I’ve often lauded East High Graduate Karl Schuettler’s insights. We often take a different tack on issues facing the Duluth Schools but I have never found fault with his analytical powers. Karl cites his agreement with Myron Orfield, an ardent and eloquent opponent of Charter Schools. Even so, Karl comes reluctantly to this stark conclusion regarding the sale of Central High School to Edison.
“This all goes to show that there is only one logical and moral choice for ISD 709: sell it. Sell it now.”
Please read Karl’s thoughts on the subject in his thoughtful blog A Patient Cycle.
Tomorrow I will post retired Board member, Mike Miernicki’s email, to the Board about the Denfeld teachers he regularly plays cards with and their fears that this Edison school will be the death of Denfeld. I will, of course, offer my objections to Mike’s conclusions.
PS. I too acknowledge Orfield’s expertise. In the early stages of the Red Plan work I paid a call on him to talk about the terrible consequences for Duluth in terms of dividing our city and undermining years of work to desegregate our schools. He told me one thing about the massive bank debt we were about to take on. Long before he had concluded that lenders love public bodies because they are such safe bets. They rarely declare bankruptcy and they can always dun taxpayers to to pay off their debts no matter how unreasonable, extravagant or foolish. ISD 709’s are nearly half a billion dollars worth.
