To MPS Administration,
I’ve been drafting emails for weeks, but to be quite frank anything I have to say doesn’t feel of much value. Everything has been said. All phone calls have been made. All emotions have been felt. All the contract drafts have been rewritten. All the ideas have been thrown around. All negotiations have been laid on the table.
I do have to thank your team for the vast amount of hours given, and for keeping communication moving. Families deserve at least that!
I’m over it, but you know that. Every single person is over this. No matter where you sit at the table, or what classroom you teach in, or what school you send your child to. We are all damn spent.
I understand that budgets exist and we can’t go beyond them. But I don’t understand where all the money has previously gone that we can’t meet the needs of our education first responders. The ones who are IN IT every moment.
I understand that you have to run a business. But I don’t think you understand who your paying customers are.
I know that the redistricting design had good intentions and a large goal to benefit the city as a whole. But what I’m seeing is the early stages of a system collapse.
When will MPS be a place that families want to stay and not leave? Because currently the education system is crumbling in our city.
Hear me out:
If a student was struggling, would we just say “oh, we’ve tried everything. That student is just going to struggle. There are no other options at this point.” Nope! We would find new resources, try new strategies, shift our environment, get creative and work as a school team to help that child be successful even in the struggle. My point is that MPS is struggling. And we are short to meet the asks of MFT because the funding isn’t allocated for those asks. But as a parent, it sure doesn’t seem like you are trying a different approach but rather using the same pen, just different handwriting.
Why aren’t you looking outside the box?! Why aren’t you getting a coalition of educators and different school districts to reach out to the state to solve this puzzle differently? Has your team tried to unite with MFT to go to the governor in solidarity to fight for the same educational success? Why not close schools that have two campuses and put all the funds into one building instead of two? And have you had the damn fundraiser?! It’s your turn for that.
There has GOT to be a way that we can support smaller class sizes, more mental health support in our schools, pay our ESP’s a livable wage AND pay our veteran teachers more than a 2.5% wage increase after 6 years of teaching. These people work their tails off for our future contributing citizens. And I’m afraid MPS is teaching our kids that school educators aren’t worth fighting for. That public education isn’t worth fighting for. Because parents are about ready to strike too. Is that what it will take?
We love this city. We love our schools. We love the community and staff that make it incredible. So please do better! Try a different strategy. For our children. For the future of MPS.
In Hope,
Charity Benedict
A concerned Minneapolis Citizen
(Mother/Community Coordinator/Educator/Writer/Yoga Instructor/Musician)
