Ben Bakeberg | |
State House: | Minnesota |
District: | 54B |
Predecessor: | Tony Albright |
Term Start: | January 3, 2023 |
Constituency: | 54B (2023-present) |
Birth Date: | 15 July 1978 |
Residence: | Jordan, Minnesota |
Education: | University of Northwestern – St. Paul (BS) Minnesota State University, Mankato (MS) |
Party: | Republican |
Spouse: | Lindy |
Children: | 3 |
Ben Bakeberg (born July 15, 1978) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2023. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Bakeberg represents District 54B south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Prior Lake and parts of Scott County.[1] [2]
Bakeberg received his Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of Northwestern - St. Paul, and his Master's in science in education leadership from Minnesota State University Mankato.
He worked as the principal of Jordan Middle School in Jordan, Minnesota.[3]
Bakeberg was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2022. He first ran after redistricting and after five-term Republican incumbent Tony Albright announced he would not seek reelection and resigned to take a lobbying job.[4]
Bakeberg serves on the Education Finance and Education Policy Committees.
Bakeberg opposed legislation that would require Minnesota high schools to offer an ethnic studies course, saying "local school districts across the state are already doing this, and they don't need us to mandate".[5] He said a bill guaranteeing one daily breakfast and lunch to all students would not eliminate hunger or school lunch debt because some children may choose to get extra meals.[6] During a committee hearing on the state's literacy requirements, Bakeberg said that whole language and balanced literacy programs were "quite possibly one of the greatest frauds in education in the past 40 years".[7]
Bakeberg lives in Jordan, Minnesota, with his wife, Lindy, and has three children.