>From today's PPress:
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/8728536.htm
"After a high-ranking state senator earlier this week
said that Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools
"suck," educators took notice."
"But Dick Day, the Senate minority leader known for
his combativeness, wasn't backing down much when
contacted Friday."
"My comments probably should have been, like, St. Paul
schools are horrible, or totally inadequate."
"His TV interview also referenced the public schools'
graduation rate, which Harvey corrected in her letter.
She noted that two-thirds of St. Paul students
graduate from high school in four years � a figure
higher than he had mentioned."
"He also took a shot at Education Minnesota, the
statewide teachers union, which he said endorses
DFLers almost exclusively, helped drive the rejection
of Yecke and is averse to the type of educational
changes she wanted to put in place."
[TS] Senator Day could have been a bit more tactical
with his statement (i.e.: *most* MPLS and SP schools
suck), there are a few schools that have improved
slightly, but he is in the main correct.
I feel bad for Superintendent Harvey. I think that she
has tried very hard to work with what she has, but is
constantly behind a rock (Ed. MN) and a hard place
(the consequences of having liberal idealogues and
union implants run the show).
I also think that Dr. Harvey could have worked with
Commisioner Yecke. They are both very concerned about
the decline in public education and are not afraid to
stand their ground.
I will always remember how Dr. Harvey performed very
gracefully when the AFT test drove it's three hand
picked new school board members over Dr. Harvey's
attempt to enact real accountability in the district.
However, unless she has new information from this
year, the district's data for the past five years
shows that Sen. Day's graduation failure rates were
closer to the mark than the Superintendants. I find it
hard to criticize Dr. Harvey though, it's gotta hurt
to have the your best efforts fail to produce
comensurate results.
In any case, I applaud Senator Day's efforts to put a
spotlight on the sorry state of our schools in MPLS
and St. Paul. I've written to thank him and to
encourage him to take advantage of the misinformation
Ed. MN is sure to counter with and to offer him the
use of the considerable pile of documentation I've
compiled over the past seven years.
TJSwift
Cherokee Park Protectorate
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