In an effort to “streamline” the process of deciding school attendance zones, the Fort Bend Independent School District Board voted Monday night to approve the administration’s new proposal, which effectively eliminates the revised Board Policy FC-R, which was amended two years ago to provide three community meetings with the school board.
The plan approved Monday night sets up a building utilization committee made up of nine administrators and NOT ONE PERSON FROM THE COMMUNITY, to meet together, decide what to propose to the board, and without even one parent from the affected zones, will then make a recommendation to the board.
After the committee makes the recommendation to the school board, the administration will then conduct ONLY ONE PUBLIC HEARING, to receive input from affected individuals.
Does this sound familiar to what was done three years ago and farther back? You bet it does. And, that is exactly why I voted against it.
We worked very hard two years ago to revise the “behind closed doors” way of deciding major issues in this school district. The taxpaying community wanted more input and consideration when making such important decisions as to where their children would be attending elementary, middle and high school. We agreed back then, and now, several people were asleep at the wheel when this came up again, by the administration, which effectively does away with the board interacting with the various communities to make these important decisions.
I have to offer a side note here: When board members do not want to nor have the time to attend workshops and community forums to hear from our citizens prior to making such extremely important decisions, then, in my mind, they should not be on the school board.
Why do I feel this new change is not what we needed? First, it puts back into place a procedure which allows administrators to meet in a closed atmosphere, with no board member or community individual, and make the decision which affects so many children on an annual basis. I brought this up during discussion Monday night but obviously no one else saw anything wrong with removing the vital community input as we had during the recent re-zoning.
Secondly, anyone who is some dumb but not plum dumb can easily see that, after the “committee” makes its recommendation to the board and the board members nod their heads in agreement and place the proverbial “rubber stamp” on the recommendation, that the so-called public hearing afterwards will only be a cut and dried meeting, just so the administration can now say, “we don’t really need public input, now do we?”
And thirdly, why was this not brought to the board in a workshop for discussion and revision? Also, why do we not have a policy review committee? I will tell you why. Last year’s board president and this year’s president do not like board committees, except for financial audit, and they both were careful to place themselves on that committee. No important decision like this should be made until it has been discussed in a board workshop, so ample time and consideration might be given.
I agree we could have streamlined the process a bit better, but I would not have taken away the community’s voice in such a sweeping fashion.
So what does this all mean? Well, since the door has now swung wide open for the administration to remove all the community input we worked so hared to instill over the past two years, you should look for less community engagement in: The naming of schools, future bond referenda, school discipline, property taxes and public forums.
Finally, we must increase, not take away our community involvement/input. They are paying all the bills and they deserve a voice in our decision making. That is why they voted us into office, to be their voice. I was your voice Monday night, and even though I do end up on a 6-1 vote sometimes, that will not change my focus on what is best for our students, teachers/employees and taxpayers. The majority of the time I vote 7-0 with the other members, but on some occasions, when I can clearly see, as an educator, that something smells fishy in Denmark, and it takes away your voice, you have my promise that I will not vote for it.
If you want the community input restored on attendance zones, you have the right to send an email to the superintendent (who may easily be found on the web site www.fortbendisd.com, deliver a three-minute speech at any board meeting (the next one is Dec. 10), or write to all board members expressing your desire to have the newly revised FC-R Board Policy reversed to its status of Jan. 1, 2006.
Stan Magee
Sugar Land
Magee is a Fort Bend ISD Board trustee
The plan approved Monday night sets up a building utilization committee made up of nine administrators and NOT ONE PERSON FROM THE COMMUNITY, to meet together, decide what to propose to the board, and without even one parent from the affected zones, will then make a recommendation to the board.
After the committee makes the recommendation to the school board, the administration will then conduct ONLY ONE PUBLIC HEARING, to receive input from affected individuals.
Does this sound familiar to what was done three years ago and farther back? You bet it does. And, that is exactly why I voted against it.
