Perception vs Reality

Perception vs Reality. The pro ref catch phrase.

Dr. Roberts made reference at the meeting and makes reference to it, yet again in the article in the Beacon, Christmas day.
”…..There’s often a disconnect between the workings of a school district internally and the perceptions of that working from the community. I don’t know how to make that right.“

It is this authors belief that the policy /budget makers do not understand, that the voters DO understand and say NO to a tax increase to those “workings of (131) school district.”

One thing that keeps being brought up and is a misconception:
This is not all about the band director. We should give credit to the administration that made that decision. Had it not been for that ridiculous move, many of us would have stayed on the sidelines allowing the school board and admin to continue to make decisions without voice or educated vote of the community. They encouraged us to become involved by challenging our intelligence. We have become informed and we keep trying to be heard, but they don’t seem to listen.

First, I would like to say good job, Dr. Roberts, on getting that just-for-the-kids, sympathy propaganda on the front page. I appears as if the Beacon might be one of the “business partners” the district must be referring to when they speak about the partnerships they have formed, in favor of a referendum. A gift, rather than a “contribution ” is what the Beacon has given to the district many times, in it’s coverage of the community vs. the administration of District 131.

Jerome Roberts open door policy, sounds nice in theory (or we could say in perception). In reality, if within that open door there are not open minds, then the door may as well be closed.

Roberts makes reference to the ”workings of a school district”.
Reality…..we work and live in this district. We are the families of the 13,000 children this guy is trying to help. (As stated in the Beacon today-”just a guy trying to help 13,000 kids.”)

He works here and draws a nice salary from our district. Does he, the board and his co-workers live here, have children going to District 131 public schools? Do they truly have a grasp of what the majority of this community feels is important to us and the education of our children?

Roberts may open the door, but the fact that few walk in, says something about how the community perceives the value placed upon their input. I have seen how the numbers have dropped in parental involvement at the secondary schools. The school admin. tries to figure out where the problem lies. They can try and blame language barriers and working parents, or parents lack of concern. I would guess, it is because the door has been left closed far too long. Now, they swing it open give us a smile and stick out their hand and ask us to trust they know what is best for our schools.

We are on a watch list, our budget has been, in the red for years, major blunders have been made public, and the 131 officials basically say “trust in me.”
The LAW has required the district to balance the budget. They want us to be sympathetic. They want to convince us they are just trying to be “fiscally prudent.” Why did it take a law for them to feel they should be frugal with our schools resources?

When the schools were not performing as they were required, we were told we should fear the possibility of the state taking over our schools. The result- we would lose all the arts, and extra curricular activities and athletics.
If the district is planning on doing that anyway, why are we worrying about being within budget?
Why not let the state take over?

Our kids do not have comfortable consistency within their schools. We lose teachers, and it is not all due to teachers wanting more money. We are threatened with programs being cut. It seems to be a trial and error sort of policy. Too many dollars have been spent experimenting with educational programs, and failing our children and their teachers.

I shall step off my soap box. I’d like to hear others point of view.