By Sean Baker

Copyright startribune

“The premature termination of this grant is an inefficient use of valuable federal funds,” Pekel wrote in the appeal, noting that “significant federal funding” had already been spent on those already enrolled.

In a concession to the Trump administration — and its ongoing crackdown of programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion — the district had agreed in the appeal letter to no longer factor in race, gender or sexual orientation in its selection process.

The district had also made the argument that while the grant was initially aimed at increasing the number of mental health professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, it did not exclude others from participating. About two-thirds of those participating had been people of color, while the other third were white.

Launched in 2023, the program had aimed to fund up to 30 scholarships over five years for staff to participate in Winona State University’s social work program. The federal funding also covered substitute pay for staff as they completed internships for their degrees.

“This program represents exactly the type of innovative, merit-based approach needed to address the critical mental health needs of our students,” Pekel said. “The termination of this grant sends a troubling message about the federal government’s commitment to student mental health.”