Legislator: Audit ‘divisive’ microaggressions training

‘America is the land of opportunity,’ ‘America is a melting pot,’ and ‘what are you doing for Christmas’ are possible microaggressions, according to training documents.

By Jenna Gloeb, Alpha News– March 20, 2025

After Alpha News exposed Minnesota state leadership training that labeled the Republican Party as “overtly” white supremacist, a state employee has come forward with details on additional training sessions that they describe as divisive and ideological.

According to the employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, a “microaggressions” training was a course offered by the Department of Revenue that workers were required to take. The employee said they were made to complete it, shortly after being assigned to an “Anti-Racism” training session.

The employee recalled that the training framed certain common interactions as offensive, particularly for white employees.

“The Microaggressions class could basically be summed up as explaining all the different ways minorities should be offended and how white people should tread carefully,” the employee stated. “One example of this, as explained by the instructor, was that you should never ask anyone where they are from. It implies that they don’t belong. At the same time, we are encouraged to get to know each other’s cultures … It seems like a no-win situation. The material was just petty.”

Course described as ideological and divisive

The employee noted that the instructor, who identified as being from the Appalachian region, claimed that mispronouncing “Appalachia” was also considered a microaggression.

The source said the training created an environment where employees who were not part of a minority group were made to feel like they were constantly in the wrong.

“The intent, it seemed, was to keep anyone who is not part of a minority community in a position of always feeling wrong and afraid to say anything for fear of being wrong,” they said. “I choose not to view the world that way, and it all seemed like hateful, divisive rhetoric.”

The source provided documents from the training, including one that lists several examples of possible microaggressions. The examples include statements such as “the most qualified person should get the job,” “America is the land of opportunity,” “America is a melting pot,” “affirmative action is racist,” “what are you doing for Christmas?” and “there is only one race, the human race.”

“Being forced to choose Male or Female when completing basic forms,” states another example.

Other documents inform employees on how they should respond to microaggressions and what they should do if they are “being addressed” because of a microaggression.

Altered calendar appointments after training controversy

Following Alpha News’ initial report exposing the state’s “White Supremacy Culture – Still Here” training document, the employee said there have been changes to records.

“We use MS Outlook for all of our scheduling, and last week I received a notification from [Minnesota Management and Budget] that a calendar appointment was being changed,” they said. It was a previous “meeting in which the White Supremacy training took place. Now it looks as if it was never scheduled.”

Additionally, the source said many classes within the state’s management training program have been canceled for a review of materials.

“Since the white supremacy dialogue was woven into all of the classes in Manager Core, that isn’t a surprise,” stated the employee.

Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Erin Campbell told a House committee this month that her agency would begin a comprehensive review of training materials, starting with the manager and supervisor core training programs.

Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, who co-chairs the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee, said he has received additional complaints from state employees since Campbell’s testimony on the previous training.

“After Commissioner Campbell came to committee to talk through the training on Christian hegemony and white extremism, I began getting emails from other state employees that brought other trainings to my attention. In these emails was information on a politically charged training on microaggressions and other topics,” Nash said.

“I’ve been told that after scrutiny has been brought to bear on training that new training sessions are being removed from calendars. I am coming to believe that there were and are other types of anti-Christian, anti-white, and other troubling topics. We need to have a comprehensive audit of the training materials we have at the state of Minnesota.”

State responds to concerns about training

The Minnesota Department of Revenue confirmed that the microaggressions training is part of the department’s new employee onboarding program and is strongly encouraged, but insisted it was not mandatory.

The department stated that the goal of the training is to bring awareness to microaggressions and to align with the “Respectful Workplace Policy,” which includes microaggressions as a form of disrespectful behavior, whether intentional or unintentional.

“Microaggressions, which may have the appearance of being harmless. Microaggressions include comments, behavior, or other interactions that intentionally or unintentionally communicate hostility or bias toward a person who might identify as being a member of a marginalized group or nonmainstream community. Comments, behavior, or other interactions are often rooted in a bias towards a certain group,” the policy says.

When asked how the Department of Revenue responds to concerns that the training is divisive or discourages open dialogue in the workplace, they stated:

“Inclusion is one of our core values and Revenue is committed to an inclusive work environment that values each employee and reflects the communities we serve. As part of our commitment to professional development, we offer training programs that enhance communication and inclusivity, including a course on microaggressions. This training helps employees understand diverse perspectives and how everyday interactions may be perceived by individuals from different backgrounds. The goal is to strengthen teamwork and improve customer interactions, ensuring that everyone feels respected and valued.”

The Department of Revenue confirmed to Alpha News that the training is still in use.

PHOTO: Left: Rep. Jim Nash/Minnesota House; Right: Screenshot from training materials.