Letters: Adults need to lead school districts

As a former teacher and coach in the Carlton school district, I have watched the demise of both the Wrenshall and Carlton schools. There is plenty of blame to go around. School boards, administration and parents all share a piece of this very sad situation.

Seldom have I heard this question asked: What is best for our students? In the opening paragraph of a Jan. 20 article in the Pine Knot News, Brady Slater uses the phrase “Deeper cooperation.” Past and present adult leadership hasn’t a clue as to what this really means. Students have been waiting for decades to have adults figure this out.

Where do the Carlton and Wrenshall districts go from here? The Commitment-Willingness-Courage principle applies here. Leadership needs to commit to a solution. As you do more of the same, you get more of the same. For the students, is there a willingness to come up with a solution? School improvements cost money. Who do we do it for? The kids and our communities.

This entire process take courage. The Carlton and Wrenshall school boards need to decide they are going to get this done. We will provide for our students just as other neighboring communities have done. There are reasons and results, and reasons don’t count. The future for these two schools can be exciting and successful beyond description. Let’s get it done. Today.

Dave Hedin, Retired teacher, coach, administrator