Primary will narrow field for Minneapolis Board of Education

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Should the Minneapolis Public School district sponsor charter schools? How should it work toward closing the achievement gap? How can MPS address the issue of segregation within the school system? Is segregation an issue that the schools can address, given patterns of residential segregation in the city? How can MPS reduce spending as budget deficits loom? These questions and more are challenges that more than a dozen candidates for the Minneapolis School Board profess to be eager to meet. 


The August 10 primary will narrow the field of Minneapolis school board candidates to the top two candidates for each position. As a practical matter, that means that the number of candidates for the two open at-large seats will be reduced from nine to four. There are no more than two candidates for each of the other open seats. The following list of candidates includes brief quotations from each candidate’s self-descriptions or descriptions by supporters.


At-large candidates:


Chanda Smith Baker – “As Chief Learning Office for Pillsbury United Communities, Chanda had direct oversight of fifteen schools. … Chanda will leverage her insights as a mother of five, her well-rounded experience in education policy, and her deep community relationships to the benefit of the Minneapolis School Board and the diverse student population it serves.” (candidate website)


James Everett – “I was born in Minneapolis in 1977 and raised in North Minneapolis. I attended Kenwood Elementary, Northeast Middle School and, lastly, North High School. I write youth programming and have launched pilot initiatives for the city, county and state for the past decade. For the past 15 years I personally dealt with 1,000 youth per week (approximately 4,000 youth per month). – To date I am seen as a leader in youth engagement on the national scene. I am currently an understudy to educational phenom Bill Strickland of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild/ National Centers for Arts and Technology.” (Southwest Journal article)


Rebecca Gagnon – “My children now attend three different Minneapolis Public Schools in Area C: Southwest High School, Lake Harriet Upper, and Whittier International. Although I relish my volunteer opportunities, my “real” job has always been MOM! Their interests and activities are intertwined with many of my volunteer rolls in the community.” (candidate website)


Shirlynn LaChappelle  (name on ballot, but has withdrawn)


Steven Lasley – “Born and raised in Minneapolis – Attended Minneapolis Public Schools Shingle Creek and Olson – Henry High School Alumni – 1967 – North Hennepin Community College – United States Vietnam Veteran – Central State University Bachelor’s of Science – Communications – St. Thomas University Master’s of Administration – 30 year Minneapolis Public School Teacher (retired)- 30 year Basketball Coach – Urban League Teacher of the Year” (candidate website)


Richard Mammen – “Beginning his professional career as an outreach worker with the YMCA Detached Worker program in North Minneapolis and then as the founder and director of Katahdin (a contract alternative school serving juvenile offenders), he knows the challenges and costs of academic failure and poverty. … As the first director of the Youth Coordinating Board, currently as the director for citywide recreation with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and as a member of dozens of community boards and commissions, he has demonstrated that social change is most durable when we work collaboratively across bureaucratic and sector lines” (candidate website)


Doug Mann – “Age 53, An education rights advocate for the past 12 years. – Past member of NAACP Education Advocacy committees (Mpls and MN state Conference) and Parents Union board of directors. Plaintiff in NAACP vs MN, education adequacy lawsuit in 1998-1999 – Education Practical Nursing Diploma (1990) and Associate Arts degree (2009), Minneapolis Community and Technical College. – Foreign Languages French, Spanish, Italian, Modern Greek – Employment Licensed Practical Nurse since 1991. Now a substitute Educational Associate, ISD #273 (Edina)” (candidate website)


Mohammed Noor– “Mohamud is a Somali immigrant. Since his arrival 11 years ago, he has been tremendously involved in community building. If elected, Mohamud will bring his extensive experience in working with diverse populations to his position on the School Board. Mohamud is presently employed as a Systems Management Analyst at Minnesota Department of Human Services, Children and Family Services, Transition Support Systems Division. ” (candidate website)


Dick Velner – “I am a small business owner (IRIS). I have a B.A. in math/economics from St. Mary’s College (1961) and a M.A. in teaching from University of St. Thomas (1990). – I am a high school mathematics teacher. I have four thriving children and 14 grandchildren.” (Southwest Journal article)



T Williams – “T. has been a Minneapolis School Board member since January 2007. He has served the Board as Treasurer, Chair of the Superintendent Evaluation Committee, and member of the Board’s Policy Committee. For two years he represented the Board on the Minneapolis City Planning Commission, and for the past four years serves as the Board’s representative to West Metro Education Program (WMEP). – Williams has been a teacher and lecturer as a senior fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, as well as Augsburg College and Minneapolis Technical Community College.” (candidate website)


 


District 1 – Jenny Arneson and Mike Endrizzi


District 3 – Hussein Samatar


District 5 – Alberto Monserrate and John H. Saulsbury


At-large candidates’ websites are linked to their names (above.) In addition, both the Minneapolis Public School Parents Forum and the Achievement Gap Committee have published information about the candidates’ positions in a question-and-answer form. Here’s where to find some of their statements:




 


 

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