I have been too busy to post regularly. This is an important issue I know people want to hear from me about and want to comment on the events of Good Friday.
I have called the Good Friday debacle the perfect storm of situations and events that led to the high absenteeism of students, teachers, and support staff.
I understand that for many this is an important religious holiday. There are many however, (just look at the malls and beaches on that day) that don't observe it as a high holy day and were using religion as an excuse. As a woman of very strong faith I personally take exception with that argument. If this is a debate about the day being a traditional family day, or a day for travel, or preparing for Easter then let’s have that discussion. I want to hear what people have to say. But this has turned into ‘us’ against ‘them’, and for me that is not what this is about.
Again, I know there are many who observed the holy day and I respect their right to observe that day with no penalty. But there were some who were protesting for other reasons. I heard from many employees in our district and they referred to what happened as the ‘Good Friday flu’.
There was confusion in communication from the district and we need to look at what mistakes were made in order to solve those problems for any similar issues in the future. That being said, the media played a big role in all the hype and high absenteeism that ensued because of the added confusion. When students found out they would not be penalized for missing the day they jumped at the opportunity and convinced their parents to let them miss school. Again, we could have communicated better.
People have also referenced fair day in complaints about the calendar. Two years ago when we originally voted for the academic calendar. I voted against fair day and lost (only Candy Olson and voted against it). I upset some people with that vote, but I voted against it because I could not justify taking away very important religious holidays and giving fair day off.
There were some people who put in time off request in advance. However, there were many who decided a week or less (some as little as two days) that they were taking the day off. And where our bus drivers are concerned we needed much more time to plan for the absences. I am upset that there was even the most remote possibility that any of our students were put in harms way. If we would have had advanced notice of the absences we could have planned better.
I am an activist at heart and I don't have a problem with people standing up for their rights. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do that and when the children are used as pawns to make a point I have a real problem with that.
I also told the media that concerned teachers and parents should lobby their state legislators, as our calendar is being driven in large part by the Save Our Summers (S.O.S.) legislation. By state mandate we are not able to start our school year any sooner than two weeks before labor day. We need to have the authority to set our own calendar as we know what is best for our community. Let's fix the problem at the core.
Our board will be discussing this issue in much greater detail and I will consider all factors for the future, but I personally need untainted data to make my decision, and the 'Good Friday Flu' does not leave me with the feeling that this is unmanipulated data.
I will make my decision first on what is best for the students and second on what is best for the taxpayers. Mistakes were made and we will be analyzing the situation and will move forward accordingly.
Tell me what you think
6 comments:
April--
It was wonderful seeing you at my school having a discussion with a teacher--come see us--and other schools--often! I've only seen 3 other SB members at my school in at least 5 years. You've been there 2 times within a year. Wow--and thanks!
hopeful teacher
Ms. Griffin,
Rather than bog up your blog with any missive, please visit Bang The Drum.
Glad to hear you're visiting schools with the frequency you do. In all my years with the district, visits from board members were a rarity. Thank you for making time to visit and listen.
HI April. I can't make comments regarding the students obviously as many spent the day at the beach however in my department that day every single teacher showed up to work. I believe that we only had a handfull campus wide who where absent and all had subs. For 3 out of my 6 classes I had 1 student show up. In 2 cases they were male students. Due to recent events I will certainly not sit in a classroom by myself as a female teacher with just 1 male student. I have never stayed after school to tutor just 1 male student as well. That student was sent to another classroom with either a male teacher or multiple students. Total I had 9 students show up for the entire day!! I think it should be shown that teachers did show up to work. There was no protest amongst teachers for the day off. Did much learning go on that day? Its hard to teach just 1 kid and then have to catch up 26 others. From a budget point of view since we are in a budget crisis I saw the day as a huge waste. How much money did it cost the district to air condition the empty schools? Perhaps that money saved could have been used for something better.
CALENDAR COMPROMISE: The Palm Beach school district makes the first semester 83 days, and the second 97, to meet the state's school start mandate and also fit midterms in before winter break. The superintendent says he'll be watching closely how well students do in the short semester before recommending the same thing again....
The Gradebook
Ms. Griffin,
It is wonderful to see that you, as a school board member are participating in a dialog with parents. In response to your request for the need of untainted data to make a decision about the “Good Friday debacle,” I implore the board to base their decisions and discussions on factual data as well. The perfect storm description to explain high absenteeism of students, teachers, and support staff needs to be free of personal opinion.
Using the day as an excuse
o The debate is not whether Good Friday is a “traditional family day, or a day for travel, or preparing for Easter.” Simply stated, Good Friday is a religiously observed holiday for many Christian families.
o There are several references to using religion as an excuse for the day off. Factual statements apply on both sides of the argument. Until numbers are presented it is unfair to state that many students convinced their parents to let them miss school and go to the malls and beaches. Various reasons could explain mall attendance increases, perhaps preparation for the holiday?
o The right to observe the day without penalty was not fully communicated. My child’s classroom was told that the absence would be excused, but with penalties. It was only clarified the following Monday.
Good Friday flu
o Admittedly, I was not in attendance at the meeting, however many teachers say they felt pressured to work that day. A few requested the day off in advance, but during a staff meeting there was a, “You’ll Be Letting Down Your Colleagues and Student’s” speech.
o What message is this article about bus drivers given care packages on Good Friday sending? http/www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/bryant-rewards-bus-drivers-with-care-packages/
Communication from the board
o Your comments are fully appreciated, “There was confusion in communication from the district and we need to look at what mistakes were made in order to solve those problems for any similar issues in the future.”
Using our children as pawns
o This is a personal opinion (offensive as well) that does not belong in a factual discussion.
Good Friday as celebrated on March 19, 2008, was not an issue for my family. However, I was against the decision to remove it from the school calendar because I believed that it was going to affect all religious observation. My fears were proven correct when I requested in writing that my child attend religious services without penalties. My request was declined twice, once in writing by the principal and again reiterated by office personnel when I quoted the HCSD Student Handbook offering a letter from my spiritual leader. I had to take the issue to the Area level to seek resolution. Please let me assure you this is not a situation of “us” against “them.” It is only respect for religious freedom.
Anonymous 2:06,
Thank you for your input. I am concerned about your difficulty in having the absence excused on Good Friday. You stated “My request was declined twice, once in writing by the principal and again reiterated by office personnel when I quoted the HCSD Student Handbook offering a letter from my spiritual leader. I had to take the issue to the Area level to seek resolution”.
I would like specific information on your situation so I may investigate. This was not the board’s intent with this policy and I would like to look into this. This should not have been a problem for you and the principal needs to have some additional training. You have every right to observe your faith with out having to go through the hassle you were put through.
In reference to some of your other points.
Using the day as an excuse
o The debate is not whether Good Friday is a “traditional family day, or a day for travel, or preparing for Easter.” Simply stated, Good Friday is a religiously observed holiday for many Christian families.
o There are several references to using religion as an excuse for the day off. Factual statements apply on both sides of the argument. Until numbers are presented it is unfair to state that many students convinced their parents to let them miss school and go to the malls and beaches. Various reasons could explain mall attendance increases, perhaps preparation for the holiday?
o The right to observe the day without penalty was not fully communicated. My child’s classroom was told that the absence would be excused, but with penalties. It was only clarified the following Monday.
I have done an unscientific survey of high school students, parents of high school students, and teachers and I have gathered that many students where absent because they knew they would not be penalized and lose their ability to exempt exams. There were even students of other religions that do not observe Good Friday that took the day off. After being interviewed by one of our local news channels the morning of Good Friday I asked that they visit the malls, beaches, and local churches to see what they saw. They interviewed people at the mall, beach, and church and substantiate my case. My comments were meant to spark a real conversation about this issue. I want students and parents to be able, penalty free, to observe important religious holidays. And I know not all students and employees who were off that day were doing things other than observing the holiday. My issue is with those who took the day off for other reasons (I have been to many schools and talked to many people to gather my information) and there are many (not all) who used religion as an excuse.
Good Friday flu
o Admittedly, I was not in attendance at the meeting, however many teachers say they felt pressured to work that day. A few requested the day off in advance, but during a staff meeting there was a, “You’ll Be Letting Down Your Colleagues and Student’s” speech.
o What message is this article about bus drivers given care packages on Good Friday sending? http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/bryant-rewards-bus-drivers-with-care-packages/
Teachers were not as much a part of the problem as bus drivers who were protesting a hiring process that they felt strongly about. I have heard about the protest from drivers. Although there were some (not all) teachers who were protesting the 6/7 plan recently imposed on them. I read about the call to action on local teacher blogs. I know there were many teachers who went to work after putting in the time off to insure our children were taken care of. I am appreciative of those employees.
Using our children as pawns
o This is a personal opinion (offensive as well) that does not belong in a factual discussion.
You are correct that this is an opinion. And based on the facts that I have gathered I feel that I am entitled to state that opinion. We had bus drivers that did not put in their time off requests with enough advance warning (1 day) and could have possibly put children in harms way. I do not feel that is acceptable…ever. I stand by that statement and hope you respect my right to do so. Like I said there is a right way and wrong way to get a point across.
Communication from the board
o Your comments are fully appreciated, “There was confusion in communication from the district and we need to look at what mistakes were made in order to solve those problems for any similar issues in the future.”
I want to finish on this note. The district, from the board to the classroom needs to correct the errors that were made so this does not happen again. The poor attendance rest partially on our shoulders.
I appreciate your observations and the time you took to write. Please understand that I have researched this issue and am trying to keep and open mind, but want the conversation to be based in reality.
At your service, April
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