Lord Knows, I've Tried to Stay Away from Politics...

...but I admit that it's just not possible. I can't help but share this cross-post from Straight Talk.

Rebecca, Tell Me About a Week in the Life of a Board Chair.

November 8th, 2007

When I found out how HSD Board of Directors Chair Rebecca Lantz spent her latest week, I felt like a total slacker. Rebecca is a whirlwind of constructive activity that includes raising a bright and active family as well as serving the Hillsboro School District as a board member and chair this year.

Rebecca manages to fit family life and civic participation in with civic duty and still keep smiling. Even a little heat from a “prominent citizen” who would like to replace Rebecca (in 2009) because she has the integrity and grit to keep her word to the voters doesn’t slow Rebecca down (although citizens threatening elected officials over a single issue -- that has nothing to do with education -- irritates me a lot).

Here’s how Rebecca spent her week serving our school district patrons…

– Hugh O’Donnell

Hugh,

This week I’ve been to a boundary committee meeting, an agenda review with the superintendent, a City Council meeting, a meeting with the Director of Special Programs, a PTO meeting, an Open House at David Hill, a Rotary luncheon, and an RACC meeting to develop arts curriculum in our area. I volunteered three hours at the Glencoe Career Center making sure kids graduate. And I wrote an LTE to the Argus defending HSD. Including the emails and phone calls, I figure I’ve put in about 35 hours. With the OSBA convention taking up the weekend, I figure I’ve given everything I can to this district.

Yesterday, I had to be extremely clear with one of Hillsboro’s leading citizens: the HSD board has no plans to consider letting anyone do anything with the J.B. Thomas building. The board unanimously approved the demolition as part of the bond proposal in April 2006, which was then passed by the community by a narrow margin in Nov. 2006. We do not intend to reopen that decision.

People who do not agree with this decision are threatening to have board members replaced. Instead of focusing on what needs to be accomplished in terms of improving academic achievement in our district, this group would do anything to assure that a decrepit building remains standing.

I stand firm on Thomas with good cause, not because I enjoy tearing down old buildings. I enjoy being on school board. It really makes me smile. As a solid contributor here, I’m an asset to the community. I’m an imaginative, energetic, and indomitable advocate for learning of all types and do not deserve to have my integrity questioned by individuals with a single agenda not related to good school governance.

Making connections between the school board and the city is essential to continue forging partnerships in the areas of arts, science, languages, sports, and especially music. My leadership and collaboration skills are strong, so I will continue to do what I need to do to make HSD and Hillsboro the best place in the state to get an education.

Despite the threat of being in a contested election in 2009, I will continue being the same straightforward, positive individual I always am. I hope that together we can make Hillsboro an even better place to grow up.

Rebecca Lantz

Dealing With Difficult Stuff

My teaching career is behind me, and it's been years since I've witnessed anything like Matt Groening's "Classroom From Hell," but I'm still sensitive to the anguish of young teachers who are just learning to deal with all the personality niches Groening captures in his drawing.

The "Classroom" has other manifestations in adult civic life, and as a school board member, I sometimes get to deal with the craziness and collateral damage visited upon the school district by people with different political agendas.

The ones I truly don't understand are the people in public life outside the district who undermine the us for their own purposes, and don't realize that the kids are the collateral damage if they succeed in their quest to contaminate public opinion.

Here's a cross-post with a new blog I started to provide an additional voice to help citizens sort out the facts and reasoned opinion from propaganda, with regard to our school district.

It's a local blog, and for the most part won't be of interest to most of you, but you might get a jolt out of my first post just below. Most of my future pieces over there will be upbeat and full of excitement for better serving our students, instead of dismantling the propaganda rant of a so-called editor of our local paper, as follows:

Hillsboro Argus Editorial Board Member Serves Up Propaganda and Calls It Opinion

Susan Gordanier is a member of the Hillsboro Argus’ editorial board. I expect her opinions be the result of sound judgment grounded in fact because I hold her to a higher standard than the average letter writer who relies on journalists like Ms. Gordanier for the truth.

The general definition of “opinion” in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is: “a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter.”

Ms. Gordanier was careless with her facts in the “In My Opinion” section of the Friday’s Hillsboro Argus, and that’s putting it nicely. Her only opinion in the entire piece, entitled “Don’t Blame the Kids for Asking,” is that the Hillsboro School District “has had a string of public relations flubs in recent months.” That dubious assertion was in the first paragraph and her logic goes downhill from there.

Her piece sadly lacks sound judgment based on facts. In fact the remainder of Ms. Gordanier’s rant consists mostly of rumor, innuendo, fallacies, and, dare I say it, outright lies that she uses to justify her thesis that the school district is somehow having difficulties for which she provides no constructive insight or solutions.

For the sake of clarity, here are two related definitions of “propaganda” from the same source I used above: “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person…” and “ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause…”

Propaganda is used to elicit an emotional, not a rational, response. It is designed to side-step critical-thinking by presenting bias as if it was objective evidence. But it’s easy to spot.

Let’s take a closer look at the school district’s alleged flubs and the facts as I observed them from front-row center.

The next two paragraphs of Ms. Gordanier’s piece deal with the City of Hillsboro’s (as represented by Mayor Tom Hughes and consultant John Southgate) fantasy about accomplishing a building/land grab, that is, turning Thomas Middle School, or part of it, into an arts center at the expense of the school district’s taxpayers (I’ll explain more about that in a moment).

I was at the meeting where Ms. Gordanier alleges “At least one member [of the school board] suggested arty types so close to the new Lincoln Street elementary school might pose a danger to young students…” (Was Ms. Gordanier at the meeting?)

The facts: two school district board members at this meeting expressed concerns that the district would have no control over the comings and goings of the public at all hours of the day and evening, including the time school is in session. Those are reservations that need to be voiced and answered; otherwise we are not doing our sworn duty to protect our school children.

Does Ms. Gordanier suggest that we, the school board, not be concerned with the safety of school children?

In any case, the twisting of these legitimate concerns into a slam on “arty types” is disingenuous at best, and a blatant lie at worst.

The board did not encourage Mr. Southgate to move forward with the proposition to turn Thomas Middle School into an arts center because the city, i.e., the mayor and the people who share his point of view on this matter, wish to appropriate the building itself without cost. The benefit to the school district would supposedly be the savings of demolition costs. The school district would retain ownership of the land, so we really wouldn’t lose anything, right? That was the sales pitch, anyway.

By the time the meeting drew to a close, most of the board members realized that this was not a win-win proposition from a well-meaning partner. It was a slick attempt to acquire a large building for free as well as the land it occupies, which the district would never have the use of in the future. The city gets a big building and the land it sits on, and the school district gains nothing. In fact, the district would lose out considerably in this deal. (Remember, the district already has the money for the demolition.)

The school district would be giving up a prime piece of downtown land planned for use as athletic fields that the students of Lincoln Street Elementary School and patrons of Hillsboro Parks and Recreation desperately need. Nor would the district have the means or opportunity to acquire anything like it nearby for a reasonable price.

Furthermore, the school district would likely be stuck with liability insurance premiums to make sure that it could weather a lawsuit if someone, for example, slipped and fell in the city’s building that would be sitting on school district land.

Add to that the city’s miserable record for timely development of properties they currently own, and it’s easy to picture school board members imagining an empty Thomas Middle School building sitting idle and growing weeds in the lawn — right next to a beautiful new elementary school — while the city struggles to find the millions in grants they would need for renovation because they sure can’t put that on the city taxpayers by using city funds. That’s an ugly image, but a probable scenario, and completely unacceptable to the local neighborhood and the school district.

All in all, the city offered the school board nothing to persuade us that giving away Thomas Middle School and the land it sits on was a good idea, and now the board/district is taking heat from Ms. Gordanier for rejecting the offer. What a joke. The school board has a legal and moral obligation to exercise fiduciary responsibility with taxpayer investments in the school district, and giving away school district property, the board decided, was not a way to accomplish that duty.

The ultimate irony here is that the city wants to make an art center out of what is arguably the most unattractive building in town.

Next Gordanier slimes the school board with the innuendo that somehow [Superintendent] Jeremy Lyon isn’t worth his salary because “Some people have noticed their own incomes aren’t keeping a similar pace.” Who are those people? They are morons if they think their income should keep pace with anyone out of some sense of entitlement or handout from “Big Brother.” What is Ms. Gordanier thinking when she quotes those folks?

We all know that in the United States of America we are in charge of our own paycheck. Don’t like it? Do the work and change it, but don’t expect it to keep pace automatically with someone else’s paycheck.

Jeremy Lyon’s salary (and benefits) is a drop in the bucket when compared to the district’s return on investment in an exemplary leader who’s earning a statewide reputation for sound education management. It’s the single best investment school district taxpayers can make. His financial package is very much in line with what other district superintendents earn who run similar or larger districts. (This is a matter of public record easily researched by a member of the Argus editorial board, so why rely on innuendo, except to make an issue out of a non-issue?)

The third mudball Ms. Gordanier has thrown against the schoolhouse wall leads with another innuendo that is also a lie. Ms. Gordanier said, “More recently, word slipped out of a lawsuit against the district.” She then repeated allegations from the plaintiff as reported by a cheap shot one-sided Oregonian article that slimed our very capable special education group, the superintendent, and the entire board. The truth is that this “word” did not recently “slip out.” The lawsuit has been in the public eye for months. That Ms. Gordanier didn’t know about it until recently means that she didn’t do her homework.

Sadly, I cannot comment further on this matter until it is resolved. But I’m very much looking forward to commenting on it when it is resolved.

Mudball number four is Ms. Gordanier’s crucifixion of the district for conducting prudent business as it normally does (as do many other local governments and special districts in Oregon), and implying that the board, or the superintendent did something crooked when tax notices that included the new bond went out.

The bond was sold as costing $1.25/$1000 assessed valuation and that, or less, will be the cost of the bond. The school district erred in not questioning the time-honored collection policy of the first payment. And we learned that just because things have always been done a certain way doesn’t mean that we should always do them that way.

Dr. Lyon took full responsibility for the decision, even though any board member, or citizen for that matter, could have said beforehand, “Hey, what about that extra amount you guys always collect on the first go-round?” Who had a clue? But that’s no excuse.

We all took a hit to the monthly budget, but Superintendent Jeremy Lyon stepped up to the plate with a public apology printed in the November 2nd Argus, and he didn’t point the finger of blame at anyone but himself. That’s an honorable man doing an honorable thing.

And please don’t be confused. It’s a lesson learned for the school district, Jeremy took the responsibility, but he doesn’t grovel and neither do I. It’s over and that’s that.

I really don’t have much to say about Ms. Gordanier including in her ghastly propaganda piece an appeal for the Hillsboro Schools Foundation’s Answer the Call fund raiser, except to imagine that HSF Executive Director Aron Carlson is tearing her hair out that HSF would be mentioned in a calculated propaganda smear of the Hillsboro School District. How can that help the kids who are working hard to help HSF?

I’m sorely disappointed in Susan Gordanier, an editor of the Argus, who, as a member of our community, ought to subscribe to Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce President Deanna Palm’s now famous words that are included in the district’s strategic plan: “We will re-ignite the community’s passion and commitment for our schools in order to build a world-class school system.”

Why did Ms. Gordanier go out of her way, abusing her access to newspaper column inches, to undermine the school district, and its administration and board, with her irresponsible propaganda?

Does “the city” want the Thomas Middle School building so badly that they and their mouthpieces are willing to chip away at a significant chunk of the glue that holds this community together - an exemplary school district that can attract businesses and business leaders who want the best possible public education for their kids?

If someone wants to be critical of the school district, by all means voice an opinion. But please don’t dress a political agenda (the acquisition of the Thomas Middle School building) in a faux critique, as did Ms. Gordanier.

If I can see through it, I’m sure many others can too.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

You probably recognize, in the post title, the words of Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797).

He was an Irish statesman and supporter of American independence while a member of the British House of Commons,

The inscription on his statue (Bristol, England) reads: Burke 1774-1780. "I wish to be a member of parliament to have my share of doing good and resisting evil". Speech at Bristol 1780.

This blog is about education, but we're at a point where education and political activism may be running down the same track.

I'm not talking about partisan politics, I'm talking about educators taking their proper places in public life as leaders and persons of good example. We are some of those people Burke is talking about.

By now, the story of the Jena Six should be familiar to edubloggers worldwide. I posted about Lessons From Jena just a few days ago, hoping to remind teachers and administrators to bring some enlightenment about racial tolerance to their students (yes, looking to break or weaken the cycles of prejudice that infest entire families). The fallout from the Jena story makes me wonder if we ever entered the twenty-first century.

Today's New York Times carries a story about the Canarsie High School Principal, Tyona Washington, who received a package yesterday at school with a hate note and a noose. According to the article, "The Canarsie episode was at least the eighth time in the past few weeks that a noose was discovered in the New York area. In one instance, a noose was placed on the doorknob of the office of a black professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College."

The eighth time!?

And here's a story dated two days ago from the Times that deals with incidents that are on-going in Nassau County, where I spent most of my elementary and all my secondary school years. I'll be 63 years old next month, folks, and I assure you that this sort of crap wasn't going on there even in the pre-civil rights legislation days of the 50s and early 60s.

Looks like we need to do the thinking I was talking about on the move, pick the lesson plans well, and get to work now.

This is not something we can put off until our curriculum guides say it's time. The fallout is raining down now, and we have to step up to the plate.

Another reminder of our need to act comes from a poem by Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892–1984) about the failure of German intellectuals and other public figures to respond to Nazi bullying and terrorizing of the German population. Some of you may have seen a famous filmstrip that dramatized the poem.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Speak out folks, talk about race and racial tolerance. Teach about it.

Underage Drinking Starts Before Adolescence...

...is the headline of a recent Science Daily article.

The lead:

"A review of national and statewide surveys conducted over the last 15 years shows that among typical 4th graders, 10% have already had more than a sip of alcohol and 7% have had a drink in the past year. While the numbers are small in the fourth grade, the surveys show that the percent of children who have used alcohol increases with age, and doubles between grades four and six. The largest jump in rates occurs between grades five and six," according to John E. Donovan, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center."

The article includes a brief review of statistics relating to drinking behaviors for older children and teenagers, as well as links to predisposition for illicit drug use.

Granted we're not talking about fourth graders hosting wild parties, but it seems we can play a part in getting the word out to parents, wouldn't you say?

Is there a market yet for childproof refrigerators/wine racks/liquor cabinets?

File Under "This Could Never Happen Here!"

I just got a last minute invitation to dinner (fresh sockeye salmon, no less) from my sister. Second day in a row. Yesterday was New York steak!

I'm doing the bachelor thing for about another week. My wife, who spoils me as a matter of course, is visiting her family on the east coast. My sis is entertaining old friends from the east coast here in town. Apparently these circumstances have a canceling effect on my lack of opportunities to eat well!

But my opportunities to get on with the grading posts and comments have to wait another day, because I'm heading out the door.

Let me leave you with this question: How would you feel if your child's school was adjacent to an old bombing site where unexploded bombs were recently found?

From the Orlando Sentinel...

How About Zero Tolerance for Stupid Administrators? The Sequel

Originally published July 20, 2007

Ten days after my first post on the scandalous disciplinary treatment of a sixth grader in the Katy School District (Texas) vs. Shelby Sendelbach graffiti case, we finally have some good news. About Shelby's fate, anyway (she's not expelled for four months or going to alternative school). As for the Katy School District superintendent, well, the news is not so hot. These quotes from different stories in the Houston Chronicle came after the public outcry.
During Frailey's first week on the job, he was thrust into a position that required him to study state law to determine if the district could allow leeway in the decision. [Italics mine](Link)

"They pledged that in the next session they [the Texas legislature] will work to get this clarified," Katy Superintendent Alton Frailey said. "We hope to have some clarification and maybe some options in some areas." (Link)
Frailey is the Katy SD superintendent hired by the board to run the district and handle difficult matters appropriately, not make excuses. Newbie or not, he should not have made a decision like this without having researched the law(s) thoroughly, with the help of his school attorney. Disciplinary sanctions for Shelby should have been applied with a sense of advocacy for school kids and some "common sense."

If I were on his board and read the above quotes that were generated after the fact, I'd be sooo disappointed. In fact, I'd be bracing for a lawsuit.

Posted by Repairman 0 comments
Labels: Boardsmanship, leadership, Protecting Kids

How About Zero Tolerance for Stupid Administrators?

Originally published July 10th , 2007

This article in the Houston Chronicle [link expired] on Saturday really frosted my pumpkin. A sixth grade (!) girl wrote, "I love Alex" with a baby blue Sharpie on an already graffiti-laden wall in a gym. Dear God.

The Katy Independent School District unleashed the hounds of hell on the poor kid.

From the article...

The graffiti offense is a Level 4 infraction in the district's discipline plan, along with making terroristic threats, possessing dangerous drugs, and assaulting with bodily injury. Only a Level 5 — for murder, possessing firearms, committing aggravated or sexual assault, arson or other felonies — is more severe.Alex, the love object, must be one mean bad guy to inspire that kind of overreaction, don'tcha think? Could he be a wanted gangster or a terrorist?

I'm all for protecting the homeland, sans violating the constitutional rights of citizens, but I'm adamant about protecting school children from the whims of doltish administrators (and teachers).

This piece of the article says it all...

"Stanford [district spokesperson], who said he could not discuss the specifics of the case because of privacy laws, defended the punishment, saying the district had no choice.

But Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, disagreed. Eissler co-authored House Bill 603 in 2005, which gives administrators more latitude to consider disciplinary history, intent, whether a student has a disability that would impair judgment or acted in self-defense in deciding punishment.

"They have all the leeway they want," he said. "They didn't have to hammer this young lady the way they did. That's why I wrote HB 603 — to give school districts authority to back off the black-and-white justice."

Stanford said he is confident the district is following the law."How does Stanford think the district is following the law when a lawmaker is setting him straight?

In another life, I'd have been a lawyer who specializes in education justice for children.

UPDATE Friday, July 13, 2007

Find out who Alex is and watch the Katy Independent School District backup after setting off a firestorm of criticism for its crude handling of student discipline.

The superintendent meets with the board in closed session (generally permissible in student discipline cases) July 18. Let's hope Shelby gets a little in-school suspension, no big gaps in achievement opportunity, and retained eligibility for sports and clubs.

And let's really hope that the superintendent follows through with the analysis of student disciplinary policy.

Promise of iPod Could Lead to Abduction or Worse

I love the idea of using the web as a host for fabulous learning and communication tools. At the same time, we must be diligent in our efforts to protect students.

Need more evidence of the need to educate children about the dangers of the net? Look no further. A man in Boise, Idaho promised, via craigslist, a free iPod to anyone who showed up to get it. Fortunately, someone got suspicious and the police showed up instead.

Read this story from The Boise Statesman.

Parents, educate and guard you children. Professional educators, likewise.