LISTEN: Moorhead Area Public School Superintendent Dr. Lunak’s conversation with Scott Hennen
MOORHEAD, Minn. – Moorhead Area Public Schools officials have pulled a book from the library at Horizon Middle School West some are finding inappropriate and racist.
An issue was raised on social media about the book entitled, ‘Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness’ written and illustrated by Anastasia Higginbotham.
A synopsis of the manuscript on the Dottir Press website describes it as ‘a gentle primer that helps white children see how white people have been socialized to see themselves as outside of conversations about race—and thus not part of ending racism.’
In an interview on The Flag, Superintendent Dr. Brandon Lunak confirmed the book, which has been in circulation for two years and has only been checked out twice, is under review.
Lunak said the book was on a list of popular novels recommended to the district by a professional group.
But Lunak said the district needs to do a better job of vetting the books on that list before the district gets them for their libraries.
He encourages parents and guardians to reach out to their child’s principal if they have concerns about a book. He also wants them to know about its policies with how books are chosen.
“If there’s any time that a parent or a student has a concern with a book or a novel that’s in any of our libraries, there’s a policy and procedure to follow,” said Lunak. “We do take those thoughts seriously.”
Lunak even recalled his own education in providing guidance on such matters.
“My seventh grade health teacher taught me that feelings are neither right nor wrong, and I believe that to this day and I agree we have that in place so if there is someone that believes that’s the wrong text to have, then we need to follow that procedure that we have.”
Lunak says Minnesota state education standards have some “certain demographics in our society are reviewed, looked at and provided to our kids so they can have the option to see themselves in the books is what they tell us.”
“So, at the end of the day, I think that’s some of the concern because I think some of the folks that may see that text or maybe see that novel don’t feel it’s relevant,” Lunak said.
And while believing it’s good to have diverse literature, Lunak admits there’s a fine line.
“We want to continue to do what’s right for kids and at the same time hear some of those concerns that are being brought up in the community,” said Lunak.
Some Flag listeners are also concerned about ethnic studies being taught in Minnesota schools. In 2023, Governor Tim Walz signed a bill requiring all high schools offer an ethnic studies course in the 2026-2027 school year.
The state’s Department of Education describes it as “the interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of people of color within and beyond the United States.”
