Schools

Part 6: What is the Purpose of Public Education?

Seven candidates are vying for four seats on the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district board of education.

Editor's note: This is the final piece in a week-long series introducing you to the seven candidates running for four seats on the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district board of education. The general election is Nov. 8.

Each day this week, we published all seven candidates' answers to one of the questions we posed. To promote fairness, we asked each candidate to limit responses to 200 words; we reserved the right to edit for clarity and length if necessary.

What is the purpose of public education?

 

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Joel Albright (incumbent)

On an individual level, the purpose of public education is to provide a level playing field for all students and to give everyone the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation or age.

Find out what's happening in Apple Valley-Rosemountwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On a community level, the purpose of public education is to prepare the next generation to be productive, contributing members of society and to equip our future workforce with the tools and skills necessary to compete in a global economy.

 

Steven Butler

The purpose of public education is to allow all students to be in a position to benefit from their teachers' wisdom, insight and knowledge, as well as provide the environment for each student to become a well rounded and functioning member of society. This assumes that all the information available to each student is accurate and meaningful as the student moves through life from child to adult. This way each generation ensures the next will be equally as well off, if not better.

 

Fay Coggshall

Public education is a vital part of a democratic society. Learning is a cooperative process that public schools do well while providing a community where our kids are not only educated, but learn what community means.

A strong public school system is the foundation of our future. It’s offered to all children regardless of who they are or where they live. Public education must be preserved in order for our country to thrive. 

 

Rob Duchscher (incumbent)

The purpose of public education, in my opinion, is simple. It is to provide every student an education that allows them to reach their full potential, and to do this in the most fiscally prudent and cost-effective manner possible. Whether the student wants to go on to college, trade school or just enter into the job market, we need to assist all of our students to educate them to reach their goals.

 

Gary Krueger

A sound public education system is the foundation to prepare students to become good citizens and ensure a high quality of life is maintained in the community. Public schools need to prepare students for their post-secondary life in an ever-competitive world. They need to be prepared to compete not just on a national level but also in the global environment. School districts need to find ways to keep up with advances in technology to provide students the necessary skills to be productive in their post-secondary career. Public school districts also need to serve the whole community, not just the K-12 grades. Early childhood education and continuing education opportunities for adults are an important component that must be continued. Districts must also adapt to ever changing demographics, so that a high quality complete education is provided across diverse cultures.

 

Jackie Magnuson (incumbent)

To allow EVERY student to receive a quality education.

 

Bob Schutte (incumbent)

To have an informed general population who can make group and individual decisions based on fact and logic and not be confused by disingenuous and illogical arguments.

 

On Monday, we will provide an article with links to a page for each candidates' answers; you'll then be able to reread their responses sorted by question (as we published this week) or by candidate.

From Monday:

From Tuesday:

From Wednesday:

From Thursday:

From Friday:


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