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Do you support federally funded public education? Please explain why you do or why you don’t support it.

My support for federally funded public education can by summed up by Article 13, Section 1 of the Minnesota Constitution which reads as follows:

UNIFORM SYSTEM OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The stability of a republican form of government depending mainly upon the intelligence of the people, it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools. The legislature shall make such provisions by taxation or otherwise as will secure a thorough and efficient system of public schools throughout the state.

While the U.S. Constitution leaves public K-12 education to the states, I think it is appropriate for the federal government to supplement state funding in order to ensure a basic level of education for all students nationwide and to help educate students with the greatest needs.

In your own words can you tell us what’s wrong or right with the Eden Prairie School Board plan to “balance out crowded schools, flatten socio-economic differences, and make room for a sixth elementary school?”

The plan has merit because it creates a more effective learning environment for all elementary students in the district. First, it balances for capacity. Because the northern part of Eden Prairie is more mature and has fewer young children than the southern part of the city, elementary schools in the northern quadrants had capacity while the southern schools were bursting at the seams. Second, it balances the demographics of each elementary school for socioeconomic factors which will lead to better student achievement. The unfortunate reality is that there is an achievement gap in Eden Prairie as there is across the nation. While Eden Prairie has had success in closing that gap, that success cannot be sustained in schools where almost half of the students need to achieve at a faster rate. Also, in schools where less than 10 percent of the students need to learn faster, these students can become isolated which has a negative impact on their achievement. Finally, it creates an environment where children have more sustained, long-term relationships with adults. When more adults understand how an individual child learns, that child’s achievement will increase.

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(952)681-2882

Do you support federally funded public education? Please explain why you do or why you don’t support it.

Yes I do support federal funds for public schools. It shows that the government is taking an interest in its citizens and offers them a good base to grow from as they move on to higher education. This allows people to be more competitive nationally and internationally. Government, however, cannot be the only source; citizens need to take some financial responsibility for themselves.

In your own words can you tell us what’s wrong or right with the Eden Prairie School Board plan to “balance out crowded schools, flatten socio-economic differences, and make room for a sixth elementary school?”

Crowded class rooms are tough on everyone form the teachers to the students. Smaller classes help the kids that might otherwise slip through cracks get the attention the need and deserve. As for flattening the “socio-economic differences”, no kid wants the stigma of being form the “poor” school, it does affect future relationships.

Here is a URL to an article from a January 2011 Integration Report from the National Coalition on School Diversity which shows the depth of what appears to be a national trend to turn the clock back on integration.