Local Control - or "hey nosey, butt out!"

Politics: Competing entities in conflict over their interests.

In 2009, Labor Day falls on September 7 - as late as it possibly can on the calendar. MN§120.A says that school cannot begin before Labor Day.

I'm not certain why the Legislature felt it necessary to mandate what day school can/cannot start. I understand there are some competing interests, that would like to keep the summer tourist season (resorts, gas sales for RVs and boats, etc) open as long as possible before the kids have to go back to school. I understand the State Fair is concerned that attendance will be down if schools were allowed to open early.

I understand the concern, but I don't agree with their politics. The school calendar should be determined by the local school board, not lobyists and special-interest groups. The State Fair asked the Faribault County Commission to pass a resolution pressuring the school board to open after Labor Day.

Wow, talk about convoluted! The Fair board pressuring the County board to pressure the School Board. This is all assuming that the State Legislature would allow it in the first place.

Back to the original issue, why isn't it up to local school boards to determine when school starts? Waconia's start date will not have a significant impact on the State's economy - heck if the doom-n-gloomers are to be believed, by September we'll all be in soup lines instead of cheese curd lines anyway.

In these challenging budget times, all options should be on the table - districts are considering a four-day week, starting school earlier or later in the day, and examining all programs to see if they can be supported. This is a hard enough job without all of the madates from the state and federal governments muddying the waters.

And now that the State Fair is playing some dirty pool, what is next? A resolution to reduce the carbon footprint of the number 2 pencil?

In District 110 we have approved two versions of the school calendar: one that starts classes on September 8th, assuming that the corndog-dairy princess-tractor pull Axis will successfully lobby in St Paul, and one that starts classes on August 31.

Let local Districts decide! Its our job.