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<br />~ <br /> <br />(C>1? Rf:C()~D <br />'f(e/DB Cay <br />Cou";CIl. ntcET1~G. <br /> <br />........... <br /> <br />DEREN LAW FIRM, P .A. <br />ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br />2140 FOURTH AVENUE NORTH <br />ANOKA, MINNESOTA 55303 <br /> <br />TELEPHONE 763-323-3449 <br />FACSIMILE 763-427-7136 <br /> <br />John P. Dehen <br /> <br />April 8, 2008 <br /> <br />City of Ramsey <br />Attention: Kurt Ulrich/City Administrator <br />7550 Sunwood Drive NW <br />Ramsey, MN 55303 <br /> <br />RE: PACT Charter School Matters <br /> <br />FellowCouncilmembers and Ramsey Residents: <br /> <br />r <br /> <br />I am writing to let you know about the declaratory judgment action (a lawsuit specifically <br />designed by our laws to allow the district court to give an interpretation on the rights and <br />responsibilities of the parties) councilmember Look and I have commenced against the <br />PACT charter school located in the City of Ramsey that we claim negatively affects the <br />school choices of the residents in the City of Ramsey. Councilmember Look and I have <br />both have children that applied for admittance to the PACT school, albeit for different <br />reasons. Understand that the charter schools are not private schools. They are public <br />schools funded by the taxpayers. Understand that we have not requested any city monies <br />for the prosecution of our matter. <br /> <br />As background, the charter school laws in Minnesota were enacted in approx. 1991. Up <br />until the year 2000, students/parents wishing to apply to the charter school wouIdbe <br />admitted by a lottery (or by equal chance to other students applying) if the number 0{ <br />applications exceeded the number of openings. <br /> <br />In 2000, the law in the enrollment process to charter schools changed from a strict lottery <br />open to all residents of different communities. Senator Thomas Neuville (Northfield) <br />introduced a bill that later became law that allowed certain groups of students to have <br />enrollment preferences before a lottery would take place. The amendment idea came <br />from the principal of a charter school in the city ofNerstrand, Minnesota according to the <br />legislative tapes of the hearing on the amendment on March 7, 2000. (Nerstrand was a <br />city that was incorporated in approximately 1897). The preferences referred to in the bill <br />were threefold. First, there was a "sibling" preference-in other words if you had a <br />sibling already enrolled at the charter school your child would be in a preferenced <br />category that allowed admission before those in the lottery. Second, there was a <br /> <br />1 <br />