The Beginning of a New School Year
Another summer coming to an end in less than a month, and another school year about to begin with fewer and fewer families choosing to utilize School District 11 schools for their students’ education.
The time is right to continue to add to this blog. It was interesting trying to follow the happenings in D11 while I was deployed to Iraq. What stood out the most to me was the validation that the frenzy to remove reform board members was never about improving student achievement; as I said all along, it was all about power for the labor union and for the Progressive majority sponsored board members. The best example to illustrate that point was the lack of outrage when the board decided to close numerous schools with no legitimate neighborhood input. Where was End the Chaos during this debate? Where was the labor union?
There is plenty to write about with regards to the still-sluggish school district, but the big issues can be summarized in just a couple of sentences. First and foremost, and regrettably for the students, the status quo, ‘nothing needs to change academically’ attitude is in full force in the district. Second, despite the Create Chaos organization’s stated goal of electing board members who would all work together, the board members do not share common goals for the district, and they do not get along. You won’t find that story in the Gazette, however, because it is only supposed to be a story when conservatives have disagreements. Third, the board and administration continue to ignore the community. While district personnel are quick to blame parents for academic failures, parents’ input is not welcome with regards to academic issues. Finally, while never openly admitting it, the district inadvertently sang the praises of the reformers as it used district data that was achieved during our tenure to show that D11 was making strong academic gains. This data was used on mailers that the district (illegally) produced in its print shop to push for the mil levy last fall.
Over the past year, I have pulled my kids out of D11 schools, as have thousands of parents. The district does not demand excellence in its staff or its students, it is non-responsive to the community, and discipline is not maintained in the schools. Unfortunately, D11 still gets my property taxes, so I have just as much a right to have a say in the business of the district as every other tax payer. There is plenty to be said.
The time is right to continue to add to this blog. It was interesting trying to follow the happenings in D11 while I was deployed to Iraq. What stood out the most to me was the validation that the frenzy to remove reform board members was never about improving student achievement; as I said all along, it was all about power for the labor union and for the Progressive majority sponsored board members. The best example to illustrate that point was the lack of outrage when the board decided to close numerous schools with no legitimate neighborhood input. Where was End the Chaos during this debate? Where was the labor union?
There is plenty to write about with regards to the still-sluggish school district, but the big issues can be summarized in just a couple of sentences. First and foremost, and regrettably for the students, the status quo, ‘nothing needs to change academically’ attitude is in full force in the district. Second, despite the Create Chaos organization’s stated goal of electing board members who would all work together, the board members do not share common goals for the district, and they do not get along. You won’t find that story in the Gazette, however, because it is only supposed to be a story when conservatives have disagreements. Third, the board and administration continue to ignore the community. While district personnel are quick to blame parents for academic failures, parents’ input is not welcome with regards to academic issues. Finally, while never openly admitting it, the district inadvertently sang the praises of the reformers as it used district data that was achieved during our tenure to show that D11 was making strong academic gains. This data was used on mailers that the district (illegally) produced in its print shop to push for the mil levy last fall.
Over the past year, I have pulled my kids out of D11 schools, as have thousands of parents. The district does not demand excellence in its staff or its students, it is non-responsive to the community, and discipline is not maintained in the schools. Unfortunately, D11 still gets my property taxes, so I have just as much a right to have a say in the business of the district as every other tax payer. There is plenty to be said.
posted by Craig Cox | 9:12 PM
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