Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone else have a problem with this?
>
> >>>some people on the school board decided it
> would be better for members to meet one-on-one
> with each other in private rather than in a larger
> group open to the public to discuss any remaining
> concerns.
> "The work session was always optional," said
> School Board president Dan Storck (Mount Vernon).
> Virginia's Freedom of Information Act prohibits
> the school board members from holding private
> meetings or phone calls of more than two people to
> discuss policy issues, so discussing the boundary
> changes one-on-one — particularly among a group of
> 12 members — could be more difficult and time
> consuming than if the board held an open meeting.
> "I will probably make about 20 different phone
> calls about the boundary change this weekend,"
> said School Board president Dan Storck (Mount
> Vernon.)
> Some community members who have been following the
> boundary process closely said they thought the
> school board was purposefully shutting the public
> out by canceling the work session. They said the
> private meetings were indicative of the whole
> redistricting process, during which they suspect
> deals were made behind closed doors.<<<
>
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?ar
> ticle=93875&paper=62&cat=104
>
> Why can't they do this in public, rather than
> making their deals behind the scenes?
>
> They still don't get it, do they? Sheese. Twenty
> phone calls! What the heck kind of deals are they
> making this weekend? The final version of the
> redistricting could look like anything!
This makes perfect sense.
Remember in last work session (before they came up with 2 new options), some uncomfortable questions were asked by board members,
1) How will the redistricted child benefit - 1/2 min of silence.
2) If all kids redistricted to SL opt out for AP what will happen - juggling words around, finally saying they will be allowed to pupil place.
so on and so forth.
They do not want these kind of public questions. Also it will be dreadful for them to see another option come up and another set of public hearings.
Everyone realizes that this is a very unpopular agenda that Stu is pushing. The question is whether they will go with him just like their past history or vote from their heart.
I must say, the main issue that complicates this decision is forcing AP kids to an IB school which is historical to say the least.