One of the final steps toward issuing bonds through the Public Building Commission (PBC) for new public school construction will take place Monday night as the Council approves the siting of the new schools. District 150’s ability to access PBC funds was made possible by the efforts of local state representatives George Shadid (now retired) and Aaron Schock. And the reason it was made possible was blatantly to circumvent the voters.
The school board could have put a binding referendum on the ballot asking voters to approve funding for their building plans. Ask anyone at the district or your state representatives why they didn’t do that, and they’ll tell you that they believe a school bond referendum would never pass. Hence, the “need” to go around the voters and get the money through the PBC.
I have a fundamental problem with that process. You have to ask yourself why they think a referendum wouldn’t pass. Consider, for instance, that voters in communities near Peoria have recently approved similar referenda, and voters in Peoria recently approved by a large margin capital funding for library improvements. So you can’t honestly argue that a referendum would never pass.
If a referendum were to fail, it would not be because voters don’t want to make needed upgrades to schools, but because they don’t like the district’s method of “upgrading” them. In other words, voters would use the power of the purse to approve or disapprove of the district’s building plans. For instance, consolidating Irving and Kingman schools into a new primary school building next to Lincoln Middle School and Woodruff High School probably wouldn’t have garnered enough votes because the residents didn’t want to see those neighborhood schools close. Attempts to build a new Glen Oak School at Glen Oak Park would certainly not have gained enough votes because residents very loudly and clearly stated they didn’t want the school sited there.
By circumventing the voters, it not only took away the residents’ decision regarding funding, but also its influence in the design and siting of the new buildings. So when the council communication on the agenda for Monday night says, “The concerns of neighbors have been addressed in the siting process,” that’s really not true. There were public meetings, after which the school board did exactly what they said they were going to do in the first place (with the notable exception of changing the site for Glen Oak School due to a lawsuit that effectively blocked an intergovernmental agreement between the park district and school district). There were public hearings about the design of the schools after all the decisions had been made and there was no intention of changing them.
Public input was a sham because the school board didn’t have to listen to the public or win their approval. They had their construction money regardless, thanks to their being granted access to PBC funding. So they did what they wanted regardless of public opinion. And that’s why you don’t see many people attending D150 public hearings or board meetings these days. Doing so is like a broken pencil: pointless.
This is the final nail in this coffin. Does anyone think this would be voted down? Rubber stamp and circumvent the public on funding. Now we will get a suburban school in the inner city, I guess that is better than nothing. If we object we will be concidered nitpicking since we got the school in the East Bluff. In some ways I am glad this is over. I am one of the orignal “vocal minoity” As for public relations by #150 you are right on with a broken pencil, “Pointless”
I understand your point C.J. but . . . new school buildings are really needed and consolidation is necessary, in fact more is really in order, i.e. reducing the number of high schools. I think there is no making everyone happy in these types of decisions. That is why the community elects Board members to analyze the facts and make the best decision for the entire community. Bloggers complain all the time how Dist. 150 is wasting taxpayer dollars. Having too many schools open is a real drain. Also, having old, inefficient schools cannot be motivating to staff or students. A few years back I was on a task force and we regularly met at Harrison School. Although it was very clean and well maintained, it was nevertheless in awful condition – it is just really old and it needs to be replaced.
The fact that other area communities have passed similar referendums would seem to have no predictive value. Other communities value their school districts and the schools are an integral part of the majority of community members lives in one way or the other, if nothing other than a source of pride. My impression is that many people in Peoria just try to pretend that District 150 does not exist and families with school age children try to keep their children out of 150 at all costs. I can’t tell you the number of people that have told me straight to my face when I tell them my children attend 150 that “that would never send their child to a District school.”
I think it is better to get the building done and over with so the District can focus on more pressing issues.
CJ, I’m not disagreeing with you on theory, I just think you put way too much stock in the predictability of voters and our ability to rely on their good judgement. Remember, the voters just elected Jehan Gordon over Joan Krupa.
Yes, the voters make mistakes sometimes (they elected Nixon, too).
But by that logic, perhaps we should establish a Public Servant Commission that chooses our representatives for us. I mean, if we can’t trust the voters with a tax referendum, then they certainly can’t be trusted with choosing representatives, right? Let’s bypass them on that decision, too.
C.J. is right when he says, “Silly Frustrated, they’re building new school buildings and closing neighborhood schools, of course!” And to that I add that I believe that the school district truly expects that new schools and new programs in schools will draw people back to District 150. I keep harping on this–lack of discipline in the schools has forced parents to find safer places for their children to go to school. And, of course, such environments are not conducive to learning. The next new school that is needed is, of course, an alternative school–a “real” alternative school, not just a “dumping ground.” There are schools that are relatively free of discipline problems–but none of the four high schools are among them.
CJ – Not a good day to be putting forth that question to me 😉
I love it! When the people or issues you favor lose in an election the voters are stupid, but when those same candidates and or issue win, they, the voters’ voice was heard!!!
Did you ever stop and think that just maybe while the losers are calling the winners stupid, the winners are saying finally our voice has been heard??????
Perhaps you are beginning to realize win or lose you have no voice… hmmmm
JS Word said today that Jehan Gordon thoiught Nov.5th was election day.
Reminds me of a Sayings, “Arithmetic is being able to count up to twenty without taking off your shoes” , attributed to M. Mouse
#150 will eventually “hang” themselves. Retired Dr. Fischer was hired at $350 an hour part time. I know people in Peoria more competent that would work full time for $120 an hour.
I’m still waiting to hear from Ken Hinton about what #150 would expect to pay per student on school day bus visits to the new museum and what they are paying now to visit Lakeview.
Plus how many visits to Lakeview last year by #150 students by bus during school time?
My opinion if anyone cares? The new museum project is “dead in the water”.
Dr. Fischer is being paid on a daily rate of $350, not hourly. Apart from that, not really.
$43.75 an hour (if he works an eight hour day. other wise $350 hour for a one hour day)
How many days a year is he paid? I teach, and wish I was paid that much.
350 * 5 * 52 = The equivalent of $91,000 a year. Along with his retirement, that is reasonable, I guess. (Sarcasm deleted) What does he do?
Merle; even with his shoes off, Mickey can only count up to 16.
Hey, Jim,
You are ritght about ONE thing. $350 a day. Adds to her pension plan, too or did she waive that benefit?
Dr. Fischer is a “she” not a “he.” I have worked with her in the past and found her to be very competent. $43.75 per hour does not seem unreasonable. What would you expect a degreed professional with years of experience to earn??
What is wrong with the paid Admin staff that is already in place? Why do we need even more admin? If the staffed Admin isn’t doing the job then replace them – perhaps with Dr. Fisher, who everyone insists IS qualified.
She, he, it , who cares? Are the teachers making $ 43 per hour? Duh. No. Than the administration doesn’t deserve it. How well trained and programmed are you people? Who is doing the teaching of our children? Administrators? What is the purpose of the school “system”? Bean counting?
Why don’t they hire Harry Whitaker back as a consultant at $350.00 a day- he is more than qualified. They wouldn’t like the answers he would probably give them, that’s why! Cut the fat, he would tell them.
Fischer has been hired as a consultant for the new math-science academy and/or a charter school. It’s my understanding that some other group–not District 150–will have control of a charter school, so I don’t understand where Fischer fits in, etc. Of course, I believe the hiring of retired administrators is an expense the district could eliminate. Actually, there are some central administrative full-time positions that could and should be eliminated. I would love to “shadow” some of these people all day to found out exactly how much and what kind of work they do. I think they spend considerable time in meetings–and I’m not sure if “meetings” actually result in progress. I know that much time was spent in meetings to bring about the restructuring of Manual–from all I’m hearing those plans aren’t working out all that well. The same is true of the common planning time that resulted in lost classroom time for the primary school students. The true test, of course, will come in one to five years when we see the test scores–because test scores are the only result that NCLB evaluates.
I do have a question about Merle Widmer’s assumption–maybe Jim can answer. I don’t think post-retirement employment with the district affects retirement benefits–at least, when retired teachers sub, their retirement benefits do not increase.
Sharon:
Do you know what “other group” might ultimately be responsible for the charter school being considered. What about some entity within Bradley?
Is Harry Whitaker still alive? Seriously. I don’t know.
Check and see if he is still getting a check from 150… if he isn’t, then we know he is dead, and if he is, well, he still might be dead, but he might be alive.
Harry is still living. About the charter school, etc. I think he still spends considerable time at a summer home out of state. I doubt that anyone has consulted him lately. All I know is that a group called CEC (I think) paid for 11 people (Ken Hinton and his wife, Martha Ross, Linda Butler, some non-district people, etc.) to go to California to visit some charter schools–I can’t locate the specific name at the moment (something with the word Green in it).
You guys are terrible. I hope he doesn’t read this!