Bemidji, Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bemidji High School English teacher is on paid leave. The district is weighing possible termination.
Bemidji Area Schools placed teacher Gina Bernard on a two-week paid leave. The action followed complaints about a story used in class. The story reportedly contained graphic sexual language.
What happened in class
Bernard taught the story in a creative writing class. She shared her account on Facebook. She said the story was not approved this year. She said she believed it had been approved.
Bernard wrote that the reading was left off last year’s curriculum request. She said she tried to add it again this year. She said a miscommunication kept it off the list. She said she taught it after that.
School officials have not named the story publicly. The district has not released the text. It is unclear how many students heard it.
Prior discipline and current review
Bernard also faced discipline in 2023. That case involved a movie version of the same story. District leaders have not shared details of that discipline.
The district has not released a public complaint summary. It has not said what grade level was involved. It has not said what policy may have been violated.
School board meeting details
A closed special meeting of the Bemidji School Board is set for Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. The meeting begins at 7 a.m. It will be held at the Downtown Education Center.
The board is expected to review the allegations and discuss next steps. Termination is one possible outcome. Superintendent Jeremy Olson said he cannot comment. He said it is a personnel matter.
Minnesota law allows some meetings to be closed. Closed meetings also have rules. The state explains when closures are allowed. It also explains notice and recording rules.
- Minnesota Statute 13D.05 outlines the rules for closed meetings.
- Minnesota Data Practices explains closing a meeting.
- The district posts board info on its Board of Education page.
What we know and what we don’t
Reports say the story included graphic sexual imagery. The exact title is still unknown. No criminal charges have been announced. The district has not said if an outside review is underway.
More details may come after the board meets. Families can watch for updates on district channels.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.