Where is the Minneapolis Shadow

Previously: West River Parkway looking at the Lake Street Bridge

Minneapolis School Reform Focus

The first step in reforming the Minneapolis education experience is to not tweak the system, but to overhaul it. In November the citizens in Minneapolis are going to be asked once again to pony up to the school referendum bar. They are being asked to order a $30 million per year cup of some toxic beverage to keep the current glass from becoming empty, and an additional $30 million per year toxic beverage to “make improvements” to the glass. However, as of right now they can’t, or won’t, tell you where that money will be spent to improve the glass. They better come up with something good because people aren’t feeling very charitable, especially for a school system that hasn’t produced any results. The old argument of we need to improve doesn’t wash anymore, and Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) have been losing support among even it’s most hard nosed supporters. Lack of results and continued crying about lack of funding are the top reasons.
The school board keeps talking about trimming down, but the evidence just isn’t there. However, all the “trimming” in the world won’t produce better academic results. It’s time for a wholesale change of direction and programming. More classroom time, longer school year, more focus on bridge the knowledge gaps, more localized control, less administration, more parental and student “skin in the game”, and more discipline are what is required.

Without these improvements clearly spelled out THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE MONEY GIVEN TO MPS AT ALL! NO REINSTATEMENT OF THE FIRST $30 MILLION, OR INCREASE OF $30 MILLION UNTIL IT IS CLEAR WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.

What do you think?

Sunday hours for the Library and Movie Rental thanks to the new ballpark

As part of the baseball stadium deal the library system is getting some Sunday hours. So it takes an effort like funding the baseball stadium to provide money for libraries. No wonder government funding is so messed up! Hennepin County has to bail out the city of Minneapolis Libraries, opens a new main library, extends hours, and can’t afford the planetarium that had already been planned. I fail to understand why basic planning is beyond these people. What is next? Shall we pay for schools by building the Vikings a new stadium? What happens when the ballpark is all paid for and the tax increase is no longer needed are we still going to have the money for the libraries? Wait a minute; we never get rid of tax increases, so we need not concern ourselves with that problem.