'How can black lives matter if black minds don’t matter?' St. Paul BLM founder slams organization for being 'racist' against black children

Rashad Turner, the founder of the St. Paul, Minnesota chapter of Black Lives Matter, who went viral last week after talking about why he walked away from the organization, spoke with Fox News Wednesday on how the organization is "racist" against black kids because of their opposition to school choice.

In a video posted last week from the organization TakeCharge, Turner said Black Lives Matter’s stance on education what the main driving reason to why he left the group. "However, after a year on the inside, I learned they had little concern for rebuilding black families, and they cared even less about improving the quality of education for students in Minneapolis. That was made clear when they publicly denounced charter schools alongside the teachers union," said Turner.

"I was an insider in Black Lives Matter. And I learned the ugly truth. The moratorium on charter schools does not support rebuilding the black family. But it does create barriers to a better education for black children," he continued.

In an interview with Fox & Friends First Wednesday, Turner elaborated on the organization’s stance on education, and why it hurts the kids the organization says it fights for.

"Look, I think we can all agree the lives of black people matter, if you don’t agree with that statement, you’re a racist, but the organization BLM, what is the ugly truth that you discovered?" asked host Todd Piro.

"Well I think you hit it on the head right there. Alright, when you call for a moratorium on charter schools, that is a direct attack on black families, on black children," said Turner. "The question I always ask folks, how can black lives matter if black minds don’t matter?"

"So the organization raised $90 million in 2020. And I’m curious where that money is going. And if that money is going to help black families to help black children?" Jilian Mele asked.

Turner stated that Minnesota has the "worst in nation education gaps," adding that in many schools in the state, four out of five kids cannot read. "I would say that money’s not coming to Minnesota, alright? If we had $90 million, heck children will be up here reading, our schools would be better."

Turner adds that much of the money BLM had received came from teachers unions, unions which he argues "kill our children’s hopes and dreams."

"When you think about that $90 million, where it comes from, BLM has been co-opted," said Turner. "They’ve been co-opted by teachers unions, specifically at the national level, the American Federation of Teachers, and here locally in Minnesota, Education Minnesota. These teachers unions own the Democrats, they own BLM, and teachers unions, in my opinion, they kill our children’s hopes and dreams."

"For decades, blacks have been prevented from getting the same quality education as whites. It’s a fact, it’s reality. Why does the education system though, seem to be allowed to suppress blacks like it does?" Piro asked.

Turner explained that the teachers union in Minnesota, Minnesota Education, in 94 percent white, "yet they walk around acting like they’re so woke, that they understand what’s best for black children."

He said that the teachers unions "spend about $30-$50 million a year here in Minnesota" controlling politicians like Governor Tim Walz.

Turner argued that school choice and charter schools create opportunities for these kids the school system is failing.

"We have to start listening to parents. I mean, there’s no way on earth, after these two past school years, that folks can think that things like education savings accounts, aren’t going to be good for families," Turner continued. "I’ll tell you, there’s not one black family in my neighborhood here in St. Paul, that has said, ‘Hey, we don’t want that money to follow our child.’ Anyone who’s in opposition to school choice, charter schools, you’re right, I’d say they’re a racist. Because we know that charter schools are creating opportunities, we know that that money that is supposed to be educating our children."