South St. Paul students re-design the MN state flag as the debate moves through the legislature
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The design of the Minnesota state flag is once again up for debate this session, and the DFL-controlled Congress is hoping this is the year they get it passed.
Some argue the state seal on the flag highlights the troubling past of the pioneers pushing the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes out of Minnesota.
"When that state seal was made in 1858, Henry Sibley who designed it, wanted the Indian traveling west and leaving Minnesota," said Scott Wilkie, a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.
Others argue the flag breaks the rules of vexillology and isn't memorable.
A 7th-grade history class, within South St. Paul Public Schools, has been learning about Bills HF274 and SF386, and the flag's history, and now they are taking on the idea of re-designing the state flag.
"It bothers me kind of," said Hopie Nelson, a 7th grader at SSPPS, "Our state bird, the loon, I'd like to recognize that more on a flag."
"If it's brighter and simplistic, people will be more proud of it, rather than the big seal we have," said Avery Kvilhaug, a 7th grader.
"I think we should remake it to make it more of what Minnesota is today," said Wren Frayne, a 7th grader.
These students' history teacher, Mark Westpfahl, used his graphic design background to take the students' state flag redesigns and make them real.
"I wanted to incorporate it into my class because it taught us a little bit more about the government process, in general, but it also gave my students an opportunity to explore what our state flag really mean," said Westpfahl.
One of the designs created by 7th grader Marrissa Miller mainly looks like a loon, but she says there's even more hidden meaning to it. The blue on the flag represents the rivers and lakes, the red loon eye also represents Fort Snelling, and the white dots of the loon stand for all the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota.
"Everyone should be included in it," said Miller.
Westpfahl hopes these flag ideas make their way in front of lawmakers, so they can be part of the history they're learning about.
"We can always tell more of the story. It's not that we're taking away from the story that was there," said Westpfahl.
This bill continues to move through senate and house committees. If it passes, the bill says the redesign would need to be done by January of next year.
For more information on this bill, click here.