Christin Crabtree, a 46‑year‑old resident of the Corcoran neighborhood, announced her candidacy for an at‑large seat on the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) board. With a background in education and two decades as a supply‑chain planner for a medical‑device firm, Crabtree says she brings a disciplined, audit‑focused perspective to the board.

Community roots and family experience

Crabtree taught for three years in Minneapolis Public Schools, including a stint at South High School, before leaving the classroom for a more stable job to support her family. She has volunteered for years on issues such as sexual violence and homelessness, and she has been a parent in the district for 22 years, witnessing multiple cycles of school reorganization, closures, and disinvestment.

Motivation sparked by “Metro Surge”

Last winter, during a surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota, Crabtree patrolled outside her daughter’s high school. She described a harrowing incident in which ICE agents arrived at Roosevelt High School, shoving staff and using chemical agents on students. The experience, she says, solidified her resolve to protect children from trauma and to channel that protective energy into the school district.

Policy priorities

Crabtree argues that public schools are essential to a healthy, strong city and to democracy itself. She wants to break the cycle of school closures that she believes have failed to save money and instead have deepened disinvestment. Her platform includes:

• Advocating for a legislative push to secure more state funding for MPS.
• Working to reverse the current enrollment decline, with roughly 47% of eligible students attending schools outside the district.
• Expanding popular dual‑language programs, which she says are a “heartbeat” of many schools.
• Improving transportation safety for students who would otherwise have to cross busy roads under new transformation plans.
• Ensuring that building utilization plans reflect realistic classroom counts and do not lead to blight from empty facilities.

Community engagement

Crabtree emphasizes a collaborative approach, promising to be “10 times harder” than existing district advocates and to work closely with parents, neighborhood groups, city council members, and state legislators. She believes that a positive, organized effort can restore confidence in MPS and bring families back to the district.

Election context

The at‑large board seats represent voters citywide, and two such positions will be filled in the upcoming municipal election. Crabtree’s candidacy follows a recent withdrawal of three “transformation” proposals that would have closed up to 16 schools, leaving the board with difficult decisions ahead.

For more information on Crabtree’s platform and to get involved, visit her campaign website or attend upcoming community forums.

Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.