Steve Brandt did a nice job of outlining a very real problem in the MPS. The solution to the problem is another story. http://www.startribune.com/stories/1592/4826700.html The fixes mentioned aren't really fixes; the one because it just simply won't work, and the other because it doesn't directly address the problem of teacher assignment. The MN Senate bill is about teacher pay incentives with regard to student achievement and professional performance. The Pawlenty idea, with apparently input from interim supt. David Jennings, would work if Minneapolis was a third world dictatorship; it ain't gonna happen with the current highly competent staff of Minneapolis teachers. Teachers and the teacher union are more than aware of the problem and are willing to have the system change - they just don't want to be the ones to pay the bill. It's a shame that Jennings didn't put some energy into revising the system when he had the chance, and the governor's ear, instead of ignoring the agreed upon procedures of the contract at every turn. Pawlenty's approach would be laughed at by anyone with real world business experience. A good sales manager wouldn't put new recruits on the toughest accounts, but neither would they order the veterans to take the accounts without perks or compensation, unless they had absolutely no competition. And as Jennings has more than once pointed out, the MPS is not without competition. Trying to fix problems on the cheap will only lead to more problems. Dan McGuire Ericsson
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
