I can see the value of the Department of Transportation broadcasting traffic
information. But at a time when low power broadcasting is just about to
come into its own, maybe the issue should be changed into an investigation
as to why the Minneapolis Schools have a radio station at all.
Because we strive to provide amazing educational experiences to students. As a graduate of North (although I was never involved with KBEM), I know many students who thrived when given such an opportunity. Working at KBEM was the kind of experience that got them excited about a potential career path, and a number of them chose to follow that dream and continue to work in broadcast media.
Minnesota Public Radio just paid a ton of money to purchase WCAL in
Northfield. Twelve million? There aren't a lot of positions on the FM
broadcast band. I would propose that $12,000,000 would buy a lot of pencils
and papers, yes, even drawing papers, so that teachers won't have to dip
into their own pockets for such items.
It is true that selling off the school system's resources could pay for pencils and paper. I'm not sure that education is all about pencils and paper, however. If it is, then perhaps we could sell off some of these buildings the school system owns...or even stop paying employees...those actions would definitely increase the available funds for the school system, and we could supply every student with plenty of pencils and paper. Of course, we wouldn't be educating them...
Let the DOT set up its own low power system paid for by gasoline taxes,
rather than enjoy a subsidy provided by the taxpayers of Minneapolis for a
Metro wide benefit.
It is KBEM that will suffer when the money from MNDOT disappears. MNDOT isn't getting a subsidy from Minneapolis--it pays KBEM for the service, which is a substantial portion of the station's budget.
What benefit does a jazz station have for the vast majority of Minneapolis
students. I would guess extremely few listen to jazz. Almost none of the
students who "study radio" in the MPS system will get jobs without having
taken courses at Brown Institute [What's this "Brown College" business?
If that's how we want to think about education, I wonder why we bother with high school. If it's just a holding pattern until going on to actual education, then it's not doing its job. However, I do think that it provides valuable educational experiences. Students who are involved in KBEM may find something they love and decide to go to Brown to further their education. I don't see anything wrong with that. I would certainly prefer that people study at Brown because they are pursuing something they love than because they needed a job and saw an ad on television.
Does anybody know how many other public school systems in the country operate full power radio stations?
Why is it that people always ask "Nobody else does that...why should we?" I am sorry, but I don't want to use other states as a standard to which we should lower our own. In the past, Minnesota has been held up as a shining example of a great educational system. I remember being so proud of the school system that I came from, and looking back on my education as an amazing gift of a state that valued its citizens. I believe that Minnesota should be the example. Other cities should look to the Minneapolis public schools as the standard for which they strive. I want to turn the question on its head--why don't more high schools have radio stations?
David Weinlick Armatage
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