grant Program”, which was rolled out to bolster protection for schools across Minnesota.
“The exclusion of one sector of schools… is a discriminatory act against our students,” the MCC said in its letter.
The bishops’ coalition had supported bipartisan legislation that would have allocated $44 per student to all schools—public and private—for physical security and mental health services. That measure gained Democrat and Republican support, but Governor Walz declined to call a special session to pass the legislation after it stalled in 2022.
Taxpayer Dollars Prioritized Elsewhere
While turning down the Catholic schools’ modest request for security assistance, Governor Walz’s administration approved state-funded protections for “transgender refuge” services, including travel assistance and legal protection for those seeking so-called “gender-affirming care”. That initiative drew praise from progressive groups but criticism from religious and conservative communities.
“Governor Walz had the money, bipartisan support, and moral obligation to ensure all Minnesota students were safe—regardless of the school they attend,” said one diocesan official. “Instead, his administration made political choices that left our children vulnerable.”
Security Concerns Reignited by Recent Tragedy
Calls for equitable school security have only intensified following the recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, in which two students were killed and 14 others injured. Authorities later identified the suspected shooter as transgender, reigniting debate around both school safety and ideological bias in state policies.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has since renewed its appeal for emergency funding and inclusion in future security grants, urging the state to “act without prejudice.”
What’s Next?
Republican lawmakers in Minnesota are reportedly preparing new legislation that would mandate equal security funding for all K-12 schools, regardless of religious or institutional affiliation. Meanwhile, Gov. Walz has not issued a public response to the criticism or the renewed requests following the Annunciation tragedy.
Key Numbers:
- $17.6 billion: Minnesota’s 2023 budget surplus
- $50 million: Walz’s Building & Cyber Security Grant Program (public schools only)
- 72,000: Students enrolled in nonpublic religious schools across the state
- $44: Per-student funding requested for security in bipartisan legislation
As security concerns escalate nationwide, Catholic leaders in Minnesota say they will continue advocating for equitable treatment—because in their words, “all students deserve protection, not just some.”
READ NEXT: Casualties Reported After Mass Shooting At Catholic School In Minneapolis
This is because more students shot will encourage more gun control which is the ultimate goal of these Marxist. How can the government control the masses when they have the means to fight back against rule authoritarian rule.
What was Tim’s budget for tampons? Were they name-brand or generic? Were they sent equitably to the parochial schools boys’ rooms? Enquiring minds….
Walz denied funding to ALL private schools if my information is correct. Letters to Walz and published in the news were from Catholic, Protestant and Jewish schools. Apparently, all were denied funding for increased security.
How can anyone support Waltz? He loves China, send him there to live and preach his form of socialism. This man should be arrested for treason, insurrection and stupidity.