Megan Raposa

mraposa@argusleader.com

Mayor Mike Huether was both "dumbfounded" and "furious" about a story I wrote yesterday on his decision to observe School Choice Week in Sioux Falls.

Huether took to the airwaves Tuesday morning, venting to KELO-AM radio host Greg Belfrage about Argus Leader Media's coverage of a proclamation Huether signed to coincide with National School Choice Week, an effort nationally backed by proponents of vouchers, charter schools and other programs that steer tax dollars to private schools.

But he still hasn't answered the question of why he signed the proclamation, and it's not just me who's asking.

Superintendent Brian Maher said yesterday that he was "curious" about the mayor's motives, adding that while his relationship with the mayor is positive, he doesn't feel good about school choice if it means the "erosion of public funding of our schools."

Curious, also, are Wade Pogany, director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, and Sioux Falls School Board President Todd Thoelke.

Read the mayor's proclamation on School Choice Week

School board Vice President Kate Parker went so far as to say the mayor's decision to support School Choice Week was "unfortunate."

The proclamation could have been a deliberate attempt to appeal to certain voters ahead of a run for statewide office, or the mayor may have been unaware of the politics surrounding school choice. The use of taxpayer dollars to support private education has been a source of debate in Pierre and Washington, D.C.

Huether declined an interview yesterday to discuss his position. He said in an email that Sioux Falls Catholic School President Robert Wehde proposed the proclamation, a point he repeated on the radio.

Wehde said he wasn't aware of the political platform behind the National School Choice Week, but Huether has not addressed whether he was aware of the politics behind the phrase "school choice."

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Huether also said it's rare that he doesn't sign a proclamation brought to him by a community member.

"I read them all, just to make sure that I don't sign something that I truly don't believe in or that I think there are some inherent risk to it," Huether told Belfrage Tuesday.

Huether's office again declined a request for an in-person or phone interview today.

On the radio, Huether said he has a policy that he will only respond to Argus Leader Media reporters in writing, a policy that sets him apart from other public officials in the state.

Argus Leader Media News Director Cory Myers said there is a time and a place for email communication, but when there's a question of policy, direction or intention of an elected official's decision that impacts the public, reporters expect verbal discussions.

"And in nearly every case," Myers said. "From school board to city council, our state legislators and on up to our governor and federal representatives, we have that access on behalf of the people."

Follow education watchdog reporter Megan Raposa on Twitter @mlraposa and subscribe to The Highlighter, an education newsletter for parents.