Steve Brandt did a good job on this group of stories. It seems like he's really getting an understanding of the district and the issues. In my opinion, the most useful of the pieces is the outline of the five crucial areas for the district to address, Are Minneapolis schools locked in a death spiral? http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4716667.html. The interview with Jennings was easily the least useful, but he will be needing a new job soon so running his picture again is consistent with all of the promotion the Strib has provided his career. I've heard that there are approximately 100 qualified applicants for superintendent job. A follow up on the financial part of the question would be useful. This notion that closing schools will actually save money needs to be proven. In order to prove the notion, the public will need to understand significantly more of the financial details. And before any course of action is taken, a long range cost benefit analysis of multiple options is in order. We need to consider the possibility that some of the "empty " spaces can be used in years ahead for classrooms or some other needed function. Tearing them down and rebuilding five or ten years down the road might cost a lot more than the short term "savings." We are capable of and must insist on informed, reasonable actions supported by a strong consensus. Dan McGuire Ericsson
List Manager wrote: > Beginning with an anecdote about how School Board chair Sharon Henry Blythe > may not send her own child to city schools in the future, Steve Brandt > examines the bad (and good) of Minneapolis schools. Here are links to the > package that ran Monday: > > Minneapolis public schools are hurting, but their strengths could help them > survive. Two faces of urban schools > http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4716608.html > > The bad: A variety of ways out; not enough test success or money > http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4718602.html > > The good: A variety of classes and cultures; some test success > http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4716698.html > > David Jennings interview > http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4716785.html > > Are Minneapolis schools locked in a death spiral? > http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4716667.html > > David Brauer > List manager > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL > PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
