School alliance changes focus

[The Critic]

http://heraldbulletin.com/local/x1707766593/Parents-hope-legislation-gives-them-more-power

School alliance changes focus

ANDERSON, Ind. — In the wake of a failed attempt to divide the school district, members of a group that wants to break away from Anderson Community Schools say they're now hoping state legislators can help.

They're hoping legislation can help them pull the "trigger" on failing schools.

The Madison County School Alliance, or MCSA, had proposed that ACS agree to split its district in half, creating the East Madison School Corporation.

When board members rejected the proposal Tuesday, the group changed its focus.

Troy Abbott, leader of MCSA, said his group supports the movement, which would allow parents to petition the state board of education to take over failing districts.

Abbott said the "trigger" would require 51 percent of parents in a district to sign a petition inviting the state to take the district over.

In New Jersey, where the trigger concept is being introduced into legislation, the trigger would prompt one of three responses from the state. The state could convert the school into a charter; it could fire administrators and replace them; or it could introduce a tuition voucher program.

Abbott said the school alliance is unhappy with ACS, not only for voting against splitting the districts, but for failing to allow MCSA to properly present the concept of the split before the board at a public meeting.

Abbott said his group has requested permission to make the presentation for several months, and doesn't appreciate the way ACS allegedly responded to the requests. "We had been asking for several months and they would put us on the agenda and never tell us. I thought that was very unprofessional in that aspect."

Finally, on Tuesday, Abbott was ready to give his presentation, but was quickly told by school board president Scott Green that the split proposal wasn't necessary.

MCSA had provided copies of the proposal to the board members months prior to the meeting, Green explained, and board members were versed in the details of the proposal.

Abbott argued that new information, including an Indiana University study promoting de-consolidation in some larger schools had been added to the presentation.

The presentation was never delivered.

In a unanimous vote, board members rejected the MCSA proposal.

"This is just not what is in the best interest of ACS at this point. I appreciate their concern about the school system. I had some of the same concerns that they had. We just chose different ways to deal with it," Green said.

State Rep. Scott Reske, D-Pendleton, appreciates the group's determination. "True education reform means treating teachers like professionals, have parent involvement, and making sure schools have adequate funding. MCSA is one of the highest examples of parent involvement. They are trying to be involved in the education of their kids and that's a good thing."

Reske said struggling schools like Anderson can't wait for the governor or state school superintendent Tony Bennett to provide solutions to the mounting problems. "He [Mitch Daniels] is not interested in true education reform. He's interested in political advancement. The problem with the governor and Tony Bennett is the governor's motivation is to hold up the severed head of a teachers union at the Republican National Convention so he can run for president. What's sad is that he's demonizing teachers. What he should be doing is concentrating on education."

Reske said he understands MCSA's interest in making schools smaller. "As soon as you get above 300 people in a building, people can begin to feel too lost. There's nothing wrong with parents who want to get involved with education and the Madison County coalition is a fine example of that.

"If a group of parents want to split a district, they should be able to do absolutely," Reske said.

Green said he hopes the MCSA decides to work with the school district instead of against it. "They've been very public in talking about how destructive ACS is. This is not helpful."

[The Critic]

The MCSA group are a bunch of jackasses who are more worried about their property values and their kids going to school with 'undesirables' (insert your typical racist/classist stereotype) than anything else.