Last night's board meeting was the last straw for me. After listening to incredibly eloquent students explain to the board what this will mean to them, with very little discussion the board unanimously dismissed the students' concerns and voted to cut 35 teachers. If each teacher teaches 5 classes that is potentially 175 fewer classes between the 2 high schools.
After following the school board for 12 1/2 years I shouldn't be surprised by this vote but I still can't believe the vote was unanimous, Schneider and Becker's votes didn't surprise me but Karen Bowen, and John Lemberger's vote did shock me, they work at a University, from their brief comments I guess they believe that it won't really end up being that may classes. I am deeply disappointed and just don't have it in me anymore to care what the board does next --- whatever it is, it won't be good. I am just biding my time till my youngest graduates (2 years) and then I can move out of this district.
I'll leave this post up for about a week then this blog will be gone. Thanks to those of you who have contributed civil comments.
Bye
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It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good. - Margaret Mead
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." JFK
The purpose of this blog is to provide a place to discuss school district issues. The title of the blog is what I hope people will keep foremost in their minds. The decisions that are made should be about the students. I know there are plenty who disagree and think it should be all about the taxpayers but I believe the duty of the school board and the district administration should be to do what is best for the students. That is what education should be about -- the students
Quotes
Education still seems to define knowing as more important than being able to find, yet which do you do more of in your work? - Robert X. Cringely
It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good. - Margaret Mead
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." JFK
6 comments:
Bowen and Lemberger voted yes because this forces the honors students to enroll at UWO for capp classes (paid for by the District, taxpayer) and German and French classes also. This brings more money to their employer!
For the record, Karen Bowen RETIRED from the University last year, so it is not her employer.
I think some of the board members don't really care about education or how their decisions impact students while the others believe there won't be much of an impact in the end.
I happen to disagree 35 fewer teachers will result in a significant drop in classes offered.
The community is as much at fault as the board. It is almost amusing to see people come out of the woodwork saying raise taxes where were you all a few years ago when the board began to not levy to the limit? These issues started years ago and those who advocated levying to the limit were certainly not supported.
This community keeps electing Schneider & Becker. In fact the only hope I see for this district is if voters DON'T re-elect Becker, that would signify that education is more important than keeping taxes as low as possible. Of course I've lived here long enough to know the likelihood of that actually happening is slim to none. Which is why I'm not going to invest much more energy in this district or community.
Did not know Karen had retired.
Thank you.
I would not be surprised if a new batch of senior voters, 18 year old High School seniors, voted Mr. Becker out this spring!
Mr. Schnieder might also see his popularity lost if he continues ruining educational opprotunities for Oshkosh youth.
These two gentlemen may do more for encouraging our youth to get out to vate than others have for decades!
Well, if this community does in fact vote Mr Becker off the board it would give me great hope and I believe send a huge message to the board that their focus better be on EDUCATION not taxes.
I am not saying taxes don't matter but we are in the bottom 1/4 of districts in the STATE as far as our tax levy. We are NOT over taxed by any measure. People seem to forget that in 1993 LIMITS were placed on school districts to limit how much they could tax --this was done to protect taxpayers. While other districts were asking taxpayers to allow them to exceed those limits Oshkosh wasn't even levying to the limit. One year instead of putting millions into fund balance or using it for capital improvements they gave, on average $15 back to taxpayers.
I guess I'm not doing a good job of not caring about where the district is headed, but after being so involved for 12 years it is hard to quit cold turkey.
The only hope I see for the future of the district is if Becker is voted off the board... 3 new members would send quite a message to the remaining board members and the focus would shift to education. Unfortunately, I don't believe it will happen but I would LOVE to be proved wrong.
Come on one more post at least. Did you meet the 3 candidates for Super and who do you like?
Do you think or hope that the High School Seniors will make their collective voices heard at the polls this year?
Well Dennis... in answer to your questions:
Yes I did meet all 3 Superintendent candidates. There were about 12 other citizens (that's counting board members and the press)there...so pitiful.
As to who I liked the best... that is a most difficult question.
First let me say I don't think anyone of the would be a bad choice. That said, two of the three actually left me feeling hopeful about the district and perhaps even wanting to get involved in making things better. I felt that both Kathleen Williams and Steve Price would work to get a cross section of the community involved in making our schools better. They were both very approachable and comfortable answering questions and talking with people. Don Viegut seemed a little more standoffish and appeared to be giving a lecture rather than engaging people in discussion. However he was very knowledgeable and appeared to be someone who would lead without worrying about possibly having people upset by his decision. He was the only candidate that didn't talk about the students or educating the whole child.
Steve Price talked about educating the whole child to produce good citizens who vote and participate in government, which is important to me.
Kathleen Williams was very specific about her accomplishments and they were the type of things we need...developing a plan that guides all decision making, reaching out to community members who currently do not support schools, cutting budgets based on priorities rather than keeping taxpayers and certain parents happy.
Steve Price also talked about reaching out to the community and about starting by developing a plan with all stakeholders involved.
He was very upfront about his parting of the ways with his former district ---it was no longer a good fit -- from the research I've done, when hired he was given 3 goals, he achieved them all but in his seven years of doing so it seems to me he made the "wrong" people mad. His quote from the Middletown paper was "if you are going to be a leader you are going to make some people mad! I completely agree with this statement and what we need now3 is not an administrator who tries to anticipate what the board wants but instead we need a leader who will Lead the district forward and base decisions on what is best for students. We don't have that right now...how else do you explain administration recommending the layoff of 35 teachers as #1 choice that is catering to BS and DB...Administration should be strongly advocating that schools be consolidated and teacher reduction be enrollment driven rather than a budget cutting option.
I guess after writing this my ranking would be:
#1 Steve Price
#2 Kathleen Williams
#3 Don Viegut
I would be satisfied with any of the 3. I just hope the board doesn't screw this one up and all 3 candidates say "no thanks". Scary thing is Pres. and VP negotiate the contract deal (that's Schneider and Lemberger).
As to you final question I hope students 18 and older and their parents, neighbors and friends come out in droves and vote Becker off the board. I don't believe it will happen but if it did it would be a huge step in turning this district around.
Thanks Dennis for dragging me out of "retirement". I may just leave my blog up and see who the district hires and if that is enough to get me involved again...
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