What if they gave a Minneapolis school board committee meeting and nobody came?

That question occurred to this reporter this morning as he cooled his heels, along with 11 district administrators and other employees, waiting for a quorum of the board's Equity and Achievement Committee. If board members got report cards, you could mark three of the four members tardy.

Kim Ellison, who lives near district headquarters and is up for reelection on Tuesday, was the only one who got to school on time. Chair Jill Davis straggled in at 9:39 a.m. for a 9:30 meeting, followed by Jenny Arneson a minute later, and Alberto Monserrate at 9:45. Only Monserrate, who normally is on time, apologized.

Tardiness has been a chronic issue this year for board members meeting in committee, where their meetings aren't telecast. Most notably, the board's Finance Committee had trouble gaining quorums last spring even as finance administrators were trying to get feedback on budgetary options.