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We have high expectations for our elected leaders. But when their focus is on systems rather than outcomes, we must speak out and hold them accountable.
This is the case for both U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Greta Callahan, leader of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers. Truth and context were grossly warped in Callahan's July 21 commentary "Ilhan Omar is the choice for supporters of public schools," which criticized Don Samuels, who is challenging Omar in the Democratic primary for the Fifth District congressional seat.
As two former superintendents and a former school board chair for the Minneapolis School District, respectively, we feel compelled to set the record straight: Samuels has a strong record of working with public schools to improve academic outcomes.
While living in St. Paul, he spent more than 400 hours tutoring incoming ninth-grade boys over three years, and he was co-chair of the school board's curriculum committee for two years.
In Minneapolis, he cofounded the HOPE Collaborative, bringing leaders of high-performing schools serving low-income students to share their strategies with hundreds of enthusiastic public-school teachers and administrators. In addition, he served one term on the Minneapolis school board and three terms on the Minneapolis City Council. His years of dedicated service dwarfs a couple of hours on a picket line.
It is clear that Callahan's sympathies do not extend to the frustrated Black families whose only alternative to failing schools is to leave the district. While there are great teachers throughout the district and some high-performing schools, they too often are not located where the children who are in most need live. The district fails to teach upwards of 70-80% of students of color how to read. Nor is it Callahan's priority that children from low-income backgrounds who attend low-performing schools are significantly more likely to drop out and six times more likely to be incarcerated. This is why 15 years ago, when Samuels learned that North High failed to graduate 72% of Black males in four years, he panicked. His North High outburst hurt feelings, and he has apologized frequently. He repeatedly explained that his metaphorical language was intended to get attention for change. Fifteen years later, our district continues to have the greatest achievement gaps in the country and an ongoing exodus of students of color.
