Federal judge throws out DOJ challenge to Minneapolis schools' race-based layoff rule

In a 25-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz dismissed the Justice Department's pattern-or-practice suit challenging Minneapolis Public Schools' race-based layoff policy, citing the government's omission of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators as a required party. Schiltz expressed deep doubts about the policy's legality, pointing out that it grants white teachers weaker seniority rights compared to teachers of color.

The Trump administration had filed the suit in December 2025, claiming the rule amounted to intentional discrimination based on race, color, gender, or national origin. Minneapolis Public Schools defended the measure as a lawful effort to correct historic inequities, noting it was adopted after a 2022 teachers strike. The judge emphasized that without the union's participation, the court cannot properly evaluate the collective bargaining agreement, and that Title VII permits the attorney general to sue only public employers, not private unions. He also clarified that individual teachers could still pursue discrimination claims through the EEOC.