Protesters seek changes to school board public comment policies

Protesters seek changes to school board public comment policies
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • May 6, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A St. Cloud school board members are considering changes to their public comment policy.




The discussion comes as the board continues to take criticism and questions about the process by which people can convey concerns or share information with the board.
Board members discussed the public comment and board process at a workshop Wednesday.
"We have some good ideas out there. We are trying to figure out the best thing to have," said board Chairwoman Sigrid Hedman-Dennis.
One person with concerns is Lydia White of St. Cloud, who has attended board meetings since Feb. 10, questioning the board policy and its commitment to openness and willingness to listen to public opinion.
White also wants the board to keep better records of what is said at the meetings in the public comment. State law requires the board to record its votes. On Wednesday, White was among a group of about 12 people who attended the board workshop session who brought signs drawing attention to the issue.
Four people, three of them with White's group, spoke at a regular public input session Wednesday. The public comment and overall board meeting process, including how to connect with schools and whether the meetings should be televised, is being discussed by a board committee that board member Deb Lalley chairs.
The board's policy allows for people to speak for three minutes each before the board work session the first Wednesday of the month. The board is not supposed to respond but sometimes does.
One change under consideration would provide for 45 minutes of discussion with at least two board members before the meetings. The format was borrowed from Bloomington school district and is similar to what Sauk Rapids-Rice has in place.
"We'd like to have more dialogue before this meeting," Lalley said.
The issue will return to Lalley's committee.
"For me, it is about accountability, I want to know how many times people have said these things over and over again," White said after the meeting.

Apollo Somali students to share culture

Apollo Somali students to share culture
By Dave Aeikens • daeikens@stcloudtimes.com • May 5, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Somali students at Apollo High School on Friday plan to honor some of their teachers and tell fellow students a little bit about their culture and background.



The event, which is being conducted for the first time, is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Apollo auditorium and commons. It is free and open to the public and includes food, dance, a fashion show and information about the Somali culture. Students will also present awards to the top 10 teachers.
"What I am looking forward to is showing people how we care about the community and how we love our teachers; how we love school," senior Liban Abdi said. He is one of the organizers of the event.
The group selected its top 10 teachers and will hand out certificates and trophies Friday, senior Ali Gure said. Gore is vice president of the Somali Student Association. About 200 and 300 people are expected.
The student group got help from the school and raised some money to cover its costs.
The program will help create solidarity at Apollo, which has students who come from many different backgrounds, races, cultures and speak a number of languages, said Abdinor Sigat, an Apollo employee whose job is to work with the students. He is also adviser to the Somali student group.
"They need to share the culture. There is not cultural awareness," Sigat said.
The event has been in the works since January.
Apollo in March had attention brought to relations between its Somali students and white students. Somali students complained they were being harassed by students and staff.
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in St. Paul, on behalf of the students, has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's civil rights division asking for it to investigate a number of incidents at Apollo and Technical high schools.
No decision has been made on whether there will be a federal investigation.
The school district is still investigating several of the incidents that Minnesota CAIR brought to its attention