It looks like last night's Morrisville High School class of 2008 is shaping up to be the next to last MHS class.
What is it with these two and what do they have against the Morrisville school system? Here's two bitter and angry men out for destruction. Remember the January board meeting where the Emperor even conceded that "he got it" and the community did not want the high school students tuitioned out?
Private Morrisville High?
Posted in News on Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 3:57 pm by Columnist Kate Fratti
Continuing their investigation into privatizing Morrisville High School, school board directors Bill Hellmann and Al Radosti met with a Delaware Valley High School representative Tuesday afternoon.They seem to have given up hope of any merger with neighboring Pennsbury. So, by September 2009, some board members hope to have closed at least one grade school, maybe two, and consolidated all grades in the middle/senior high school building. That is unless, by then they’ve been able to tuition high-schoolers out to another district or to Delaware Valley High School at substantial reductions in cost per student. In that case, the current high school building would hold just K-8.
DVH is best known for educating at-risk kids, but President Dave Shulick has said it is accredited and experienced in regular education that could be provided in or near Morrisville.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
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15 comments:
The actions of these men remind me of how scratchy and smudgy it would be to use newspaper as a substitute for toilet paper.
What is it going to take to make him really GET IT! I am amazed by the closed minded thinking!
When will they realize they are setting the town up for failure!
Ack!
As a parent of three children in the district schools, I am disgusted by the idea that after public outcry at the January meeting, Mr Hellman is STILL trying to move forward with the "Farming Out" option. Was Mr Hellman's "ok ok I get it...let's move on" comment at that very meeting simply his way of saying that he doesn't care what the parents and students want. What happened to this new board "listening" to the people? When I read Kate Fratti's article, I felt sick to my stomach...shocked to hear that this plan is still in the works. I thought we had moved past that and were working on other options at this point. What about the CAP committee? I know they just started meeting but what's the point if Mr Hellman and his puppets are just going to do what they want to do anyway. I had great hopes that maybe,just maybe, the people of this town could actually come together as one...forget the past and move forward onto bigger and better. I am beginning to lose that hope and that, quite frankly, is really sad. I'm sad for my children because I think that once again the board has forgotten that THEY are what this battle is all about.
My children love their schools. They love their teachers. They love Morrisville. All three of my children are top notch students and they have been in the Morrisville schools since kindergarten. They have gotten a good, sound, quality education here and I want that to continue. Fix our buildings and keep OUR kids in OUR town.
I'd like to stress that the meeting was not sanctioned by the board. I found out about it here. No one in the administration knew about the meeting. Mrs. Reithmeyer didn't know about it. Al and Bill are free to talk with whomever they like, but they can't make any deals or do any business without the rest of the board. I'm hoping that they'll share any information they gathered with the rest of the board, but I ain't holding my breath. Once again, if this pisses you off, let them know. If you can't make it to the meetings, schoolboard@mv.org works and the fellas who don't use emails get the printouts.
Maybe a protest, in front of their homes. Maybe then he'll really
"Get It"!
Notice how Joe Kemp and Robin Reithmeyer were supporting the students at graduation, while Bill Hellmann and Al Radosti are seeking to break up the district?
Maybe they had a game of "Follow my leader" to get in last night.
Does anyone know:
If legally challenged - could an entire district be legally privatized? If I choose not to attend the private school of the board's choice , aren't they still obligated to provide a public education?
Would total privatization require the board to provide vouchers to those who choose to attend a private school of their choice, rather than the one the board chooses?
If so, with 30-40% of the community's children in private school already, aren't we looking at additional expenses beyond the tuition for those presently enrolled?
If not, how does the "private" DVHS , which does not exist locally yet, plan to meet ALL the state criteria for public education at less cost? Will our students continue to have much needed after school programs? Music? Art? Sports? A Library? What will be "cut" in order to meet the unrealistic budget demands of this board? Could it be - Appropriate Special Education? Now that Mr.Hellmann seems poised to bag the relationship with the Intermediate Unit, who will provide the wide ranging variety of services needed at an affordable cost?
Seems to me Mr. Hellmann and his "we's" haven't considered that the children of this district have rights, and that board members answer to higher authority as far as those rights are concerned. Perhaps they are banking on the idea that nobody will challenge them. Well then, they haven't accounted for basic human instinct, that instinct which inspires us to protect our children, whatever the cost to ourselves.
Word up to the Board Majority - parents here care, and you WILL be challenged if you neglect your responsibility to the children. Those board members who might have a nagging doubt about this "plan" should listen carefully to that whispering voice of reason. Consider carefully how you cast your vote. You are in a position of ethical and legal accountability - and there are a number of us who intend to hold you to that.
Can we sue the board for the lost value in our homes when they close the high school?
I think teaching the kids to grow their own food is a great idea..... Wait!! What?....Oh, nevermind...
Mama bear: You bring up some GREAT questions, and you are thinking ahead through this whole fiasco (something that other board members apparently are not doing). Bill and Al, the kiddies pals, can wheel and deal in the back room all they want, but two things have to come first before implementation. 1.) A public meeting (at least one) where the plan is laid out and voted on by the board, and it should include public comment. (In an ideal world, there should be a review period with several meetings of public comment, but Morrisville isn't an ideal world.)
2.) It has to go to the PDE. Now Mr. Fitzpatrick is the solicitor, so the wheels might be greased there, but I am willing to bet that there is a public comment opportunity there as well, in addition to an appeals process. (Didn't appeals hold up the start of the new school? The tide turns.)
To "sue" Anonymous: I'm betting you can't sue for lost value in your home. Otherwise many other homeowners would have done that over and over again all over this state. You elected them, you have to abide by their actions. On the other hand, you can un-elect them as well...
Mama Bear's got great questions. They should be put into concise sentences and emailed to the school board. It's easy that way for a member (hi!) to get the answers from the proper authorities.
From wikipedia:
One of the most famous quotes of the Vietnam War was a statement attributed to U.S. Air Force Major Chester I. Brown by AP correspondent Peter Arnett. Writing about the provincial capital, Ben Tre, on February 7, 1968, Arnett said: "'it became necessary to destroy the town to save it,' a U.S. major says." To this day, "Ben Tre Logic" is a common saying for whenever a "logical" conclusion is to destroy something out of the perceived best interests of everyone involved.
Ben Tre or Ben Dover - either way, I find this logic just a Tet Offensive.
From the BCCT dated Jan 29, 2008:
"Board president William Hellmann said no decision about closing the high school would be made without going to referendum. He agreed to organize a meeting with all board members and community stake holders, including residents, students and teachers, to brainstorm ideas and discuss options for Morrisville going forward."
I want my community meeting! I want my referendum! This is insane.
I am so angry/sad/frustrated about this whole situation.
Mama Bear, you are right on point, as usual. I have used your points in my email to the board (didn't think you'd mind my blatant plagiarism).
Community meeting will take place June 24th at 7pm in the LGI. Everyone who shows up will have a voice. StS, it would be great if we can get a full post on this as we get closer, thanks.
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