Profile Rest in Peace - 1998-2003


The Profile of Learning Show-What-You-Know Graduation Standards were formally laid to rest in a rally at the State Capitol on Thursday evening, May 22, 2003.

The Maple River Education Coalition staged a celebration to mark the repeal of the controversial education requirements. 

Supporters came with signs, buttons, and t-shirts from past rallies.  Those rallies at times drew up to 5,000 to the Capitol steps.

"It was a little grass-roots group that grew so big.'' Said Renee Doyle, founder of the Maple River Education Coalition. 


It was a group of concerned parents in the Maple River School district gathering around a kitchen table…and then…it became a nationwide movement. What began as a flicker became a forest fire. The light of truth penetrated the capitol year after year. For five years, until finally, the Profile of Learning breathed its last.

 

 

 

 

It was worth it. Five years of continuous volunteer effort.
But it was not without tremendous sacrifice of time, talent, and resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timeline of Profile Eliminationwpe15.gif (19369 bytes)
-  A1998 rally brought 3,000 to the capitol to oppose the Profile.
- A 1999 rally, 5,000.
-  In 2000, legislative attempts to provide flexibility to local districts were met with federal threats to remove funding.
- In 2001, MREdCo established a St. Paul office, hired staff,
rallied at the capitol, and held a national conference.
- 2002’s Profile repeal bill failed by 1 vote.
- Finally, in 2003, after severe losses to Profile proponents in the fall election, the Profile was repealed 64 to 3 in the Senate and 125 to 9 in the House. Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the bill.

Uncompromising Efforts Paid Off:
“Many citizens and advocacy groups will walk into the Capitol during the next few months hoping to influence the course of lawmaking; few will emerge with the clout of the Maple River Education Coalition. The group's techniques and tenacity provide a primer of sorts for aspiring citizen advocates.”

– Jim Ragsdale, 
Pioneer Press, Jan. 9, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

Founding President Renee Doyle stands victorious over the endless paperwork of the Profile of Learning. They take their rightful place in the paper shredder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a big stack of mandates!
“High Standards” take on new meaning as the shredding continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the last of it.
Shall we laugh or cry for joy?!
It’s been a hard fight for Burnsville activists as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Senator Michele Bachmann, fighting the Profile meant replacing a 26-year, pro-Profile, Republican incumbent Senator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coalition Board Member Karen Effrem (left), shares her thoughts on the Profile repeal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board Member, Michael Chapman, removes academics from their allotted garbage can of the past five years, and returns them to their rightful place - in the classroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s time to stop playing politics with our kids.

"To call the Profile of Learning high standards would be laughable if it weren't such a serious issue as the education of our children."
-John Knapp, Chairman of the Mathematics Department at Southwest High School, Minneapolis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“One down, two to go.” Coalition board member Michael Chapman held up a poster size visual of the three-circles he has used in presentations over the past five years.  The interconnecting circles identify restructuring in education, workforce and the economy.  Chapman dramatically crossed out the education circle, stating, “One down, two to go,” to illustrate the work opposing School-to-Work that lies ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

“The fight has just begun. We have a road map to get there, but the work is still before us,” said Julie Quist, Vice President of the Coalition.