- UPDATE (12/20): I will not be able to make it to tonight’s Park Board meeting. It’s my understanding they will be voting on whether or not to pursue an intergovernmental agreement with the school district to allow park land to be shared with a new school for the East Bluff. Here you can check about some great leaders that school student should know about. I predict they’ll vote 4-3 in favor of it, although I hope they don’t. I hope the “vocal minority” shows up tonight to express their opposition.
You know you want to comment on it — here’s your forum.
Mary Spangler (12:27)
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Debbie Wolfmeyer (4:46)
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Alicia Butler (4:45)
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Sean Matheson (2:07)
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Jim Stowell (2:26)
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Vice President Martha Ross (3:44)
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President David Gorenz (7:21)
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Superintendent Ken Hinton (2:02)
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My only comments at this time, are about the disrespect at which our Councilman was given; and the way Mr Cummings was treated. The City Council would never show this disrespect. That is beyond me. Yes, we are given the allotment of 5 speaking minutes but another minute was not out of hand considering the magnitude of the issue being discussed.
I told you they would approve the site. Using safety as an issue is the most idiotic thing I have heard. One guy said it will be a hardship to get his kids to the new school. Really? I guess that is why no one uses the park anymore, it’s a hardship to get there. Alicia Butler is concerned about emergency response people getting to the school. Come on…be real. It can’t be no harder than the old GO school building which has 3 floors. Enough whinning, let’s build a new school and get on with it.
Seems to me it’s the way this is being done rather than the ultimate objective. The concept is excellent. The execution leaves much to be desired. It’s sad to me that someone of Dr. Gorenz stature has been caught up in the secrecy and sleight of hand of the district, and now finds himself in the unenviable position of defending that institution. His work with the Heartland Clinic has been outstanding, and the benefits to Peoria have been immense. But now he doesn’t even look like the same person–literally and figuratively. It looks to me like the stress is getting to him. A great model of the concept already exists in Peoria with the Lakeview Museum pre-school. Those kids are exposed to many different arts and sciences subjects on a daily basis because of the location. My son attended many, many years ago and it clearly is a great way to fire up the imagination and stimulate thinking. Whether the Park District can accomplish the same thing with their programming is open to discussion, but it’s worth a try.
WHEN YOU SEE DON JACKSON CRITICIZING ONE OF HIS BROTHERS THEN YOU KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING AMISSS WITH THE PROGRAM. DON KNOWS WHAT THAT SCHOOL IS GOING TO TURN OUT TO BE- HOW MUCH DOES WOODRUFF AND LINCOLN USE THE PARK FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES OR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES? WAIT UNTIL THE PUSH COMES TO NAME THE SCHOOL SOMETHING OTHER THAN GLEN OAK. BY THE WAY, DR. GORENZ NEEDS SOME LESSSONS IN PROFESSIONAL COURTESY.
At last night’s school board meeting, it was decided that all those in opposition to the school board’s plans to build a new school in Glen Oak Park were just part of a “vocal minority.” Just for the record, that vocal minority would include:
These people/groups alone represent a lot of people in Peoria. In addition to these groups, there are lots of other citizens who are against the park siting for the school from all over the city.
But, according to school board member Jim Stowell, there’s a silent, invisible majority that is for the school board’s plan. Like carbon monoxide, this silent majority is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. They’re undetectable by means of your and my mortal five senses. To really get the full picture, we must turn to a medium — a medium like Mr. Stowell, whose powers to perceive public opinion are beyond our ability to comprehend.
I can almost hear Stowell whispering in confidence to another board member in the night while walking to his car, ala Haley Joel Osment in “The Sixth Sense”: “I see silent majorities.”
In reality, Mr. Stowell and a regrettably vocal majority of the board have chosen to cover their eyes or otherwise ignore the will of the people by inventing a “silent majority.” Can you think of a more arrogant and insulting thing to say to the concerned citizens and neighborhood representatives who have been opposing this every step of the way? “You’re just a vocal minority”? He might as well have said, “screw you.”
I have one question for the school board: What would it take to convince you that a majority of Peorians are really against your school siting plan? What exactly is the level of proof you would accept?
Of course we all know the answer: No amount of proof is ever going to convince them. There could have been 51,000 people lined up to speak at the meeting last night, and they still would have said it was the vocal minority because Peoria has over 102,000 residents.
They have had their minds made up all along. Numerous neighborhood associations have opposed it. Dozens of studies have been forwarded to show the advantages of having the school in the middle of the neighborhood. The city council was poised to donate $500,000 for land acquisition and assist in vacating streets around the Glen Oak School site if they would only locate the new school there. Even last night, the city councilman tried to offer an olive branch, but they cut him off before he could get to it (out of “fairness,” they said, because he exceeded their arbitrary 5-minute limit, even though he’s a public official representing another elected body). Their own educational expert, Dr. Helm, said on the record that the same educational benefits and learning outcomes they hope to get from a park siting could be attained at the current Glen Oak School site. The fire department expressed concern about being able to put out a fire at the park site.
Yet despite all of that, they’re still hell-bent on putting this school in the park. They say they listened to the public, but clearly they haven’t. By their own admission, they’ve listened instead to the “silent majority” who haven’t said anything. What does the silence of people really indicate? According to the school board, those who haven’t spoken up aren’t against the park siting, nor divided, nor apathetic — no, they’re in favor of the plan. Why? Well, because they’ve decreed that they are, of course! It’s the perfect rhetorical tool — hollow and completely unverifiable, yet superficially it makes them sound like they’re representing their constituents… their silent constituents…. We’ll see how silent they are at the next election.
Dr. Gorenz actually stated last night that he believes that the community is in favor of the park site. I guess you can believe anything if you close your eyes and hold your ears. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he still believes in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, too. They’re also silent and invisible.
My favorite line of the night was when one of the school board members was talking once again about how their responsibility is to do what’s best for the children. One of the parents in the audience said, “They’re our children!” The school board needs to understand that they’re not the surrogate parents of the city’s children, they’re the elected representatives of the citizens of Peoria.
They also need to remember the oath of office they took, which states (emphasis mine):
I, for one, will continue to send my kids anywhere but District 150 as long as I can afford it, which isn’t easy considering how much money the district takes from me to squander on their fiscally irresponsible plans. Any modicum of respect I may have had left for the school board was extinguished last night. I can understand an honest difference of opinion, but having the school board flip off the entire East Bluff and call them a “vocal minority” was unconscionable.
Thank you for reposting your commentary. I wanted to take it home to my family who is part of the Vocal East Bluff
Thanks. I wondered if anyone saw it last night. I was more or less furious when I wrote and posted it originally, so I decided to take it down and sleep on it. Today I made some revisions and removed some of the vitriol. But it’s still rather upsetting to me that the school board could be so blind and callous.
C.J.
“the school board could be so blind and callous”??? ah come on! Have you not followed the antics of that group before? Bizarre and misguided decisions are commonplace. BTW I’d bet dollars to donuts that this “silent majority” that Board members are hiding behind resides at 1 News Plaza. There is a small band of rascals there that have orchestrated this and other incidents at 150 by 1) having several board members (past and present) in their pocket by stroking their huge egos and 2) by manipulating the public perception by their loosey-goosey interpretation of facts for the past several years. It’s truly a shame Peoria taxpayers didn’t find those rascals named in the list of Copley buy outs. And last but not least isn’t it a shame that the most vocal of this “silent majority” doesn’t even live in Peoria?!!! ^oo^~
Thanks C.J. I had a few calls as to what had happened to your post. Again, many thanks for putting it back .
The school board claims it’s all about and for the children, right? So let’s see what lessons the children will learn from this:
(1) In the face of widespread opposition, my position is the majority opinion and, therefore, the only one that matters.
(2) We can have a civil discussion as long as you agree with me. If I do not get what I desire, I no longer have to be civil to you.
(3) Whining is more effective than logic and reason.
(4) I can win any argument and achieve whatever goal I have by accusing you of being racially motivated.
On an unrelated matter, should it bother me that we have a member of the school board who has little concept of correct grammar? And this person speaks on behalf of the district. Amazing.
Mary Spangler was coherent for over 12 minutes?? Wow
Wait a minute. All of these rants and ramblings from CJ and I just find out (in the above post) that he doesn’t send his own kids to D150, let alone Glen Oak School? How can you speak so vehemently on behalf of those who do send their kids to Glen Oak and then try to deny their kids a new school? It’s like the neighborhood associations – a few of the vocal ones speak out and claim that their ENTIRE organization is against it.
MDD says, “how can you speak so vehemently on behalf of those who do send their kids to Glen Oak…”
I’m speaking out as a taxpayer to District 150, a graduate of District 150, a concerned citizen, and a Heart of Peoria Commissioner. I never claimed to speak for the parents of Glen Oak children, other than those who belong to neighborhood associations that have been represented.
MDD continues, “…and then try to deny their kids a new school?”
I’m not trying to deny any kids a new school. Neither is anyone else. The people who live on the East Bluff simply want the school to stay in the center of their neighborhood — whether the building is rehabbed or torn down and rebuilt.
MDD also says, “It’s like the neighborhood associations – a few of the vocal ones speak out and claim that their ENTIRE organization is against it.”
That carries more weight in my book than having next to nobody speak out for something yet claiming that therefore the MAJORITY of the city is for it.
MDD: Surely you jest?
Are you proposing that only the parents of students at GOS and/or the parents of students in D150 are allowed to comment on BOE decisions? If so, then please let them pay for those decisions by themselves — see how much of an educational system you would have then.
Fact: There are approximately 14-15 thousand students in D150 (of which some percentage is adults) vs. the taxpayers of D150 taxing area plus the taxpayers of the PPD taxing area which are not exactly the same.
Taxation without representation SQUARED for some taxpayers!
LEST YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN POINTS:
Lest you have forgotten Point #1, only those 18 years of age and older AND are registered to vote are the individuals who elect a ‘citizen/taxpayer’ to each specific public office.
Lest you have forgotten Point #2, those who own properties are required to pay taxes for these debacles, last time I checked — that was private citizens, businesses, rental property owners — that would also exclude non-profit property owners, churches and whomever else is included in that exempted group.
Lest you have forgotten Point #3, those who rent and/or lease, while perhaps not paying property taxes directly, pay property taxes as a portion of their monthly rent or lease payment.
Lest you have forgotten Point #4, those meetings where the parents of current GOS students attended (think Pastry with Parents and current GOS parents attending any of these ‘forums’) have been more than 90% for keeping GOS at the current GOS site. Hum, why cannot that evidence be counted? (Because it does not support the unsupported idea of the GOP site.)
Lest you have forgotten Point #5, those pesky elected officials called the city council of Peoria including Third District Councilman Bob Manning and the Mayor of Peoria, Jim Ardis — remember them — are against this location at GOP and for GOS. (Think city council zoning approval of a special use permit needed by D150 to be approved prior to building of a school whether at GOP or GOP.)
Lest you have forgotten Point #6, marginalizing ‘those citizens’ who actively participate in a democratic republic in favor of the ‘silent majority’ is simply contrary to the principles on which our country was founded and the principles contained in the Gettysburg Address of Abraham Lincoln ……..
think “and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth.â€
For nine (9) months the constituents of the BOE and the PPD have repeatedly come to a score of meetings and talked on many different points —- it is not a single key of the piano being played, it is a sonata of valid comments of which the BOE and PPD have chosen to not answer, listen to, …… and roll their eyes upward as we continue to oppose and resist their “Borg” plan of assimilation.
Lest you have forgotten Point #7, healthy cities and that word that is bandied around so much ‘progressive’ cities have best practices of doing what?
Including all stakeholders for as many messy, vocal and inclusive meetings as it takes to get the community behind the proposed community project prior to land being purchased, plans drawn and all that goes with a successful collaborative project. (Think Mayor Joe Riley, Charlston, SC in thirty years that city gas gone from a dump to a thriving economic inclusive jewel of a city; think Chattonooga ….)
Lest you have forgotten Point #8, think Edison Project —- the BOE touted that as the greatest thing since sliced bread — hum and the overall results…..? Try something new, they will come. Look around, try something new that doesn’t work, and they will leave.
A speaker at last week’s PPD meeting made an interesting observation —
People are not so much going to the school districts of Dunlap, Morton, Washington …. as People are going away from D150.
Only one case in point: I have a friend who is a librarian by training and profession who more than twelve years ago researched where to send her children to school prior to moving to Peoria. She concluded that she needed to purchase a house in area that would afford her to not be involved in D150 because of the continued controversy and low achievement standards. The internet is a powerful tool to providing research for ‘where to live’. And when is the last time a RE agent advocated to live within D150’s boundaries? Then look at the numbers, student enrollment declines each year…..
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So, instead of silo management of the three fiefdoms currently involved, BOE, PPD and COP — the City of Peoria has repeatedly extended a $500,000 offer of support — let’s all work together!
Build a new school at the current site and let’s get some healing.
And the HLSB report that is to be submitted for state approval to the ISBE will not even be heard until January 5, 2007 …. talk about the cart before the horse….
Yes, I do spoil the argument with facts!:)
P.S. Correction … GOP or GOP should have read GOP or GOS….. in the above post.
…and where would the city be getting that $500,000 for support? From the railroad that they ignore and want to go away?
MDD: Please ask Councilman Manning…… and …..
Please step back and ponder how you would feel, if you were an East Bluff constituent of both D150 and PPD and:
(1) on March 29, 2006, a joint D150 and PPD meeting was being held not at D150 HQ on Wisconsin nor at PPD HQ at GOP to discuss and vote on the school in the park issue was being held at Valeska Hinton School?
(2) That prior to the March 29, 2006 issue being put into the public eye, not one of approximately sixty (60) East Bluff residents, several who were affected property owners in the proposed site area —- not one elected official from D150 nor PPD had contacted any individual regarding their opinion on this issue? —
That means three (3) D150 Reps from District #2, Allen, Butler, Matheson;
That means three (3) PPD Reps from Central District, Budzinski, Cummings, Petty; and
That means one (1) PPD President from the entire PPD, Cassidy.
Not one of those seven (7) elected it was important enough to get a feel from their constituents?
So, how would you feel?
CJ: “Like carbon monoxide, this silent majority is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.”
BWAH HA HA HA HA – best line ever. And this ought to become a major talking point/slogan for those opposing the school site. It’s memorable, vivid, and exactly on the point.
While the property owners in Dist. 150 bear an inordiante amount of the cost (taxes) of the District, every taxpayer in the state of Illinois contributes to the District’s budget. It may be fashionable to say that this largesse is a God-given right, but it’s not. It’s a political decision. If the District can’t spend those dollars wisely, the taxpayers have every right to demand that their money not be used to support such foolishness.
The most disturbing thing about this episode, of course, is the disrespect shown the public and the public’s elected representatives.
Karrie — They all wait around for their constituents to call them. Apparently, the way they see it, all 112,000 residents are in favor of the board’s actions unless each resident personally calls and tells them differently. Thus there’s no reason to call and ask them because their silence expresses tacit approval.
You could conceivably have 10,000 people call and express opposition and the board would shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, that’s still 102,000 in favor! We’re on the right track! Those 10,000 people were just a very vocal minority.”
One raindrop raises the sea! — — Dinotopia — in our four legged stool — Community, City of Peoria, D150 and PPD — we are now at a three legged school —- Community, City of Peoria and PPD —three legged stool, now we need to encourage D150 to make our stool complete.
As in “stool sample”?
Interesting Emtronics. No as in a four legged stool —except — D150 uses their leg of the stool to beat up their constituents.
Ah hell you are giving the board too much credit. They wouldn’t know which end of the leg to hold on to without a vote and a referendum from any one of the 6 supers.