City-School-Board liaison Bill Collier is an optimist. When he met with parents and educators this past Monday, he gave everyone hope:

Mr. Collier insisted that we “had the Admins attention” and that they were willing to put options on the table.

Things were looking up when it was announced that District 150 Administration was willing to meet with parents and other concerned parties later this month. But that hope was dampened today with the publication of this article from the Journal Star:

“I will tell you up front it is all contingent upon the teachers using that time effectively,” Hinton said, noting there are no plans for the district to backpedal on the issue. Whether Hinton could sway any opponents remains to be seen.

So, this meeting isn’t about any kind of negotiation or placing options on the table. It’s about Hinton trying to persuade opponents of the benefits of cutting 45 minutes off of each school day.

His argument, as explained in the paper, goes like this: Every teacher has to receive a 45-minute “preparation period” because that’s required in their contract. Currently, “during this time, scattered throughout the day, students are shuttled to another classroom, usually for art, science, music or physical education. Those classes could see some minutes shaved.”

More “arts integration” also would take place, meaning different courses would be blended. Schools would have the equivalent of two full-time “specialists” and decide on their own what to maintain and where to cut.

Those specialized teachers – except P.E. – will go to the classroom and all teachers will get their prep time before school begins.

Hinton said that’s where the big gains come, with common planning time in the morning, the professional development and teacher collaboration at all grades – virtually impossible now. Contact time with teachers will not change, he said.

See, this is semantics. He’s distinguishing between “specialists” and “teachers.” The “specialist” time will be cut, but “contact time with teachers will not change.” I’m sorry, but if the “specialist” is teaching my child art, music, and physical education, I call that person a “teacher.” It doesn’t matter to me whether they are contractually or legally considered a “teacher” by District 150 standards. They’re teaching my children, and their contact time is most assuredly being cut.

It shouldn’t be. Art, music, and P. E. are not things that should be relegated to extra-curricular activities. These are an important part of a child’s education. They should be retained.

I think it’s fair to wonder what good this meeting is going to do between Hinton and the newly-formed District 150 Watch group, but it will be good for the group to meet with him anyway so they can say they tried. Call me pessimistic, but I’ve seen this song and dance before. I predict the parents will be rebuffed once again, and then things will really start to get ugly.