Pardon me while I commit the crime of looking backwards

I found this story from a few days ago in the Trib unsurprising: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/education/4760757-School-construction-process-faulted-in-Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Education was recently criticized for not offering advice to school districts about the merit and costs of their building plans. Every School Board must take their building plans to the Department of Education for “review and comment.” This process took place for a very long time as we critics of the Red Plan took our concerns to the MDE.

The MDE strongly hinted to us in private that the Red Plan was deeply flawed largely due to its intention to use our General Fund (classroom operating monies) to pay for the building bonds. But damn them they were loathe to publicly call our School Board’s decision into doubt.

After the damage was done I ran across numerous MDE staff that shook their heads (in private) at the Duluth process for good reason. I can think of no good reason for them to have refrained from offering us an honest analysis. They let the Children of Duluth down.

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