[image_credit]Creative Commons/Tony Webster[/image_credit]
It’s a tough year. KARE’s Jana Shortal reports: “Joe Gothard has been the Superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools for 4 years and this year, he minces no words, it has been extremely challenging. Facing a fact that is hard to face is his task right now; nearly 40% of grades for high school students in that district are failing grades. … ‘The 40% is very high. It’s about double what we might expect in a typical year,’ Gothard said. … The grading scale this year, in all distance learning so far for St. Paul High Schools students, is the traditional scale.”
New Minneapolis NAACP president. MPR’s Nina Moini reports: “The snow never stopped during a socially distant conversation with Angela Rose Myers in her south Minneapolis backyard Thursday. … After nearly an hour, Myers joked the floppy flakes had turned her Afro mostly white. … ‘I grew up in the Twin Cities, so I am not afraid of this weather.’ Myers returned to Minnesota after college and worked at the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the University of Minnesota. … She also became involved with the Minneapolis branch of the NAACP, rising to a leadership position. At Monday’s meeting, she was elected president, succeeding Leslie Redmond.”
In other news…
All clear: “UMPD resolve bomb threat investigation at TCF Bank Stadium” [Minnesota Daily]
Major blaze: “Damage reported after fire at historic Archer House in Northfield” [KSTP]
Mail must go through: “USPS to open temporary post office in south Minneapolis” [KSTP]
As long as they’re … trained: “St. Paul middle school students pitch idea for allowing pets on public transit” [KMSP]
Thank you for providing the glean on police officer funding in Minneapolis. We have high rates of violent crimes right now. The city council members who voted against this are wearing the wrong glasses and should be considered as people who should be voted out of office for their recalcitrance.
The number of officers who have committed brutality or murder in our police department are relatively low combined with the nearly 900 officers that we had prior to their exodus. While this doesn’t excuse officers for their crimes, most officers are worthy of our praise and concern. I have called on officers over the past thirty years and have found both good officers and bad officers. I look at officers one by one, not as an objectified group.
What is needed is a change in the laws protecting contracts for police officers who are rancid, and something we can do to publicly recognize those officers who show themselves to be outstanding public servants. We need a balanced view of officers, and we need to recognize that some people just are not suitable to wear the uniform, a badge, and a sidearm.
I am the eldest nephew of a retired police sergeant. I have heard stories from him of how difficult it is to respond to some calls. An older gentleman, Paul Tschida, who I have known over the years was one of the MN BCA’s superintendent’s and MN Commissioner of Public Safety under MN Governor Arne Carlson. He was also an FBI special agent. I have seen chivalry and kindness from him. Not all people who wear a badge are bad people.
The Minneapolis City Council would do well were we to have more mature representatives serving the City of Minneapolis. Please remember these folks when you vote in the next city council election next November. Lives are at stake. Rapes happen and need investigation and arrests.