Filings have opened for this fall's election. As expected, there has been a rush of candidates for the city council and mayor. With Mayor Gary Doty stepping down after three terms, change is in the air at city hall.
Since city government is often thought to be the major agent for economic development or the lack thereof, a lot rides on the city balloting. Interest is justified.
But what about the school board? Four seats are up for grabs, but in the first few days of the filing period, only one candidate, Harry Welty, filed..
The city's schools are also an important economic development tool, not only for what they teach our children, but because their reputation can either attract or frighten off new residents.
Like many schools in the state, Duluth's public schools are suffering financially. Overly generous contracts have forced the district to eat 72 of its young teachers.
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While some blame state budget cuts, the truth is that K-12 classroom education was one of the few areas of state spending that was spared the axe.
The district's declining enrollment has brought building closures to the forefront. The current board continues to pussyfoot around the issue to the point that the district's principals are now taking a leadership role in the closure process.
The tasks are daunting, so our schools need strong, decisive leaders to come forward. But hurry. Filings close July 15.
