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I spent eight years on the Duluth School Board
pushing for a second entrance to Central High School. I was prompted by a
letter from a Central student who pointed out the danger of relying on a
single, twisty, steeply inclined entrance. It seemed like such an easy problem
to solve especially since an unimproved exit already existed. Just
pour a little blacktop and presto! Unfortunately, eight years taught
me there was no magic in being a School Board member.
The exit was almost built in my
last year on the Board. We had delayed the project for several years because
money was tight and we hoped to piggyback with a Duluth city street project to
save money. Unbeknownst to us Blackman residents approached the City Council
and explained that they were worried about their children's safety. Not
surprisingly they did not emphasize the safety issue for the hundreds of
Central students and staff. I was very chagrinned to discover that the City
Council had killed the improvement without consulting the School Board.
I raised two small children on one of the busiest
streets in town so I can understand the anxiety of Blackman parents.
Nonetheless, our community has a responsibility for the safety of our school
students too. The safety of a dozen Blackman residents should not trump the
safety of hundreds of students and staff.
Harry Welty
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