CLASH AT BURROUGHS

Cadotte deserves respect and an apology

I was shocked to read that Tim Cadotte, the principal of Burroughs Community School, had been placed on an involuntary administrative leave for allegedly having a confrontation with a school board member.

I met Mr. Cadotte one time when I was a legislator. I, too, made an unannounced visit to Burroughs.

It was on a Sunday, after church. The school was open, and Mr. Cadotte was there. He took at least 30 minutes to show my wife and me around the campus and to tell us about the school's successes and challenges. While I gave him my name, I never told him I was a legislator nor did I tell him I served on Education Finance Committee. Perhaps he already knew.

The point is that he went out of his way, on a Sunday, to accommodate our curiosity. I think it would have taken a bizarre effort on my part to make him mad.

I don't claim to have been a saint when it came to dealing with other public officials and administrators. Candidly, I had plenty of heated arguments with them. But I never thought they should be punished just because they disagreed with me.

This error should be corrected immediately; Principal Cadotte should be reinstated now. He is a leader dedicated to children who gives parents confidence in our system. His removal does the opposite.

One other thing -- he deserves an apology.

WES SKOGLUND, MINNEAPOLIS;

RETIRED STATE SENATOR

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Now we learn that the unpleasantness at Burroughs Community School began over a poster. So Minneapolis School Board Member Chris Stewart not only throws charges of racism around -- ironic, coming from him -- but apparently wishes to suppress students' freedom of speech.

PETER REED, MINNEAPOLIS

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The April 24 article about the Stewart-Cadotte clash should serve as a wake-up call for other school boards. As details of the conflict are sorted out privately, all school boards might do some self evaluation or seek training from the Minnesota Association of School Boards.

Many principals or superintendents I know have witnessed the damage done to reputations and performance when just one erratic school board member views his or her role as a license to become every employee's boss.

One person's unprofessional behavior can cast a cloud on the whole board. It's fair to ask why school boards don't educate their members about duties under district governance policies and Minnesota law and remind them that an elected school board member has no official authority outside of official school board meetings.

MARY ANN NELSON, MINNEAPOLIS;

RETIRED ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELECTION '10?

Let's finish one before we start another

Matt Entenza and several others have already announced their bids for governor in 2010 (Star Tribune, April 24), and we have not even finished the senatorial race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

With no respite between elections, this is now Minnesota's Perpetual Political Parade.

NORMAN HOLEN, RICHFIELD

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

A gas tax hike would be an elixir for the state

Memo to Larry Pogemiller and Margaret Anderson Kelliher: Get some imagination! The DFL response to the budget crisis? Raise income taxes. Really thinking outside the box there.

Why not raise the gas tax?

This is a good investment in the long-term health of Minnesota. Lower income taxes and higher gas taxes will help attract tech-based companies -- the economic driver of the future -- while discouraging petroleum-based companies -- the economic driver of the past.

JOHN MUNGER, MINNEAPOLIS

OBAMA ORDERS CUTS

To trim a huge deficit, $100 million is a start

George Will chastises President Obama for requiring agencies to cut $100 million from their budget immediately as far too small an amount (Opinion Exchange, April 23).

Does he not understand the strategy? Finding $100 million is the first step and begins to mold thinking in the direction of change through budget reduction.

Will would make a grand gesture by proposing something that would be gut wrenching and disorienting for agencies, and probably not be accomplished. I'd rather adopt some goals that really can be reached quickly, knowing that the leader who proposed them understands reality and how to mold change that is positive, effective and a real benefit to the public.

RICHARD BREITMAN, MINNEAPOLIS

funding our enemies

Enough PC, enough aid to groups that hate us

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert is absolutely right to cut off all government funds to any group that supports our enemies ("Lawmaker seeks to stop aid to Somali group in Twin Cities," April 22). It's time to stop commiting national suicide in the name of political correctness (in reality, political tyranny) by paying the cost of our own demise with taxpayer dollars.

SHEILA FRANEY, MINNEAPOLIS