Is a Minneapolis daycare hiding something behind bizarre wall photos, or is this just another overblown controversy?
The ABC Learning Center, a Somali-run facility in Minneapolis, has landed in hot water amid allegations of fraud, with independent journalist Nick Shirley exposing an apparently empty building despite hefty taxpayer funding, while peculiar stock images on the walls have only fueled suspicion.
Over $1 million in public funds from the Child Care Assistance Program flowed to this center in the last fiscal year alone, even as the building stood empty.
The trouble started when Shirley’s report revealed a daycare that seemed devoid of children, despite claims of serving dozens. Questions quickly mounted about how such a facility could justify its funding.
ABC Learning Center’s director, Ahmed Hasan, pushed back, inviting Associated Press reporters inside to counter the narrative. He insists the center enrolls 56 children and operates normally.
“There's no fraud happening here,” Hasan declared. With all due respect, sir, an empty-looking building and over a million in funding don’t exactly scream transparency—let’s see the proof.
Things got weirder when viewers of Shirley’s video noticed random stock images—or possibly AI-generated pictures—plastered on the center’s walls, including under a “science” label. Online speculation exploded, with some suggesting these photos might conceal something unrelated to childcare.
“I wanna know what's under those stock photos,” one anonymous user on X mused. Call it a conspiracy if you must, but when decor looks more like a cover-up than a curriculum, eyebrows deservedly rise.
Since the video dropped, the center has faced harassing phone calls, which is unfortunate and uncalled for. Criticism must stay civil, but so must accountability—state regulators already conduct routine checks, so let’s hope they dig deeper.
Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families stepped in, inspecting nine facilities flagged in Shirley’s reporting, including ABC Learning Center. Their findings? Most centers, including this one, were “operating as expected” with children present at eight of nine locations during visits.
Still, the state agency is gathering evidence for further review, which is the bare minimum taxpayers should expect. With one center not even open during inspection, skepticism remains warranted.
On the federal level, the Department of Health and Human Services has frozen funding, demanding Governor Tim Walz audit the implicated centers. Walz, meanwhile, has decided against running for re-election amid a scandal costing billions in taxpayer dollars—a move that hardly inspires confidence in state oversight.
This daycare drama ties into a broader wave of fraud concerns within Minnesota’s Somali community, a topic amplified in recent political discourse around immigration policy. From a conservative lens, securing borders and vetting programs isn’t about prejudice—it’s about protecting public resources for legal residents.
While Hasan and state officials claim compliance, the strange wall decor and funding discrepancies keep questions alive. Minnesota must meet a federal deadline to report on childcare fund recipients, or risk losing support altogether—a consequence no one wants.
Ultimately, this isn’t just about one daycare; it’s about trust in systems meant to serve vulnerable families. If even a fraction of these allegations holds water, the damage to public faith could be lasting. For now, let’s demand answers, not assumptions, and ensure every penny serves its purpose.
