Jeff Syme shared this letter he wrote to the 622 board on 21 January 2008.
I am a 16 year resident of Maplewood with two Caucasian children (age 14 and 11) in EMID programs, which we have attended the past nine years with great satisfaction.
I strongly urge you to postpone a decision Tuesday on the question of withdrawing from EMID. There are simply too many questions affecting too many people to move ahead this week. If District 622 has legitimate concerns with EMID, certainly they can be addressed in a manner other than an abrupt withdrawal, especially lacking a sound plan looking ahead.
I agree with other EMID parents who raised concerns about the speed with which the task force came to its decision -- four meetings in five weeks over the holidays -- and the lack of input from the D-622 and EMID communities (until now, at the 11th hour). Clearly, the D-622 plan going forward vague at best. And as a D-622 resident and consumer of education, I’m still waiting for my first formal communication from the district on this important proposal. If parents and the school community aren’t partners with the School District, I don’t know who is.
On the positive side, EMID is providing a great service to D-622 families like my own as well as families of color. Other EMID families like mine also support the programs, teachers and staff at both Harambee and Crosswinds. My children count among their best friends children who are from Hmong, Asian, African and black families. There also is an invaluable mixing of socio economic and cultural diversity. My wife and I feel lucky that D-622 offered us the choice of a such successful collaboration. Many of my colleagues and friends who are not in the district only wish they were able to participate in an effective partnership like EMID.
A few other questions: The question of whether D-622 is getting an equitable amount of service for its funding is a legitimate concern. But the numbers have been parsed two or three ways by D-622 officials, including members of the board, EMID administration, parents and others. Shouldn’t D-622 take the time to fully understand the funding arrangement before the decision is made? Re: future partnerships, the original Tri-District collaboration was several years in the making and resulted from a groundswell of community support well beyond the original three member boards. Do a handful of board members and enthusiastic staff truly have the wherewithal to create a new, effective partnership in just 17 months, including new facilities? D-622 facilities are already overcrowded. Two possible partners mentioned (Mahtomedi and Stillwater) are already EMID partners and indicated they are not in position for a new collaboration. These districts are among the whitest in the metro area. Will they serve your goal of integration and better service to D-622?
Please take a step back and take time for a closer look at EMID and its service to District 622. It is a successful collaboration that can be made stronger if we all work together.