The Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 is a school district in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, northwest of

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

and

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

. The district serves 13 communities: All of Anoka, Champlin and Coon Rapids, and parts of

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia * Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Ando ...

, Blaine,

Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Center is a first-ring suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. In 1911, the area became a village formed from parts of Brooklyn Township and Crystal Lake Township. I ...

, Brooklyn Park,

Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...

, Fridley, Ham Lake, Nowthen, Oak Grove and Ramsey. The district's name refers to its geographic span over two counties: it covers the southern portion of

Anoka County Anoka County ( ) is the fourth-most-populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 363,887. The county seat and namesake of the county is the city of Anoka, which is derived from the Dakota word ''an ...

and the northeast part of Hennepin County. The district was formed in 1920 and in 1952 after dozens of small rural school districts voted to consolidate. The superintendent is Mr. David Law, who has since taken up a position with Minnetonka Schools. An interim will be named in June to serve a year. As of the 2012–13 school year, it is the largest school district in Minnesota with an enrollment of 37,880, students in grades K–12. Additional students attend pre-k programs as well as adults who are earning a diploma or GED through the district's Adult Basic Education program.

School Board

Anoka-Hennepin is governed by a board whose members are elected to four-year terms.

Controversy

Between 2009 and 2011, nine students in Anoka-Hennepin committed suicide; the area is designated by state health officials as a " suicide contagion area." Many of these students were gay or perceived by their classmates to be gay, leading to bullying. The district is the subject of a federal investigation by the

U.S. Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...

and the

Office for Civil Rights The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is a sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Education that is primarily focused on enforcing civil rights laws prohibiting schools from engaging in discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex ...

in the

U.S. Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...

over the climate of anti-gay harassment and discrimination based on sex, including peer-on-peer harassment based on not conforming to gender stereotypes. Anoka-Hennepin is in the congressional district represented by Tom Emmer. The district received criticism for it
Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy
(Feb. 2009) because it stated that teachers should be neutral when addressing issues of sexual orientation in their classrooms. Critics said this "neutrality policy" prevented acceptance and open discussion of LGBT people and issues in schools, and was essentially a "gag order" on teachers. District administration attempted to clarify the policy by explaining its anti-bullying and harassment policies specifically name sexual orientation as a protected class of people. The Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy stated teachers can address issues of sexual orientation in their classes provided the discussion is age-appropriate, fact-based and connected to the curriculum. In July 2011, the

Southern Poverty Law Center The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white su ...

and the

National Center for Lesbian Rights The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is a non-profit, public interest law firm in the United States that advocates for equitable public policies affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, provides free legal ...

filed a lawsuit against the district because of this policy. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of five current and former students who say that they were discriminated against because of their real or perceived sexual orientation and that teachers and district officials facilitated said violence and discrimination; a sixth student was added to the lawsuit a month later. On February 13, 2012, the policy was repealed and replaced by a vote of 5–1 with a new Respectful Learning Environment Policy. The former policy required district staff to "remain neutral on matters regarding sexual orientation," while discussing such topics "in a respectful manner that is age-appropriate, factual, and pertinent to the relevant curriculum." By comparison, the new policy states, "It is not the District's role to take positions on these issues. Teachers and educational support staff shall not attempt in the course of their professional duties to persuade students to adopt or reject any particular viewpoint with respect to these issues." It states that such discussions, "shall be appropriate to the maturity and developmental level of students; be of significance to course content; and be presented in an impartial, balanced and objective manner, allowing respectful exchange of varying points of view." Finally, the new policy states that, "In the course of discussions of such issues, district staff shall affirm the dignity and self-worth of all students, regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex/gender, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status or veteran status."Respectful Learning Environment Policy
fficial Text Pending Publication/ref>

Schools and facilities

Elementary schools

* Adams Elementary School * Andover Elementary School * Brookside Elementary School * Champlin Elementary School * Crooked Lake Elementary School * Dayton Elementary School * Eisenhower Elementary School * Evergreen Park World Studies Elementary School * Franklin Elementary School * Hamilton Elementary School * Hoover Elementary School * Jefferson Elementary School * Johnsville Elementary School * Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts * L.O. Jacob Elementary School * Madison Elementary School * McKinley Elementary School * Mississippi Elementary School * Monroe Elementary School * Morris Bye Elementary School * Oxbow Creek Elementary School * Park View Early Childhood Center * Peter Enich Kindergarten Center * Ramsey Elementary School * Riverview Specialty School for Math and Environmental Science * Rum River Elementary School * Sand Creek Elementary School * Sorteberg Elementary School * Sunrise Elementary School * University Avenue Elementary School * Washington Elementary School * Wilson Elementary School

Middle schools

* Anoka Middle School for the Arts (Fred Moore and Washington campuses) * Coon Rapids Middle School * Jackson Middle School * Northdale Middle School * Oak View Middle School * Roosevelt Middle School

Senior high schools

* Andover High School * Anoka High School * Blaine High School (includes the Center for Engineering, Mathematics and Science) * Champlin Park High School * Coon Rapids High School The district runs five specialized programs for high school students: * Crossroads Alternative High School * Secondary Technical Education Program (STEP) * Compass Alternative School (1st–12th grade) * Project Lead The Way * College in the Schools (CIS)

Other sites

* Bell Center * Bridges Program * Early Childhood at the Family Center Mall * Educational Service Center (district office) * Family Welcome Center * Learning Center and Distribution Complex (houses Community Education Department, Early Childhood Special Education and Special Education departments) * Transition Plus

Non-District schools

These public charter, private, or parochial schools are located within the Anoka-Hennepin School District but are not affiliated. * Cross of Christ * Epiphany Catholic School * Legacy Christian Academy * Northwest Passage High School * Saint Stephens Catholic School * PACT Charter School (public)

References

External links

Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 Official Website
Suburban Minneapolis School Districts Education in Anoka County, Minnesota Education in Hennepin County, Minnesota