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I couldn't agree more with the June 9 editorial's headline, "Arts programs matter in our schools." I wish, though, that the editorial was more specific about "other strategies" that could supposedly be used to avoid arts cuts such as those being considered by Minneapolis Public Schools.
Consider the causes of the budget troubles that put arts programming on the cutting block: the size of a contract settlement that significantly increases teacher pay — who wants to oppose that? Declining enrollment — no one who's paying attention to pre-K-12 or postsecondary education can deny that we're in a demographic tsunami resulting in far fewer kids for schools to compete for. And don't forget the federal government's broken promise about funding special education.
Note, too, the angry opposition that arises when financially strapped school districts opt for building closures to address the funding shortfalls caused by declining enrollment and inadequate state funding. And keep in mind that public schools at the moment have sizable amounts of federal pandemic funds that camouflage — but only temporarily — some of the budget troubles school districts face.
I'm in my 12th year on a school board that has been forced by the previously mentioned factors to close buildings and make cuts in the arts and other equally valuable academic areas. I've heard lots of suggestions like the editorial's "other strategies" — "think outside the box," "get creative," "find alternate funding streams" — and none of them come anywhere close to solving the budget troubles. Pure and simple, we must face the fact that funding for public education, from pre-K through postsecondary, has inescapable structural problems that can't be solved by wishful thinking or simplistic bumper-sticker solutions.
Steve Schild, Winona, Minn.
The writer is First District director of the Winona Area Public Schools Board.
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The value of arts in learning is indisputable. Individuals have a range of intelligences, including musical, kinesthetic and visual-spatial. It is only through the development of all types of learning that human understanding is created and fully developed. To ignore or neglect the important capabilities that young minds need to cultivate is like feeding a narrow, dry and limited diet to the very earth we tread. If it didn't rain from time to time, the soil would erode and crops would not sprout or grow. If we only taught math, science, technology and robotics to our young people, creativity would cease. The impulse to communicate through spoken, written and artistic expression has been a vital part of human effort since we came into being.
Minneapolis Public Schools has shown leadership in arts education for decades. Surely there is a way to continue funding a nourishing variety of courses in all fields of learning, including dance, visual arts, music and theater. Surely educational budgets can and should prioritize the arts. It is as essential as food. We must fertilize and spread the arts liberally into the spirits of our thirsty and deserving children.
Carolyn Light Bell, Minneapolis
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Sadly, budget cuts in Minneapolis may end various arts programs in Minneapolis schools. What would Les Barnard, Al Gowans and A.E. MacQuarrie do? Are you not familiar with those names? They are the individuals who were honored by the athletic fields at South, Roosevelt and Washburn high schools in Minneapolis being named after them. In this era of naming rights (think U.S. Bank Stadium, Target Field), perhaps the district should consider selling naming rights to high school athletic fields. Surely the money potential for high school athletics is nowhere near that of a professional field, but for the local school budgets, it might make a difference. And I would guess that Barnard, Gowans and MacQuarrie would agree.
Leif Wallin, Minneapolis
PAGE AMENDMENT
A fair hearing certainly helps
Tod Kolderie blames "major associations in Minnesota public education" for the failure of the Page amendment ("Shouldn't schools be about students learning?" Opinion Exchange, June 6). That is one way to look at things. Like any policy goal in a democratic society, it is often necessary to reach out to your opposition and compromise to achieve your objective. I am not part of any "major association," yet I oppose the Page amendment as drafted. In particular, I oppose the removal of the public funding provision currently in the Minnesota Constitution, and I do not think standardized testing should be enshrined in the Constitution. I am not alone regarding these critiques.
After attending a couple of online town halls put on by the Page amendment team, I was frustrated by not being able to ask a question. I subsequently reached out to the team and was given a fair hearing from their staff. I suggested to staff that they think about what they really want. If it is having language that guarantees to each Minnesota student a quality education, I suspect that can be accomplished without much trouble by including language about public funding for public education in their proposal and removing the language requiring standardized testing for less proscriptive language on assessment.
One way to address a political failure is to stand your ground and blame your opposition. A more successful approach is to listen to your opposition and find a commonsense compromise where we move the ball forward.
Jeff Kolnick, Marshall, Minn.
RESEARCH
More gratitude for librarians
Regarding "In praise of librarians and archivists" (Opinion Exchange, June 9): When writing my master's degree thesis, I reviewed my textbooks related to my specific topic. Several texts referenced an "unpublished paper" by a researcher at Xerox PARC Labs. I knew Xerox had a huge technical library, but I had no idea as to whom or how to contact anyone there to obtain a copy.
I went to the Naperville, Ill., Public Library, textbooks in hand, and showed the footnotes to the reference librarian. I asked her how I could obtain a copy of this "unpublished paper." She said she did not know but asked me to give her some time.
A week or so later I received a call from the library asking me to pick up a copy of the material requested. I returned to the Naperville Public Library reference desk and collected the technical paper. I asked the librarian what I owed for her and the library for their efforts on my behalf.
"No charge. It's a public service for our library members."
Anthony Harder, Woodbury
MUSIC CRITICS
Enjoy them (from nearby) for me
As a native Minnesotan of a certain vintage who's soon retiring to Las Vegas, I am happily kissing Minnesota winters goodbye yet finding much else to be nostalgic about. For one, I am deeply appreciative of the Star Tribune's ongoing commitment to and investment in music journalism. As a frequent concertgoer, reading what Chris Riemenschneider or Jon Bream have to say about a concert I attended is always a pleasure, and their mid- and end-of-year pieces about the best local and national albums always enrich my music consumption. I will keep my Star Tribune subscription and read them online from far away, but I will miss nodding my head approvingly (or growling at them) about a shared concert experience.
Twin Citians, in these two music critics you have a couple gems to be relished.
Rick Lee, St. Cloud
