An issue has recently come up at my ds's elementary school that a small group of mothers and I have challenged and the results have so far been educational...
There are some major renovations taking place over the summer on the building and they include the removal and replacement of windows, which is desperately necessary. However, they will only be replacing 40% of the windows at eye level, the rest will be filled in for wall space. The school is unique by today's standards in that it has many big beautiful windows, the rooms are full of natural light (except on the north side), and losing a significant amount of those windows is tragic, IMO. The windows are what give the building appeal. I personally also have concerns about the effect of fluorescent light on the children as well. Not to mention that children of that age should not have to learn in a box. Their reasoning, by the the way, is that less windows makes for a better learning environment and better energy conservation--which I am all for, but not in this situation, I think they are sacrificing the learning environment here.
So...we parents have approached the superintendent, expressed our concerns to the school board, we have, in a very controversial move, also passed out flyers in an attempt to inform other parents (nobody knew about this!!). We have also outlined a couple of compromises and their cost to the board/super...and we have gotten nothing but stall tactics and little cooperation from the board/super. Information that we have requested has never come to us, calls have not been returned. Furthermore, they are laughing at us (this being a small town, little goes unseen and unheard, and a friend witnessed an informal gathering of 2 board members + super and they were actually LAUGHING at a letter from us!!)
Part of the problem is that we are coming in at the last minute, because we trully had no idea this was happening until a couple of weeks ago and they are due to begin construction next week. There was one notice in the paper less that two months ago, but obviously no one reads the paper because we have all found out through word of mouth (originating from teachers), though this project, along with other renovations, has been ongoing for 4 years. No public input meetings were held that I am aware of. All of us moms are also guilty of not attending the board meetings to be better informed and I regret coming in at the last minute, however, that does not condone the behavior of the board and the super, and their refusal to cooperate with us.
Futhermore, since this has come up, I have heard many more horrible stories about the behavior and decisions of the board and the superintendent--the super appears to have total control over the board. All of it scares me. We have tried to make to best of public school but are fully repulsed by the way those in charge treat their parents, not to mention teachers, who feel like they cannot speak up on anything. Our only other option is homeschooling, which I am considering more + more everyday.
So...Thank for you allowing me this oppurtunity for venting. Sorry this post is so long! I am also wondering, are other school districts like this too?? Any advice, support, similar experience would be appreciated!
Thanks,
~Erin
PS...their board meeting is tonight and we are on the agenda, though at the very end (another stall tactic??). We'll see how it goes...
There are some major renovations taking place over the summer on the building and they include the removal and replacement of windows, which is desperately necessary. However, they will only be replacing 40% of the windows at eye level, the rest will be filled in for wall space. The school is unique by today's standards in that it has many big beautiful windows, the rooms are full of natural light (except on the north side), and losing a significant amount of those windows is tragic, IMO. The windows are what give the building appeal. I personally also have concerns about the effect of fluorescent light on the children as well. Not to mention that children of that age should not have to learn in a box. Their reasoning, by the the way, is that less windows makes for a better learning environment and better energy conservation--which I am all for, but not in this situation, I think they are sacrificing the learning environment here.
So...we parents have approached the superintendent, expressed our concerns to the school board, we have, in a very controversial move, also passed out flyers in an attempt to inform other parents (nobody knew about this!!). We have also outlined a couple of compromises and their cost to the board/super...and we have gotten nothing but stall tactics and little cooperation from the board/super. Information that we have requested has never come to us, calls have not been returned. Furthermore, they are laughing at us (this being a small town, little goes unseen and unheard, and a friend witnessed an informal gathering of 2 board members + super and they were actually LAUGHING at a letter from us!!)
Part of the problem is that we are coming in at the last minute, because we trully had no idea this was happening until a couple of weeks ago and they are due to begin construction next week. There was one notice in the paper less that two months ago, but obviously no one reads the paper because we have all found out through word of mouth (originating from teachers), though this project, along with other renovations, has been ongoing for 4 years. No public input meetings were held that I am aware of. All of us moms are also guilty of not attending the board meetings to be better informed and I regret coming in at the last minute, however, that does not condone the behavior of the board and the super, and their refusal to cooperate with us.
Futhermore, since this has come up, I have heard many more horrible stories about the behavior and decisions of the board and the superintendent--the super appears to have total control over the board. All of it scares me. We have tried to make to best of public school but are fully repulsed by the way those in charge treat their parents, not to mention teachers, who feel like they cannot speak up on anything. Our only other option is homeschooling, which I am considering more + more everyday.
So...Thank for you allowing me this oppurtunity for venting. Sorry this post is so long! I am also wondering, are other school districts like this too?? Any advice, support, similar experience would be appreciated!
Thanks,
~Erin
PS...their board meeting is tonight and we are on the agenda, though at the very end (another stall tactic??). We'll see how it goes...
