District 150 is mystified — mystified! — as to why they can’t get more parents to give the school board their input. After only 13 parents showed up to a recent public meeting, board president David Gorenz was quoted by the Journal Star as saying, “It’s one of the most difficult issues districts face, how to get input.”
It’s no mystery to me. I think people see these meetings (rightly so) as a complete and total waste of their time. Why? Because the school board has already decided what they are going to do, and the only reasons they have public meetings are (1) to satisfy legal requirements in some cases, and (2) to gain public support for their inevitable decision.
There is no shortage of examples to choose from:
- In August of this year, the school district had two public hearings to talk about their plans for the new Glen Oak and Harrison school buildings. Although supposedly a chance for the public to give their input, the district had no intention of changing anything about these plans, and they didn’t. Not one idea from the public was entertained; not one slightest variation from the district’s plan was made.
- When Ken Hinton unveiled his plan to cut 45 minutes of instructional time out of every primary student’s school day, parents came out en masse to oppose it. Did the district listen? Nope. They voted 5-1 to approve it. Then, after weeks of letter-writing, demonstrating, petitioning (over 1,000 people signed petitions against the plan), etc., Hinton decided to restore 60% of the time. Instructional time was still cut despite parents’ pleas that all the time be restored, and despite being presented with alternative plans that would have accomplished the same goals without cutting instructional time.
- Debbie Wolfmeyer, the new board vice president, when asked to meet with a parent regarding the aforementioned issue, responded, “It is not my role as a Board member to meet with individuals or groups.” So much for getting input from parents.
- Without any public input at all, the school district decided it was going to build a school in Glen Oak Park and started buying up houses to make that a reality. When parents and neighbors turned out en masse to oppose it (including five neighborhood organizations and a city councilman), they were dismissed as a “vocal minority” by one school board member. Only a lawsuit against the park board stopped that from going through.
Eventually, people get the hint. The school board isn’t really interested in hearing their opinions or input — unless it agrees with what they’ve already decided. They’ve already made up their minds what they’re going to do, and “public input” meetings are, at best, an attempt to convince the ignorant masses why the board’s ideas are best.
The school board should be happy that fewer people are coming to the meetings — it makes their jobs so much easier when there’s no one around to disagree with their predetermined plans.
Note: Merle Widmer has a different take on Gorenz’s comment.
Sharon… what was she implying? She felt that “the by far superior white girl” could not help but achieve better in school that “them saggin’ pants, hip hop rappin’, not showing up for class, pot and crack smokin’, walkin’ down the middle of street, baby momma, can’t speak a lick o’ English ghetto kids”. All she had to do was ACT LIKE A WHITE PERSON. NOT ONE teacher in the break room challenged her about her statement… If you don’t think there is racist streak through District 150 you had better open your eyes and look again. It isn’t just Manual, either. I saw it at Richwoods, Woodruff and Central, and many of the middle schools in Peoria as well. Why the white flight? Why the appointment of so many black principals and administrators over the past 10 years?
Check out the enrollment of Dunlap, Limestone, East Peoria and Morton compared to the 150 schools … Who would choose to have their students attend District 150 schools if they really had a choice?
I doubt that Cindy Fischer took the place of Charles Davis. He held a lower managerial position in HR reporting to Tom Broderick. As you know, Cindy Fischer had a key leadership position with the District before retiring. My guess is that she continues to perform the same or similar duties as before, but as a “consultant.”
Kcdad: First of all, of course, my mind is going through all the list of my former colleagues to ascertain who could have made such a statement–also, so that I could question the teacher, etc. Of course, I left in 2005, so new teachers did come in after I left. Also, you put many more words into your accusation this time and you used quotation marks around the “saggin pants,” so are you saying this teacher made all of these remarks or are you intrepreting a much shorter remark? Remember Bill Cosby complains about sagging pants–we can complain about sagging pants without being racist. I also don’t get the “act like a white person” comment–I thought the girl was white. Are you saying that the “white” teacher thought the “white” girl was acting “black?” That I get.
Of course, I know that racial prejudice is not dead–I pick up on even the slightest innuendo and am always grieved by bigotry. I have a significant number of black friends and relatives, so I always see and hear things through their eyes and ears. I know about the times that they have been hurt, treated unfairly, etc., because of their race. When I first came to Manual from the mostly black student body at Roosevelt (and brought my black ninth grade students to Manual) in 1969, I heard many things from teachers that upset me and I generally expressed my disagreement, etc. By the time I left, much of that had ended. I hope you spoke up when you heard this particular comment. Things improved greatly over time–most of our teachers were very racially sensitive. Once in a while new teachers would come in–ones who knew very little about black culture, etc. Usually, they left within a year or two. And I have to admit that there has been a big turnover in teachers in the last five years with so many of us retiring all at once, so there is a chance that racism is creeping in again. However, over time I found that teachers who work with black kids long enough begin to see the world differently. Also, I find it difficult to believe that the degree of racism that you are suggesting is possible at Manual. There was rarely a time when a black teacher or administrator was not part of any gathering. Then, of course, in the last fifteen years there were 3 male teachers who had black wives–they would not have tolerated racist comments, etc. I also wonder where you found a “break” room–they eliminated most of our gathering places except for the teachers’ lunch room. Right now I am concerned about Manual because there are so many new teachers and a significant number have never taught in District 150–I do wonder what their racial attitudes are (they may have come from places similar to Manual; I don’t know).
I also don’t understand some of your arguments to prove that there is a racist streak in 150. How does the hiring of black administrators prove there is a racist streak? White flight–sure, I know it exists; I have written at great length about my opinions about white flight at Manual. The last wave of “flight” from Manual took place from 1990 to the present. Of course, race may have played a role, but there were a couple of other factors that I believe provide a better explanation.
I also might add that I know some black families who do not want their children to go to District 150 schools because of the discipline problems and low academic expectations, etc. Do you know that Dr. Kherat’s son goes to Peoria Academy? So do my cousin’s children. My closest friends who live in the Manual district (West Peoria) will not be sending their daughter to Manual. I wish that we could convince the world to look at these issues with color-blind eyes. I think if we would view all test scores, etc., according to economic status instead of race, we would get a whole different picture. Peoria now has a black middle class that didn’t exist in the 1950s because of segregation, etc. Why would they want their children going to schools where their children won’t be challenged because so many of their peers are behind academically? The vast majority of Manual graduates (black and white) from the 1970s to now moved out of the Manual district. Most of my former black students are spread throughout the city and out of the city and their children do not go to Manual or its feeder schools. In a sense, I guess we can count that as success–ironically.
Sharon: As always your thoughts are insightful. You are so spot on. Students that graduated 10 – 15 years ago and went on to have successful lives have chosen not to educate their own children within the District. It is more the current profile of students and families living within District 150 that has caused the demise of the District rather than poor classroom instruction or lack of teacher commitment, which are so often blamed. BUT . . . I do not see the Board of Educatioon or the District Administration doing anything to entice families back into the fold. Why not offer enhanced educational opportunities in primary schools like Kellar, school boundaries offer comparable housing stock to the surrounding bedroom communities families are fleeing to, and try and get young families to settle back in Peoria once again????
Frustrated: Agreed! I just got this Freedom of Information data from 150. We published it in the West Peoria News, and I sent it to board members. As recently as 1990, West Peoria students made up a significant part of Manual’s enrollment. The drop came suddenly. I believe that 150 should, at least, make an effort to draw them back–it might be too late since the restructuring actually caused even more to leave, and I believe that those who stayed are quite unhappy with the loss of some of their favorite teachers. I recently discovered that 150 address banks show all students as from Peoria–no West Peoria designations. Therefore, the district probably hasn’t even noticed the following enrollment figures. I had to go through lists of all students in the following schools to sift out West Peoria addresses.
Enrollment figures for West Peoria students at the following schools are:
140 at Whittier (Kindergarten-4th grades)
116 at Calvin Coolidge (5th-8th grades)
24 at St. Mark (Kindergarten-4th grades)
25 at St. Mark (5th-8th Grades)
1 at Manual (7th & 8th Grades)
55 at Manual High School
7 at Peoria High School
17 at Richwoods High School
1 at Woodruff High School
34 at Peoria Notre Dame High School
I still have to get information from Washington Gifted, Peoria Christian, Peoria Academy, and St. Phil’s.
New consultant on Monday’s School Board agenda
7. APPROVAL OF CONTRACT FOR CONSULTING WORK – Hinton
Proposed Action
: That the contract for Consulting Services with Dr. Cynthia Fischer be approved.
Hi Ms. Crews. It seems to me that some employees do much better when they retire and become consultants. I see Mrs. Perkins and others were hired back at a nice salary too. It must be nice to retire and hired back making more money. I see good money being made after retirement. I guess those jobs are only for the elite hired by Hinton and Hannah or both.
True–I don’t think too many teachers have become consultants. That’s understandable, though, they are never consulted when they are teachers either. Do you think it’s possible that district plans often do not work because the people who aren’t consulted are the ones who have to implement the plans? What looks good on paper often doesn’t work so well in reality–I think Manual is experiencing that disconnect right now.