ELECTIONS, POLITICANS AND TECH

So another election day is on the horizon: November 2nd. The lawn signs, TV and newspaper ads are growing in size and volume. Candidates have their own websites—including many of our school board candidates. Almost daily, I receive an email from a political hopeful or organization that wants money to help with their campaign. They all state that they care about public school students and the staff that works with them. Everyone wants to improve public education.

Out of the concern for adequate financial resources stem other issues such as student achievement, teacher accountability, Special Education funding, administrative “dead wood”, athletics…and the list grows. And to be fair, almost all candidates do seem genuinely concerned about our schools and feel that they have a better plan to improve them than their opponent. And they can get it done whereas their opponent(s) might not.

Throughout the twelve exciting years I have been the principal at Tech, a host of politicians have visited. Some have worn the dual hats of a politician as well as a relative of a Tech student. In addition to perhaps twenty various School Board members, here is a partial list: Bachmann, Knoblach, Clark, Haws, Seversen, Kleis, Gottwalt, Ventura. Some have met with me and our teachers. Others have addressed a Social Studies class or two. Perhaps the most memorable was the visit by Governor Jesse Ventura.

It was January of 2000. The Governor had been in office for a year, and I had been the principal of Tech for almost six months. I have forgotten why Tech was chosen by Ventura’s office as a site to visit, but I do remember how excited Tech and the entire District were.

My assistant principals and I met with the Governor’s advance team. Details like where he would be dropped off, who would greet him, how he would enter the gym, student behavior expectations, internal and external security, etc. were discussed ad infinitum. The Times ran an article about our media specialist who had been a classmate and acquaintance of the Governor at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. Excitement was running high.

Finally the big day arrived--I was dead tired. I had answered a security call at 3:00 AM. I met the police at Tech a short time later and got home around 4:00. I never did get back to sleep. But, tired or not, this was the Governor of Minnesota, and I had the responsibility to make sure everything went off without a hitch.

All 1800 students, cautioned to be on their best behavior, were waiting in the gym. I was first in the receiving line waiting to greet the Governor at Door 9, the entrance nearest to the gym. If my memory serves, others in the line were the superintendent, assistant superintendent, the media specialist who had some kind of poster from the old days at Roosevelt, several school board members and a few others.

The Governor was late. We were all waiting. I knew how unpredictable 1800 confined teenagers could be. It was my first year at Tech. I felt that if anything went wrong it would also be my last.

Finally, fifteen minutes late, a Minnesota Highway Patrol cruiser pulled up to the door. The back door swung open. Slouched in the back seat was the Governor, dressed in cowboy boots, faded blue jeans, t-shirt and an old brown sport coat. I heard him say to the trooper, “Well, I guess it’s time to wake up.” As he stepped out of the car, I grabbed his hand and welcomed him to St. Cloud and Tech High School. He then met the rest of the receiving line and walked into the gym amid the cheers of our students. No doubt, many of them saw not the Governor of Minnesota, but professional wrestler and celebrity--Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

It all went well. The Governor gave a seeming unprepared speech about the importance of student involvement in the political process and how important it was for them to vote as eighteen-year-olds. He was out the door and back in the cruiser in about an hour. (There was also something about working hard and that he had been a Navy Seal.)

I walked around the gym floor as students were being dismissed to their classes; several reporters were interviewing students. As I was about to leave, a reporter from Minnesota Public Radio asked if he could talk to me (he had a microphone and a recorder.) “So, Mr. Ziemann, what did you think of Governor Ventura’s message. “ I said I thought it was fine and that it was also important to Governor Ventura in light that that so many young voters had helped elect him.

During the past twelve years, we have had various individuals serve as U.S. presidents, U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, governor, state representatives, state senators, mayor, county commissioners, school board members and on and on. Come November 2, that list will grow.

Through all the numerous ideas, encouragement, criticism and proposals from our politicians, Tech’s mission has never changed or wavered: “Because we respect students’ values and beliefs, Tech High School will provide a positive, comfortable, safe learning environment for all students.” We live this mission each day at Tech no matter what the outcome on those first Tuesdays in November.

P.S. About two weeks after Governor Ventura’s visit I received a photo of the Governor from the Governor’s Office in St. Paul. It was signed in gold marker: “To Roger, Gov Jesse Ventura.”