Got this email in our growing email list. I’ve put the the critical strategic sentence in bold typeface:
D & A
I don’t think Dr. Dixon and Johnson Controls really care about what the research says about programming issues. Remember that although their contract called for them to consider programming, Johnson Controls is an engineering firm, not an educational firm. They did not have a single elementary educator on the committee (I believe this was quite deliberate as it was a carefully selected committee). There was only one secondary member appointed, Frank Wanner, and I am told he did not attend the meetings.
The red plan is about conformity and uniformity–cookie cutter schools–which will then be imposed on our very diverse community.
Of course Dr. Dixon did not listen to your concerns,Deb, or make any modifications in the plan in light of research. He is pitching a perfect shut out. But I don’t think he counted on Duluth activists. If you care about Duluth’s children and schools I urge everyone to contact Alice Seagren and Governor Pawlenty as soon as possible. Our best hope of getting a progressive school plan is to have the state disapprove the steam-roller process and the clock is ticking on when they’ll weigh in. Probably by the
first of October…
Commissioner Alice Seagren
Minnesota Department of Education
1500 Highway 36, Roseville, Minnesota 55113 Telephone: 651-582-8200
E-Mail: mde.commissioner@state.mn.us
Governor Pawlenty
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Telephone: (651) 296-3391 Toll Free: (800) 657-3717 Facsimile: (651)
296-2089
E-mail: Tim.Pawlenty@state.mn.us
