JimF-LowBari Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 (edited) 37 minutes ago, BigW said: With many schools, it's not the facts. it's perception. The districts/admins/boards really don't want to defend themselves to the constituents or media, they don't want to have the potential for making waves. Even of they are correct in their facts, even if this problem wasn't as widespread as it might appear to some individuals, many people will still feel it was a bad decision and get on district's case. And let’s not forget public school boards are not made up of professional educators who have nothing else to do but deal with school issues. Around here at least it’s people who have 40 hour or more a week jobs and wanted to be on board for various reasons. And some reasons that are not so noble, usually cut the school budget to help their own taxes. sister in laws district cut the reading recovery program she headed. Reason head of board gave her was “we spend too much on dumb kids”. She explained it helped kids with dyslexia and he responded “yeah like I said dumb kids”. When head of school board has no idea dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence you see why fighting a school board can be a losing battle Edited April 6, 2019 by JimF-LowBari 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 26 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said: And let’s not forget public school boards are not made up of professional educators who have nothing else to do but deal with school issues. Around here at least it’s people who have 40 hour or more a week jobs and wanted to be on board for various reasons. And some reasons that are not so noble, usually cut the school budget to help their own taxes. sister in laws district cut the reading recovery program she headed. Reason head of board gave her was “we spend too much on dumb kids”. She explained it helped kids with dyslexia and he responded “yeah like I said dumb kids”. When head of school board has no idea dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence you see why fighting a school board can be a losing battle IIRC, the program they tried to get rid of is likely mandated by the Federal Government. Good luck trying to ditch it. And you are quite correct about Dyslexia and related Dysgraphia. One of my Dysgraphic friends is pretty high up in SSA now for the Feds and the other's a Humanities Professor at HACC, and also marched with a top 9 ACC band BITD after working his can off. The people are usually pretty daggone brilliant, they have a block decoding stuff. Also, very true many board members in PA have their personal agendas, one in SW PA being revenge on the teachers after he dropped out and got on the board. Deal with individuals like that, and trying to be logical and sensible won't work at all. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 FYI Dub the reading recovery “ace” is from northern Dauphin County (cue the Deliverance banjo). For my district had two guys going door to door spittle spraying the district wastes money. I asked where is it being wasted and response was “well... they must be wasting it... look at all the money they get every year...”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Trying to get back OT.... School districts are weird animals. Not always sensible, not always logical, and usually very scared of anything that could upset the apple cart or cause a ruckus with their constituents. Hence some of the DCI housing issues, whether warranted or not. It's a perception issue, and DCI will have to work hard to repair that negative perception. It may take years. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said: Let me just throw this one out (or up) for consideration. When a group asks to use a schools facilities should the school board/admins consider what is fair for the group or should they consider what is best for the districts assets (including students in the assets). I hope the comments before mine are this succinct: The district's obligation is to the school district, not to the desires/whims of a traveling bunch of band geeks. I ran our local show for over a decade and I could share some incredible stories of "tour director self importance" when the Board is much less impressed. Edited April 6, 2019 by garfield 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 (edited) 2 minutes ago, garfield said: I hope the comments before mine are this succinct: The district's obligation is to the school district, not to the desires/whims of a traveling bunch of band geeks. Or I’ve heard in my district from residents “they don’t pay taxes”... while the board is probably thinking “and they can’t vote against us if we upset them”.... Edited April 6, 2019 by JimF-LowBari 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, rpbobcat said: And therein lies the problem. When this story broke,there were a lot of comments about how Drum Corps needed some type of independence in its governing body. Nothing happened. As long as the activity can keep chugging along,selling tickets,it most likely never will. DCI survived the negative stories,without having to make organizational changes,including keeping Dan. I don't see that as progress. This is Just. Not. True. EDIT: How do you explain that the Chairman of the Board of DCI is now an attorney with no corps affiliation what-so-ever? Edited April 6, 2019 by garfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook'emCavies Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 2 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said: And let’s not forget public school boards are not made up of professional educators who have nothing else to do but deal with school issues. Around here at least it’s people who have 40 hour or more a week jobs and wanted to be on board for various reasons. And some reasons that are not so noble, usually cut the school budget to help their own taxes. sister in laws district cut the reading recovery program she headed. Reason head of board gave her was “we spend too much on dumb kids”. She explained it helped kids with dyslexia and he responded “yeah like I said dumb kids”. When head of school board has no idea dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence you see why fighting a school board can be a losing battle This does not surprise me. What a shame! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 4 hours ago, rpbobcat said: And therein lies the problem. When this story broke,there were a lot of comments about how Drum Corps needed some type of independence in its governing body. Nothing happened. As long as the activity can keep chugging along,selling tickets,it most likely never will. DCI survived the negative stories,without having to make organizational changes,including keeping Dan. I don't see that as progress. Then, I'm sorry, you either have an alternate agenda or you're so disconnected that you're not even looking in the right places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri Schehr Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 1 hour ago, garfield said: This is Just. Not. True. EDIT: How do you explain that the Chairman of the Board of DCI is now an attorney with no corps affiliation what-so-ever? She did march. I know because I marched with her. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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