BOE and Admin receive a spanking
Throughout my three years on the D11 board, I would hear from critics that we reformers never listened to the community, that we always wanted to push through our agenda quickly without hearing from our public. John Gudvangen, Tami Hasling, and Jan Tanner were three people who made this criticism over and over again. The fact is that there was no truth to these claims when they made them, but as we all know by now, none of these three operate with "truth" as a guiding principle.
Due to the onslaught of winter weather during the first semester, the D11 board and administration decided to add 30 minutes onto the D11 school day. School has been cancelled or delayed several times this school year. so the district decided to add time to the school day prior to CSAPs. District spokesperson even announced to the press that parents and community members had been consulted before this decision was made. Surely people like the three board members above would take their own advice and consult the public before making a decision that would effect the entire D11 community, right? Well, not quite.
The D11 DAAC, a state mandated advisory committee that exists to advise the school board, was never consulted prior to the administration announcing this schedule change. In fact, the members of the DAAC were informed that there would be no schedule change, and within a few days, the schedule change was announced anyway. Members of the DAAC were upset, as they are the "community" advisory committee to the board. The DAAC drafted and unanimously adopted the following rebuke to the D11 administration and board:
Rebuke of the Omission of Parental and Community Input
On the Extension of the 2006-2007 School Day
THE DISTRICT ELEVEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAAC),
UNDERSTANDING:
That the DAAC membership consists of District Eleven parents and community members;
That changes to the approved District Eleven calendar require a thirty-day window to inform the public and allow for input;
That the approved District Eleven calendar provides for snow-day make-ups on May 25th, 29th, and 30th, 2007;
That the DAAC Chair specifically requested of the DAAC Administrative Liaison an update on any plans of the District to alter the calendar due to the number of “snow days” incurred by the District in School Year 2006-2007;
That the DAAC was informed at its January 18, 2007, meeting that elementary schools still had sixty-plus contact hours and middle schools and high schools between four and eight hours contact time before any changes in the calendar would be necessitated;
That, less than one full week after the January 18, 2007, meeting of the DAAC, the District Eleven Administration announced that the school day for the remainder of School Year 2006-2007 would be extended by thirty minutes; and
That District Eleven, through its Office of Public Relations, proclaimed that parents had been consulted prior to the decision on the extension of the school day,
RESOLVES:
1. To express to the District Eleven Administration and District Eleven
Board of Education the displeasure of having been circumvented during this process of decision-making.
2. To remind the District Eleven Administration and District Eleven Board of
Education that the DAAC is the state-mandated and recognized forum for parent and community input on policy decisions and policy changes.
3. To urge adamantly that the District Eleven Administration and District
Eleven Board of Education recognize and utilize the DAAC for input on future policy implementation and policy changes.
Adopted without objection by the District Eleven Accountability and Advisory Committee on Thursday, February 15, 2007.
Patrick J. Carter
Chair
Notice that this rebuke was adopted "without objection." Even long time mediocrity apologist Lyman Kaiser was furious with the board over this violation of policy and procedure. (Kaiser has never been one to care much about the tax paying public, but when it comes to policy and procedure, watch out).
While I was on the board, I certainly did not agree with all of the recommendations of the DAAC on every issue. However, the DAAC was always consulted and the DAAC was always heard. Whether I voted to accept the DAAC's recommendations, the members of the DAAC were always consulted.
The current board consists of five or six very arrogant members who take their marching orders from a small circle of masters. The opinions of the community mean nothing to them. They are not there to serve their community, but to obey their handlers.
Due to the onslaught of winter weather during the first semester, the D11 board and administration decided to add 30 minutes onto the D11 school day. School has been cancelled or delayed several times this school year. so the district decided to add time to the school day prior to CSAPs. District spokesperson even announced to the press that parents and community members had been consulted before this decision was made. Surely people like the three board members above would take their own advice and consult the public before making a decision that would effect the entire D11 community, right? Well, not quite.
The D11 DAAC, a state mandated advisory committee that exists to advise the school board, was never consulted prior to the administration announcing this schedule change. In fact, the members of the DAAC were informed that there would be no schedule change, and within a few days, the schedule change was announced anyway. Members of the DAAC were upset, as they are the "community" advisory committee to the board. The DAAC drafted and unanimously adopted the following rebuke to the D11 administration and board:
Rebuke of the Omission of Parental and Community Input
On the Extension of the 2006-2007 School Day
THE DISTRICT ELEVEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAAC),
UNDERSTANDING:
That the DAAC membership consists of District Eleven parents and community members;
That changes to the approved District Eleven calendar require a thirty-day window to inform the public and allow for input;
That the approved District Eleven calendar provides for snow-day make-ups on May 25th, 29th, and 30th, 2007;
That the DAAC Chair specifically requested of the DAAC Administrative Liaison an update on any plans of the District to alter the calendar due to the number of “snow days” incurred by the District in School Year 2006-2007;
That the DAAC was informed at its January 18, 2007, meeting that elementary schools still had sixty-plus contact hours and middle schools and high schools between four and eight hours contact time before any changes in the calendar would be necessitated;
That, less than one full week after the January 18, 2007, meeting of the DAAC, the District Eleven Administration announced that the school day for the remainder of School Year 2006-2007 would be extended by thirty minutes; and
That District Eleven, through its Office of Public Relations, proclaimed that parents had been consulted prior to the decision on the extension of the school day,
RESOLVES:
1. To express to the District Eleven Administration and District Eleven
Board of Education the displeasure of having been circumvented during this process of decision-making.
2. To remind the District Eleven Administration and District Eleven Board of
Education that the DAAC is the state-mandated and recognized forum for parent and community input on policy decisions and policy changes.
3. To urge adamantly that the District Eleven Administration and District
Eleven Board of Education recognize and utilize the DAAC for input on future policy implementation and policy changes.
Adopted without objection by the District Eleven Accountability and Advisory Committee on Thursday, February 15, 2007.
Patrick J. Carter
Chair
Notice that this rebuke was adopted "without objection." Even long time mediocrity apologist Lyman Kaiser was furious with the board over this violation of policy and procedure. (Kaiser has never been one to care much about the tax paying public, but when it comes to policy and procedure, watch out).
While I was on the board, I certainly did not agree with all of the recommendations of the DAAC on every issue. However, the DAAC was always consulted and the DAAC was always heard. Whether I voted to accept the DAAC's recommendations, the members of the DAAC were always consulted.
The current board consists of five or six very arrogant members who take their marching orders from a small circle of masters. The opinions of the community mean nothing to them. They are not there to serve their community, but to obey their handlers.
posted by Craig Cox | 3:22 PM
5 Comments:
Funny how the DAAC finally calls these clowns to task but it's not over poor scores, or methodology, or curriculum usage, no, it's about them being left out of the loop.
While they are right on this (and that arrogant mental midget Gudvagen is way off base)it still shows just how out of touch with reality these people are.
During my time on the board, the DAAC never concerned itself with issues of academic performance. One of the problems is that people like Lyman Kaiser and John Gudvangen were in leadership roles. Everyone knows that these two people simply like to be on boards to feel important, not to help kids. Rather than express concern over low performing schools, they spent their time fighting against anything that might make them better. Kaiser is a master at drumming up statistics to prove that skin color other than white equates to inability to learn, and that income other than middle class or above equates to ignorant. Gudvangen, on the other hand, is so busy looking at himself in the mirror and feeling self-important that he could care a less what happens to kids in under performing schools. It would be nice to see the DAAC begin to take its role to a new level.
I'd like to see "anonymous" commit to being a part of the process--we are always seeking members from the community, and we rarely (if ever) find an overwhelming response to participate. The D11 DAAC is currently seeking volunteers, and until people like "anonymous" stand-up to be recognized (and voluteer to be a part of the solution), the DAAC will never separate itself from the sycophants of the administration. Our accreditation sub-committee is the body that is identifying for public consumption the shortcomings of the D11 policies with regard to achievement, and the DAAC is attempting to implement achievement-based priorities within the district through the utilization of our budget sub-committee. This entrenchment of the district apologists has evolved over several years, and it is going to take many years to overcome. I argue that this example, though seemingly minor to "anonymous," is a major step for the DAAC. Major change will not, however, occur until those of the "anonynous" ilk stop being anonymous and standing on the proverbial sideline. They must stand-up and make their voices heard as some of us on the DAAC continue to do on a regular basis.
Patrick,
You are correct that the DAAC is "entrenched" with district apologists. It will take years to turn around and it will take new blood. Therein lies the trick - getting new blood. I agree that this is a good first step, and potentially a very important first step. It will be a great day to hear "accountability" talk coming from the DAAC. This is the first sign that it can happen.
patrick:
If more D11 residents actually knew what was going on in this district, then I think you would get more involvement. I have to read this blog to get the "rest of the story" as I can't find this info anywhere else.
I know that DAAC has a link on the district web site. One suggestion is to make important issues more visible on the web page instead of burying it in meeting minutes. For example, post your rebuke on the web page. I'd love to read more about accountability and student achievement issues on your web page.
I applaud your small step towards making the administration and board accountable.
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