We are now moving forward again to save our schools

Quick Link  richthscoalition.org   We are now moving forward again to save our schools  For four long years as a public official representing the progressive community who wanted better for its children, while being shut out of a school improvement conversation at open board meetings in our community as a community representative, we were under siege. As community representatives, targeted board members, parents, and tax payers seeking excellence in public education, our Constitutional Freedoms in public community participation were threatened for not agreeing with the status quo of failure of our children, lack of full board accountability, collaboration, deliberation, working as a team to improve student performance levels, to perform our roles as board members, and absence of a continuous school improvement plan in our schools. After April 9, 2013, we truly believed that fighting our way out of a twenty year academic and human rights rut had been achieved, but today we have finally realized that the fight must continue until justice is achieved for our children and community in academic accountability, and supportive school board policies in putting in place the proper keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible levels with a supportive school board, until justice is achieved for our children and community's future.  Today, in our continuing efforts to help our children and community, we have welcomed the support of our community's leaders in business, education, civil rights for our children, and political and technical consultants and experts in our fight to improve our schools.  As a result, by the grace of God, in this process, we are still moving forward to achieve excellence and accountability in public education.   Today, we are beginning to work on the absence of a continuous school board academic improvement plan in our schools in our second phase by: Improving student performance levels and putting in place the supportive academic continuous school improvement policies for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible levels. Again, we would like to thank those citizen leaders north and south, east and west, who continues to work as community representatives for school improvement.  You are acting not out of a sense of legal duty, but out of a sense of human decency. Meanwhile, away from home and the troubling times in the district 227 debacle, board members targeted to be shut down and threatened with arrest for speaking as community representatives in their own community, were still given an opportunity to speak in a venue that was 10,000 times the size of district 227's forum at the National School Boards Association Annual Conventions in Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, etc. followed by great effect where we were cheered, welcomed, and encouraged for our visionary contributions to school improvement conversations. Concurrently, on February 20, 2012, the Center For Open Government at Chicago's Kent College of Law urged School District 227, the then school board 227 president and superintendent were instructed to comply with the U.S. Constitution, the State's Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act laws, the state School Code and the Rich Township High School District 227 Board Policy Book generally with regards to School Board members Dr. Morgan and Mrs. Coleman. One of those policies was that all school board members must have full opportunity to place items on the agenda for meetings and to speak as board members in open session. Again, how soon we forget.  What follows is a speech made to the full school board and community on Friday, October 25, 2013, at the school board meeting following my arrival from a one week's vacation and educational tour of Europe. It reads as follows: After considerable reflection while on vacation, I have come to the conclusion that the business of School District 227 has to be conducted in new and different ways. This change, like all change must begin with me. I am committed to make needed change in District 227. I am committed to: 1.   Lowering our levels of rhetoric in board meetings, in being more        focused on the prize, improving student performance levels and       saving our children and community from further ruin. 2.   Staying out of the media. (We must handle our differences and       discuss what must be done before coming before the public in a       public board meeting by telling it straight in calm full board      deliberations addressing controversial board agenda items). 3.   Before the public meeting, we must meet as a board to address       the agenda and to strategically plan for the needs of our children       and the district. I am mindful that there are many communities       paying attention to what this board does or does not do. For       example: students, business people, the development community,       the insurance community, civil rights organizations who want       excellence in our schools, and future residents of the area will       take note of what we do. I want to inaugurate a listening tour in       all of the communities that feed into the district. 4.   I am willing to keep an open mind to that hearing from the       community, board deliberations and that compromise (with your       team and the board) that can take place in an orderly fashion. 5.   I am committed to cooperation and compromise with each other       so that we are able to make change and educational excellence a       reality and priority in our schools. It is essential that our board       take part in training on principles of continuous improvement       including the use of data and customer focus. 6.   If all of the above are done, we can create a platform for trust and       a space so that the work is done on our goals.   Remain focused and committed to the goals of: 1.  Quality Education with continuous academic evaluation,      planning, collaboration, community engagement, and full board      and district accountability. (The board is responsible for putting      in place the proper continuous improvement support policies and      keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible      levels). Follow a regular monthly process in meeting with the      superintendent to review student achievement data to ensure      continuous improvement. 2.  Conducting the business of the district in such a way that creates       jobs and supports existing district businesses and creates new       businesses where needed. 3.   Maximize community partnerships and empowerment. 4.   Develop a competent, visionary, and culturally sensitive       administration that guides the district through the 21st century       and to fulfill our election promises to our children and       community.   These goals can be achieved through a strategic planning process that stems the crisis, assesses the district, seizes this golden opportunity to achieve educational excellence, and builds a leadership team at the level of the board and administration that incorporates the needs of the community.   With a good conscience, our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead and restore the educational excellence, accountability, planning, full board and community inclusion participation, character, integrity, and educational leadership in the school district that we love, asking his blessings and his help but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.   David E. Morgan, Ph.D., School Board Member Chair, Academic Evaluation/Continuous Improvement/Planning Committee Rich Township High School District 227 Olympia Fields, Illinois   60461               richthscoalition.org   Join Our Mailing List Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

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We are now beginning to move our district forward again to save our schools and community from further ruin

Quick Link  richthscoalition.org   We are now beginning to move our district forward again to save our schools and community from further ruin For four long years as a public official representing the progressive community who wanted better for its children, while being shut out of a school improvement conversation at open board meetings in our community as a community representative, we were under siege. As community representatives, targeted board members, parents, and tax payers seeking excellence in public education, our Constitutional Freedoms in public community participation were threatened for not agreeing with the status quo of failure of our children, lack of full board accountability, collaboration, deliberation, working as a team to improve student performance levels, to perform our roles as board members, and absence of a continuous school improvement plan in our schools. After April 9, 2013, we truly believed that fighting our way out of a twenty year academic and human rights rut had been achieved, but today we have finally realized that the fight must continue until justice is achieved for our children and community in academic accountability, and supportive school board policies in putting in place the proper keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible levels with a supportive school board, until justice is achieved for our children and community's future.  Today, in our continuing efforts to help our children and community, we have welcomed the support of our community's leaders in business, education, civil rights for our children, and political and technical consultants and experts in our fight to improve our schools.  As a result, by the grace of God, in this process, we are still moving forward to achieve excellence and accountability in public education.   Today, we are beginning to work on the absence of a continuous school board academic improvement plan in our schools in our second phase by: Improving student performance levels and putting in place the supportive academic continuous school improvement policies for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible levels. Again, we would like to thank those citizen leaders north and south, east and west, who continues to work as community representatives for school improvement.  You are acting not out of a sense of legal duty, but out of a sense of human decency. Meanwhile, away from home and the troubling times in the district 227 debacle, board members targeted to be shut down and threatened with arrest for speaking as community representatives in their own community, were still given an opportunity to speak in a venue that was 10,000 times the size of district 227's forum at the National School Boards Association Annual Conventions in Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, etc. followed by great effect where we were cheered, welcomed, and encouraged for our visionary contributions to school improvement conversations. Concurrently, on February 20, 2012, the Center For Open Government at Chicago's Kent College of Law urged School District 227, the then school board 227 president and superintendent were instructed to comply with the U.S. Constitution, the State's Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act laws, the state School Code and the Rich Township High School District 227 Board Policy Book generally with regards to School Board members Dr. Morgan and Mrs. Coleman. One of those policies was that all school board members must have full opportunity to place items on the agenda for meetings and to speak as board members in open session. Again, how soon we forget.  What follows is a speech made to the full school board and community on Friday, October 25, 2013, at the school board meeting following my arrival from a one week's vacation and educational tour of Europe. It reads as follows: After considerable reflection while on vacation, I have come to the conclusion that the business of School District 227 has to be conducted in new and different ways. This change, like all change must begin with me. I am committed to make needed change in District 227. I am committed to: 1.   Lowering our levels of rhetoric in board meetings, in being more        focused on the prize, improving student performance levels and       saving our children and community from further ruin. 2.   Staying out of the media. (We must handle our differences and       discuss what must be done before coming before the public in a       public board meeting by telling it straight in calm full board      deliberations addressing controversial board agenda items). 3.   Before the public meeting, we must meet as a board to address       the agenda and to strategically plan for the needs of our children       and the district. I am mindful that there are many communities       paying attention to what this board does or does not do. For       example: students, business people, the development community,       the insurance community, civil rights organizations who want       excellence in our schools, and future residents of the area will       take note of what we do. I want to inaugurate a listening tour in       all of the communities that feed into the district. 4.   I am willing to keep an open mind to that hearing from the       community, board deliberations and that compromise (with your       team and the board) that can take place in an orderly fashion. 5.   I am committed to cooperation and compromise with each other       so that we are able to make change and educational excellence a       reality and priority in our schools. It is essential that our board       take part in training on principles of continuous improvement       including the use of data and customer focus. 6.   If all of the above are done, we can create a platform for trust and       a space so that the work is done on our goals.   Remain focused and committed to the goals of: 1.  Quality Education with continuous academic evaluation,      planning, collaboration, community engagement, and full board      and district accountability. (The board is responsible for putting      in place the proper continuous improvement support policies and      keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest possible      levels). Follow a regular monthly process in meeting with the      superintendent to review student achievement data to ensure      continuous improvement. 2.  Conducting the business of the district in such a way that creates       jobs and supports existing district businesses and creates new       businesses where needed. 3.   Maximize community partnerships and empowerment. 4.   Develop a competent, visionary, and culturally sensitive       administration that guides the district through the 21st century       and to fulfill our election promises to our children and       community.   These goals can be achieved through a strategic planning process that stems the crisis, assesses the district, seizes this golden opportunity to achieve educational excellence, and builds a leadership team at the level of the board and administration that incorporates the needs of the community.   With a good conscience, our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead and restore the educational excellence, accountability, planning, full board and community inclusion participation, character, integrity, and educational leadership in the school district that we love, asking his blessings and his help but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.   David E. Morgan, Ph.D., School Board Member Chair, Academic Evaluation/Continuous Improvement/Planning Committee Rich Township High School District 227 Olympia Fields, Illinois   60461               richthscoalition.org   Join Our Mailing List Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

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Rich Township District 227 Officials Continue War On Black Youth

Quick Link  richthscoalition.org       Rich Township District 227 Officials Continue War On Black Youth Growing parent and community opposition to board's lockdown on human rights October 13, 2013, by Komaa Mnyofu At last week's October 8, 2013 school board meeting, District officials continue to refuse to take responsibility for their decision to bus 1400 Rich Central students to Rich South and the resulting fights between students from both schools.   Apparently too arrogant and unbending to even offer an apology, as asked for by a parent who addressed the board, Board president Cheryl Coleman had apparently instructed administrators Superintendent Doris Langon and Assistant Superintendent of Operations Cynthia Hudson to remain silent, not answering a single question from parents and citizens.   All administrators sat stone faced at a table separate from the board on stage at the Rich South auditorium. The only discipline or consequences taken by the board of education was against students who "allegedly" were involved in the melee of confusion.   The administrator(s) who made the worse decision ever in school district history to bus 1400 Rich Central students to Rich South, a total of 2800 students, in response to a phony bomb scare at Rich Central, have yet to be disciplined, reprimanded, identified in any shape form or fashion by the board for their inept and incompetent decision.   In fact, it still remains to be answered whether Langon and Hudson acted on their own with this insane decision, or whether any direction was given them by any of the board majority members, President Coleman, Vice-president Dr. Delores Woods, Secretary Antoine Bass or Dr. David E. Morgan.   Instead, the board of education, led by Coleman, has meted out iron fisted discipline of students using the tool of expulsion, suspensions etc., "without due process" in an ongoing war against Black youth----while at the same time denying and delaying enactment of policies to improve the quality of education being put forth by senior board member Dr. David E. Morgan.   Further, it is reported that "newly elected" board member Dr. Delores Woods, [endorsed by Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch in April 2013] has voiced that "the board does not need to hear from the students" being suspended, expelled etc, thereby suspending and denying students their "due process rights" as protected and spelled out under both State and Federal Constitutions.   If true, this is a dangerous precedent, illegal practice and one of the main reasons cited by Woods, Bass, Coleman and Morgan when they voted to fire former superintendent Donna Simpson-Leak in July 2013.     It seems the message this board majority is sending to students is the same message sent in the 1857 Roger Taney-Dred Scott decision, that "a Black man has no rights that a white man is bound to respect." In that same vein, "Students have no rights that this board is bound to respect."   The October 8th school board meeting showed the community that this newly elected and "politician endorsed" board, has no intention of formulating and passing new policies addressing the district's academic failure of the majority of its students nor need for a continuous improvement plan.   This school board has "no clearly identifiable plan" to improve the quality of teaching, increase parental/community participation/involvement in each school, safely and sanely evacuate students and staff in the event of an emergency, remove discriminatory hiring practices, no intention of holding themselves or the administrators accountable for the September 30th decision which endangered students lives, nor taking "any" action to discipline those administrators/adults responsible for that thoughtless decision.   The students, now facing "felony mob charges", as the result of district officials' insane and indefensible decision, if convicted, will have no prospect of a bright future. Gone will be the opportunity for college, business loans for self-employment, job opportunities and even military careers-----yet this board can find blame and mete out punishment "only" on students. At the October 8th meeting, this school board demonstrated that, like the previous Owens led board, it will sit and listen "stone faced" to the cries of the community for answers and accountability from the board and administration but it WILL NOT do anything but give "lip service" in response to these cries.   If the September 30th decision wasn't bad enough, just this past week Superintendent Langon and crew arbitrarily decided to also punish the entire student bodies of Rich South and Rich Central, by "banning" students from attending the football game between both schools at Rich Central Saturday October 12th.   The only people allowed to attend this game were to be the parents of the football players. But then it didn't end there---it got worse. Langon and crew then decided to punish the parents of the football players by then issuing a ban on all football "parents" from attending the game.   After several angry parents called and showed up at Langon's district office on Cicero Avenue in Matteson, she and the administration retreated in the last minute, feeling the heat and justifiable anger from the community.   These series of decisions should remove any doubt from the minds of thoughtful citizens, that this administration, and those who hired them [Coleman, Woods and Bass] are totally incompetent, inept and insensitive to the needs of students, parents and the community.   And as such they cannot move our District forward from 20 years of stagnation, corruption, cronyism, nepotism, incompetence and the resulting academic failing of our students.   When current board member Dr. Delores Woods ran [1st in 2011] recently in 2013 [as a Welch endorsed candidate], she campaigned on a theme of a "New Voice and New Vision".   However, as could be predicted by those familiar with the political landscape and history of District 227, in just 6 [six] months being on the board, Woods has acted not as a "New Voice" or with a "New Vision."   Instead, Woods has supported the same discriminatory hiring practices that have produced a racially unbalanced teaching staff which does not reflect the communities of students in district 227; voted to hold students accountable for their alleged involvement in the September 30th melee at Rich South by voting for student expulsions, suspensions etc; voted to hire people in Human Resources and other administrators without the candidate producing any evidence of a proven track record of experience or success in academic leadership.   Woods has gone along with the majority board decisions without being interested in full board input before votes are made on sensitive issues ultimately affecting the delivery of the quality of education to our students.   These votes and actions are not a "New Voice or Vision;" instead they are more of the same game only under new names and faces. Woods is not alone; her colleagues Coleman and Bass are guilty of the same listed actions and votes.   As this boards' war on our Black youth [and community] continues, it is reported that Welch endorsed board member Antoine Bass denies allegations made by this writer that he and fellow Welch endorsed board member Dr. Delores Woods paid money to secure a spot on Welch's punch card in the April 2013 election.   If Bass now denies the allegations he and Woods paid "money" to Welch---then what exactly did they pay Welch, in order to appear on the same punch card alongside their main opponent Betty Owens? What could these 2 (two) relatively unknown individuals have of value to offer Welch?   The voters who supported the Welch endorsed Coleman ticket of Woods and Bass "deserve to know." The community and voters will await an answer at future board meetings.   Finally, a quote from an interview with National and Internationally known and respected Nationally Certified school psychologist Dr. Umar Abdullah-Johnson speaking on the realities of growing up Black and male in America:   Question:        How have Black parents and adults become so desensitized to the pain of our                                     children, particularly our boys?   Dr. Johnson:   One of the biggest reasons or ways that desensitization has taken place is by way of the massive indoctrination of Black parents with the belief that the system has the best interest of their children at heart. Many Black parents, especially mothers, find it difficult to understand that there is a psycho-academic war against Black children in general and Black boys in particular.             I think that the menticide* of the Black parent is actually making them an active participant in the mis-education and extermination of their children because they are finding it difficult to believe that society would be determined to marginalize and harm an entire generation of children.             And unfortunately, until they come to the realization that that is exactly what is happening to their sons and daughters, it is going to be difficult to reverse the carnage because children generally cannot protect and fend for themselves.             They need their communities and their families to do that for them. So without the community and the family as a protective safeguard for the youth, I think that it will become eminently conclusive that one day there will be no more Black youth.   ("Menticide" as labled by Dr. Bobby Wright in 1985 is the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group's mind and their unique way of life knowing, life thinking, and life being.)   [Re-printed from "Black Star Journal, News and Events" February 10, 2012]   [Next time: Dr. Johnson's remarks on the five (5) life stages Black boys move through in their short life span from birth to a premature extermination by the age of 25]     Komaa Mnyofu, Parent, Activist, Analyst and Social Critic   Comments welcome @: kmnyofu@netscape.net   No part of this article can be reproduced, copied, stored or otherwise transmitted without the express written consent of the author; all rights reserved.                 richthscoalition.org   Join Our Mailing List Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

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'Park Forest needs to come out!' to this Meeting, and More, 227 Board Member Says

Quick Link  richthscoalition.org     'Park Forest needs to come out!' to this Meeting, and More, 227 Board Member Says    07 Oct 2013 09:03      Written by Gary Kopycinski   Category: Commentary Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- SD 227 Board member Shelia Friday, a resident of Park Forest, has had it, and she needs Park Forest residents to show up Tuesday, October 8, 2013, for a meeting at Rich South High School. The meeting is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m. ENews Park Forest strongly urges Park Forest residents to attend this meeting.   Board member Friday and two fellow Board members were concerned after the September 30 incident that began at Rich Central with a bomb threat, involved busing the Rich Central students to Rich South, and culminated in student fights, leaving 16 students facing felony charges.   "The meeting agenda was revised to include items that were not relevant," Shelia Friday said. "Do you have the right, as the Board President, to change the agenda on a special meeting?" Board member Friday asks.   At ENews Park Forest, we're wondering, can the Board President legally change a request for a meeting, changing the agenda, made by three Board members? It would not be legal in Park Forest, for example, for the Mayor to reject the request of three members of the Village Board for a special meeting. And it certainly appears there has not been a paucity of Board meetings at SD 227, according to Ms. Friday.   'From May through the beginning of August, we had 32 board meetings," she says. "At times we've had meetings at 4:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. when they know I'm at work." Ms. Friday says there have been a number of Saturday meetings as well. We wonder, is this legal? Has SD 227 correctly notified the public and the media, let alone Board members, of all of these meetings?   In Park Forest, the meeting schedule for each calendar year is voted on and approved each December. That schedule, once official, is then official, public. Members of the public and the media know when the Village Board will meet. Meetings canceled or rescheduled are done so 48 hours in advance, as state law dictates. Is SD 227 following proper procedure here?   Board members Shelia Friday, Betty Owens and Emmanuel Imoukhuede, appear to question that.   And that should concern all residents of Park Forest, and all residents of SD 227.   Regarding Tuesday's meeting, Board member Shelia Friday has only six words: "Park Forest needs to come out!" And we concur. The text of Board member Shelia Friday's most recent email to her constituents and the press follows: The Board of Education was scheduled to have a meeting on Oct. 3rd. However it was canceled by the board president without reason or consultation with the entire board. One may think that it was canceled to prevent the show of public outcry and discontent about the incidents that occurred on September 30th at the Rich Central and Rich South campuses.   After receiving numerous calls from community members, daily coverage by the media, knowledge of a teacher and students being treated at the hospital, and inconsistencies being told about a crisis plan with local law enforcement agencies, holding a special meeting was the most urgent and responsible action the board of education could take. Therefore, members of the board requested a special meeting and submitted the agenda to include the following 4 items:   A. Incident of September 30th at Rich South High School B. Discussion in regards to the District Crisis Management Plan C. Public Comment D. Discussion of and possible motion for the approval of an Independent Investigator   However, it appears that the board president is more concerned in creating a smokescreen by placing items at the top of the agenda that are not relevant to the issue at hand. She has added three additional charges to the former superintendent that are unbeknownst to at least four members of the board of education.    It would be appropriate that the entire board of education be made aware of these charges and have discussion with the board attorney prior to making motions of this nature. More so, the board is already scheduled to address the former superintendent's issues in an upcoming board meeting early in the following week.   It is ironic that on September 23rd, Dr. Morgan requested 3 items be placed on the agenda for October 3rd, and that the board president denied his request, telling him that it would be on the October 15th agenda. However, she took the liberty of adding her items on the agenda of a special board meeting. Really??   Below is the request made for the meeting being held on Tuesday, Oct. 8th at Rich South as well as the initial agenda. The request is very specific in the purpose of the meeting which is "in an effort to address public concerns about the incident that occurred at Rich South High School on September 30th".   Right now, our priority should be to face our community, review our current crisis plan, and seek an independent investigation about the incidents of Sept. 30th. To hide behind a rouse of any kind is irresponsible and conniving. We must stay focus on the issue at hand. To do otherwise only minimizes the unfortunate incidents of September 30th, and present the board as being inept.     October 4, 2013 Rich Township High School District 227 Special Meeting Request   Date: October 8th, 2013 Time: 7:00pm Place: Rich South High School The meeting is being held at the call of three school board members, Mrs. Betty Owens, Mrs. Shelia Friday, and Mr. Emmanuel Imoukhuede   This meeting is being held in an effort to address public concerns about the incident that occurred at Rich South High School on September 30th. As with all board meetings, the meeting announcement and agenda is to be posted in all district campuses including the district office. The meeting is also to be posted on the school district's official website.   Furthermore, we are directing that robo calls be made to every parent or guardian in the school district on Monday, October 7th before 2pm.   Respectfully submitted, Shelia M. Friday Betty Owens Emmanuel Imoukhuede Rich Township District 227 School Board Members ********** October 4th, 2013 Rich Township High School District 227 Special Meeting Request Agenda Date: October 8th, 2013 Time: 7:00pm Place: Rich South Auditorium A. Incident of September 30th at Rich South High School B. Discussion in regards to the District Crisis Management Plan C. Public Comment D. Discussion of and possible motion for the approval of an Independent Investigator                 richthscoalition.org   Join Our Mailing List Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

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