I was just provided the "second draft" of Frequently Asked Questions regarding how the Orange County Schools plan to expel a number of children from the only school they have ever known.
The draft is expected to be finalized today and posted to the OCS website at midnight tonight. So, here is your first peek at one question your school system is being asked - and is not answering.
Among the additions to the FAQs is this new gem:
"21. If spaces become available during the school year, will students who were not selected in the original process be allowed to fill them?"
Now that seems like a perfectly reasonable question. I can imagine many parents asking just such a question as they consider what to do if they are among the many expected losers in Ted Triebel's education lottery.
After all, many of the children expelled from HES under Ted Triebel's new plan know no school but HES. Presumably, these children's parents would welcome any chance to return them to a familiar environment staffed with people who know their children's strengths and weaknesses well - even if it comes during the middle of a school year.
While the question is reasonable, the District's answer is not.
"Response: If student slots become available during the course of the school year, students transferring into Orange County Schools from a school with a year-round calendar will be given consideration for the available slots."
Simply put - No.
According to this policy, children of long-time Orange County taxpayers forced out of HES by this Board of Education would not be allowed to fill empty desks at one of the county's public schools - HES.
While at the same time, children arriving from Wake, Durham, Alamance, or any district with a year-round school will be offered access to those empty seats.
With actions like this, it is no wonder that few people in Orange County trust their public schools to do what is right - or even what is reasonable.
Orange County Schools' lack of public trust was a dominant message in the report of the Closing the Gap Committee this past November, and it appears that nothing has changed as a result of that report.
"... schools often function in ways that do not build trust ... and even act in ways that undermine its development and maintenance."
"It includes, trusting that if a group (such as parents) thinks something is a problem, their concerns will not be dismissed, even if there is real disagreement about the source or meaning of the problem."
Again, I ask, is it any wonder no one trusts these people?
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On a side note to this post, I was pleased to see that the grammar error I mentioned in my earlier posting was corrected in the "second draft." It is nice to see that someone at the District reads my blog.
The question now reads: "How does the district know that parents are reporting their income bands accurately."
However, I'd also like to point out that the tense of the question is incorrect. Since no "registration forms" have been distributed and no one has yet reported an income band, the question should be written in a future rather than present tense.
It would be better written as, "How will the District know that parents are reporting their income bands accurately?"
BTW, if anyone is wondering, the answer is that it won't.
BEWARE!
Liz Brown may not be running for School Board next time, but she is recruiting at least 3 people to fill the Board. Know who you are voting for before you vote. These people could easily dismantle HES. Liz has a score to settle with certain parents of HES.
I'll post who they are once I get more reliable information.
So the BOE can't see the flaws in this registration, nor can their lawyer? You can submit via email without a signature? Once the "results" are tallied and they have their socio-economic balance, as determined by a form that has no way of checking the validity of the answers, how will they determine that this experiment worked? Not everyone who is eligible for FRL signs up for it- if they use that number to determine their success, the results will be just as flawed as the process. Not to mention that they broke the contract the school has with every existing student- all of whom were promised a space in the next year's class. Can you say "lawsuit waiting to happen?"
I will for sure pay attention to who I vote for to fill the board. Using my tax dollers, by subsidizing child care & transportation,to encourage low-income families to replace current HES students is more than I can take. I will looking into a lawsuit.
It is my understanding that someone is already working on a lawsuit. Maybe financial contributions are needed or help in another way.
Does anyone know more?
i guess by eliminating one k, 1st, and 2nd grade class they were trying to ensure there would be no open spaces.
i still don't understand how the district caps are being met. are they being stratified by grade?
This morning I needed to walk into HES. I witnessed and overheard an interesting conversation between Mike Gilbert and Al Hartkopf in the hall right outside Ms. Horner's office door. Apparently, Mike Gilbert was delivering the re-enrollment applications. Al Hartkopf was noticably surprised that the applications were being distributed. He expressed to Mike that the BoE had agreed they should review the applications before distribution. Al said he had not seen the application. Mike stated the application had been reviewed by the attorney and it was not his understanding that the board needed to approve them and to please not be upset with him. Al said that he was not upset with Mike since he was obviously doing what he had been instructed and that he (Al) was going to immediately call the superintendent. Al asked for a copy of the application and went outside and made a call on his cell phone.
What? No race question? So they ARE basing this solely on how much money the parents make! Isn't that illegal?
You know - Al took some heat earlier in the season (it has become a sport IMO) for speaking his mind and being so direct. Frankly, I respect Al for what he has done for the kids in all of the schools - not just HES.
I have been frustrated by the lack of responsiveness that the board has exhibited. Al and Anne have really been voices of reason in a process that has made no sense.
Thank you Al and Anne for your tireless efforts.
Tink's Mom
I second Tink's Mom. Thank you Al and Anne!
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