No Section

Readers write for May 27, 2010

May 27, 2010 at 12:00AM

EDUCATION

School year is almost over. The debate isn't.

Minnesota Business Partnership Executive Director Charlie Weaver's commentary clearly illustrates the us-vs.-them mentality that is blocking much-needed change in Minnesota education ("The race is over, but this is not time to rest," Opinion Exchange, May 24).

Weaver ticks off a list of several business groups that have "teamed up" to advance education. Sadly, nowhere does he mention "teaming up" with the true experts in education: the teachers.

It would be like holding a business improvement forum without including any business leaders. The results would be lacking.

Education Minnesota's position regarding the future of education in our state is positive and clear: We support any change that truly helps children learn and helps teachers improve.

Minnesota's biggest education issue is the achievement gap. While politicians and others fill the halls of the State Capitol and the pages of our newspapers with rhetoric about "education reform," Education Minnesota is the only organization that has put forward a serious, detailed proposal to eliminate the achievement gap.

Our plan includes a series of research-based, proven methods that will help children learn and improve. It focuses attention and resources on the schools where students struggle the most.

Education Minnesota will work with anyone who is serious about replacing sound bites with substance and addressing our real education challenges. We're already working with the Bush Foundation on devising new ways to meet the teaching challenges of the coming decades. Through our K-12 Business Connection program, we're already working with business leaders who want to see firsthand what's happening in modern Minnesota classrooms. We're already working with various other groups about new ways to attract more teachers of color, improve evaluation methods for teachers and students, and above all eliminate Minnesota's achievement gap.

The challenges that lie ahead will require innovation and thoughtfulness. We must build on the many things that work well in Minnesota education while improving achievement for those who struggle. As we do so, it's critical to recognize the difference between helpful change that makes things better, harmful change that makes things worse, and meaningless change that makes some people feel good, but does nothing else.

Groups that are truly interested in "teaming up" to pursue helpful change in education will find us eager to help, if they're willing to listen.

TOM DOOHER, PRESIDENT, EDUCATION MINNESOTA

• • •

So 58 percent of graduating Minnesota high school students pass the achievement test the first try ("Thousands might not graduate," May 26).

Wow, that's almost a 50-50 chance!

What is worse, allowing students to graduate who can't read and write at minimal standards, or colleges that would allow these same students to be admitted?

I am from the old school. We didn't need state-mandated achievement tests. In every class, we proved our skill levels by passing weekly tests and by passing rigorous midterm and final exams. Every day, we proved our ability to read and write and do the other things of a competent, graduating student.

Obviously something is seriously academically wrong with our high school and colleges and, yes, our students.

DELL ERICKSON, MINNEAPOLIS

• • •

As a former Edina High School teacher, I must respond to the May 26 letter writer regarding the writing of college recommendations. Edina teachers compose the very best college letters possible in order to witness to their students' dedication, preparedness and enthusiasm. Some teachers write dozens of such recommendations each year.

The new clause has nothing at all to do with incentive, but rather it provides real compensation for time and effort spent outside the classroom, and, as it should be, it is finally part of the teachers' official contract.

CYNTHIA C. ELMQUIST, MARINE ON ST. CROIX

Minneapolis crime

Metro Gang Strike Force may be missed

Another murder, another reference to gangs ("Police: Gang war is behind killing," May 26).

There must be a correlation between the demise of the Metro Gang Strike Force and the increase in gang violence and murders in Minneapolis. While the Strike Force had its problems, it obviously was doing some good work, too, because now that it is gone, look what's happening.

ELLEN LEWIN, St. Louis Park

TWINS AND RAIN

Suspended game policy suspends the fans, too

We love the new Twins stadium, and even sat in the rain Tuesday night, waiting for the game with the Yankees to resume ("Another first: suspended," May 26).

We were happy to cheer the thunder, and even the lightning, as most everyone seemed to take their collective misfortune in stride. We hungrily ate Murray's steak sandwiches, loyally drank our Grain Belt beer and, after spending $300 for an evening of baseball, assumed that our tickets would be good for the entirety of the game. We were taken aback, to say the least, when the Twins announced that we had seen a "complete" game, and, therefore, the last four innings, to be continued the following day, would be enjoyed by ticket holders for Wednesday's game, not by those of us with Tuesday's tickets.

The only reason I can come up with for disregarding one set of fans and unjustly enriching another is the Twins can save a little money by scheduling the continuation of Tuesday's game close to the start of Wednesday's game, so they don't have to pay for that extra cleaning in between games.

Save a little money, but offend and dishearten those of us who paid for, and would have loved to see, the "complete" game. Shabby way to treat your fans.

LEE HAGENS, EDINA