North Dakota Lawmakers Advance Private School Voucher Bill
MICHAEL ACHTERLING NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR
North Dakota educational options are set to expand as House lawmakers advanced a private school voucher bill Monday and the governor signed a bill establishing public charter schools.
The House in a 49-43 vote
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER MIKE LEFOR, R-DICKINSON, SPEAKS ON THE HOUSE FLOOR ON FEB. 25, 2025. | MICHAEL ACHTERLING/ NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR
ta families and for our state’s workforce and long-term success,” Armstrong said in a statement. “The public charter schools authorized by this bill can drive innovation, improve student outcomes and increase parent satisfaction.”
receive about $4,000 per year, while students from the highest income category could receive a little over $1,000 per year.
Lawmakers have been fairly split on bills related to Education Savings Accounts. House Bill 1540, which passed the Senate last week on a 2720 vote, only benefits families with children attending private school.
The bill is estimated to cost about $20 million in the first year, though the exact amount will depend on how many students use the vouchers. The state projects that about 8,000 students will attend North Dakota private schools in 202627, according to a fiscal analysis of the bill.
As amended, the bill provides private school vouchers in an amount that varies depending on household income. Students from families in the lowest income category could
House Majority Leader Rep. Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, who voted in favor of the bill, said it allows parents to shape the educational futures of their children.
“Beyond academics, House
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WBSD #7 announces new leadership appointments for 2025–2026
WILLISTON GRAPHIC
Williston Basin School District #7 has announced the hiring of four administrators for the 2025–2026 school year, bringing a range of instructional leadership experience to its schools.
Cory Fleck has been named principal of Rickard Elementary. Fleck, who has more than two decades of experience in education, most recently served as an instructional coach within WBSD #7. He previously held leadership roles at Williston Trinity Christian School and taught at Williston High School.
Elizabeth Bauer will serve as assistant principal of Hagan Elementary. Bauer brings 16 years of classroom experience to the
position, having taught multiple grade levels and served in various instructional support roles. At Williston Middle School Central Campus, Sarah Heise and Susan LaBar have been appointed assistant principals. Heise has 11 years of educational experience, including roles as a special education teacher, kindergarten teacher and instructional coach. LaBar has taught in Williston for 18 years, most recently as a six grade science teacher, and holds advanced degrees in reading education and teacher leadership.
District officials expressed confidence in the new leaders' ability to support students, staff and the broader school community.
More information can be found at WillistonSchools.org.
2027 Babe Ruth World Series Fundraising Continues
LARRY GRONDAHL TOURNAMENT CHAIRMAN
The 2027 Babe Ruth World Series Committee announces that fundraising efforts are ongoing for the 14 Year Old Babe Ruth World Series, which will be held in Williston from Aug. 14–21, 2027, at Ardean Aafedt Stadium.
The tournament will feature eight regional champions from across the United States and Can-
ada, along with the North Dakota state champion and the host team from Williston.
The committee has set a fundraising goal of $350,000 to support stadium improvements and event operating expenses in preparation for this exciting series. Businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to get involved.
Those interested in learning more or arranging a presentation can contact Larry Grondahl at 701-770-7897 or by email at grondahl@dia.net.
Celebration of Life" for Gary Nelson, former teacher, will be April 26 at 1:00 pm at Gloria Dei Church.
Fort Union Cancels Annual Rendezvous Due to Staffing, Budget Challenges
WILLISTON GRAPHIC
Fort Union Trading Post
National Historic Site has canceled its annual Rendezvous event, originally scheduled for June 12–15, citing significant staffing shortages and restricted spending authority.
In a letter shared by Superintendent Alice Hart, the site announced that only three permanent employees—just 30% of its usual staff—will be on duty in June. The park also typically relies on 10 to 12 National Park Service employees from other locations to help run the event, but recent travel restrictions have made those reinforcements unavailable.
“Without our full complement of permanent and external NPS staff, we cannot safely conduct the Rendezvous,” Hart wrote. “While volunteer contributions are greatly appreciated, the complexity and scale of the event require consistent and reliable support that cannot be fully met through vol-
unteer efforts alone.”
Additionally, Hart noted that staffing limitations extend to volunteer coordination itself.
“We will have no staff available to recruit, schedule and supervise volunteers,” she said.
Budget constraints are compounding the issue. Previously, three employees had the authority to allocate funds for events and operations. Now, just one staff member is authorized to spend money—and only on essential operations.
The Rendezvous is one of Fort Union’s most anticipated events, typically drawing history enthusiasts, artisans and community members to celebrate the region’s fur trade heritage. Hart emphasized the park’s commitment to reviving the tradition in the future when resources allow.
“We remain committed to continuing this tradition,” she said. “We encourage everyone to remain connected with Fort Union through other activities and to follow us on social media for updates
on future events.”
The Fort Union Association will reach out to vendors and demonstrators who were scheduled to participate, and park officials are asking the public to help spread the word, especially to Rendezvous participants who may not see online updates.
Located along the Missouri River, Fort Union operated between 1828 and 1867 and was the most significant fur trade post in the Upper Missouri region. The post served as a major center of commerce where the Assiniboine and six other Northern Plains Tribes exchanged buffalo robes and furs for goods such as cloth, guns blankets and beads. At its height, the post traded more than 25,000 buffalo robes and $100,000 worth of merchandise annually.
For more information, contact Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site at 701-572-9083 or visit www.nps.gov/fous.
SCHOOL VOUCHER BILL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Bill 1540 ensures equality,” Lefor said. “Parents know their children best. It’s not the government, but families who should have the final say in their children’s education.”
Rep. Liz Conmy, D-Fargo, voted against the bill and told lawmakers the North Dakota Constitution prohibits the use of public school tax dollars to support a sectarian school.
“We are obligated, constitutionally, to fund and strengthen public schools and specifically directed to not subsidize private education,” Conmy said. “We don’t get to pick and choose what part of the constitution we want to go with or not.”
A competing Senate Education Savings Account bill, Senate Bill 2400, proposed to benefit public school and homeschooled students in addition to private school students. It passed the Senate but received a do-not-pass recommendation by the House Education Committee in March. The bill has not been forwarded for a full
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chamber vote.
Sen. Michelle Axtman, R-Bismarck, chief sponsor of the Senate bill, prepared an amendment to her Education Savings Account bill Monday for a House Education Committee hearing. She sought to introduce an amendment to remove the private school portion of her bill and advance an Education Savings Account of $500 for educational expenses for public school and homeschooled students.
However, committee members denied a motion to reconsider the bill. It will advance to full chamber.
After the committee hearing, Axtman said the bill that passed the House is leaving out a “key component” of school choice – public school students. She said she also worries about rural students with limited choices because new charter schools probably won’t make their way into deeply rural areas.
“I think we are missing a huge segment of choice for those students,” Axtman said.
“I’ve always from day one been a supporter of a universal pro-
gram that is truly universal so I’m disappointed we couldn’t get there.”
Armstrong recommended $44.3 million in his preliminary budget in January for a potential Education Savings Account program that would cover public, private and homeschooled students.
North Dakota United, a union representing public school teachers and other state employees, opposes Education Savings Accounts. Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United, said the private school vouchers will only benefit a small selection of North Dakota students.
“I think the governor is going to look long and hard at it and, ultimately, the voters will,” Archuleta said. “We don’t believe it provides school choice. We believe that it’s the school’s choice to educate whom they choose to educate in that particular bill, so we weren’t in favor of that bill and still aren’t.”
This article was originally published on the North Dakota Monitor website on April 21, 2025. Visit www.northdakotamonitor.com.
North Dakota Senate Kills Mandated Reporter Bill Spurred By Holmberg Case
MICHAEL ACHTERLING NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR
The North Dakota Senate voted down a resolution Thursday that related to mandated reporting requirements for public officials, a proposal prompted by the sex crime conviction of former Sen. Ray Holmberg.
The North Dakota Young Republicans proposed House Resolution 3037 after reading a sentencing memo filed by a federal prosecutor last month that alleged Holmberg had a pattern of exploiting boys and young men. Holmberg, a Grand Forks Republican, pleaded guilty to traveling to Prague with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
The resolution urged the 2027 Legislature to consider making public officials mandated reporters. North Dakota law requires mandated reporters to report
abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable people to local authorities or law enforcement.
Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, said the resolution seemed like a “political knee-jerk reaction” that does not accomplish anything of substance, only to ask future lawmakers to think about crafting a new law.
“I just want to remind this body today as we consider this resolution that we are working on these things and we’re doing fruitful things on these things,” said Myrdal, who highlighted other legislation that aims to protect children from exploitation.
Myrdal acknowledged that people were horrified to learn about their legislative colleague’s behavior. But she said many of the positions that require mandated reporting are for positions that work directly with children, which lawmakers do not generally do.
Sen. Kristin Roers, R-Fargo, said she is a mandated reporter as a nurse but worries that if the requirement was expanded to in-
clude lawmakers she would need to report testimony she receives as chair of the Senate Human Services Committee that may have already been reported.
“Are we going to end up creating a system in which we are bogging down our system and pulling away people who are doing the really, really important work, those child protection workers?” Roers said. She added the Legislature may not want to insert itself into a system that is working well today.
Mandated reporters are required to get updated training, said Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo.
“People need training,” Mathern said. “It’s not that simple to differentiate these cases.”
The Senate killed the resolution on a majority voice vote.
The resolution passed the House unanimously on April 7.
This article was originally published on the North Dakota Monitor website on April 18, 2025. Visit www.northdakotamonitor.com.
National
Trump Backs Hegseth After Second Group Chat
Revelation
JENNIFER SHUTT NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR
President Donald Trump said Monday he fully supports the secretary of Defense, despite The New York Times reporting over the weekend that Pete Hegseth shared details of a bombing campaign in Yemen in a second group chat, this time with his wife and brother.
“Ask the Houthis how much dysfunction there is?” Trump said, referring to the Iranian-backed terrorist organization that operates in Yemen. “There’s none. Pete’s doing a great job. Everybody’s happy with him.”
The New York Times published an article Sunday detailing a second group chat on the encrypt-
ed, commercial messaging app Signal, where Hegseth shared information about U.S. military plans.
Hegseth, asked during the White House Easter Egg roll on Monday about the latest New York Times report, didn’t deny that he sent messages in another group chat.
“What a big surprise that a few leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax, won’t give back their Pulitzers, they got Pulitzers for a bunch of lies,” Hegseth said. “As they peddle those lies no one ever calls them on it. See, this is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations.”
The New York Times report was the second time in less than a month that Hegseth’s discussion of military operations on the app came to light.
Someone on a chat meant to comprise only high-level administration officials accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who published an article in late March on the experience.
That group chat included Vice President J.D. Vance, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and others. In that chat, Hegseth shared a precise timeline of U.S. bombing of Houthi targets in Yemen.
The Defense Department’s
Office of the Inspector General opened an investigation earlier this month “to determine the extent to which the Secretary of Defense and other DoD personnel complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for official business. Additionally, we will review compliance with classification and records retention requirements.”
The OIG investigation came after U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Jack Reed, D-R.I., sent a letter to the acting inspector general asking the independent watchdog agency to look into the issue.
While Trump and most congressional Republicans continued to back Hegseth, Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon raised concerns Monday about the oper-
ational security risk of communicating on “perceived secure applications” like Signal.
In a social media post that did not name Hegseth or specifically reference Signal, Bacon wrote that “admin officials must assume their phones are closely monitored by China & Russia.”
“They’re top priority targets. Our adversaries can put thousands of people in position just to monitor their phones & to penetrate perceived secure applications on non-secure phones,” Bacon wrote. “I’ve assumed my phones were monitored since I was a Colonel in Iraq & as Commander at Ramstein.”
This article was originally published on the North Dakota Monitor website on April 21, 2025. Visit www.northdakotamonitor.com. *Experienced Preferred* Scale House Operator 12 hour days
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Through a Lutheran Lens
MUSIC SPEAKS WHEN WORDS FAIL: THE FINAL
NOTE
PASTOR ZACH HARRIS FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH
Love. Love is a simple word. It is a universal human concept that transcends languages, cultures and geography. In fact, it so transcends such boundaries that it oftentimes is the tie that binds such artificial divisions together. From the Capulets and Montagues to the Hatfields and McCoys, it is a bridge that knows no bounds. Love is a word that acts just as readily as a noun of profound esteem, to a verb both of gentle incline as well as a fervent command of a Savior’s blessed Hope. Yes, for a simple word, Love is rich in its texture of meaning!
These past two months in particular, I have tried to use the gracious gift of this column as well as other venues to illustrate contrasts by which we could more fully understand the richness of Love that is gifted by our Creator. It is indeed the very nature of God to simply be Perfect Love, as a state of being, which is the antidote to fear as scripture attests. And particularly, as we have just experienced on Easter Sunday and now with a whole season of Easter ahead, we are reminded that God’s Son, Jesus, is indeed that perfected Love poured into our world to walk with us and show us the way.
For the better part of this past year, in perhaps a wider variety of ways than I am able to remember, through about 40 articles, that’s really what I’ve been trying to communicate. Lots of words have gone into the mix since a Superhero VBS the first week of June last year (with that same annual event peaking over the horizon again for this June). But though Easter Day’s sermons have been preached, the crescendo won’t be reached until this coming Sunday. Because as much as I’d like to think that a story alone is all you need, one of my favorite slogans says it best: Music Speaks When Words Fail. If this were not so,
wouldn’t the complexity of Love just always be tied to those three words: “I Love You,” and not to the infinite number of Love Songs that not only already exist, but are constantly being written every day?
That’s why, this weekend, you have the opportunity to hear the Easter story of God’s Love in Jesus in the Cantata, “Lamb of God,” at either 9:30 a.m. or 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary of First Lutheran Church on Main Street. It is a huge, beautiful, artistic experience of the story brought about by the cooperation of musicians, singers and leaders from across denominations, geography, skill sets and any human made boundary you can imagine. Sponsored by First Lutheran Church and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, over half a dozen denominations are represented along with Harmonic Creative World, Williston State College and members of the Minot Orchestra. This is the event that puts the emotional exclamation point on this message that I have tried with so many words to express. And you are invited!
On a final note, this is the last issue of this weekly version of my column. I want to express my great gratitude to the editorial team that has supported and encouraged my creative and theological exploration of such a simple message through a wide variety of topics that would otherwise have found no other outlet. There may be a possibility that this column is resurrected in a slightly different format on a less frequent form in the future, but if you find yourself missing this kind of peculiar mix of abstract yet practical Gospel-Love wrapped in modern metaphors you can check me out Sundays on the radio, Facebook Live or in person at First Lutheran or stop by my office which is my very own Fortress of Solitude/ Batcave. It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to share with you. May God bless you this Easter season and always with God’s unconquerable, unconditional, and unchanging Love
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