Mankato School Board under ‘tremendous pressure,’ amid pandemic says superintendent

The superintendent of Mankato Area Public Schools says the school board is under tremendous pressure as they continue to navigate through challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with River 105’s Breakfast Club on Thursday morning, Superintendent Paul Peterson stressed his confidence in the board’s ability to make careful and thoughtful decisions.  But Peterson says he worries about the volume and intensity of the criticism directed towards the board members.

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“So much of that criticism is terribly unfair,” Peterson said of the complaints. Regardless, said all seven board members are in it for the long haul, according to Peterson.  “I couldn’t be prouder of them for their work for our kids and for our staff,” he said.

School boards throughout the country have been subject to lengthy meetings fraught with anger, as parents and staff weigh in on mask mandates and other COVID-19 safety measures.