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10-3-1999
It never ceases to amaze me that Harry Welty, the School Board member from the Second District, can take credit for something others have done. Recently he took credit for saving the school district millions of dollars.
Sorry, but that credit needs to go to the former Superintendent Mark Myles, who did so at a great cost to our students. These savings cost everyone larger class sizes, fewer course offerings with limited or no. specialist time for public school students. Welty also likes to take credit for the Chester Park and UMD paired education plan. Please remember this was the work of many hard working, devoted parents, teachers and UMD staff. This program was based on best educational practices for students as proven by research.
It is time for a new face from District 2 on the Duluth School Board. Pauline Nuhring is an excellent choice who will look at the research, listen to all of the players and not be an embarrassment to the public schools.
Judy Gillen
Duluth
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10-24-1999
Letter writer Judy Gillen said I took credit for the work of teachers. Ouch.
As a member of the Duluth School Board, I only take credit for supporting the creation of a lab school. I have never taken credit for the work of our teachers who made it work. Gillen heard me when I spoke to the teachers union screening committee. It would have been foolish to tell 60 teachers I had done their work. This is another brutal School Board election and Gillen is speaking as the union vice president she once was.
She complained bitterly about the program cuts that had to be made when the district spent itself $5 million in debt. Since Gillen knows that budget cuts follow deficits, I'm puzzled why she and her union are so eager to elect candidates who want to spend us into debt again. Gillen's criticism of me is especially ironic because I voted to raise "taxes to the max."
Just because the union hopes to sweep a second School Board election doesn't mean that their leaders have to distort the truth or act like thugs. My dad was a teachers union president, and he detested bullies. I recall, with some disgust, DFT President Frank Wanner bragging about the time he threatened to destroy UMD's Education Department by preventing their student teachers from practicing in the Duluth schools. Gillen's disinformation and Wanner's threats only stiffen my resolve to do what's right for Duluth's children.
Wanner said he would "target" me. Close, but no cigar.
Harry Welty
Duluth |
