Out for Equity: St. Paul Public Schools’ successful LGBT program expands

By |

As Minnesota’s largest district (Anoka-Hennepin) waded through the consequences of neglecting its not-straight population, St. Paul Public Schools, the state’s second-largest district, was ramping up its already-strong LGBT program. St. Paul Public Schools’ Out for Equity program is rare – the 18-year-old program is one of fewer than 10 district-level LGBT programs in the nation. (Minneapolis has one, too.) Two staff members host school support groups and a weekly LGBT teen social night, provide resources to school Gay-Straight Alliances, advise the district on policy, and offer one-on-one counseling to students who are struggling. Continue Reading

“A silent, selective tornado”: Report describes the foreclosure crisis on St. Paul’s East side

By |

Active in her church, outdoors often with her home daycare, and prone to taking long walks, Carol Overland is one of those ladies who everybody in the neighborhood knows, or at least recognizes. She’s lived on St. Paul’s East side for 35 years. In the last three years, she’s noticed something new. “They put up a blue sign or a white sign and it’ll say ‘Notice of Foreclosure,’” she said. Continue Reading