http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=47607&sID=13
Many candidates, like David Dayhoff, agreed that the school system is failing because of a lack of vision and clear strategies. Dayhoff said the school board is suffering from "bungled" policies, "disastrous" school-closing plans, and a "massive stampede of children out of the district."
"I cannot sit on the sidelines any longer,"Dayhoff said. "For four years we have been stuck in a vicious cycle of massive budget cuts. The board's response is [that] we're going to do what we did last year, but less of it."
Dayhoff pointed out that the huge exodus of students out of the urban schools to the suburban school districts makes the situation even worse. "The problem is not White flight, but Black flight,"Dayhoff said. Dayhoff said the rates of Black students transferring out of the Minneapolis district is 7.8 percent per year, while the transfer of White students is 3.5 percent per year.
Kudos to Henry-Blythe for standing up to the Teachers Union here. Is this the reason she didn't get DFL endorsement?
Incumbent candidate Henry-Blythe said within the district there are institutional and structural issues and "dirty little secrets" in the district that need to be discussed. Henry-Blythe said the high level of teacher turnover rates and the inability to match teachers to children are due to a rigid union contract.
"I understand these agreements were made to protect adults, but the pendulum has swung too far from the center and our children are being hurt, and the achievement gap will never be closed," Henry-Blythe said. She added that seniority has caused some schools to experience a 200 percent teacher turnover rate in three years.
Eva Young Near North Minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blog is up: http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
Saying creationism deserves equal time with the theory of evolution in the classroom is like saying I deserve equal time with Pavarotti at the Sydney Opera House.
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