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This Tuesday, August 14, at 6pm at the District Office (575 N. 100 E., American Fork) the Alpine School Board will hold a Truth in Taxation hearing. This is where you, the taxpayer, can have an opportunity to be heard about a tax-rate increase for this year's budget.
The perspective of most everyone in education is that if the amount isn't all that big, then it shouldn't be an issue. In fact, bond votes and tax increases are proclaimed, nationwide in school board conferences and publications, as evidence that taxpayers are "supportive of public education." If you oppose a bond or any other sort of tax increase, you don't care about kids and certainly you don't want them educated. (In fact, some of the conferences have "how to" courses on increasing funding in education. There is no discussion about what to spend that money on.) In fairness, for the most part, I think Alpine School District does a decent job with our funding and budgeting. And the intentions of everyone involved, I think, are good.
Here's what you need to know. Feel free to skim the non-italicized parts for the main points.
1. Utah Law requires the amount of money the districts (or cities or counties) receive from year to year to remain the same, excluding growth.
So, if we received $100M one year from all the property in ASD's boundaries, then we should receive $100M the next year from those same properties PLUS any additional property taxes from any new developments that came into being that next year.
How this works: If the total amount of all the property in ASD increases in value, then the tax rate decreases automatically to generate the same amount going to the district. If the total amount of all the property decreases in value, then the tax rate increases automatically.
An example. Numbers used are for explanation purposes but are not accurate. The tax rate is much, much lower. And the examples are, admittedly, very simplified.
Year 1: Total property value : $100M. Tax rate: 1%. Taxes generated: $100M x 1% = $1M.
Year 2: Total property value: $90M. Tax rate:1.1%. Taxes generated (minus growth): $90M x 1.1% = $1M.
Year 3: Total property value: $110M. Tax rate: 0.9%. Taxes generated (minus growth): $110M x 0.9% = $1M.
Truth in Taxation: If in Year 3, the district would like to keep the tax rate at 1.1% or even increase it, so as to generate more than the $1M, then a Truth in Taxation hearing would need to occur. At the 1.1% rate, this would generate $1.21M instead.
Rather than following the economy like most other states, that when values increase, the taxes go up and vice versa, ours is the opposite. When the economy is struggling and values are down, the tax rate automatically increases and you are paying a larger percentage in property taxes than you were. But there is no hearing on this. It just happens. When the economy is good, you pay a smaller percentage in taxes.
2. If the tax rate goes down, the district can hold a public Truth in Taxation hearing to increase that rate. This is what we are doing on Tuesday. The interesting part of this is that we only have these hearings, arguably, when the economy is strong. When the economy is weak and values are down, the rate increases but without a public hearing. So the vast majority of the population is less concerned about a rate increase because they are doing well.
Sadly, under our current tax system, the people who are most harmed by this are those whose particular circumstances make them struggle economically while prosperity reigns around them. They might be those on a fixed-income (who, if elderly or disabled, do get partial waivers for property taxes), young people and young families, just starting off in life, and military families, for example.
3. The legislature has created an incentive for districts to increase property taxes. The state matches local property tax with state funds, up to a certain amount. If the tax rate goes down, the state continues to match at the higher rate for up to 5 years. This creates an incentive for the district to increase the rate at least once every 5 years. The legislature may claim that they don't raise taxes, but they incentivize the local school districts to do it for them. It's a win-win for the legislature. More money in education; no accountability for raising taxes or creating a tax system where in hard times your tax rate just happens to go up without anyone commenting or caring.
Going forward, it would be even easier for the district to just regularly increase the rate every year, that way the increase is much, much smaller, and fewer people will complain. Doing this yearly, the perception will be that we aren't increasing the taxes very much, and the side-benefit is that people get used to having a Truth in Taxation hearing every year. It becomes as big of a deal as watching paint dry.
4. We support tax-incentives over multiple decades for big, well-connected companies, like Facebook. Currently, those range in the area of $18,000,000 per year. (See pg. 181: here.)
Yes, the argument is that without these tax incentives, nothing would ever develop. But, giving the tax incentives over more than 5 -10 years enters into the realm of predicting the future. It is difficult for the average person to justify a tax incentive for a big, well-connected corporation, but then come back to taxpayers and ask for a few dollars more. What's good for the goose should be good for the gander. If we need more money today, then we probably shouldn't have approved those tax incentives all those years ago. With a growing community like Utah County, I think we would be hard-pressed to assume that all the development in our communities wouldn't have occurred without these tax incentives. In the short-term, that may be true. In the long-term? I seriously doubt it. Tax-incentives, if you think such a thing should be done, should be limited to 5 or 10 years. Anything more than that is just robbing future generations of school kids in order to appease the power-brokers of today. Facebook gets to live here tax-free for 35 years. You and I aren't so lucky.
5. Increased Tech and Coaching Funding vs More Teachers and Smaller Class Sizes. Our district/board's priorities don't seem to match those priorities of the people. Repeatedly, when talking with parents and taxpayers, their biggest concerns are wanting smaller class sizes, traditional math (not Common Core/Investigations/Inquiry-based math), and limits on screen time.
Instead, partly due to legislative incentives and partly due to education conferences, everyone (it seems) in the state and the nation is accepting the narrative that without technology, kids will not be able to function appropriately "in the 21st Century." So, in addition to the millions that ed tech companies stand to make, everyone thinks that educational technology is the Silver Bullet of education--probably a lot like Baby Einstein videos from a decade or so ago. (Side note: Silicon Valley execs are the exception. ) Have you seen your kids on tech? Are you worried they won't pick it up without explicit training and exposure to it?
Also, there is a huge push toward Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)/21st Century Skills, nationally, as opposed to academic content. What that means is participation and attitudes can be seen as more important than whether you know history or math facts. To our credit, our teachers are being trained to make SEL as important, not more important, than academic content. But, while teachers have always, naturally, included things like participation, honesty, and a can-do attitude as a by-product of their teaching, to focus on those things necessarily removes the focus from reading, writing, and math.
Our current budget includes expenses for hiring more Technology and Instructional Coaches to train teachers to use tech and these other methods (Project-based, Inquiry-based, etc), as opposed to using those same funds to hire more teachers to reduce class sizes. The argument is that if the Coaches make our existing teachers better, then it's a more efficient use of our time. One school has had great success with an Instructional Coach. So, if that model holds, then similar improvements should be seen when expanded across the district's nearly 90 schools.
Our budget also includes funding for more technology. As our schools go through our 21st Century implementation, iPads and ChromeBooks are included at the ratio of 1 device for every 2 students. Sadly, parents don't really have an option for a tech-less school system. And in light of all the negative results of too much screen time, I think we are setting our kids up for lots of problems (sleep issues, moodiness, depression, etc. See here, here, and here.) by adding to the already ubiquitous screen exposure. Not to mention, the increased difficulty parents now have in making sure kids do their homework (and don't get distracted), limiting screen time, and knowing what their kids are studying and how they're doing, if everything is online.
Many people think a small increase in funding is appropriate. The real question is what do you think? How should that increase be used? Will you be willing to stand up and state what your priorities are for our school district? Hope to see you at the hearing on Tuesday!
Showing posts with label Involvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Involvement. Show all posts
Friday, August 10, 2018
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
A Thankful Heart Is the Greatest Virtue: Informed and Involved
'A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.' --Cicero
I want to start by thanking all of you for your support throughout these past 6 years for the principles that I have tried to stand for. It was especially felt during this past legislative session with the numbers of calls, texts, and emails that were sent to our legislators. I am grateful to all of our legislators, even those I vehemently disagree with, for taking the many hours of time and energy and the mocks and scorns of the populace that they are oath-bound to represent. But I am even more grateful to you, the many moms and dads, everyday people, who are willing to take a little time out of your day to defend the family, protect parents' rights, and demand that parents and teacher decide what knowledge is of most worth.
I am writing to once again enlist your aid: To Run for Public Office or to Support Another Who Shares Your Principles. You can FILE to run up to THIS THURSDAY, March 17, at the County Elections Office (in Utah County, that's in Provo).
The point of running for office is about the principles that you are willing to stand up and defend. Do you want to defend the family? Do you want to defend individual freedom? Do you want to support parents and teachers deciding what knowledge is of most worth to pass along to our children? If so, you qualify. The goal of a government 'of the people, by the people, and for the people' is that the people are the ones who are involved, overseeing it and running it. If you haven't served as a state or county delegate, if you haven't attended a caucus meeting, if you haven't filed to run for office, think seriously about doing so. You are who we need in the country, not those who seek office for power or glory, but who seek it to maintain freedom and liberty.
FIRST, for school board. Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the school room in one generation is the philosophy of the government in the next." I would argue that who is elected to Local and State School Board positions could have a greater impact on the direction of our country than the president. (And as the Founders understood it, it really should.)
Alpine School District, ASD4 (PG/Lindon), ASD6 (Lehi), ASD7 (East Orem). The only incumbent seeking re-election is Scott Carlson in ASD6. I do not believe that any office should go uncontested, and certainly, any office where those running do not share the vast majority of your principles. If you have ever thought, "Why don't we have anyone I like running for office", that is a call to arms. You should be running.
In our predominantly LDS culture, we are used to taking upon ourselves leadership responsibilities and rotating that responsibility around to different members of the ward family. In a similar manner, our Founders felt that public office should be rotated around to the different community members as a sense of civic obligation and personal duty. It was assumed that most people would be willing and able to serve 2 - 4 year terms, and then return home to their families, their farms, and their livelihoods. Politics was never supposed to be a professional occupation. And if you've ever wondered about why we are headed in the direction that we are, I would emphatically argue it is BECAUSE average people don't run for public office. Many years ago, William F. Buckley, paraphrasing, said that he'd rather be governed by the first 535 names in the New York Phonebook than by the members of Congress. And yet, THAT is exactly what our Founders envisioned: everday people, representing their neighbors, their families, and their friends.
Opportunities for public service are just that, opportunities for service. Here are several that I would ask you to seriously consider.
1. Attend your party's caucus meeting on March 22. (An excellent article on the caucus is here.)
2.Vote in the Presidential Preference Poll (this IS the presidential primary for Utah).
3. Run for State or County delegate at your precinct or support someone who shares your principles.
4. Run for Public Office yourself, unless you find someone who shares your principles. Then campaign on their behalf. (Money is good, but time is better.)
Some Public Offices that are up for election this year. For more information, go here.
Local:
ASD 4, 6, and 7: If you are in one of those areas, think seriously about running for office.
County:
State Senator
State House
Utah County Commission, Seat C
State:
State School Board (My specific area is not up, but half the State Board seats are. In UT County: 11, 12, and 13)
State Attorney General
State Auditor
State Treasurer
Governor/Lt. Governor
Federal:
US House of Representatives (all seats)
US Senate (1 seat)
President/Vice-President
Most people are unaware that every two years 100% of the US House of Representatives and 33% of the US Senate are up for election.
In Utah, 100% of the State House of Representatives and 50% of the State Senate are up for election.
We, the People, have the opportunity to completely change the direction things are going every two years, or to reinforce what is being done. And sometimes we reinforce it by our apathy.
Informed and Involved is the only way to maintain freedom. And it isn't once every four years by voting for president. The most important elections are those closest to you! It is our responsibility to be informed and then to be involved.
Thomas Jefferson said, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,.. it expects what never was and never will be. If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
I want to start by thanking all of you for your support throughout these past 6 years for the principles that I have tried to stand for. It was especially felt during this past legislative session with the numbers of calls, texts, and emails that were sent to our legislators. I am grateful to all of our legislators, even those I vehemently disagree with, for taking the many hours of time and energy and the mocks and scorns of the populace that they are oath-bound to represent. But I am even more grateful to you, the many moms and dads, everyday people, who are willing to take a little time out of your day to defend the family, protect parents' rights, and demand that parents and teacher decide what knowledge is of most worth.
I am writing to once again enlist your aid: To Run for Public Office or to Support Another Who Shares Your Principles. You can FILE to run up to THIS THURSDAY, March 17, at the County Elections Office (in Utah County, that's in Provo).
The point of running for office is about the principles that you are willing to stand up and defend. Do you want to defend the family? Do you want to defend individual freedom? Do you want to support parents and teachers deciding what knowledge is of most worth to pass along to our children? If so, you qualify. The goal of a government 'of the people, by the people, and for the people' is that the people are the ones who are involved, overseeing it and running it. If you haven't served as a state or county delegate, if you haven't attended a caucus meeting, if you haven't filed to run for office, think seriously about doing so. You are who we need in the country, not those who seek office for power or glory, but who seek it to maintain freedom and liberty.
FIRST, for school board. Abraham Lincoln said, "The philosophy of the school room in one generation is the philosophy of the government in the next." I would argue that who is elected to Local and State School Board positions could have a greater impact on the direction of our country than the president. (And as the Founders understood it, it really should.)
Alpine School District, ASD4 (PG/Lindon), ASD6 (Lehi), ASD7 (East Orem). The only incumbent seeking re-election is Scott Carlson in ASD6. I do not believe that any office should go uncontested, and certainly, any office where those running do not share the vast majority of your principles. If you have ever thought, "Why don't we have anyone I like running for office", that is a call to arms. You should be running.
In our predominantly LDS culture, we are used to taking upon ourselves leadership responsibilities and rotating that responsibility around to different members of the ward family. In a similar manner, our Founders felt that public office should be rotated around to the different community members as a sense of civic obligation and personal duty. It was assumed that most people would be willing and able to serve 2 - 4 year terms, and then return home to their families, their farms, and their livelihoods. Politics was never supposed to be a professional occupation. And if you've ever wondered about why we are headed in the direction that we are, I would emphatically argue it is BECAUSE average people don't run for public office. Many years ago, William F. Buckley, paraphrasing, said that he'd rather be governed by the first 535 names in the New York Phonebook than by the members of Congress. And yet, THAT is exactly what our Founders envisioned: everday people, representing their neighbors, their families, and their friends.
Opportunities for public service are just that, opportunities for service. Here are several that I would ask you to seriously consider.
1. Attend your party's caucus meeting on March 22. (An excellent article on the caucus is here.)
2.Vote in the Presidential Preference Poll (this IS the presidential primary for Utah).
3. Run for State or County delegate at your precinct or support someone who shares your principles.
4. Run for Public Office yourself, unless you find someone who shares your principles. Then campaign on their behalf. (Money is good, but time is better.)
Some Public Offices that are up for election this year. For more information, go here.
Local:
ASD 4, 6, and 7: If you are in one of those areas, think seriously about running for office.
County:
State Senator
State House
Utah County Commission, Seat C
State:
State School Board (My specific area is not up, but half the State Board seats are. In UT County: 11, 12, and 13)
State Attorney General
State Auditor
State Treasurer
Governor/Lt. Governor
Federal:
US House of Representatives (all seats)
US Senate (1 seat)
President/Vice-President
Most people are unaware that every two years 100% of the US House of Representatives and 33% of the US Senate are up for election.
In Utah, 100% of the State House of Representatives and 50% of the State Senate are up for election.
We, the People, have the opportunity to completely change the direction things are going every two years, or to reinforce what is being done. And sometimes we reinforce it by our apathy.
Informed and Involved is the only way to maintain freedom. And it isn't once every four years by voting for president. The most important elections are those closest to you! It is our responsibility to be informed and then to be involved.
Thomas Jefferson said, "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,.. it expects what never was and never will be. If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
Thursday, October 24, 2013
What I'm Supposed to Say and What I'm Not Supposed to Say
What I'm Supposed to Say
On Oct. 8, the Will of the Board supported approving approximately 80 clubs in our Senior High Schools. Each of the clubs had followed the rules outlined in our board policy. The board policy on clubs was reviewed just this year (not by the full board, but by a committee). Our job, as board members, is to make sure our policy is complied with. The Board approved all the clubs. It is not rubber-stamping to approve the paperwork of all clubs that complied with our policy.
I can appreciate that you might have some concerns about some of the clubs or else the process, but the board has a policy, and it was followed. The Will of the Board is that we go forward and we support these clubs and the decision of the Will of the Board.
How did I vote? What's important is the Will of the Board has been made known. We had vigorous discussions and then a vote was taken. Now is the time to be supportive of the direction the Board has taken. If we were to have well-known differences of opinion on issues, then we would not be a support to our district, and our employees would not be directed properly knowing there might be some differences of opinion. As such, highly-effective boards debate and discuss, and then go forward in full support of the Will of the Board.
That is what I'm supposed to tell you. That is what I have been trained and lectured to tell you. That is the acceptable thing to say. And I should not elaborate further. I certainly shouldn't put what I'm about to write on a blog or a facebook post. If you felt the need to know more, you could check out the audio and the minutes of the past board meetings, if you knew they existed and where to find them.
What I'm NOT Supposed to Say
I voted against the clubs. You may agree; you may disagree. But, now you know. I have lots of reasons why. So, rather than tell you how we all need to support the Will of the Board, I will let you know what my main concern is: lack of representation.
Most people believe their elected officials are elected to represent them. Most people think that 'board approval' implies the board members looked at individual clubs and applications and thought, "Gee, that's a good idea. Let's do that!" That's what approval means. Most people think there will be disagreements on a board, and that a majority will win. As a result, the minority will lose. But, to be transparent, even the Supreme Court issues majority and minority opinions. Our Board is not supposed to do that.
The reality is "board approval" means we rubber-stamped the paperwork required by our policy. The students and faculty sponsor(s) jumped through the appropriate hoops, and we "approved" their hoop-jumping. Our approval was not based on merit, debate, or community values. Our approval was a foregone conclusion, a mere formality.
I believe the Board is elected to represent you, the taxpayers of this community. I also don't see a single, homogenous group of people with unified beliefs on every issue. As such, you are better represented by a diversity of opinions, ideas, and issues. It is assumed that anything voted on by the board requires community/public approval. We are approving on your behalf. If we just rubber-stamp, we only pretend there is "taxpayer" approval.
As parents, you need to be aware that just because a club is "approved" for the school, you should not lower your guard on any level. Please understand, the board has no role in vetting or whittling down applicants. It doesn't matter if the reason is the threat of a lawsuit, questionable charter activities, or anything else. If the board doesn't have the option to vett anything, we should not be voting on it, period.
I was told we couldn't look at each club individually, on the merits. If we were to pick and choose, we could be sued for discrimination. I have been involved in situations where I was told one thing relative to legal counsel, and then found out, with greater research and citizen involvement, the reality was quite different. Because of this experience, I requested legal counsel meet with the Board. That request was denied, but the administration spoke with legal counsel instead.
Who Is In Charge?
This denial goes to the heart of the matter. What is the role of the school board? Is the Board there to represent the public's will to the district or does the board represent the district's policy to the public? Of course, politicians would skirt the issue saying it's not a mutually-exclusive question. A balance of the two approaches is helpful with an emphasis on one or the other, depending on circumstances. But which method is most important and why?
I believe the board should represent the will of the people, even if that goes against the will of the government administrators. We create the system and direct government to work on our behalf. I believe we should have a trust-but-verify relationship. This is not to say that we don't hire good people. We do. But the role of the board is oversight, and verification of that trust. To trust, without formal verification, is not the role of the Board.
In the example of approving clubs, I recognize our administrators have addressed similar issues in the past, and, with renewed conversations with attorneys, felt they had a good handle on things on their end. My fellow Board members, apparently, felt their issues were resolved, based on district administration directives. But for me, the verification issue comes with my ability to field the questions you, the public, might have. The questions I would ask are not the same as those our administrators or even my fellow board members would ask. You should be represented by the various questions and perspectives of the entire board, not just the majority.
So, you must decide what the school board's role should be. This is your school district. How much representation do you want? How much oversight should the Board exercise? Yes, the district will function smoothly if the Board is supportive of everything the administrators do. But sometimes the best system comes with debate and resolution, give and take, and it isn't always smooth. I believe the best possible public education system is achieved when the foundation is built on involved, informed citizens, not smooth-operating government administration.
Without the benefit of legal counsel, I came to our meeting feeling we were being held hostage with the threat of a lawsuit. In short, we must accept ANYTHING that is placed in front of us. I still don't know if the board could have rejected some of the applications, based on state law, or requested amendments to them. But, in the spirit of transparency, here were some of my additional concerns.
1) Should a board approve a club charter that states it will report school or district policy concerns to a third party, such as the ACLU? Are we really comfortable approving a club that, by my read, may essentially be looking for ways to sue the school or the district? I certainly want all legitimate issues brought to the appropriate parties on a school or district-level. But are we legally obligated to empower a club to set us up for lawsuits?
2) I am concerned about approving a club that might pose harm or a health risk for some students. In speaking with a First Responder in suicide cases as well as a medical doctor, I have been warned that some discussions of suicide lead to more harm than good. It is a very difficult subject to tackle without the appropriate training. Mentioning suicide in the club application requires a much more thorough vetting, in my opinion. What will be discussed? Who will be overseeing and directing the discussion? What is their certification? How much, if any, time will be devoted to this topic? Even though, it's an important topic, I am not comfortable without greater assurances that we are following the Hippocratic Oath: "First, do no harm." If I can't assume no harm will come to our students, I can't approve it.
3) Breaking state law, by allowing students without a signed parental-consent form to attend club meetings, was another issue. It was expressed that hopefully this discrepancy would be resolved by the club members.
A system produces exactly what it's designed to produce. If you don't like the idea of your elected "representatives" rubber stamping administrative decisions, you have the power to change it. You need to ask the people who represent you to not be afraid to do so, no matter the consequences. This is either representative government or it is a rubber stamp. Don't fall for political double talk about it being both. Ultimately every school board election is about who is in charge. If the people do not assert their rightful dominance with proactive, transparent representatives, the void is filled by well-meaning, smooth-operating government administrators. You get to decide which it will be.
On Oct. 8, the Will of the Board supported approving approximately 80 clubs in our Senior High Schools. Each of the clubs had followed the rules outlined in our board policy. The board policy on clubs was reviewed just this year (not by the full board, but by a committee). Our job, as board members, is to make sure our policy is complied with. The Board approved all the clubs. It is not rubber-stamping to approve the paperwork of all clubs that complied with our policy.
I can appreciate that you might have some concerns about some of the clubs or else the process, but the board has a policy, and it was followed. The Will of the Board is that we go forward and we support these clubs and the decision of the Will of the Board.
How did I vote? What's important is the Will of the Board has been made known. We had vigorous discussions and then a vote was taken. Now is the time to be supportive of the direction the Board has taken. If we were to have well-known differences of opinion on issues, then we would not be a support to our district, and our employees would not be directed properly knowing there might be some differences of opinion. As such, highly-effective boards debate and discuss, and then go forward in full support of the Will of the Board.
That is what I'm supposed to tell you. That is what I have been trained and lectured to tell you. That is the acceptable thing to say. And I should not elaborate further. I certainly shouldn't put what I'm about to write on a blog or a facebook post. If you felt the need to know more, you could check out the audio and the minutes of the past board meetings, if you knew they existed and where to find them.
What I'm NOT Supposed to Say
I voted against the clubs. You may agree; you may disagree. But, now you know. I have lots of reasons why. So, rather than tell you how we all need to support the Will of the Board, I will let you know what my main concern is: lack of representation.
Most people believe their elected officials are elected to represent them. Most people think that 'board approval' implies the board members looked at individual clubs and applications and thought, "Gee, that's a good idea. Let's do that!" That's what approval means. Most people think there will be disagreements on a board, and that a majority will win. As a result, the minority will lose. But, to be transparent, even the Supreme Court issues majority and minority opinions. Our Board is not supposed to do that.
The reality is "board approval" means we rubber-stamped the paperwork required by our policy. The students and faculty sponsor(s) jumped through the appropriate hoops, and we "approved" their hoop-jumping. Our approval was not based on merit, debate, or community values. Our approval was a foregone conclusion, a mere formality.
I believe the Board is elected to represent you, the taxpayers of this community. I also don't see a single, homogenous group of people with unified beliefs on every issue. As such, you are better represented by a diversity of opinions, ideas, and issues. It is assumed that anything voted on by the board requires community/public approval. We are approving on your behalf. If we just rubber-stamp, we only pretend there is "taxpayer" approval.
As parents, you need to be aware that just because a club is "approved" for the school, you should not lower your guard on any level. Please understand, the board has no role in vetting or whittling down applicants. It doesn't matter if the reason is the threat of a lawsuit, questionable charter activities, or anything else. If the board doesn't have the option to vett anything, we should not be voting on it, period.
I was told we couldn't look at each club individually, on the merits. If we were to pick and choose, we could be sued for discrimination. I have been involved in situations where I was told one thing relative to legal counsel, and then found out, with greater research and citizen involvement, the reality was quite different. Because of this experience, I requested legal counsel meet with the Board. That request was denied, but the administration spoke with legal counsel instead.
Who Is In Charge?
This denial goes to the heart of the matter. What is the role of the school board? Is the Board there to represent the public's will to the district or does the board represent the district's policy to the public? Of course, politicians would skirt the issue saying it's not a mutually-exclusive question. A balance of the two approaches is helpful with an emphasis on one or the other, depending on circumstances. But which method is most important and why?
I believe the board should represent the will of the people, even if that goes against the will of the government administrators. We create the system and direct government to work on our behalf. I believe we should have a trust-but-verify relationship. This is not to say that we don't hire good people. We do. But the role of the board is oversight, and verification of that trust. To trust, without formal verification, is not the role of the Board.
In the example of approving clubs, I recognize our administrators have addressed similar issues in the past, and, with renewed conversations with attorneys, felt they had a good handle on things on their end. My fellow Board members, apparently, felt their issues were resolved, based on district administration directives. But for me, the verification issue comes with my ability to field the questions you, the public, might have. The questions I would ask are not the same as those our administrators or even my fellow board members would ask. You should be represented by the various questions and perspectives of the entire board, not just the majority.
So, you must decide what the school board's role should be. This is your school district. How much representation do you want? How much oversight should the Board exercise? Yes, the district will function smoothly if the Board is supportive of everything the administrators do. But sometimes the best system comes with debate and resolution, give and take, and it isn't always smooth. I believe the best possible public education system is achieved when the foundation is built on involved, informed citizens, not smooth-operating government administration.
Without the benefit of legal counsel, I came to our meeting feeling we were being held hostage with the threat of a lawsuit. In short, we must accept ANYTHING that is placed in front of us. I still don't know if the board could have rejected some of the applications, based on state law, or requested amendments to them. But, in the spirit of transparency, here were some of my additional concerns.
1) Should a board approve a club charter that states it will report school or district policy concerns to a third party, such as the ACLU? Are we really comfortable approving a club that, by my read, may essentially be looking for ways to sue the school or the district? I certainly want all legitimate issues brought to the appropriate parties on a school or district-level. But are we legally obligated to empower a club to set us up for lawsuits?
2) I am concerned about approving a club that might pose harm or a health risk for some students. In speaking with a First Responder in suicide cases as well as a medical doctor, I have been warned that some discussions of suicide lead to more harm than good. It is a very difficult subject to tackle without the appropriate training. Mentioning suicide in the club application requires a much more thorough vetting, in my opinion. What will be discussed? Who will be overseeing and directing the discussion? What is their certification? How much, if any, time will be devoted to this topic? Even though, it's an important topic, I am not comfortable without greater assurances that we are following the Hippocratic Oath: "First, do no harm." If I can't assume no harm will come to our students, I can't approve it.
3) Breaking state law, by allowing students without a signed parental-consent form to attend club meetings, was another issue. It was expressed that hopefully this discrepancy would be resolved by the club members.
A system produces exactly what it's designed to produce. If you don't like the idea of your elected "representatives" rubber stamping administrative decisions, you have the power to change it. You need to ask the people who represent you to not be afraid to do so, no matter the consequences. This is either representative government or it is a rubber stamp. Don't fall for political double talk about it being both. Ultimately every school board election is about who is in charge. If the people do not assert their rightful dominance with proactive, transparent representatives, the void is filled by well-meaning, smooth-operating government administrators. You get to decide which it will be.
Monday, August 19, 2013
How Can I Have an Impact on the Direction of our District? Answers Here!
As school starts, I want to inform you about 3 opportunities for you to get involved. I have lots of people say they'd like to be more involved, but other than PTA, what can they do? Also, you want to have an impact in your child's education, but how much time does it really require. Well, here you go.
1) I am looking for one volunteer to serve on the District Community Council for the Ridgeline/Timberline/Westfield area. The DCC is the public input arm of the district. It will require you to attend about 80% of the School Community Council meetings from those 3 schools, and then attend a meeting at the District Office once every two months to report on any issues from those 3 schools. Please let me know if you are interested. This is a great opportunity to have input, to communicate the local issues, and to provide feedback.
2) The district would like 3 volunteers from the 'empty nest' crowd to participate in a single evening focus group in September. The aim is to find a way to better communicate and involve our empty nesters in the direction and focus of the district. Please let me know if you are interested in participating.
3) And finally, the Alpine Parent Society is in full swing. A few enterprising mothers have started the society to attend and report on Board meetings and any other important doings of the district. It is on a rotating basis, and you only need to commit to 2 times each year. Each meeting will be about 1.5 hours. So, this would be a total commitment of 3 hours each YEAR. This helps to increase the transparency of the board, and to allow the local community to have an impact. Also, just because Parent is in the name, it really means any taxpayer in the district. So, just like the empty nest coalition, you needn't have kids in district schools to participate. Here's the link: http://alpineparentsociety.wordpress.com/ We had great success with this in Highland City. I think the goal is to have a couple of people attend each board meeting. But for right now, they just want to get people in the swing of things. Please sign up today!
Thanks for your support!
Wendy
1) I am looking for one volunteer to serve on the District Community Council for the Ridgeline/Timberline/Westfield area. The DCC is the public input arm of the district. It will require you to attend about 80% of the School Community Council meetings from those 3 schools, and then attend a meeting at the District Office once every two months to report on any issues from those 3 schools. Please let me know if you are interested. This is a great opportunity to have input, to communicate the local issues, and to provide feedback.
2) The district would like 3 volunteers from the 'empty nest' crowd to participate in a single evening focus group in September. The aim is to find a way to better communicate and involve our empty nesters in the direction and focus of the district. Please let me know if you are interested in participating.
3) And finally, the Alpine Parent Society is in full swing. A few enterprising mothers have started the society to attend and report on Board meetings and any other important doings of the district. It is on a rotating basis, and you only need to commit to 2 times each year. Each meeting will be about 1.5 hours. So, this would be a total commitment of 3 hours each YEAR. This helps to increase the transparency of the board, and to allow the local community to have an impact. Also, just because Parent is in the name, it really means any taxpayer in the district. So, just like the empty nest coalition, you needn't have kids in district schools to participate. Here's the link: http://alpineparentsociety.wordpress.com/ We had great success with this in Highland City. I think the goal is to have a couple of people attend each board meeting. But for right now, they just want to get people in the swing of things. Please sign up today!
Thanks for your support!
Wendy
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Code of Conduct
The ASD Board of Education has a Code of Conduct. I was told that the most important thing for me to do right now is to read and learn the Code of Conduct. Please take a minute to review the Code of Conduct page, and give me your feedback here. We will be discussing this Code in January.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Where Do We Go from Here?
I want to thank all of the volunteers who helped me win the election. I could not have done it without you. I also appreciate all the comments and questions from everyone who was interested in becoming an informed voter.
On Nov. 3, a group of interested parents met at my home to discuss ways to get parents more involved. Here are some of the ideas.
1. Create a rotating list of people to attend school board meetings and work sessions, video tape where possible, and summarize in an email to the group and on a blog. (This is in process. If you want to participate, stay tuned for more information.)
2. More parent expertise in the classrooms. One mom, a former English teacher, would like to volunteer in some of the English classes and help focus on writing skills: critiquing, encouraging, coaching, etc. If those parents with skills in a particular area were willing to work with specific teachers at different schools, there would be much greater ability and support for our teachers and the curriculum from the community at large. I encourage each of you to look at what your skills and talents are and volunteer them to your local school.
3. PTA and PTO organizations. A parent pointed out that some schools might want to consider forming a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) instead of going through the PTA, as all the money raised would stay completely with that school, and there would be no outside pressure to conform to state or national requirements. It would truly be a local organization. A few parents have decided to look in to this idea.
4. Public Training. It was suggested that teacher training sessions be open to the public, perhaps on a rotating basis.
5. Communications from the district to the teachers, schools, etc. should be posted on the ASD website and available for public viewing.
6. Professional Learning Communities. The early-out Monday meetings at each school are open to the public. It was suggested that parents may want to rotate to attend some of these meetings at their individual schools.
7. School Community Councils and PTA. The School Community Councils (SCC) are a very important piece of the school organization. Until I started this campaign, I was pretty uninformed on the role and potential of the SCC's. In the Spring, each school will ask for volunteers to run for election to their own SCC. If you want to influence the direction of your school, SCC is the place to be. Currently, only those parents with children in that particular school can be on the SCC. The SCC is charged with determining the use of the school trust lands monies (about 1/2% of the local school's budget each year). The SCC and PTA organizations are also one of the most often used methods for communicating information from the community to the district. It is important for the SCC's to be as representative of the people as possible. I encourage you, if you have kids at the local district school, to get involved in the SCC. All meetings are open to the public.
Please comment either here or on Facebook with any additional suggestions you might have. Sometimes, all it take is one person's idea, to make a big difference.
On Nov. 3, a group of interested parents met at my home to discuss ways to get parents more involved. Here are some of the ideas.
1. Create a rotating list of people to attend school board meetings and work sessions, video tape where possible, and summarize in an email to the group and on a blog. (This is in process. If you want to participate, stay tuned for more information.)
2. More parent expertise in the classrooms. One mom, a former English teacher, would like to volunteer in some of the English classes and help focus on writing skills: critiquing, encouraging, coaching, etc. If those parents with skills in a particular area were willing to work with specific teachers at different schools, there would be much greater ability and support for our teachers and the curriculum from the community at large. I encourage each of you to look at what your skills and talents are and volunteer them to your local school.
3. PTA and PTO organizations. A parent pointed out that some schools might want to consider forming a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) instead of going through the PTA, as all the money raised would stay completely with that school, and there would be no outside pressure to conform to state or national requirements. It would truly be a local organization. A few parents have decided to look in to this idea.
4. Public Training. It was suggested that teacher training sessions be open to the public, perhaps on a rotating basis.
5. Communications from the district to the teachers, schools, etc. should be posted on the ASD website and available for public viewing.
6. Professional Learning Communities. The early-out Monday meetings at each school are open to the public. It was suggested that parents may want to rotate to attend some of these meetings at their individual schools.
7. School Community Councils and PTA. The School Community Councils (SCC) are a very important piece of the school organization. Until I started this campaign, I was pretty uninformed on the role and potential of the SCC's. In the Spring, each school will ask for volunteers to run for election to their own SCC. If you want to influence the direction of your school, SCC is the place to be. Currently, only those parents with children in that particular school can be on the SCC. The SCC is charged with determining the use of the school trust lands monies (about 1/2% of the local school's budget each year). The SCC and PTA organizations are also one of the most often used methods for communicating information from the community to the district. It is important for the SCC's to be as representative of the people as possible. I encourage you, if you have kids at the local district school, to get involved in the SCC. All meetings are open to the public.
Please comment either here or on Facebook with any additional suggestions you might have. Sometimes, all it take is one person's idea, to make a big difference.
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