[Mpls] MTTA and the school board

[KTrain9003]

Both of my children attend the Minneapolis Technical Training Academy,
an alternative contract school set up in the Minnehaha Mall. Unfortunately,
due to financial miscalculations reminiscent of the "dot-bomb" failures,
the school has lost its contract with the Minneapolis school district and
may be forced to close. All for lack of $1.8 million in financing, which
would mainly be spent on paying off the hardware and software vendors.
      The school has an IT infrastructure unequalled in the state, small class
sizes (Allie Shah's article says 15:1, but it's actually 25:1) and a business-like
approach that extends from the business-casual dress of the students to the
school's design, which will be very familiar to anyone who has spent any time
in an office building. The bioard meeting was thronged by parents, students,
and staff who hoped to convince the school board to at least extend the
contract through the end of the second quarter, but unfortunnately the board
could not see its way clear to "rob Peter to pay Paul."
      I could understand that reasoning if it were not for the fact that five of
Minneapolis' seven public schools have graduation rates below 50%, and the
two that don't are not much better. It seems to me that the choice is not
between robbing Peter or stiffing Paul but rather to fire Peter's nonperforming
butt and increase the size of Paul's paycheck.
      There was a lot of whining by the Board about the cuts made by the state
goivernment. Last I heard, the school board has the taxing power and is fully
capable of increasing property taxes when it sees fit, so I don't find the whining
too plausible. The money is out there and people have shown that they are
not unwiiling to pay higher taxes if they're getting something worthwhile in
return.
      My thanks to Evelyn Eubanks and Jonathan Palmer for coming to the
board meeting and speaking in support of MTTA. It would have been nice
to see some of the other school board candidates there, but I suppose
they don't think MTTA is worth saving any more than the present board does.
Reform-minded voters,  take note.

Kevin Trainor
6-10, East Phillips
Last of the Black Irish Southern Catholic Redneck Jews