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Eleven former School Board members signed this critique of the Red Plan. (At
least four other retired School Board members not listed are disgusted with the
Red Plan)
Press Conference Statement by Former Duluth Public Schools Board Members
On behalf of a distinguished group of former School Board members who have served in the best interest of the students in the Duluth Public School, we are compelled to express our lack of support of Superintendent Dixon and the proponents of the red plan on the School Board.
Contrary to their repeated illusions that a "few opponents" are fighting against the red plan, our experience is the exact opposite. We hear objections and concerns from all sectors of our community. Citizens are angry about the inability to vote on the largest financial burden thrust upon a community in the history of Minnesota.
We hear from frustrated citizens that their voices have been ignored as they write letters, place phone calls, send emails and attend School Board meetings.
We are particularly concerned about the following issues:
• We reject the focus on buildings before educational programs are defined and funded. Preparing our students for careers in a 21St century global economy must be the priority.
• The District is currently in debt and already has increased class sizes and cut programs for students.
• The contention that district building needs have been ignored for the past two decades is simply not accurate. Verifiable evidence shows that in the past 15 years, with the support of the community and former School Board members, this District has spent in excess of 37 million dollars.
• We cannot support dividing our District along East/West lines. This undermines longstanding desegregation efforts.
• The state has warned about minimal resources for schools. Economic indicators and projections on local, state, and national levels signal distress. This community simply cannot afford the red plan.
Our knowledge of our public schools finds that the red plan is excessive and unwarranted. We encourage the Superintendent and School Board to listen to these concerns and either put the red plan to a vote or abandon this ill-conceived and illadvised plan and explore an affordable solution that meets the educational needs of our students. Until that happens, a lack of support and trust will plague this administration and School Board.
Kay Frederickson, Brad Bennett, George Balach, Robert Bodin, Richard Paulson, Lloyd Vienneau, Tony Stauber, Ruth Crassweller, Robert Boyd, Harry Welty, LeRoy Moore.
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