>> ERIC: ELECTION NIGHT BROUGHT RESULTS FROM AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF SPENDING AND PARTISANSHIP IN SCHOOL BOARD RACES.

IT'S A NATIONAL TREND THAT'S HERE.

"ALMANAC" POLITICAL REPORTER, MARY LAHAMMER TAKES A DEEPER LOOK AT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE POLITICIZATION OF SCHOOL BOARDS.

>> Mary: RECORD MONEY, ENDORSEMENTS, AND PARTISAN POLITICS ENTERED SCHOOL BOARD RACES IN THE STATE THIS ELECTION PSYCH AME.

AND VOTERS RESPONDED WITH 85% OF EDUCATION MINNESOTA'S CANDIDATES WINNING.

>> I REALLY THINK THAT MINNESOTA OTERS, YOU KNOW, MADE A PRETTY BIG STATEMENT.

THEY SAID THAT VERY WANT SCHOOLS WHERE KIDS ARE GOING TO FEEL SAFE AND WELCOME.

WE REALLY SAX THAT NATIONAL AGENDA THAT WE KIND OF SEE IN OTHER PLACES, YOU KNOW, FLORIDA, TEXAS, CREEPING HERE INTO MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: REMEMBER, THESE ARE LOCAL, UNPAID POSITIONS.

>> I CAN CONFIRM THERE IS LITTLE TO NO PAY FOR FOLKS THAT ARE SERVING ON SCHOOL BOARD.

>> Mary: EXCEPT THERE'S MONEY NOW IN THESE ACES.

>> IT'S WILD TO THINK ABOUT.

WHEN YOU TRANSITION LIKE I HAVE HAVE A NONPARTISAN TO A PARTISAN OFFICE, YOU EXPECT THAT, RIGHT?

IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.

>> Mary: SENATOR DUCKWORTH STARTED ON SCHOOL BOARD, BECOMING CHAIR IN LAKEVILLE.

>> IT WAS A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE, BUT I WILL SAY, THINGS DID SEEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENCE UST A FEW YEARS AGO THAN KIND OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING TODAY AS IT ROALTS TO SCHOOL BOARDS.

>> Mary: DID IT FEEL PARTISAN OR POLITICAL WHEN YOU YOU WERE ON THE BOARD?

>> IT DID NOT.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY MUCH NONPARTISAN.

>> Mary: HE BEAT A D.F.L.

RISESTAR.

>> IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I ALMOST CHOSE NOT TO RUN FOR STATE SENATE.

I WASN'T INTERESTED IN THE POLITICAL ASPECT OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY AS DI DIVISIVE AS IT HAD BECOME.

>> Mary: THEY BOTH AGREE THE SPENDING AND POLITICIZING IS A NEW TREND THAT ISN'T FOR THE BEST.

>> THIS YEAR WE DID DO DIGITAL ADS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

IN YEARS PAST, I THINK OUR TRADITION HAS REALLY ONLY BEEN LOCAL UNIONS WILL ENDORSE, AND THEN THEY WILL DO THE WORK.

>> TO THE TUNES OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN MULTIPLE RACES AND RUNNING SLATES IN A VERY CONCERTED STRATEGIC EFFORT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY NEW.

>> I THINK WE HAVE TO PAUSE AND ASK THE QUESTION, LIKE, WHO CAN AFFORD TO RUN IN THESE RACES?

I MEAN, ARE WE KEEPING PEOPLE OUT?

>> MY PERSON OPINION IS, THAT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR THE PROCESS.

>> Mary: SENATOR DUCKWORTH HAS BECOME A LEADING VOICE ON THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION FOR REPUBLICANS.

ESPECIALLY THE CHANGES TO STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICERS.

>> MY CONCERN IS, ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS HAS TO DO WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT BEING A LEADING VOICE ON ANYTHING, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS I'M A DAD.

I'VE GOTH THREE LITTLE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO -- >> Mary: HAVE PEOPLE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT RUNNING FOR SOMETHING HIGHER, BIGGER?

>> FOLKS ALWAYS HAVE GREAT IDEAS.

THE ONLY ONE THAT GETS TO DECIDE THAT IS MY WIFE.

>> Mary: DUCKWORTH THINKS REPUBLICANS GET A BAD RAP WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING EDUCATION, BUT THE TEACHERS UNION SAYS THE BOOK BANNING SWEEPING RED STATES FUELED FEAR HERE.

>> WE REALLY HEARD ONE CENTRAL QUESTION, AND THAT QUESTION WAS, WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO BAN BOOKS?

BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED TO REJECT THOSE CANDIDATES AND REALLY, THAT QUESTION, I THINK, IS SHORTHAND FOR THE KIND OF POLITICS THAT DIVIDE US.

>> Mary: DO YOU THINK ANY BOOKS SHOULD BE BANNED?

>> OF COURSE NOT.

I MEAN, WE LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT BANNING BOOKS.

I THINK THERE'S A GOOD INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD ABOUT WHAT'S APPROPRIATE.

>> Mary: THE CONSERVATIVE MINNESOTA PARENTS ALLIANCE ELECTED A HANDFUL OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN THE HASTINGS AND ANOKA-HENNEPIN DISTRICTS.

>> THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST CULTURALLY CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT OR ELECTION IN THE STATE THIS YEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF EXPECTED THAT TO BE TOUGH.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN HASTINGS, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COUPLE OF YEARS RUNNING WHERE THERE'S BEEN SOME I THINK MORE TOUGH RACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY KIND OF DUG IN, IN A PARTISAN WAY.

>>S PRODUCT OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, KNOWING THINGS LIKE RACISM ARE BAD.

THAT YOU TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.

THAT URTZ KIND TO EVERYONE.

REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, THEIR GENDER, THEIR ORIENTATION, WHAT HAVE YOU.

THAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN MINNESOTA SCHOOLS.

>> I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE SAW THIS YEAR IS REALLY A DRESS REHEARSAL FOR NEXT YEAR.

I THINK THE MESSAGING WILL BE THE SAME.

I THINK THAT THIS WAS KIND OF A PRACTICE ROUND.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE