<p>News has reached my dainty ears that the school district has projected that my son's school will have a 4% decrease in its student population next year, and as a result, the district is proposing a 10% reduction in teaching staff. (Parents doubt very much that the student population will drop at all; in fact, all signs point to it increasing.)</p>
<p>In discussing this at dinner last night (with some information about how parents are reacting/what parents are doing), S asked me about holding a student protest: whether he'd get into trouble for leading or participating in one appeared to be his major concern. We didn't talk much about it -- more like idle conversation. When he first learned of the proposed teacher cuts, his eyes bugged out and he had a few things about the possibility of having classes that are even bigger than he has now.</p>
<p>It didn't occur to me until a few moments ago that, in addition to having Monday off next week, his school is closed another day next week, this for graduation. If he really wants to protest, he wouldn't have to do it at the school -- he could do it at the County Ed building on a normal County Ed workday.</p>
<p>I have no idea whether he would really put the time and thought into organizing a protest. (I was very surprised, and frankly quite pleased, that he asked about this, though -- not something I expected from him!) Participants in one of his ECs have a get-together over the weekend, so there is a possibility that he could talk to kids this weekend and, if so inclined, perhaps really get a protest going.</p>
<p>Aside from getting some kids together, making signs, picking a time, and letting local press know, what should he know/think about/do should he pursue this? I'm sure some of you have experience and ideas to share; please do!</p>
<p>The biggest issue I see with kids is that they can very passionate, which can be a double-edged sword. So just make sure that they are not only passionate, but also <em>thought-full</em>. Tell your son that, for example, if the police show up and ask them to disburse because they don't have a permit, then they DISBURSE. Don't swear, threaten, yell, etc. </p>
<p>That being said, if he has time, he should see if he does, in fact, need a permit.</p>
<p>Also, if they really want to be heard, they need to be prepared with a cogent argument. Nothing looks worse to a bunch of 'elders' than a bunch of kids spouting off, who really don't even know what the issues are. So he (or whoever) should do his homework.</p>
<p>I would suggest that the first step is to contact the school administration and find out how they are planning to allocate teaching resources next year and how much of the cut represents attrition and reassignment, etc. (I know that our schools often shift positions to where they are needed because of variations in student population.) If the facts reveal that there would be undesirable results, such as dropping of sections that effectively make courses unavailable to some kids, or unreasonable increases in class size, then I suggest that he and his friends write up a well-reasoned analysis and a shorter press release, make some (non-rude!) signs, make an appointment with the superintendent to present him/her their materials, and if they wish plan a protest immediately afterwards at the district HQ to draw public attention to the matter, and notify the press. They should have press releases and the more detailed explanation ready to hand out. </p>
<p>If they want to be effective, they need to be well-prepared, well-spoken, well-groomed, and polite. Our area is full of older people who conduct an ongoing campaign against our school budget no matter what, and they would be eager to brand the kids spoiled, undisciplined, overindulged brats.</p>
<p>Oh, and it would be a good idea to check with the local polices regarding the rules re public gatherings.</p>
<p>owlice - I really have nothing useful to add to both jude's and Consolation's excellent sounding advice. Good luck to you and your S. Oh, and good for him, wanting to take a stand and make a difference!</p>
<p>He could have a very effective protest by getting hundreds of students to show up at the meeting of the school board or other public entity that is in charge of the decision. Students also make sure that they fill out paperwork so they can speak (in an informed way, of course) about the issue.</p>
<p>This would attract a lot of publicity, too, very favorable publicity since even politicians get excited when students get involved in the political process.</p>
<p>Every time I've been involved in a cause that got large numbers of people to show up at a county commission meeting, the commissioners have backed down from their unpopular decisions.</p>
<p>I think it's wisest to go through the normal means of opposition first before resorting to demonstrations. Start out by offering to collaborate, and if that doesn't work, then move to other means of making one's viewpoint heard and responded to.</p>
<p>I also think that parents should be involving students in what the parents are doing. After all, the students are the ones most impacted, and are very capable of participating in and the process opposing the decision.</p>
<p>Northstarmom is right - the monthly Board of Education meeting is the designated means for citizens to provide input and feedback. I think that to ignore that process and do something overly dramatic would appear to many as grandstanding, and may suggest that the students thought a protest sounded "fun." Attending the School Board meeting isn't something you'd do for fun - it's something you do when you're serious and committed.</p>
<p>Owlice, I've been involved in group situations with school boards, county commissioners, and city councils.</p>
<p>Your issue sounds like a school board situation, but it sounds like one that may have already been decided. But, since it is the end of the school year and school board meetings are ending (unless you have yearround schools), that may make it unworkable. Maybe you should be looking at the fall for action?</p>
<p>I find it is always valuable to have an attorney parent involved in any controversey, if possible, and if you do pull off a gathering, notify all the local media and request they be present.</p>
<p>I find big gatherings are valuable early depending upon the situation (how fast do we have to act), but I would be organized and sure of my facts.</p>
<p>If they really want to picket, they could have some of their signs say "Come to the School Board Meeting on Thursday May 29 to protest the teaching cuts."</p>
<p>Time is not on our side, unfortunately, with teachers due to be cut on June 1. (Parents were informed this week, so it's not as though we've been sitting on the information, and the school doesn't even have final numbers yet, just the proposed number of cuts.) The concern is good teachers with experience will be cut in June, and then come August, the system will discover that, oh look! Enrollment is up! And new teachers will have to be hired. The school system has trouble attracting teachers as it is; a last-minute scramble for whomever is available after school starts is not the best recipe for success.</p>
<p>Add to this that the school has been understaffed by three teaching positions -- positions left unfilled -- all year because of a hiring freeze, and the 10% cut is on top of that understaffing.</p>
<p>Parents have been busy reacting since the news hit. It's been a busy couple o' days and nights!</p>
<p>Stuff like this happens in my city all the time. The teachers' union is more than happy to help guide any and all "spontaneous" student protesters.</p>
<p>The daughter of some friends got her 15 minutes of local fame by organizing a series of (lawful, respectful) student protests over school budget cuts 5 or 6 years ago. Several hundred students were involved, high school and middle school, and they got decent press coverage. The girl's interest and passion were legitimate and self-generated, but she had a lot of help from pros who loved the idea of a student protest.</p>
<p>I'm not sure if this is relevant, but could it be that your town is not adjusting tax rates for inflation (i.e. towns in my area often vote on "overrides" to tax laws that tax their citizens more, but in doing so allow for greater funding for civic programs like education)? In the town in which my mother works as a public high school teacher, the citizens refuse to vote for an override, so while the value of the dollar keeps falling, the school is working with a budget that is becoming increasingly inadequate. In this case, it might be beneficial to start a town-wide campaign based on the claim that a tax override is necessary for the betterment of the town's youth (and, therefore, the town's future).</p>
<p>owlice--we've been involved in similar hot-button educational issues in our town. </p>
<p>One good thing to do---contact the local newspapers (more likely to respond than TV, although try them too). Send out a "News Alert" message to the reporter covering your area (or education issue) via email and you might get coverage in the daily paper on the issue. It's helpful to mention how mobilized the community is against the issue (makes it more newsworthy). </p>
<p>This might force the school district to at least hold off on action for a while,
when the glare of publicity is on them.</p>
<p>Kiddo did not organize a protest. Last night, however, he asked about creating a petition and getting kids to sign it; he wanted me to write it, though!! </p>
<p>Okay, so I did, with him next to me approving my work. (Is THIS how this parenting stuff is supposed to go?!?! Sheeeesh!!!!!!!)</p>
<p>I didn't know whether he'd 1.) really take copies to school or 2.) distribute them/ask people to sign them.</p>
<p>But he did! He handed me a bunch of signed pages when I got home this afternoon and some of the petitions he distributed are (we hope...) still at school. Interestingly, some of the petition pages are not ones I printed off; I sent out the petition Word document out to some parents. Someone posted it on Google docs (as is obvious, since the URL shows up on the very top of the petition), and other kids were also passing around the petition to get signatures.</p>
<p>I'm heading to school shortly for an emergency PTSA meeting. Yesterday, some of the email exchanges between parents included notice that a reporter from our largest major newspaper had talked to some folks. Others emailed him. I don't know whether he'll be at tonight's meeting, but I can hope! (Various reporters are on the PTSA mailing list, so other media may be at the meeting tonight as well.)</p>
<p>I have had not ANY response to my numerous communications to county and state officials. That would annoy me mightily if I didn't know that they gotten, according to a response one person did get, a "flood" of emails/faxes/letters. Good! They deserve to! :D</p>
<p>I am very grateful for all of the information/suggestions/etc. provided by you fine folks on this thread and in PM. Thank you. The students didn't use it (or haven't yet), but it may be that the parents do!</p>
<p>" so I did, with him next to me approving my work. (Is THIS how this parenting stuff is supposed to go?!?! Sheeeesh!!!!!!!)
"</p>
<p>Nope, that's not how the parenting stuff is supposed to work. He should have written the petition with you offering advice.</p>
<p>It is, though, wonderful that your S cares so much about the quality of his education, and I'm very impressed that he has been getting signatures on the petition.</p>
<p>I hope the media covers the story and that things work out the way you and your S wish.</p>
<p>A guy at my school arranged an innocent prank. Everyone in the class would lie down in the hallway between two periods during passing period. </p>
<p>The school officials found out he did it because some girl ratted on him.</p>
<p>The students were OUT OF CONTROL. They started screaming "Seniors
08" (not part of the plan) and plugged up the whole hallway. Other students found out and soon Sophomores and juniors joined in.</p>
<p>The result:
The organizer (who didn't plan for the out of control stuff that happened) has to take all of his exams (even though he was exempt) and may not get to walk at graduation. Keep in mind this guy has a clean record, and is an excellent student well-loved by his teachers.</p>
<p>The admin said if they knew this was going to happen they would have put the school on lockdown, and the student could have been taken to jail for blocking a public place (a crime instilled to ensure strikes don't go out of control.)</p>
<p>embroglio, if the protest were going to happen, it would have happened on Tuesday, when school was not in session, and would have been at the main County Ed. building, not at the school itself, so no worries there!</p>
<p>Northstarmom, my son would not have written the petition, so if he and I hadn't done it the way it was done, it wouldn't have happened at all.</p>
<p>I don't know whether the student petition will make the outcome any different, but at least the students can provide their input. I have a stack of them from yesterday that S brought home and from another parent, whose S was also getting signatures, and petitioning is continuing today. Students are interested and are signing; some are picking up blank petitions to get them signed. S has talked about the budget and teacher/staff cuts in class. (This just knocks my socks off; go, S!!)</p>
<p>Should know later today whether/how many teachers get pink slips, because today's the day they have to get them if they are going to get them at all. Thanks for your good wishes!</p>
<p>There are some on-line petition sites that might also work. The kids can post stuff to their facebook and myspace pages and spread the word that way.</p>
<p>Don't get frustrated with the school board. You need to acknowledge the reality of the budget situation and ask them if they have done everything they can to protect the students and teachers in the classroom. Often they are forced to pink slip teachers before they know the final budget numbers just in case. In our state, they pink slipped lots of people in March and they are rescinding those as the get a better idea of how much money there will be.</p>
<p>We are dealing with the same issues at S's HS. In addition to staffing cuts, they have eliminated all of the after school classes like marching band, theater tech, and independent study. This hurts the kids who are trying to take four years of a course that the school considers elective (band, theater, debate, leadership, etc...) by reducing the flexibility of their schedules. So far, the school board curriculum guy is telling us (1) we are pushing our kids too hard and (2) they can take summer school. Of course, no mention that the summer school courses are all remedial and no help to our kids, nor any way to deal with the fact that our kids have already committed to summer sessions at a college, or a multi-week camp for their EC. Has anyone else had to fight to save these programs at their school???</p>