Dr. Dixon had this to say about his years in Faribault in the March 27th 2008, Reader Weekly:
“What she [Dr. Dixon is probably referring to Sarah Horner, the Duluth Trib’s education reporter] didn’t ask about are the allegations by Let Duluth Vote that I drove the Faribault school district into the ground. For example, they say I came into Faribault and created a long-range facilities plan, which resulted in the loss of an operating levy.
The fact is, Faribault had created and approved a long-range facilities plan before they hired me, and shortly after I started voters approved an operating levy for the district.( See note) I helped them implement their facilities plan which was on time, on budget and kept people safe. I served Faribault for about 11 years and had four contracts – and still had another year left on my contract when I came to Duluth. The average tenure for superintendents is less than three years nationally. Like any public official, there were people who supported me and people who disagreed with me and we faced many of the same challenges other school districts across Minnesota face.”
* Note – The superintendent is correct. He was hired to implement a building plan not of his design. While an initial operating levy may have passed after his hiring in Faribault two more failed before he came to Duluth.
Read More about Faribault on the Let Duluth Vote Website. This will take you to a second article published in the Zenith City Weekly last fall and also to links to two columns I wrote for the Reader Weekly this year in a series called the Red Plan Chronicles.
