SouthHighSucks.com > News Archive >

Related Story Carol Johnson Leaving MPLS School District

Should the Minneapolis School Board vote to opt out of the state mandate that students recite the Pledge of Allegiance each week? Yes No Current Results

WASTEFUL SPENDING EXPOSED:  The Office of Student Engagement  School Food Service Propaganda

CONTINUED CORRUPTION PATROL -- On Tuesday, September 23, 2003, the Minneapolis School Board announced (at a costly school board retreat) that district Chief Operating Officer David Jennings is their choice to be the Permanent Superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools. Jennings said he'd "gladly and proudly" accept the position after his costly contract negotiations. School Board Scumbags are expected to vote on his not-yet-drafted contract proposal sometime in October 2003.

Jennings will take over for Carol Johnson, who finished up her "work" at Pencil-Pusher Central on Friday, September 19, 2003, before moving to Memphis, where she will take over that city's school system in early fall 2003.

Qualifications, Please!

Jennings, who was scheduled to become acting superintendent on October 1, 2003, will be taking over as permanent superintendent immediately. The board basically chose Jennings for expediency, though they claim he has qualifications, too. Maybe, but the only qualifications that we can see is the ability to be an obedient yes-man when dealing with the board's wasteful ways. This impression is only reinforced by Board Chair Sharon Henry-Blythe's comments to the Star Tribune: "We want to stay on the path we're on because we feel we're moving in the right direction...at this point in the development of the district, I think the leadership that David can provide can really serve us well."¹

Another supposed Jennings advantage is his experience as a businessman, and the Star Tribune even mentions "shaking down another CEO for a contribution"² as one of Jennings' duties. The district also feels that they can benefit from Jennings' party affiliation (he's a Republican) in these conservative times.

But Jennings' Republicanism is in question, especially considering the fact that his appointment is widely praised by entrenched (and corrupt) Democrats, including Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak, former school board member (and chair) Catherine Shreves, and former Minnesota PTA President Susan Eyestone. He's even endorsed by the notorious Rev. Al Gallmon, who gushes "Without a doubt, David is the person to navigate us through these troubled waters we're going to steer through for years...there is no problem with him being white. He is sensitive to the differences that we have within the district."³ Of course, Gallmon, who served on the Minneapolis School Board until early January 2003, is now embroiled in several scandals as President of the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP.

The only official interviewed by the local media who didn't sing Jennings' praises was Minneapolis Federation of Teachers President Louise Sundin, who appeared neutral to the decision. Not surprisingly, Sundin's main issue with David Jennings' selection is that he was forced to institute a wage freeze for all district staff to keep the Minneapolis Public Schools from going broke, a decision that is becoming a big issue in the district's ongoing contract negotiations with the teacher's union.

More Wasteful Spending Ahead!

As if this appointment isn't bad enough, because of his lack of educational experience, Jennings would like to hire an "Experienced Chief Academic Officer" to assist him...as if we needed another overpaid and underworked bureaucrat on the payroll!

So, it seems like things will remain the same at the Minneapolis Public Schools--Exorbitant salaries for administrators, wasteful spending, declining graduation rates, stagnant achievement and appalling suspension rates. Sure, he froze salaries, but how long do you think that policy will last? My guess is that we'll be looking at gigantic tax hikes in the near future...but we should be accustomed to that by now!--Dr. Vinny, SouthHighSucks.com Founder & Publisher

Comment on this in our Message Board!