The role of the Edina School Board is to represent the interests of the citizens of Edina and the school children in the Edina Public Schools. The board is also to make sure Edina meets the standards set by the Minnesota Department of Education. It is not to represent the teachers union, or the administration.

The Edina Teachers Union recently endorsed 3 candidates for the school board because they are “Union Friendly”. At the last election they spent thousands of dollars mailing postcards supporting their endorsed candidates. From their point of view this makes perfect sense. After all, the Edina School Board votes on contracts with the union.

There has been a budget shortfall every year in the recent past. The board is faced with decisions on what programs or services to cut. There is a conflict of interest between what the Teachers Union desires and the needs of the students of Edina.

To avoid that conflict of interest, I ask that all union-endorsed school board candidates pledge to abstain from voting on Teachers Union contracts.