Before I respond to Chris Carlson’s recent column attacking the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and Indian Gaming, I want to start by disclosing a few things. First, I support Indian gaming. I have seen first-hand how gaming on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation has transformed this community and delivered our people from abject poverty and a century-long dearth of opportunity. I see the pride in our people that comes from the hope and opportunity that gaming provides. That is precisely the reason Indian gaming was embraced by the United States and the state of Idaho. Second, I echo what many wonderful people in this community have already expressed; I too am tired of the hostility directed toward the tribe based on false information and inaccurate half-truths. That type of hate-inspired rhetoric should not and cannot be tolerated any longer/Chief Allan, Coeur d'Alene Tribe chairman. More here.

• Questions remain unanswered/Dan Hammes, St. Maries Gazette Record
• Kroc Center is great, but …/Chris Carlson, The Carlson Report

DFO: Chief Allan of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe is at odds with Publisher Dan Hammes of the St. Maries Gazette Record and Chris Carlson, who writes for the weekly newspaper, re: state oversight of required donations of gaming proceeds to area schools. Carlson has also question the propriety of the tribe contributing designated school donations to the Coeur d'Alene Kroc Center.

Our View: For Idaho schools, it’s raining now: Idaho schools face a downpour right now. And Tom Luna still wants to save for a rainy day/Idaho Statesman.

More Info: The state’s school superintendent would rather keep $114 million socked away in a savings account to protect public school funding - someday. He would rather condemn Idaho schools to historic budget cuts. He would prefer to move full steam ahead on $62 million in education cuts - including a plan to reduce school staff salaries by the equivalent of three school days, and a change in a busing reimbursement that would cost Boise schools $1.45 million.

Question: Should Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna tap the state’s large rainy day fund to prevent deep cuts in public school funding?

The parents of an 8-year-old girl with special needs say their daughter was handcuffed, arrested and charged with battery after a Friday incident at Kootenai Elementary School. The family is not being identified because of the girl’s age. The girl suffers from a neurobiological disorder called Asperger syndrome, which causes her to have “episodes” of disruptiveness, according to her parents. The girl’s father admits the episodes can be alarming, but said they are not violent. Without identifying the girl or her family, Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dick Cvitanich said law enforcement officers removed a student from school Friday for spitting on and inappropriately touching two staff members/Conor Christofferson, Bonner County Bee. More here.

Question: The parents of the girl is thinking about suing the district. Did the Pend Oreille School District act appropriately?

Colleague Alison Boggs is working the phones after we received and confirmed tips (from ThomG & S&S Herb) that the schools in the Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland school districts will close again Wednesday. We’re checking out a rumor that there may be a problem with the Lake City High gym.

Item: Roof snow load levels close area schools: Snow-covered sidewalks, narrow streets cause concern for student safety/Brian Walker & Maureen Dolan, CDA Press

Officials in the Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland school districts decided late Monday afternoon that schools would be closed today so they could deal with heavy snow loads on school rooftops. In the Post Falls district, roofs were cleared during the winter break so no early decision to close was made. The snow load levels in the Lakeland district were approaching 30 pounds per square foot Monday afternoon. The district’s roofs have a 35-pound limit

Question: Are school officials being overly cautious or prudent in closing schools to check snow loads? Should this have been done at Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland schools during Christmas vacation?

Chatterbox: Can anyone out there confirm there is no school tomorrow in Coeur d’Alene? At least for Lake City High School? Sonny-boy texted us with that news as he’s on his way to Wallace for a basketball game. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

DFO: An e-mail was circulated throughout the Coeur d’Alene School District this afternoon, informing staffers that schools will be closed Tuesday. This will allow school officials to assess the possible threat posed by snow load on school buildings. Shinie notes that Lakeland School District already has announced that schools will be closed tomorrow, too. Also closed will be North Idaho Christian.