Yoti's Choice

Last night there was a meeting with the parents and the principal of Wirt/Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High Ability Academy (that's a mouthful isn't it?). We (the parents) were invited to come and "share our concerns" and "receive information." Well concerns were shared but no information was received.

I said it before, I'll say it again...we are well into a full month of the Fall 2010-2011 school year and every school day of that month I have asked my son two questions -- "Have you received your textbooks yet?" and "Do you have homework?" Each day I am met with a "No." Actually, no that's not quite true...one night he did say that he had to do some research on the internet the penny (I think I mentioned that incident in one of my earlier blogs). And Thursday night his friend called to tell him that their homework assignment (he was out sick Thursday) was to watch the movie Oliver Twist Thursday night and be able to discuss it Friday morning. Ok so, two days(out of how many?).

I don't think that I can fully explain how assinine I think giving a 6th grader who is in a High Ability program an assignment of researching the penny without first putting into context the assignment or having said assignment actually having something to with whatever they were learning in the classroom that day is to me. Nor how stupid I think giving the assignment of watching a 2 hour movie at a time when the child should be getting ready for bed that is being shown on a channel that most people don't subscribe too. I shared this with the principal and you know what he told me? "Well that teacher came from Banneker".  WHAT THE HELL???!!!  I DON'T CARE WHERE THAT INSTRUCTOR CAME FROM! That is NOT the kind of homework I expect for my child who is enrolled in a High Ability program.

Ok, so then I asked about how can we be a full month into the school year and my son only has two textbooks. Could he please, if it is within his capablities, could he please tell me when we will the children be receiving the rest of their textbooks? You know what he told me? That the Gary Community School Corporation has order new textbooks. Some of them have arrived. Some have not. We're waiting on the rest. We don't know when they will get here. Really? Seriously?

For the better part of a month, I have gone to meeting after meeting. I have listened to promises and declarations and I have seen no one be accountable or take responsibility for what they are doing to these children. Our children are being left behind. My child is being left behind.

I didn't get much sleep last night. I wrestled with this for a good long while. I woke this morning and I realized that I am angry, I am disappointed and I am devastated. So, here's the thing....I realized I am not angry at the Gary Community School Corporation, the Superintendent, the School Board or the principal. I am angry at myself. I had a choice. I HAD A CHOICE and I did not make the right one.

You know, I knew when I enrolled my son in Banneker last year that I was making a mistake. I knew that Gary Schools were a hot mess. I knew that he was not going to the quality education that he deserved. But, I listened to the advice of others. I got caught up in the hype and I drank the koolaide. I chose and I chose wrong. And now, my son's education is suffering. He deserves better and I did not do right by him.

I won't do that again.

Now I'm hot...

...We are 3 (THREE) weeks into the Fall 2011-2012 school year and my child STILL doesn't have any textbooks. His only homework assignment  to date has been to go online and print out 10 facts about the penny. When I asked him in what context did this assignment have to do with what he was currently learning in the classroom, he said "nothing." Ok, so his teacher woke up that morning and plucked out of the air the idea to have him and the rest of his class do research on the penny. Curious... In her report, Dr. Myrtle Campbell writes:  "The Gary Community School Corporation offers the best choice for your child to receive a full range of educational resources."  Uh huh...right! I have yet to see it. And then to make matters worse, the other day I was reading in the Post-Tribune that the Munster schools have "a $2.5 million deal for 2,940 laptops for students in grades 5-12." The laptops were distributed in black carrying cases with each student's name on them. AND YET, my son and his classmates STILL DO NOT HAVE TEXTBOOKS! Indiana's new voucher program is looking pretty good right about now.

Finally...

Well it only took a little short of two weeks but the Gary Community School Board of Trustees finally voted "unanimously to declare an emergency with its bus service, opening the door for administrators to immediately search for another bus company or other alternatives."  http://posttrib.suntimes.com/7283046-537/parents-tell-horror-stories-gary-could-dump-bus-company.html Praise the Lord! Parents you should be proud of yourselves. Take a moment and pat yourselves on the back. You stood up, demanded better for your children and made sure that the Gary School Corporation knew they were being held accountable. And as the Hammond Times reported you did it "eloquently."

Psst...it's really not raining

It's been a deplorable first week of school. The buses are over crowded. Schedules are still incomplete. There seems to be NO distinction between the High Ability Students and those who are in the Visual and Performing Arts program. There is however, co-mingling despite what the administration told us in June and lunch has gone up from 90 cents to $2.10! Can you believe that?

So, rightly so, most of the former Banneker parents planned to voice their concerns at the next school board meeting that was held last night. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend but I did listen on the radio. I was appalled by some of the things that I heard. There was no accountability. There was however, a lot of blaming and finger pointing all the while each member claimed to want to be "transparent." The Gary  Community School Corporation and the School Board should be ashamed of themselves. But that would mean that they actually had a conscious and cared about the children they claim to represent. Their behavior last night was nothing short of childish and unprofessional and I got that just from listening to the meeting on the radio.

While I was listening to one parent after another account the horror stories of how their children have been treated this past week, I kept hearing my bestfriend's mother's voice in my head. She had a saying that she used to say "Don't stand there and piss on me and then tell me it's raining."

Why do we still have the same bus company that hundreds of parents complained about last year? Why are the buses over crowded? Why doesn't the bus company have enough buses to safely accommodate each and every student? Why aren't the schedule of classes, locker assignments and books ready for the students at the time of registration or on the first day of school? Why did I receive 3 phone calls (THREE!) from Dr. Myrtle Campbell that the school year was off to a great start? SERIOUSLY!?? Who is she trying to convince me or herself? Why is the School Board's main concern the firing of the in-house counsel? The Gary Community School Corporation and the School Board are pissing on us. The question is how long are we going to let them?

Is it just me?

When school ended in May of last year "some" parents not all, were informed that the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students of Banneker school would be moved to Wirt/Emerson Visual and Performing Arts.  I found out about the move in June from a friend who got it from Facebook. That was 2 (just for dramatic effect let me say it again TWO) days before the Gary School Corporation held it's informational meeting for Banneker parents. So, on the day of  I rushed from work to make this meeting to hear what the administration, superintendent and school board members had to say about the move.

We were told nothing was going to change but the location. The High Ability students' rigorous curriculum would continue, they would have their own floor and would not mix with the older high school students except in the hallways going to and from class. Again, the only thing that would change would be the location. Everything would remain the same. I was assured when I asked, that the transition would be a smooth one. That all the proper information and documents (i.e. school uniforms, course schedules, bus schedules, lockers, book fees--you get the idea) would be mailed to parents in a timely manner. I left the meeting feeling somewhat confident. I kind of liked the idea of my gifted child surrounded by the arts and should he choose he could participate in what Wirt/Emerson had to offer in that area but still have his main focus be on academics.

Well they lied. When I looked up and it was July 28th and I STILL had not received any information. I did not even know when school started. So, I looked on the The Gary School Corporation's website. Which by the way sucks. I have never seen a more useless website. The links don't work, there's no current information. Some things on there haven't been updated since 2009. But I digress. I found out school was to start on August 17th. That was 13 DAYS away (if you count the weekend)! WHAT??? So, again I went to that useless website to try and find a phone number that I could call and ask someone about this. Nothing! But, I did find the e-mail address to the superintendent Dr. Myrtle Campbell. So, I wrote her an e-mail. Well lo and behold! Miraculously I got a phone call from the High Ability office the next day and a letter on Saturday informing me of an orientation meeting on Friday, August 5th at 9:00 am. What a ridiculous time to schedule a meeting as if people don't work during the day. Ok, so I take off from work to go the orientation. Blah, blah uniforms, blah blah we're in Newsweek, blah blah we have a sign to say we're in Newsweek. No cellphones! A lot of speeches about how great the Wirt/Emerson Visual and Performing Arts High Ability school is and going to be and oh yeah there was a lot someof poetry. I think every poem was quoted but Phenomenal Woman. Ok then goodbye see you on on Wednesday, August 10th at 9:00 a.m. Wait! WHAT? That's it? You mean I have to come back? To do what? Oh, that's when you register. Oh yeah right! Because heaven forbid we do everything in one day.

Soooooo, I take yet another day off from work to register my child for school. I get there promptly at 9:00 a.m. I stand in line. I hand the "nice" lady my paperwork, she makes a copy of my driver's license, she hands me a yellow piece of paper and tells me to go to the next station. I go to Station II  where another "nice" lady asks me for my son's name. I tell her she writes $2.00 on a piece of paper and sends me to the next station. I go to Station III where there were some actually nice ladies who take my $2.00 and point me to the next station. I go to Station IV, stand in line. When it's my turn, the "nice" lady puts her hand out. I look at her curiously and then she points to the yellow piece of paper I have since forgotten that I have. I give it to her. She then says "NAME!" I give her my son's name. She says "NO! Yours!" Well of course, how stupid of me not to have gathered that from just "Name". I give her my name. She says ok call back later today or tomorrow the schedules aren't ready. WHAT?! So, I just took off of work to give you $2.00? How asinine! Why aren't the schedules ready? She just looks at me.

So, is it just me? How is it possible that there could be this level of disorganization? When I asked a couple of people about this I was told that the schedules are never ready. Really? Well I find that unacceptable and you should too. Our children deserve better.