A parent speaks to the Bellingham School Board at their meeting on Thursday evening, Dec 10. All speakers expressed the same strong message to the board and superintendent: they want to participate, face to face, in an open structured process dealing with the future of Whatcom Middle School and the school community.
A new website dedicated to discussion of this issue is now online at citizensofbellingham.org We also encourage comments to this article. And we welcome the new website. A permanent link is now in the right column. - - - - - What is happening with the Whatcom Middle School process? If your information is only from what the Bellingham Herald has written, you have only the story the Bellingham School Administration and Board want you to have. The Herald stories do not hint of problems with teachers, parents and students. Why would Superintendent Sherrie Brown say she is "stunned" at the "accusations" and "inaccurate rumors?" What rumors? And are they rumors, or legitimate concerns?
Here is a brief sketch. We will be following this issue and hopefully bringing you more information because this process fits exactly what the mission of this website is: to do the public's business in public. The Bellingham School Board and Administration is trying to do the public's business in secret. And that is one of the accusations Brown is so stunned about. Is it fact or rumor? Open community discussion can help get closer to the truth.
There is a bigger reason to cover this developing issue. The education of our kids is involved. How that education goes forward may be very different depending on how the process of the next few months plays out.
Whatcom Middle School (WMS) burned down early in November. The administration moved quickly to find schools to take the students. At the School Board meeting on Thursday evening the parents and public praised the Administration and others for their good work. Now that the students are settled for the remainder of this school year, there are two questions to be dealt with.
1. What to do about the WMS community of teachers, students and parents for the next year or two until a new school is ready?
2. What to do about rebuilding. Should the burned out building be rebuilt and school continue, or should a new school be built elsewhere, or should the remaining three middle schools be expanded and the WMS community disbanded?
Here is the rub. The administration and board have set up a very top-down process that is basically secret and closed to observation by parents and teachers. There is no participation by them in the discussion or decision-making process. The administration has crafted a questionnaire and people can fill it out and turn it in. The administration will then - supposedly - craft a couple options in January and again post a questionnaire for people. And then the administration and board will quietly, by themselves, make the decisions.
This is top down process and the filling in of the questionnaires is a classic 'give them a bone' tactic to quiet the masses. The ability to game this process is obvious. The final two choices can be anything the administration wants and have no relation to what a majority of people might say in the questionnaires. Oh - unless you thought it was going to be a transparent process. No.
The fear - that stunning rumor - is that the school powers have already decided what will be done and are simply going through this questionnaire charade to pretend openness to the community.
What does the community want? They want an open, structured process that includes all participants in the discussion. Indeed, the two decisions need to be made by the board - but with an open process. A transparent process with a genuine discussion of perspectives, values and options is desired. They want meetings where parents and teachers can hear each other and consider each others' opinions, where the community can move toward a solution that all can support.
I will be looking to learn more and share it here. Feel free to register and comment here and/or at the new Citizens of Bellingham website. As an activist with decades of experience and some good victories over secret government processes, I can assure you that if the community works together, this closed process can be opened up for a genuine open and participatory process.
Maybe it is time to begin a serious discussion of a charter school to take up the slack.
Seems like there are a lot of empty buildings, that would work, reasonably well.
My guess is that a Charter school, would be a little less picky about buildings, and a little more picky about teachers.
Marian Beddill //Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 2:58 am
Nope, Doug;
I cannot favor Charter Schools as a substitute for the Public School System. My understanding of “Charter Schools” is tax money being used (“diverted”) from the public-school system to charter schools, operated privately. I see that as diminishing one of the strengths of our nation - the public education system.
I can and do support the presence of private schools (which I gather do get “chartered” or “authorized”) as a complement to the public system.
Hue Beattie //Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 1:49 pm
I missed that meeting so I have a few Questions.
1.Is the school district or the contractor that was working on the building the
evening the fire happened paying for the rebuild?
2. To minimize students double shifting why not construction double shifting and complete the rebuild by September?.
David Camp //Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 2:52 pm
To add to Hue Beatty’s comment,
Surely there is fire insurance on the school - and so the insurance will pay. If it turns out the contractor was responsible for the fire, then the insurer will collect from them.
If the school was properly insured, then the question “who pays” is simply answered.
Most fire insurance covers rebuilding as constructed, with provisions for code upgrades as a rider. So the options are pretty restricted - either the School district rebuilds the school, or collects nothing on the insurance.
Either I’m not getting something, or all this hoo ha is ignoring this pretty central fact.
Now, if the school district had no fire insurance, that’s a whole nother kettle of fish - and a pretty clear case of Board (and administration) negligence.
David Camp //Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 3:15 pm
Postcript - I see now the controversy is how and where Whatcom Middle School students will be housed until the school is rebuilt.
It seems to me that this may be a golden learning oportunity, both for students, who will now be in daily contact with kids from other areas of town who they might not have otherwise known, and for parents, who will make contact with other parents and PTA/booster organizations. It could actually strengthen community.
I think there’s way too much paranoia going around - the School District has had to deal with an emergency situation, and normal informational flows haven’t had time to occur. This doesn’t mean deliberate secrecy! Cut these folks some slack - they have their regular jobs as well as dealing with short- and medium- term dislocations of an entire school.
Positive communication is necessary for positive results.
Doug karlberg //Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 3:18 pm
Merian,
I am going to make you an offer, that you cannot refuse. You freely admit that you do not know much about Charter Schools. There is a man, Geoffery Canada, who took on the educational system in Harlem.
How could one find a more difficult educational challenge?
He has been at it for some time, and now his successes and failures have been chronicled in a book.
The book is: Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America
His work was chronicled on 60 minutes this last week, and this book review is by the prestigious Harvard Educational Review. This Harvard Review is slightly biased towards our current public school system, but even they have to admit, the results from this Charter School are extraordinary.
I know you are skeptical, but I figure that if you have an open mind, I might be able to convince you that we can do better in educating our children.
Mr. Canada has turned around, and on its head, the educational system in Harlem. He has produced a truly World Class educational system, where all the other experts had said could not happen.
It?s a good thing for these kids, he did not listen to the experts.
I will buy you this book, as long as I can read it after you.
Maybe you would consider writing a review of this book, here.
Over the course of this last year, I have listened to all kinds of ideas on how to economically revitalize our local economy.
What keeps capturing my attention is that all of the dynamic economic regions like Silicon Valley, are centered around educational institutions. These are not your garden variety educational institutions. They are World Class institutions. People flock to them. (So do bankers)
I started thinking, what if instead of putting all our investments into bricks and mortar, we put some of our investment in knowledge. Which came first, capital or knowledge? An investment in human capital.
I have come to the conclusion that the money went to Silicon Valley because Stanford was there, and not the other way around.
A lot of money follows the education today.
Now replicating a Stanford is probably too much to ask, but I began wondering, what would happen economically, if Whatcom County became known for one of the best Elementary educations in America?
Would people travel here and set up shop?
Today our public schools are good. I have my complaints, but in reality, they are pretty good, and they deserve well earned credit for these accomplishments.
My questions are; Could our local schools be Great? Could they be World Class?
The best in the Nation?
Why the hell not?
It is just about priorities.
I think so, but getting from good to Great is something that we would have to tackle. It does not happen overnight, nor does it happen without commitment and investment.
Getting from good to Great can only happen by measuring peformance. What we can measure, we can improve.
Would people with youngsters move here to get their kids a Great education? I think they would as long as other public schools stay merely good, and do not compete by becoming Great.
Would this revitalize Whatcom County economically?
My gut says, you betcha, and in more ways than we can imagine.
It helps to have youth stick around.
Call me at 961.2618, and I will order you a book today.
John Servais //Tue, Dec 15, 2009, 4:59 pm
Well, I’ve been told by a supposedly reliable source within the Bellingham School system that the Administration has decided to increase the participation of the parents, teachers and students in the planning process. This is to be announced this week.
How much more participation, I’ve no idea. Currently it is a very blind process with stakeholders only allowed to fill in an online form. The form is very limited in what it allows to be suggested and how the form will be used is a secret process closed to stakeholders.
I’m adding a link to the online questionnaire, for what it is worth.
Whatcom Middle School controversy
Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 4:07 pm // John Servais
- - - - -
What is happening with the Whatcom Middle School process? If your information is only from what the Bellingham Herald has written, you have only the story the Bellingham School Administration and Board want you to have. The Herald stories do not hint of problems with teachers, parents and students. Why would Superintendent Sherrie Brown say she is "stunned" at the "accusations" and "inaccurate rumors?" What rumors? And are they rumors, or legitimate concerns?
Here is a brief sketch. We will be following this issue and hopefully bringing you more information because this process fits exactly what the mission of this website is: to do the public's business in public. The Bellingham School Board and Administration is trying to do the public's business in secret. And that is one of the accusations Brown is so stunned about. Is it fact or rumor? Open community discussion can help get closer to the truth.
There is a bigger reason to cover this developing issue. The education of our kids is involved. How that education goes forward may be very different depending on how the process of the next few months plays out.
Whatcom Middle School (WMS) burned down early in November. The administration moved quickly to find schools to take the students. At the School Board meeting on Thursday evening the parents and public praised the Administration and others for their good work. Now that the students are settled for the remainder of this school year, there are two questions to be dealt with.
1. What to do about the WMS community of teachers, students and parents for the next year or two until a new school is ready?
2. What to do about rebuilding. Should the burned out building be rebuilt and school continue, or should a new school be built elsewhere, or should the remaining three middle schools be expanded and the WMS community disbanded?
Here is the rub. The administration and board have set up a very top-down process that is basically secret and closed to observation by parents and teachers. There is no participation by them in the discussion or decision-making process. The administration has crafted a questionnaire and people can fill it out and turn it in. The administration will then - supposedly - craft a couple options in January and again post a questionnaire for people. And then the administration and board will quietly, by themselves, make the decisions.
This is top down process and the filling in of the questionnaires is a classic 'give them a bone' tactic to quiet the masses. The ability to game this process is obvious. The final two choices can be anything the administration wants and have no relation to what a majority of people might say in the questionnaires. Oh - unless you thought it was going to be a transparent process. No.
The fear - that stunning rumor - is that the school powers have already decided what will be done and are simply going through this questionnaire charade to pretend openness to the community.
What does the community want? They want an open, structured process that includes all participants in the discussion. Indeed, the two decisions need to be made by the board - but with an open process. A transparent process with a genuine discussion of perspectives, values and options is desired. They want meetings where parents and teachers can hear each other and consider each others' opinions, where the community can move toward a solution that all can support.
I will be looking to learn more and share it here. Feel free to register and comment here and/or at the new Citizens of Bellingham website. As an activist with decades of experience and some good victories over secret government processes, I can assure you that if the community works together, this closed process can be opened up for a genuine open and participatory process.
Related Links:
-> Citizens of Bellihgnam - Sharing information about the Bellingham Public Schools-> Online Survey - relocation and future of Whatcom Middle School
Doug karlberg // Sat, Dec 12, 2009, 5:03 pm
Maybe it is time to begin a serious discussion of a charter school to take up the slack.
Seems like there are a lot of empty buildings, that would work, reasonably well.
My guess is that a Charter school, would be a little less picky about buildings, and a little more picky about teachers.
Marian Beddill // Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 2:58 am
Nope, Doug;
I cannot favor Charter Schools as a substitute for the Public School System. My understanding of “Charter Schools” is tax money being used (“diverted”) from the public-school system to charter schools, operated privately. I see that as diminishing one of the strengths of our nation - the public education system.
I can and do support the presence of private schools (which I gather do get “chartered” or “authorized”) as a complement to the public system.
Hue Beattie // Sun, Dec 13, 2009, 1:49 pm
I missed that meeting so I have a few Questions.
1.Is the school district or the contractor that was working on the building the
evening the fire happened paying for the rebuild?
2. To minimize students double shifting why not construction double shifting and complete the rebuild by September?.
David Camp // Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 2:52 pm
To add to Hue Beatty’s comment,
Surely there is fire insurance on the school - and so the insurance will pay. If it turns out the contractor was responsible for the fire, then the insurer will collect from them.
If the school was properly insured, then the question “who pays” is simply answered.
Most fire insurance covers rebuilding as constructed, with provisions for code upgrades as a rider. So the options are pretty restricted - either the School district rebuilds the school, or collects nothing on the insurance.
Either I’m not getting something, or all this hoo ha is ignoring this pretty central fact.
Now, if the school district had no fire insurance, that’s a whole nother kettle of fish - and a pretty clear case of Board (and administration) negligence.
David Camp // Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 3:15 pm
Postcript - I see now the controversy is how and where Whatcom Middle School students will be housed until the school is rebuilt.
It seems to me that this may be a golden learning oportunity, both for students, who will now be in daily contact with kids from other areas of town who they might not have otherwise known, and for parents, who will make contact with other parents and PTA/booster organizations. It could actually strengthen community.
I think there’s way too much paranoia going around - the School District has had to deal with an emergency situation, and normal informational flows haven’t had time to occur. This doesn’t mean deliberate secrecy! Cut these folks some slack - they have their regular jobs as well as dealing with short- and medium- term dislocations of an entire school.
Positive communication is necessary for positive results.
Doug karlberg // Mon, Dec 14, 2009, 3:18 pm
Merian,
I am going to make you an offer, that you cannot refuse. You freely admit that you do not know much about Charter Schools. There is a man, Geoffery Canada, who took on the educational system in Harlem.
How could one find a more difficult educational challenge?
He has been at it for some time, and now his successes and failures have been chronicled in a book.
The book is: Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America
Link: http://www.hepg.org/her/abstract/744
His work was chronicled on 60 minutes this last week, and this book review is by the prestigious Harvard Educational Review. This Harvard Review is slightly biased towards our current public school system, but even they have to admit, the results from this Charter School are extraordinary.
I know you are skeptical, but I figure that if you have an open mind, I might be able to convince you that we can do better in educating our children.
Mr. Canada has turned around, and on its head, the educational system in Harlem. He has produced a truly World Class educational system, where all the other experts had said could not happen.
It?s a good thing for these kids, he did not listen to the experts.
I will buy you this book, as long as I can read it after you.
Maybe you would consider writing a review of this book, here.
Over the course of this last year, I have listened to all kinds of ideas on how to economically revitalize our local economy.
What keeps capturing my attention is that all of the dynamic economic regions like Silicon Valley, are centered around educational institutions. These are not your garden variety educational institutions. They are World Class institutions. People flock to them. (So do bankers)
I started thinking, what if instead of putting all our investments into bricks and mortar, we put some of our investment in knowledge. Which came first, capital or knowledge? An investment in human capital.
I have come to the conclusion that the money went to Silicon Valley because Stanford was there, and not the other way around.
A lot of money follows the education today.
Now replicating a Stanford is probably too much to ask, but I began wondering, what would happen economically, if Whatcom County became known for one of the best Elementary educations in America?
Would people travel here and set up shop?
Today our public schools are good. I have my complaints, but in reality, they are pretty good, and they deserve well earned credit for these accomplishments.
My questions are; Could our local schools be Great? Could they be World Class?
The best in the Nation?
Why the hell not?
It is just about priorities.
I think so, but getting from good to Great is something that we would have to tackle. It does not happen overnight, nor does it happen without commitment and investment.
Getting from good to Great can only happen by measuring peformance. What we can measure, we can improve.
Would people with youngsters move here to get their kids a Great education? I think they would as long as other public schools stay merely good, and do not compete by becoming Great.
Would this revitalize Whatcom County economically?
My gut says, you betcha, and in more ways than we can imagine.
It helps to have youth stick around.
Call me at 961.2618, and I will order you a book today.
John Servais // Tue, Dec 15, 2009, 4:59 pm
Well, I’ve been told by a supposedly reliable source within the Bellingham School system that the Administration has decided to increase the participation of the parents, teachers and students in the planning process. This is to be announced this week.
How much more participation, I’ve no idea. Currently it is a very blind process with stakeholders only allowed to fill in an online form. The form is very limited in what it allows to be suggested and how the form will be used is a secret process closed to stakeholders.
I’m adding a link to the online questionnaire, for what it is worth.