I went to Pilgrim Lane Elementary, and feel terrible for all the teachers who have dedicated many years to all these schools. A good public school is becoming a thing of the past, as many are overpopulated and short on teachers. We better give teachers more money, or we can expect to start saving for our children's education a lot earlier!

Unless you like runaway taxation, less is more. Count your blessings.

District is around 10th largest enrollment, but currently #4 in square feet. Population patterns have shifted. The square feet are disproportionately in now lower density areas. That extra space is costing the District $2 million a year. Everyone accepts this. It's which schools to close that we don't readily accept. Board did a lengthy but thorough job.

Enrollment is down because of the large number of kids that walk across the district border near my house, so they can go to Hopkins Schools.

Many people agree that yes we need to close some schools, but just doin't close the one that my children attend.... Can't always have it both ways.

Remember, when three city schools close three new schools open in hayfields on the vast outer edge of the metro area. Score another victory for our wasteful society. Yes three new schools but hardly any jobs. The parents will sacrifice long, long commutes for the kids. The extra tax money held in surplus by government will be put to good use building more roads and infrastructure to accomodate the "growth".

in teacher and administrator salaries. The teachers union has a stranglehold over school districts. Check out the pay levels for teachers, and I am not talking about the entry level, that they always use as an example of being underpaid and we the public always buy hook, line and sinker. They also need some former business people in the administration, not just "educators", who can and will make the hard decisions on day to day school operations.

They will likely find neighboring school districts with space problems who wish to rent the buildings as an interum solution. Things change. Schools were much more crowded when I was a child, transportation less reliable, and we walked further to school (not exactly in snow up to our hips, uphill both ways, but you get my drift) We still managed to learn and thrive.

We live in the district, and will be affected by the attendance boundary changes even though our kids don't attend any of the schools considered for closing. A whole bunch of schools have been closed over the past 30 years in the older parts of the district because those areas were built up first. Now the entire district has been built up and declining enrollment is actually greatest in the newest parts of the district. Actually I think long term our district may end up better off than others, because now we'll have the right number of facilities in the right places, the board can can sell off all their surplus facilities, and there will be more focus on academic programs and classrooms. All you who think our schools are so bad: That's more perception than reality, and just watch - they'll be getting better.

From a vary reliable source on the City Council, I have heard rumours that the Vikings will be coming into town next month to release a proposal on a new stadium to be built at the site of the sandburg middle school. In keeping of what is most important to Minnesotan's, the stadium, not education, is surley our answer to these pressing times. No more will the top revenue generating liquor store be enough to subsidize our city, we will need to look forward and be an active role in professional sports to make our city thrive.