In just short few days from today on Nov 5th, 2013 – elections will happen for many areas in Minnesota. While each election area is very important, one of the important ones are elections that relate to our children.
Many school districts in Minnesota will have school board elections and one of them will be Bloomington school district.
Now, past MN Autism task force chair Ms. Dawn Steigauf is running for school board post in Bloomington schools. Here is why I think voting for Dawn is the wrong choice.
First, Ms. Steigauf lacks the experience and expertise needed to be a board member. She has no prior education experience relevant to such important task that will affect thousands of children and families.
2nd, Ms. Steigauf was very adamant in her views of exclusiveness and uninterested in minority involvement when she was chair of the Minnesota Autism Task Force. In fact, she purposefully excluded any minority agency when writing for potential task force members language, while including all white autism agencies. I think that level of thinking and prejudice is both wrong and is one of the main reasons for autism disparity for children of color in Minnesota.
3rd, Ms. Steigauf’s voting record on the autism task force was always for the upper/middle class autism families. In fact, she only wanted to get private insurance coverage for children and leave low income autism families out in the cold. I remember having a heated phone conversation with Ms. Steigauf and basically telling her that I will fight her til Timbuktu if low income autism families with Medicaid are not part of the task force coverage recommendations. Such simple equality should not be fought hard, but it was hard and difficult with Ms. Steigauf as the autism task force chair.
4th, Just recently in summer 2013 – as a member of the current MN autism task force, Ms. Steigauf voted against proudly a support letter which wanted to include sharing of Federal autism grant with minority based agencies. Imagine how that will relate to any school board voting.
5th, Not only was Ms. Steigauf proud of her bias vote, but she defended it by trying to remove those that opposed her and wanted equal access. I think that speaks volumes of such dis-connect of reality and Ms. Steigauf’s blatant bias views.
6th, as it was demonstrated when Ms. Steigauf was trying to get current board members’ vote, she fell short. Steigauf was the first to fall out of the voting.
7th, One of probably least compassionate moments was when she kept complaining about a Somali autism dad with two classic autistic children who had a heart attack twice of why he was not coming. I am sorry, but that is cruel and inhumane. Autism by itself is hard, but when you add two heart attacks it is unimaginable. Fortunately, Sen Pogemiller who appointed that member told Ms. Steigauf to back off because he had no intention of replacing that member who was already suffering. Imagine the kind of heart you have to have to complain about an autism parent of two autistic kids & two heart attacks, Unbelievable.
Finally, if you are thinking what do autism policies have to do with school board policies, let me connect the dots. As I said in many posts, Minnesota education gap for disparity between minority children and non-minority children is 48th worst in the country.
Therefore, electing someone who will abuse her power to vote against under-served autism families will most likely do the same or worse if she becomes Bloomington school board member.
The school board makes many important decisions including hiring, finances and education policies and electing Ms. Steigauf will only make things worse and not better.
Please vote fairly and wisely and do not elect Ms. Steigauf. She will only hurt the needs of so many children whose educational needs are already behind.
As usual, above words and my opinions and do not reflect any committee.
Thanks!
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate