PEORIA -- Six -- count them -- six groups appeared at the beginning of the Peoria District 150 School Board at its May 23 meeting, to be "spotlighted" or otherwise recognized as in "all the children are above average." And teachers, as well, as the outstanding teacher of the month was recognized, too.
It's a scene worthy of a politburo out of a communist government, where those so glorified also praise the board and administration. Barf.
The scene tool up more than an hour before the board finally got to its meeting and the public comments.
It's a huge waste of valuable time. If it were on TV, I wouldn't watch it. Since it's not -- the board has yet to resume its live broadcasts, or later taped ones, for that matter, I pretended it was on TV and read a magazine for the hour, so my time was not wasted.
The public comments were not as interesting as they often are, as many people likely have given up trying to influence the board. But not the diehards.
Teacher union president Bob Darling asked why "displaced" teachers have not been assigned classrooms for next year, and suggested the best will be hired away from the district.
Charlie Thomas said he is glad to see Woodruff High School reopened and used.
Sevino Sierra told the board to stop blaming the teachers for school problems.
Terry Knapp talked about the protections of tenure, and said without it, "it's drink the kool-aid or else," and gave several examples of people who refused to drink it. The district's constant turnover in superintendents stems from activists and taxpayers refusing to drink it, he added.
(Though he didn't mention it, Knapp's previous complaints to the board were vindicated by a May 23 story on WCBU-FM, the Peoria NPR affiliate, about the long bus rides that charter school pupils must endure. The school plans to cut back bus service to students living near the school, apparently to free up busses to shorten the long rides. Of course they could just pay for more busses. Guess that's not what the company running the school wants to spend money on, since that might impact the bottom line.)
Karen Atkinson Dutro questioned the board about a recent letter to Lincon Middle School parents saying some children may be eligible to take a series of tutoring sessions and tests, then skip the 8th grade and go on to high school.
Mentioning the problem of "overaged" middle school pupils, she asked why only Lincoln students are getting this program, and how it will be monitored, whether they will be prepared for high school and what message it sends to other students.
Sharon Crews presented research to the board on suspensions and expulsions for weapons such as firearms and knives, and asked about guidelines and inconsistencies in the outcomes. Some of the penalties are the same as for inappropriate cell phone use, she said. Her complete talk will be posted below later.
In her response to these comments, Lathan only said "we're working on getting teachers placed. We are concerned about displaced teachers." She didn't mention the Lincoln situation or suspensions and expulsions.
Board president Debble Wolfmeyer said savings from closing Woodruff High School came from cutting the staff, not closing the building, which will be reopened next year. If that's true, why not just cut the staff and not close a high school?
A recording of the public comments is posted here.
-- Elaine Hopkins
Here are the remarks from Sharon Crews:
From September to March 21, about 237 suspensions were for illegal activities in 13 categories. Fifty-one suspensions and four expulsions were related to weapons. According to the codes I was given, there are five categories of weapon offenses. There were no suspensions or expulsions for the category labeled possession or use of a handgun.
For the possession or use of a knife or other sharp object there were 16 suspensions and 3 expulsions. Seven students received 10-day suspensions. Three primary school students received five-day suspensions. One student received a three-day suspension. Five students were suspended for two days.
Why is there such a difference in the number of days students are suspended? Age seems to be a factor, but not necessarily the deciding factor. Secondly, even though 10-day suspensions seem to be meted out for serious offenses, 2, 3, and 5-day suspensions are meted out for weapons as well as for such behaviors as using cell phones at unauthorized times. Shouldn’t the degree of consequences reflect the serious nature of the offense? The messages sent to students should be more clear-cut.
Thirdly, when is a knife or a sharp object not a knife or a sharp object? Three students were expelled because of a knife or sharp object. Why were 16 students suspended instead of being expelled? Please, what are the criteria for such divergent consequences? Are there any guidelines for schools to follow?
For the use or possession of a firearm other than a handgun, there were 6 suspensions but no expulsions. Two primary students received 10-day suspensions, one middle school student a five-day, and four students received 2-day suspensions. Please, define a firearm other than a handgun. The use or possession of a “firearm” of any kind seems to me to be worthy of expulsion, not just a suspension. There must be something I don’t understand.
Thirteen students were suspended for possession or use of other weapons or gun look-alikes. One student was expelled for swinging a lock on a belt. Almost any ordinary object—a book, a chair, a bat--could qualify as a weapon. I am, therefore, assuming that all of these 13 students didn’t just possess but actually used an object as a weapon—so again I wonder how the decision was made to give two students a ten-day suspension, five a 3-day suspension, two a 2-day suspension, three a 1-day suspension, and one a half-day suspension.
The last weapons category is for weapon/gun look alikes. Fifteen students received suspensions for this category with only one 10-day suspension.
There seems to be an overlap or lack of clarity between the WPO and WPL categories.
Twenty-four suspensions were for gang activity. Three of the 24 were 10-day suspensions. There were two expulsions for gang activity.
I am puzzled by the consequences for the use or possession of drugs. There were 53 suspensions and 18 expulsions. Most of these offenses were from the three high schools but there were suspensions and/or expulsions from ten schools, representing all levels and schools. Only fourteen suspensions of the 53 were for 10-days. I recall that not long ago possession of use of drugs was an automatic expulsion. So my big question is when is a drug not a drug?
There were only two suspensions for alcohol use. The misuse of drugs and alcohol reminded me that all of you seem to have forgotten or didn’t know that District 150 started having graduation parties at the high schools on graduation night because several area graduates had died as a result of private parties on that night of celebration. This year the all-night parties are on separate nights—thus defeating their original purpose. -30-
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