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Should the Minneapolis School Board vote to opt out of the state mandate that students recite the Pledge of Allegiance each week? Yes No Current Results

WASTEFUL SPENDING EXPOSED:  The Office of Student Engagement  School Food Service Propaganda

These articles by Doug Mann, with editing for clarity and length by Dr. Vinny. Log on to Doug's website at http://educationright.tripod.com for more of his views on a plethora of important issues.

PART I -- Reverse Racism is Not the Issue!

The coalition of groups and individuals that came together in opposition to the appointment of David Jennings is calling for "...a more open process that includes input from the community..." [Jennings Withdraws, Insight News, October 15, 2003]

The School Board welcomes public input like the devil welcomes holy water.  The board has thus far refused to commit itself to an open, competitive bidding process with opportunities for public input. They still have the option of hiring Jennings, and fighting it out in court, if Jennings changes his mind.

Some of us who opposed the appointment of Jennings also opposed the appointment of Carol Johnson because there was no open bidding process or opportunities for public input. And some of us don't like how the schools are being run.

In the Sunday, October 12, 2003 Star Tribune, editor Jim Boyd complained about "reverse racism" as a factor motivating opposition to the Jennings appointment.  For some it was a factor, if not THE factor, but the Star Tribune never complained about "reverse racism" when it served to stifle dissent and paralyze opposition to the status quo.

City Pages education beat reporter, Britt Robson, also made race THE issue in his article "white meat." -- Give that man a job at the Strib! -- Robson writes,

"Why did lawyers filing an injunction against Jennings' appointment claim that the school board didn't follow affirmative action guidelines in making its decision? And note that [the black church coalition's] Bill English told MPS officials at the community forum where Jennings was roasted, "When you start looking for a permanent superintendent, you've got to look for an educator, preferably, and let me be very clear, a black educator." -- White Meat, by Britt Robson

Good points, though I should note that affirmative action guidelines usually call for a competitive search process. Bill English supported the appointment of Carol Johnson without a competitive search process or opportunities for public input. However, Bill English and the black church coalition are not THE opposition, nor are their views necessarily consistent with those of a majority of people who oppose the Jennings appointment.

PART II -- Why Public Input Is Necessary

By what criteria should we evaluate superintendent candidates? If the most important things are public relations skills, political savvy, and connections with the business community, David Jennings is definitely qualified for the job.

If the district's top priorities are boosting student achievement and closing the gap, then we need to identify what systemic factors are contributing to differences in test scores, graduation rates, disciplinary actions, etc. We'd then need a superintendent who knows how to obtain and apply that information. Certainly, experience as a teacher and school administrator would be very helpful, if not essential.

But is it possible to improve, even with experienced administrators? Sure. Here's a private-sector problem I solved with data and experience:

Years ago, I identified and corrected problems with the table service at a Denny's restaurant which resulted in a large average difference in tips received by black and white customers. I was a waiter with experience as a cook and assumed the role of team leader. The goal: boosting tip income and closing the tipping gap. The problem: crappy service. I identified the biggest problems with the service by gathering and breaking down data in a systematic way. The data led me to one conclusion that I had not expected to reach: With consistently good service it is possible to completely eliminate the racial tipping gap. That also led to a radical change in how I felt about serving black customers.

Data on student achievement in math and reading gathered by the national assessment for educational progress, and from other sources, show that the public schools were boosting student achievement and closing the gap during the 1970s and early 1980s. At one time they were doing it...and we can do it again. We just need the right people and the right information. Additionally, the broader school community has an essential role to play in carrying out and supporting changes in school policy that will boost student achievement and close the gap. That's why we need to consider the what and the how before making a decision about the who. And that's why public input is necessary.

About the Author: Doug Mann is a South Minneapolis resident who has been a gadfly in local education politics for many years. Mann also ran unsuccessful campaigns for the Minneapolis School Board in 1999, 2001, and 2002. Vinny's Education Coalition, the operator of SouthHighSucks.com, found him to be the best candidate for the 2002 general election. Mann continues to be involved in local education issues, and frequently participates in the Minneapolis-Issues List, in addition to operating his own website, http://educationright.tripod.com, where he regularly posts new articles of interest to education reform advocates. Mann's writings will also appear right here at SouthHighSucks.com on an occasional basis.

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