Just a few quick thoughts to add to what others have said, contributed as a former kid, current parent of one still in public K-12 and one about to begin at a public university, and St. Paul School Board member: -- Public education is a state-level responsibility as specified in our state constitution. St. Paul gets about 9% of overall funding from the feds (incl things like lunch/bkfst subsidies), the vast majority from the state, and are very grateful for a local level referendum that helps close the gap -- While c. 80% of the people in St. Paul don't currently have kids in school, the majority of those adults fall into one or more of the following groups: used to have kids in public schools, will sometime have kids in public schools, or went to public schools. Everyone, everywhere benefits in some way from our having high-quality public education, from pre-K to graduate schools -- Public education is one of many public "goods" that each of us pays for by local, state, or federal taxes: roads, highways, transit; public health and welfare; medicare, medicaid, and social security; public safety; water and sewer; and so on -- whether or not we have, are, or will ever use any one of them in particular. We can certainly single one or more of these out for special scrutiny, but the broader picture is equally important. -- It's harder to influence legislative or Congressional action because there are a lot more of them to get to and they're harder to access; this is not true of your local elected officials such as school boards, city councils, and county board members. Specifically related to the St. Paul school board, see all my contact information below, or log on to http://www.spps.org/Board_of_Education.html for everyone else, as well as meeting information and minutes. -- Anne Carroll, St. Paul School Board (and EASY to reach! ;-)
------------------------------------------------------------ Anne R. Carroll Carroll, Franck & Associates Public Involvement, Strategic Planning, Communications 1357 Highland Parkway St. Paul, MN 55116 USA <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 651-690-9162 School Board: 651-690-9156 "A politician worries about the next election. A true states[wo]man worries about the next generation, and children yet unborn." - e.e. cummings "...leadership is about how you bring out the best in people. Leadership is what you give to the community you live in. Leadership is what you give to the world. Leadership is how you live an honest life... You will be more credible and you will be more powerful if you do not separate the lives you live from the words you speak." -- Paul Wellstone _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
