President Jorgenson's letter supporting St. Paul teachers ...

Dr. Joe Gothard
Superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools
St. Paul Public Schools, District 625
360 Colborne St.
St. Paul, MN 55102

Dear Superintendent Gothard:

The 14,500 members of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) stand in solidarity with the St. Paul Federation of Teachers (SPFT) in their struggle with St. Paul Public Schools for a fair contract.

As professionals working for the State of Minnesota, MAPE members know the importance of providing excellent educational opportunities for our children. Therefore, we were concerned to learn that the school district said it won’t dedicate resources to SPFT proposals intending to improve learning conditions for students. We strongly encourage the district to adopt these proposals.

Additionally, we want to remind the school district that the quality of students’ educational experience is directly related to attracting and retaining top-notch teachers. We strongly encourage the school district to take a hard look at the economic proposal it has placed on the table. Balancing the district’s budget at the expense of a fair wage proposal doesn’t send a good signal to teachers.

Although the window of opportunity is closing, there still is time for St. Paul Public Schools to reach a fair contract settlement with its teachers. We strongly encourage the school district to negotiate in good faith with SPFT for the good of all students in your district.

Sincerely,

Chet Jorgenson
Statewide President, MAPE