Apr 13, 2022

Understand the Importance of Selecting the Member of the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education Who Will Replace Josh Pauly

Josh Pauly was one of the district-wide, at-large members of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Board of Education until he resigned in the midst of negotiations between the district and the unions of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers and Education Support Professionals.

 

At the meeting of the board last evening (Tuesday, 12 April 2022), many speakers---    especially middle and high school students---   arose to express their opposition to the 42 additional minutes each school day and the two extra weeks that were included in the agreement that ended the strike.

 

I find the district’s claim that the extra time and days needed to meet state requirements for time in class to be valid, but I understand that students and parents are frustrated.  But in my analytical framework, the source of the frustration, not well understood by those arising in opposition to the additional hours and days, lies in the academically insubstantial education received every day by students of the Minneapolis Public Schools, so that extra time enduring

knowledge-deficient, skill-deplete coursework and uncreative pedagogy heavy on videos and worksheets makes the extra time objectionable.

 

After the time period for public comment ended, the board proceeded with a short but very important regular meeting.  After overseeing pro forma votes on contracts and the like and approval to name changes for Sheridan (to Las Estrellas) and Jefferson (to Ella Baker) schools, MPS Board Chair Kim Ellison made two important announcements.

 

1)  Applications will be open for the seat vacated by Pauly beginning on Thursday, 14 April and extending through Thursday, 28 April;  the vote on Pauly’s replacement will take place at the Tuesday, 10 May, meeting of the board.

 

2)  At that same meeting, after purportedly considering and discussing in the course of the next four weeks candidates for the interim superintendent position necessary given that Ed Graff’s resignation will end his tenure on 30 June 2022, the board will also at that 10 May meeting take a vote to select the interim superintendent.

 

3)  And at that very 10 May meeting, the process for conducting the search for a permanent superintendent will also be announced.

 

These are critical decisions.  I have discussed the matter of the interim and permanent superintendent positions and will continue to provide much more analysis and commentary on these vital matters.

 

But those decisions will be greatly affected by the composition of the board, which in the aftermath of Pauly’s departure, consists of four political hacks devoted to the abysmal status quo---  Nelson Inz, Kim Caprini, Kim Ellison, and Jenny Arneson;  two forward looking, independent voices of great integrity---  Adriana Cerrillos and Sharon El-Amin;  and two members---  Siad Ali and Ira Jourdain---  who may be moving toward the values embraced by Cerrillos and El-Amin.  If the latter is true, the vote to replace Pauly becomes particularly critical, in ways that will affect many decisions, the initially most vital of which will be selection of the interim and long-term superintendent positions.

 

Examine, then, the following list, knowing that the four objectionable defenders of the status quo---  Inz, Caprini, Ellison, and Arneson---  are listed first;  followed by the very promising agents of critically needed change---  Cerrillos and El-Amin;  and then the two members---  Ali and Jourdain---  who seem to be encouragingly evolving toward the values of Cerrillos and El-Amin.

 

Be active.

 

Be alert.

 

Be in communication with the agents of change.

 

And be present at the meeting of Tuesday, 10 May 2022, of the MPS Board of Education.

 

Perpend  >>>>>

 

 

The Political Hack Defenders of the Abysmal Status Quo  >>>>>

Nelson Inz, Kim Caprini, Kim Ellison, and Jenny Arneson

 

>>>>> 

 

 

Kim Ellison

Board of Education, Chair
Kim.Ellison@mpls.k12.mn.us  |  612.668.0445
Term: 2021-2025  |  At-Large

 

Jenny Arneson

Board of Education, Vice-Chair
Jenny.Arneson@mpls.k12.mn.us  |  612.382.0734
Term: 2019-2023  |  District 1

 

Nelson Inz

Board of Education, Clerk
Nelson.Inz@mpls.k12.mn.us | 612.206.5284
Term: 2019-2023 | District 5

Kimberly Caprini

Board of Education, Treasurer
Kimberly.Caprini@mpls.k12.mn.us | 612.876.1838
Term: 2019-2023 | At-Large

 

High-Integrity Agents of Change  >>>>>

Adriana Cerrillos and Sharon El-Amin

 

>>>>> 

 

Adriana Cerrillo

Board of Education, Director
Adriana.Cerrillo@mpls.k12.mn.us
 | 612.986.1613
Term: 2021-2025 | 
District 4

Sharon El-Amin


Board of Education, Director
Sharon.El-Amin@mpls.k12.mn.us | 612.986.3281
Term: 2021-2025  |  District 2

 

Demonstrating Possibility of Evolution Toward Values Demonstrated by Cerrillos and El-Amin  >>>>>    Siad Ali and Ira Jourdain

 

>>>>> 

 

 

Siad Ali

Board of Education, Director
Siad.Ali@mpls.k12.mn.us | 612.206.5204
Term: 2019-2023 | 
District 3

 


Ira Jourdain

Board of Education, Director
Ira.Jourdain@mpls.k12.mn.us | 612.757.6469
Term: 2021-2025  |  District 6

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