Education Minnesota awaits details of funding plans for education
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St. Paul, Minn., Feb. 11, 2010 – Education Minnesota president Tom Dooher said he is “cautiously optimistic” in the wake of Tim Pawlenty’s State of the State address. “We’re gratified the governor agrees with us that K-12 education should be protected in his budget plans,” Dooher said. “Minnesota’s future depends on fully funding schools and making education the state’s top priority.”
Dooher cautioned that it’s important to see the details before making final judgments. “The governor has said the right things before, but hasn’t always followed through with the right actions,” he said.
Dooher said educators know best how to teach children, in the same way that small business owners know best how to create jobs. “We agree with the governor that government should provide the tools and get out of the way so those best equipped to achieve excellence can do so,” he said.
Dooher said many of the governor’s ideas to change the state’s education system are “punitive to teachers rather than positive for children. They will create more bureaucracy instead of less, and drain precious resources from classrooms,” he said.
Dooher also said he was disappointed the governor made no reference at all to dealing with the important issues facing higher education.
“We’re anxious to see the details of the governor’s plan on Monday,” Dooher said. “Then we’ll know whether he’s really walking the walk when it comes to education.”
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota represents 70,000 professionals working together for excellence in education for all students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and educational support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
February 11, 2010