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Community members jammed the Indus School commons area April 3 for a five-hour public hearing. 

They came to respond to the South Koochiching-Rainy River School Board's March decision to shutter Indus. The board cites declining enrollment, and a $400,000 deficit that's expected to increase in the coming years.  

The school district has two K-12 schools, Indus and Northome. 

The first two hours of the meeting comprised of school district attorney Stephen Knutson and Superintendent Jeremy Tammi presenting financial and operating costs for both schools to those present and a neutral third-party hearing officer.  

The hearing officer is preparing final recommendations on whether to close the school. 

When pressed, Superintendent Tammi gave his view.

“Well, if you're putting me on the spot, and we're looking at the data, the evidence then would suggest to close the Indus School versus Northome,” he said.

Then it was the community's turn. Over the next three hours around 30 people spoke.

Former Koochiching county attorney and state assistant attorney general Jennifer Hasbargen-Hoppenstedt blasted the school board.

“They have gone from A to Z and they have missed the rest of the alphabet. They are taking the most draconian action possible and going to this step.”

She said it was time to stand up for the Indus students.

“And I am going to turn now to the school board and point out to you, with great power comes great responsibility, and what each of you do with that power shows who you truly are.”

The school board voted to close Indus by a 4 to 2 margin last month. Indus supporters contend the decision was made in haste and without transparency. 

Current school board member Scott Mai is an Indus graduate and small business owner. He was one of the two votes against closure.

“All of a sudden, it's a vote to close the schools. Wow! That hits kind of hard. This entire community's affected. I'm affected. My business is affected if nobody shows up for employees,” he said.

Parents voiced concern that some students will face five-hour round trips daily if they have to bus to Northome. Some pointed out that lack of internet makes remote learning close to impossible. Current student Abby Hasbargen also spoke.

“If you close Indus you will be breaking up a family. So closing the Indus School is not necessary nor practical for my class, my peers and myself. So please reconsider the decision to ruin my senior year,” she said.

Following the hearing, Indus supporter Hasbargen-Hoppenstedt said for the first time in the district's history four of its six members are from Northome. She believes that swayed the closure vote. 

She said cost alone is not enough to warrant closing a school.

“That money standing alone should be insufficient when weighed against the educational, emotional impact of students."

Indus School now waits for the hearing officer's report. If it's done before the school board meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening the matter could be decided then. If the report takes longer, a special meeting will be called at a later date. However, the board is not bound by the report's recommendations. 

Meanwhile, state Sen. Grant Hauschild, who's against closure, wants the board to delay. He says he sent a letter to the school board and Tammi explaining the education omnibus bill this session could provide money through the per pupil funding formula and the education cross subsidy gap that might help Indus remain open.

“So what I have asked is that the school board hold off on their decision until we see the end of this legislative session and how much funding may be coming their way,” said Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown.

Superintendent Tammi says they've received the letter and even with the proposed increases by the Legislature the school district will still be in deficit spending. He says Indus is projected to have 88 K-12 students for the upcoming school year, down from 92.

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Mathew Holding Eagle III

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A small community nestled near the Canadian border west of International Falls may learn as soon as Wednesday evening if it will lose its school. Supporters say Indus School in Baudette is a vital learning oasis for local families. However, the South Koochiching-Rainy River School Board says it’s losing pupils and money.

Indus school in northern Minnesota community awaits final decision on closure

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