I know this school board. Two members I invited to my daughter’s wedding. They were my allies through thick and thin. Another I twice tried talking into running for the board. Yes, I know this board.
One of the attributes bestowed on this Board by Red Plan supporters is “courage.” Evidently they are courageous for doing what has becoming increasingly unpopular. Certainly there are examples of such courage. John Kennedy wrote a book called Profiles in Courage about this very subject. I read it in Junior High and it made a great impression on me. It was about politicians who risked angering their constituents by doing the right thing no matter how unpopular.
I remember the story about Kansas Senator Edmund Ross particularly because I grew up in Kansas. According to Kennedy’s book Senator Ross cast the vote that prevented the United States Senate from removing the cantankerous Andrew Johnson from the Presidency after the House of Representatives impeached him.
He paid a heavy price. It cost him reelection and he and his family were treated like pariahs for the next decade. Unlike this School Board Senator Ross thought deeply about what he was doing. This Board has rarely let a question pass through their lips. They have mistaken mere stubbornness for courage.
They could demonstrate courage by acquiring additional property to build Ordean even though exercising eminent domain would be extremely unpopular. Instead they are prepared to build Ordean High without sufficient land, even with 12 cubic acres of fill is dumped on it. This chicken hearted action will leave eastern Duluth with a crumby, unsafe place to cram 1800 students (3,000 if the notes from a previous post can be believed).
A courageous Board would say “Dammit, We’re going to take over whatever land we need for a decent school no matter how unpopular eminent domain is.” A chicken hearted board would say we’re going to build it anyway knowing that some future Board will have to make it right.
