I’m ashamed of Greeley-Evans School Board, and I’m embarrassed
Opinions by Brett Reese, for The Greeley Gazette
I am speaking as an individual, not as a member of the board of District 6 schools.
The consolidation has happened on a unanimous vote. Starting next school year, five additional bus routes will be implemented to move all five alternative high schools to Jefferson School. Jefferson kids will combine with Cameron and go to Maplewood. Maplewood kids would go mostly to Franklin which is operating right now at about 60%.
While most citizens are content, I empathize with the few who are not. I had my middle school shut down and partially demolished when I was in high school and it didn't feel good. It was only 50 years old, not 90. But as I cautioned the public and the board last evening, we must pay attention to the details faced in a consolidation. Why not work to close the legislative loophole essentially allowing an open campus? Is this not a great time to consider school uniforms at the new alternative high, Jefferson and other newly consolidated entities? But what each of us should be stunned and shocked about has been quietly voted on and passed after all the excitement was over-- late in the night/session.
Besides me, the board unanimously voted to immediately begin spending nearly as much on a "virtual school" program as our Superintendent pulls down in a single year. After the major votes of consolidation and graduation requirements were passed, the last issue of the night in a "midnight session" was whether or not to spend almost $300,000 on a virtual school. This money will come straight from the taxpayer. It comes from the general fund and the only motivation to start this "school" is to steal students from Hope Academy in North Greeley and other virtual academies in order to funnel more money into the empty coffers of the District. This story has been completely ignored by the Greeley Tribune. Find it at www.greeleygazette.com along with my comments.
Every one of my board colleagues had no sooner finished their "sorry but we have to cut the budget" speeches than they voted in favor of throwing $300,000 of our hard earned tax dollars to the wind in a competition for virtual students which we have little hope of enrolling in the future! I was the lone vote against wasting this money. I am ashamed of this board's hypocrisy, and I'm embarrassed.
I have also heard from many, many teachers that they are afraid of losing their jobs..as are we ALL! There are rumors aplenty. But it won't be as bad as many think.
This consolidation saves a lot of money. But we also need to begin shifting our priorities and considering ways to improve our most basic and precious asset; teacher morale. We need to stop the administrative animosity. We need to cease being so regimented and controlling and focus on helping our good teachers get better, our new teachers get support and our poor teachers leave.
Since joining this volunteer board and sacrificing some of the time I would otherwise devote to my businesses, I have noticed that some of the most basic precepts that sustain a successful enterprise are utterly absent in this school district. Specifically, we need to increase the morale of every employee of this district. One excellent way to do that is to show we are all in this together; namely, across the board administrative cuts. Our constitution does not mandate a public education in this country. It certainly does not mandate busing or leniency for delinquents or tenderness for truants. Parents may need to be invited to take classes, or better yet, come to classes with their ill-behaved kids and take some discipline burden off teachers.
Also, I encourage everyone within earshot to be vigilantly checking the district's online check registry. This registry is brand new and we have work left to do on it, since salaries are not yet listed. But please research it and help us find cost-saving measures. The members of this board have been less than conscientious in their foresight of the financial earthquake presently upon us. This, coupled with the State's utter fiscal irresponsibility, is the cradle of what we are now dealing with.
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It is refreshing to hear another view of district 6 business. After having a one newspaper in greeley for a long time , we need another paper to cover all points of view.
Gee, Brett, given your complaints about "accuracy" when it comes to the fishwrap, you should check your own...
It's New Hope Academy, not Hope Academy. But, I expect mistakes like that from you.
Good Job Brett ! It was long over due for someone to come in here and shake this sad situation up.
Keep up the good work.
Seriously Brett, what loophole are you talking about? You mention open campus but I suspect you mean open enrollment. If that's the case, keep your hands off my right as a parent to choose the school my children attend.
We live in the district of a poor performance school and I am not content to sit back and let my children be lost in a system of under achievers. If I could, we'd move to the neighborhood of the school we attend. However, in this economy, that isn't possible. I researched the elementary schools in D6 and choose the one that most fit my educational values. I ensure my children are transported to this school and don't expect a handout from D6 to get them to school.
If you manage to end the open enrollment, I will do everything in my power to pull my children out of D6 and ensure any money diue for their education does not go to D6.
Bottom line, the system IS broken. When a parent drops a child/teen off at school and they choose not to go to class - why is it the parents responsibility when their teen decides to skip class(es)? Parents work hard for a living. Before you know it, parents will have to quit their job in order to attend each and every class to ensure their teen is attending class! Such a sad situation. The teachers are stuck having to put up with truannt teens who are disrespectful - this is also very sad. This is ALL because parents and officials are NOT allowed to DISCIPLINE teens! There IS a difference between abuse and discipline. WAKE UP PEOPLE! Can you image where we will be in another 5 years of not holding teens accountable for thier actions and allowing the teens to have more power than the parents/authorities? Very scarey!
The system is broke, and I applaud the board for doing something to fix it. But I can't blame the schools entirely. The problem with our educational system is the parents. They send their kids off to school as their duty, but only a handful of parents really take the time or effort to participate in their childs education. Morals are lacking both in the home, and at public school. We can fix a broken educational system, but we must first fix our broken homes, familes, morals, and lack of commitment to be our parents first teachers. I don't send my kids to public school. I work hard to make enough money to send them to a Private School that fits these standards for my family. But, I also volunteer, and do my kids homework with them. Public schools will never have a high of standard as private schools unless the same level of committment from the public school parents is there that the private school parents have. That makes the difference. So parents, Buck Up, and do your part to give your kids the best education you can.
I hate the idea of giving up on truannt, and disrespectful students, but kids at school are being cheeted
by delinquents. Oue full attention should be given to real students, eliminating non interested kids.
Schools systems use these kids at counters, in October for per pupil funding!
At the earliest legal date these kids should be expelled! Purify the schools to real students.
Kisd required to ware uniforms face less pier pressure, due to dress, and take on a mind set that it is school time, and time to learn!
Mr. George