| HOW DO WE RESPOND TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT SHUT-DOWNS BY THE SO-CALLED REFORM SCHOOL BOARD? When do we mention disruptions to students rights to a quality education, to be safe from harm and danger, to illegal prosecutions, the rights to due process, and parents and community rights to attend a football game to watch their children perform? Our parents , community, and our children's rights, some of whom are being charged with felonies after the September 30, 2013 debacle at Rich South for administrative and board decisions made or lack thereof, must be protected at all costs. Today, we must not only reverse failed policies and failed decisions made without input from the full board and community, such as "fans and parents not being allowed at football games", but we must reverse the dysfunctional-suppressive policies and practices to make the school board responsible for putting in place the proper keystones for students to learn and achieve at highest possible levels. Today, we still need a board who can intelligently deliberate, plan, promote an employee skills set and rubric that identifies great leadership effectiveness in selecting employees, promote diversity in a predominantly African-American community, and to seek out more diverse and highly qualified proactive candidates to replace less qualified ones who were hired since May 2013. Everyone needs training in staff development, not from the problem within, but from an objective and judicious outside consultant who can come and train principals, teachers, and staff members in continuous improvement accountability-driven policies and employee effective behaviors addressing the University of Chicago's-District 227's Five Essentials and our movement to another level from tragedy and defeat to success. To the so-called reformed and changed school board, we are neither reformed nor changed, but with more of the same abusive-noncollaborative-lack-of-due-process-without-full-board-participation-dysfunctional-divided-psychopathic-lack-of-planning-behaviors that we have observed in the past on this school board for over twenty years now. When a dysfunctional school board cannot plan for the future and talk anywhere else, it airs its dirty laundry in public. This happened on October 8, 2013 at Rich South High School. This so-called "reformed school board" must think we are completely blind. But we've got to show them that their lies in continuing disaster and school improvement shut-downs won't fly. What happened at the last school board meeting on October 8, 2013, as the school board has refused to plan, should never happen again. When we fail to set aside school board training time to understand the significant, essential nature of our school board roles, and training in school improvement and student success, which this school board desperately needs, there will be no planning time or school success. The reason is because they don't know how and will, in their arrogance and pursuit of private power, continue to value that which is abusive of others rights, valueless, and unworthy of our time, and continue to abuse our parents, children, other board members, with lack of investment or understanding in a school district's essential vision, or how to move forward. Today, instead of calling upon another dysfunctional school board who is still disunited and dysfunctional, which is the problem, we must call upon parents, and community groups that when combined as a united team can become the solution. Today, we must call upon community groups to suggest a sort of community-wide school board teach-in as an antidote to the continuing board political dysfunctions that continues to plague our community and threaten more than seventy percent of our children's future leaving them unprepared for college and careers. In their lack of and refusal to meet, plan, and collaborate as a full school board team, the so-called new school reform board is still the party of no to student achievement policies being put on the school board meeting agenda. The school board president denying full board participation in many areas, not talking to all board members, using delaying tactics in denying school board policies from being put on the board agenda from the full school board is still illegal. This school board desperately needs training in their roles addressing what effective school boards do. They need to inform themselves on the true nature of due process, and of the already established school board District 227 Policies Handbook that they, obviously have not read, to avoid continuing disaster and ruin to our schools and community's future. Board work is, well, work! Today, we still refuse to do what effective school boards do. Our words must speak to our actions. Today, we are assembling and putting together a community-of leaders-task-force-group of parents, information age tax paying citizens, Mr. David Johnson, former Mayor of Harvey, Illinois and former colleague at South Suburban college; Mr. Clifton Graham, President of the South side NAACP, and many others who are about true change, true school improvement, true reform, and saving the future of our children and community from further ruin and continuing disaster, through planning. In our group planning, we will focus upon key actions that will provide our schools and community with the planning tools necessary for understanding and implementing the essential elements of community and school success. As our task force is being assembled, the aims of this power group will be developed and reviewed by the total District 227 community. Meetings will be scheduled, goals-objectives-draft plans will be designed and reviewed with full input from all. If we are interested in true change, in being a part of making history in our schools-community-businesses process in saving our schools, children, and community, please join us. To be a part of making history, saving our schools and community, please call (708) 975-7001 and or leave a voice mail message, phone number and/or email address or both if available, for further contacts. We will return your call and email you shortly. Today, we cannot continue to sit silently and idly by as we lose another generation of our children. Today, we thank you for your continuing support, concerns, and vision in saving our schools, children, and community from further ruin. Today, we must continue to plan, talk, collaborate as a team and full community with parents, students, stakeholders, educational administrators and consultants, teachers, business community, and some of the greatest leaders in our community. David E. Morgan, Ph.D., Educational Leadership School Board Member & Chair of Continuous Improvement Planning Committee Rich Township High School District 227 Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 Cell: (708) 975-7001 |
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