Guest Opinion: It's time to get kids back into schools full time Instead of getting kids back in schools, full-time for in-person learning, and providing schools with the funding they need to make this happen, Democrats and Governor Walz are pushing an education plan that puts bureaucrats before schools and crushes local school districts with significant new mandates. Written By: Rep. Sondra Erickson | 3:00 am, May 12, 2021 × Rep. Sondra Erickson The COVID-19 pandemic and government-mandated shutdowns have caused significant economic and social damage across our communities and state. Since his peacetime emergency declaration 14 months ago, Governor Walz has made a series of unilateral decisions that resulted in collateral damage Minnesotans will feel for generations.