These are the Key sentences in the email sent to the Board re: the Central Sale on March 26 & 27th
Sell emails are bolded 14….. Don’t sell emails are italicized 2
TW – As a parent that had one son go to woodland and one to edison, we got to know the edison community. The main thing to know is that no matter what you do – THEY WILL BUILD THEIR NEW HIGH SCHOOL …. I want to see 709 succeed but frankly something significant has to change to make me think the future will not continue to get worse. Please tell what is being done to make sure we don’t have continual budget deficits along with annual cuts in programs
GH – There are many reasons to cancel or revise the policy prohibiting the sale of schools to another K-12 school, and Approve The Sale of Central High School to Edison Schools without conditions. Among those are the noise by the F16 taking off and landing at Snowflake…
MMW – I have only been in the Duluth area for 6 years. I don’t know all the history and have not taken time to review it all. I however support that the old school become the Edison school.
EK – Any time the district faces emotionally charged issues such as this, an extreme amount of pressure is put on you as school board members. Unfortunately this is part of the job. I understand how much pressure the Teachers Union can apply. However, their main argument, that the districts primary responsibility is to put charter and independent school districts out of business, is flawed. Providing better education and better educational opportunities for our students is the only way to guarantee a bright future for public education; for ISD #709. Voting yes to the sale of Central to Edison will not be easy. Yet remaining in squabbles about ISD 709’s financial woes will be equally as bad if not worse. Infighting and negativity will degrade and divide the district in a powerful, insidious and perhaps unstoppable way going forward.
MP – it seems to be in the best interest of the community and taxpayers to sell the property and use the proceeds for the betterment of the Duluth school district. It would be wasteful and short-sited not to put the long-vacant property to good use. I don’t see this as a decision for or against the “Red Plan,” but rather as a prudent financial management decision for ISD #709 and for us hard-working taxpayers who support the district.
JM – I am hoping you Vote No on selling Duluth Central to Edison. Why, Charter schools tend to enroll fewer students with disabilities, fewer English language learners, and less-poor population of students than do nearby public schools.
JC – I encourage the Duluth School District to sell the Central High School facility to Edison and reinvest this money into improving the offerings at Duluth Public Schools.
SPD – I am urging you to use common sense and fiscal responsibility: let us recoup our losses for this Red Plan that we created and get on with the rebuilding of our educational plans for our students in isd 709.
MM – You are sworn to support the Duluth Public Schools. If parents send their children to other schools, that is fine. It is their choice. Your responsibility is for the children attending the Duluth Public Schools.
PT – The sale of the vacant Central High School to Edison Schools will be very good for the preservation of Snowflake Nordic Ski Center. Less of the property will be developed. There will be no need for the new road and less acreage will need to be developed. … this sale is also in the best interest of taxpayers, and the students attending Duluth Public Schools.
DF – I wish Edison wouldn’t build and draw students away from isd 709. I think the charter school model is unhelpful, and unfair. But since they plan to build either way, it would be best if they used a site already developed as a school.
C&JR – As a long time citizens of Duluth, and parents of children attending the public schools here, we would prefer to not have an additional high school in Duluth after 709 determined that 2 high schools were adequate with the Red Plan…. [but] …Realizing that Edison has a following and will be creating another high school, regardless of what we and others think, we believe it is in the best interest of 709 to consider the sale of Central High School to Edison.
ST – Approval of sale to Edison- yes sell school and ground to Edison.
GS – You can not continue to ask for tax hikes to reduce the deficit and then decline a 14+ million dollar offer, just to spite Edison. Please do what’s best for the city and sell Central to Edison.
DDG – I want to urge you to reconsider the past policy of refusing to sell school property to an educational organization and seriously consider the current offer by Edison for the Central H.S. property. Failing to sell will not change Edison’s decision…
A&JP – Our children go to a Duluth Public Elementary School. They will continue onto public middle and high schools. I brag about the public schools, but in the next moment I share how fortunate this community is to have different options to meet the needs of our children and families; it will only benefit our students to have an additional high school option.
