Letter to the editor: Carlton board didn't support anything

The Carlton school board vote taken Monday, Dec. 20, on the proposed grade 9-12 tuition agreement with Cloquet did not result in a vote of support for the school and community — as it appears at face value — but rather a vote to dissolve the district.

An entity cannot repeatedly operate with a deficit budget and continue to function longterm, whether that entity is a business, nonprofit, household, or, in this instance, a school district.

It appears the school board has kicked the proverbial can down the road again; although this can is not empty and did not travel far. This can is full of painful potential cuts, which will very likely affect both the elementary school and the high school.

At the public hearings, many high school students and some parents told the board to make the cuts to save their school. Will the deep cuts necessary to lessen or erase the budget deficit save their school, or will they lead to a dissolved district when parents of elementary and future high school students look elsewhere for 21st-century opportunities for their kids? Nearly 60 percent of resident students have already spoken with their feet and attend a district other than Carlton. Those remaining who spoke at the hearing stated they loved and wanted to keep their small school. Carlton was a small school when there were 60-75 students in a grade level, which was probably at least 15 years ago. It has become a “micro” school with grade level numbers less than or not much more than 30. The deficit spending the past several years — even with the excess operating levy boost — shows this size school is not sustainable.

The tuition agreement with Cloquet would have given opportunity to all Carlton students, both current and future. Now, I fear the vote the board took did not support the school and community, but will result in dissolution: maybe not in the next two years, but it is in that proverbial can they just kicked down the road.

Brenda Tischer, Carlton