I was planning a different post today, but I must draw your attention to recent happenings during a Minnesota State Senate Education Committee Meeting on Wednesday, March 12, 2008. The link and relevant text follow below:
http://www.senate.mn/committees/2007-2008/education/update.htm
A package of policy provisions was approved by members of the Education Committee during a marathon hearing, Wed., Mar. 12. S.F. 3001, carried by Chair Charles Wiger (DFL-Maplewood), was advanced to the State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee ...
Hann offered an amendment removing a requirement that the majority of a charter school's board members be licensed teachers at the school. Under the amendment, the law would simply permit a majority to be teachers. We statutorily prohibit employees from serving on the board of a traditional public school, presumably because of conflict of interest concerns, he said. But in the charter school context, we have conflicting law, Hann said. The most important thing boards do is supervise senior school leadership, he said, but current law creates an untenable situation for charter schools. The amendment was not adopted.
Audio of the consideration of this amendment can be heard by following this link and scrolling down to the Education Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 12. The presentation of Senator David Hann's amendment begins at approximately 5:29:13 and ends at approximately 5:46:30.
According to Senator Hann's (Eden Prairie) testimony, he and Senator Geoff Michel (Edina) have been meeting with constituents who have children attending ERA regarding governance issues at the school. WHAT?!?!
Additionally, along with the testimony of Senator Hann, testimony was heard from the following:
- Tamara Clement, parent of two students at ERA
- Cindy Ripple, founding board member and former board chair at ERA (It is interesting to note that if you Google "Cindy Ripple Minnesota", it appears that she is now working for Nova Classical Academy.)
- Lisa Knudson, Nova Classical Academy
Remember the first post of this blog? It's time to get out of your chairs and do something about this! Call, email, write letters! Let other parents know about this blog.
We can not be the Silent Majority any longer! This blog is just the start, but my contributers and I need your help.
And once you have that letter or email to Senators Hann and Michel finished ... send it on to others. I'll make a list below of folks who need to know that you will be silent no more. If you post your letter in the comments section, I'll add it as a post.
ERA is a wonderful school! The board runs fine with teachers as the majority. (I trust them in the classroom, and I trust them that they know what is best for the school.) The only conflict is the manufactured drama of Ripple, Clement and Middleton. But this manufactured drama is poisoning the atmosphere. Look at the post by Kitty Luth. ERA is in danger of losing its best and beloved teachers and staff.
If they succeed in their mission to retake the board for the parents the climate of fear and intimidation that they are fomenting will continue. ERA may still exist ... it's unlikely that it will collapse overnight ... but is it where you want to send your kids to school if it is a skeleton of its former self?
Here is a list of people to contact:
To contact Senator Hann:
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1016&ls=85
To contact Senator Michel:
http://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1038&ls=85
To contact the Minnesota Senate Education Committee:
http://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_bio.php?cmte_id=1005&ls=85
http://www.mncharterschools.org/page/1/Friends-of-Ascension.jsp
To contact Julie Henderson, Acting Director, School Choice Programs and Services:
julie.m.henderson@state.mn.us
To contact Alice Seagren, Commissioner of Education:
mde.commissioner@state.mn.us
To contact Cindy Ripple:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADBS&q=cindy+ripple+minnesota
To contact Lisa Knudson:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us%3AIE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADBS&q=lisa+knudson+minnesota
1 comment:
As a constituent, I met with Senator Hann at the Capitol last week on Tuesday March 11 regarding several issues, none of which were related to Eagle Ridge Academy. While naming the schools in his district, he named Hopkins, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, and Eagle Ridge Academy. I was impressed that he knew ERA, but now I understand why. Hann is a wonderful man, although we did not see eye to eye on issues. He spent 45 minutes talking with us. By the way that he stands up for his constituents, I am sure that he will stand for our silent majority if we let him know. We have overturned the Middeltons et all before, we can do it again! Onward!!!!
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