Minneapolis School Board candidate forum attracts national attention

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) August 29, 2010 --

As tempers and criticisms rise over the state’s worsening achievement gap (the K-12 educational disparities that exist between black students and their white counterparts), and as controversy grows regarding the construction of a $30 million school district headquarters while the Minneapolis Public School System experiences a severe financial shortfall, the four candidates – Rebecca Gagnon, Chandra Smith Baker, Richard Mammen and T. Williams -- still vying for the two at-large seats on the Minneapolis School Board will participate in their first candidate forum since the August primaries, and will find themselves in the national spot light.

Don Allen and Ronald A. Edwards, hosts of the Internet radio talk show “ON POINT!” which reaches audiences across the nation as well as internationally, will moderate the Minneapolis School Board candidate forum and broadcast the event LIVE on “ON POINT!” from the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach Center (UROC), 2100 Plymouth Avenue North, on Thursday, September 2 from 5:30 – 7:45 pm. The community is encouraged to attend; this forum is free and open to the public.

Listeners are invited to ask questions of the candidates by calling toll-free 1-877-572-4288. Listeners can tune in using their home computer or Smart-phone device by visiting http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ibnnnews/2010/09/02/2010-minneapolis-public-school-board-candidates-forum-live-on-point.

“This election is a hot issue for a number of reasons,” says Edwards. “First, four candidates are running: two black and two white. There is the possibility that for the first time in 40 years no African Americans may be elected to the Minneapolis Public School Board.”

Edwards, who authors a weekly column in the Minneapolis Spokesman-Recorder and is host of a TV show called Black Focus, says such action speaks volumes considering that more than 50 percent of the students in the Minneapolis public schools are African American and students of color.

“Second, few eyebrows have raised regarding our black students’ failing test scores and few people have challenged the school district about the $3 million it will cost to construct a new headquarters while no dollars are available to improve the education of our youth,” says Edwards. “This troubles me and begs me to ask: ‘Is education the primary goal of the Minneapolis Public School System?’”

The four candidates will have two to three minutes to answer questions that may come from individuals who are attending the forum, or from call-in listeners.

Allen, editor-in-chief of an Internet blog called IBNN News, adds that he thinks the Minneapolis Public School System can do better for African-American students and students of color. “But ultimately it’s up to us. Every parent and child, as well as the entire community must take a stand to support educating our youth, and end the ever-widening achievement gap; which has serious implications for the future of our people, community and our state.”

Allen and Edwards agree that shedding a national spotlight on the candidates and this school board election is step in the right direction. Both men assert that we cannot continue to place the education of our youth – and ultimately the economic and social future of our community on the back burner.

Both men agree that usually the League of Women Voters hosts such an event. However, this forum is different. It’s being hosted by residents of the Minneapolis community and those who have a vested interest in the community’s well being and seeing the community prosper.”

“ON POINT!” hosted by Allen and Edwards airs every Saturday at 5 pm CST and reaches listeners across the nation and internationally via the Internet on BlogTalkRadio.

blogtalkradio     Donald Allen     education     Minneapolis Public Schools     minnesota     north Minneapolis     On POINT     Ronald A. Edwards