David Skoglund shares this letter which was sent to the members of the district 622 school board during the week of 15 January 2008.
As a parent in District 622 with a child attending Harambee Elementary I am extremely disappointed about 622's intent to withdraw from EMID. I am also extremely suspicious over your real motives. I strongly believe it is all about the money and has absolutely nothing to do with student achievement or racial equity. It is fairly obvious from even the most casual observer that this is a pure money grab for the integration funds 622 currently recieves from the state and contributes to EMID.
Your logic is questionable especially your desire to partner with Mahtomedi and Stillwater. Both of those districts are already part of EMID, and haven't expressed expressed any desire to leave EMID and partner with 622. And yet, you are rushing towards a decision to withdraw? Very curious.
What is the logic behind wanting to leave a successful collaborative where half of the students are non-white to join with two of the whitest districts in the state? EMID is 51% white, 622 is 70% white, Mahtomedi is 92% white and Stillwater is 93% white. I don't see how partnering with these districts will foster any sort of integrated schools. After only a little bit of reflection, it seems to me that you really want to try and attract students from those disticts into 622 schools. Given the demographics and history of those districts, I think that will never, ever happen. Mahtomedi parents won't send their kids to 622. Don't fool yourselves. That district has a long history of being a closed district.
From my perspective it looks like what you will accomplish is to cripple a historic, inovative and highly successive integration program that has taken root in EMID, take what money you can grab and in the end create a more segregated environment within 622.
As I mentioned before, I also find the manner in which you are going forward with this process to be highly suspect and unfair. The committee seems to have come together quickly, with no input from EMID parents. This whole affair has a "thief in the dead of night" air about it that only makes me more suspicious. I don't think you've given any sort of consideration to the long term consequences of your proposed actions. I find the whole manner in which you've conducted this process so far very shamefull.
If you really care about student achievement or racial equity you would do better to remain within EMID.