Inside a rural Iowa school district’s fight to save public education

[hawkeyetraveler]

Why are you against parents having more options than before?

Do ALL parents have the same option? Are the private schools required to take in a special needs kid or a kid with behavioral issues who will naturally require more $$$ and time to support? Or can they cherry pick the “easy” kids?

My understanding is that the private schools don’t have to serve everyone who can pay. Therefore what you will see is a continuing decline in the public schools and better outcomes in the private schools. You could have exactly the same quality of teachers, administration and curricula and the private schools will perform better simply due to their vetting process and ability to kick out a “problem” kid.

If you want to have an honest conversation about problems in school it starts with:

• Ability for a school to actually discipline a child…our litigiousness is out of control and teachers have their hands tied
• Too many kids born into unwanted homes (and yet MAGA nation wants tougher abortion laws)
• Too few resources for both the “problem” kids and the “gifted” kids as a result of underfunding

But instead you support this hack which doesn’t actually solve the problem…it just makes it someone else’s problem, not yours.

 

[hexumhawk]

They can choose whatever the hell they want. The public shouldn't be forced to pay for their private school choice. If you don't like that, the answer is simple: Accept public money, accept public responsibilities.

1. They must accept every student who applies - same as public schools.

2. They can’t charge any more for voucher students than the voucher pays - same as public schools.

3. They must follow and allocate funds for every accommodation in a student’s IEP/504 - same as public schools

4. No student under 16 may be expelled unless the school fully funds an alternative placement that meets the student’s needs - same as public schools

5. Every student must take every state and local mandated test - same as public schools

If THEY don't like those responsibilities, they pay their own way. Why do you have a problem with that?

There are a lot of things that my taxes go towards that I don't agree with. How is this any different? Change the people that make the decisions right. Or is it just because you don't like it? IMO, public schools have held a monopoly on the system and the funds. You are seeing a visceral reaction from people not because they care about the kids, but because their control is being interrupted and challenged.

 

[Pinehawk]

Rural Iowa and its school districts were dying off long before the school choice bill. But, it's an easy scapegoat.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

The left advocates for equal disciplinary outcomes and then a profession dominated by left leaning people complain that they can't remove problem students.

Horseshit...as usual.

 

[hexumhawk]

Class disrupters need to be removed but that fight was lost a long time ago.

Also need fewer school districts. As farms get bigger less people live in rural Iowa.

Nobody will touch either of those issues with a ten foot pole.

This

One of the biggest factors you are seeing families move to private schools and teachers leave the profession. Zero enforcement of the rules and administrations that are spineless.

Rural Iowa has been holding on to schools that should have closed twenty years ago.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

There are a lot of things that my taxes go towards that I don't agree with. How is this any different? Change the people that make the decisions right. Or is it just because you don't like it? IMO, public schools have held a monopoly on the system and the funds. You are seeing a visceral reaction from people not because they care about the kids, but because their control is being interrupted and challenged.

That whoosh you heard was the point. Actually, you might not have heard it since it was so far over your head.

 

[DavidHawk324]

It’s spells it out pretty much right there in the article. Iowa was one of the tops in the nation before the 21st century when its supplemental funding levels were 5-7% annually. Once that dropped to 1-3%, its standing has dropped accordingly.

It’s a misleading metric because inflation rates were so different over the two periods. Is it still down in real dollars?

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Horseshit...as usual.

What about it is "horseshit"?

 

[EasyHawk]

I've posted about this before, my wife teaches in the Grinnell school district. She has done summer school in the past for some extra money, but that is cut now. She works with several that for sure are out of a job, she came home last night upset and thinks she may not have one next year. Contracts are not out yet which is late. It's been a rough time, the article was correct about morale.

 

[hexumhawk]

That whoosh you heard was the point. Actually, you might not have heard it since it was so far over your head.

Yes, I get it. You don't want educational choices for everyone, just the machine to continue to be funded for your one size fits all system.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Those kids grow up, you know.

They did when I was younger also. Maybe if they realized by behaving they could earn Their way back into the normal classroom would inspire some.

Others sadly are lost causes.

I am also a fan of after school programs where kids can get bathed, fed, homework help, and some adult mentoring. Plenty of kids have zero chance because their parents are shit.

Also a fan of offering 20 year old people $10,000 cash tax free to have their tubes tied or a vasectomy.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Horseshit...as usual.

How liberal discipline policies are making schools less safe​

How liberal discipline policies are making schools less safe

New York public-school students caught stealing, doing drugs or even attacking someone can avoid suspension under new “progressive” discipline rules adopted this month. Most likely, they will be se…

nypost.com

 

[sdhawkeye]

They can choose whatever the hell they want. The public shouldn't be forced to pay for their private school choice. If you don't like that, the answer is simple: Accept public money, accept public responsibilities.

1. They must accept every student who applies - same as public schools.

2. They can’t charge any more for voucher students than the voucher pays - same as public schools.

3. They must follow and allocate funds for every accommodation in a student’s IEP/504 - same as public schools

4. No student under 16 may be expelled unless the school fully funds an alternative placement that meets the student’s needs - same as public schools

5. Every student must take every state and local mandated test - same as public schools

If THEY don't like those responsibilities, they pay their own way. Why do you have a problem with that?

And accept public oversight/accountability!

 

[StormHawk42]

Yes, I get it. You don't want educational choices for everyone, just the machine to continue to be funded for your one size fits all system.

It’s really not. It’s actually a pretty simple request: accept public money, accept public standards.

None of the pro-school choice crowd ever wants to address that piece.

 

[StallmanCurse]

And accept public oversight/accountability!

I don't want to speak in absolutes, so I won't say all, but many, many public school boards / administrators do everything in their power to suppress public oversight / accountability / transparency.

This paragraph from the OP article hits it on the head:

“I was vastly disappointed,” Suzanne Castello, the mom of a GHS student, said, referring to how the school board determined budget cuts and informed the public. “A few years back, there started to be a very undemocratic…way of doing things on the school board. Things are done ahead of time. Public comment is window dressing. There is no back and forth.”

 

[gohawks50]

Class disrupters need to be removed but that fight was lost a long time ago.

This,.. There are some kids that simply don't deserve to remain in a class environment..

Where would the disrupters go? How would they be educated?

As a retired teacher I agree it would be much easier to teach with less discipline problems, but I have yet to hear from posters advocating for their removal a plan for where and how these disrupters will receive an education..

 

[tarheelbybirth]

There you go.

 

[LunchBox50]

I don't want to speak in absolutes, so I won't say all, but many, many public school boards / administrators do everything in their power to suppress public oversight / accountability / transparency.

This paragraph from the OP article hits it on the head:

“I was vastly disappointed,” Suzanne Castello, the mom of a GHS student, said, referring to how the school board determined budget cuts and informed the public. “A few years back, there started to be a very undemocratic…way of doing things on the school board. Things are done ahead of time. Public comment is window dressing. There is no back and forth.”

Or maybe Ms. Castello simply doesn't pay attention. I always get a kick out of people who act astonished or angry that they didn't know about something, yet there have been countless mailers sent out, social media posts, district website updates and newsletters, local newspaper and radio reports, etc., on that exact issue. And then these folks stomp their feet and say, "WELL HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM US?? HOW IS THIS JUST HAPPENING ALL OF THE SUDDEN???"

Example: For weeks the local school district will send updates in various form about school conferences, concerts, or some other function. My kid has literally come home before with a sticker on his chest that says "CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY, NO SCHOOL." And then I will hear of parents whining to the likes of "They don't have school on Tuesday??? Why didn't anyone tell me this??? What's going on???"

And you say "many" school boards and administrators suppress oversight, accountability and transparency. Give us some specifics. Are the admins and school boards in your area not holding regular meetings? Are they meeting in closed session and shutting out the public for issues that should be in open session? Are they violating quorum and gathering on the side? Are they using personal emails and phones to dodge sunshine and open records laws? Are they not submitting to audits and reviews by the state? Are you in a news desert?

If these things are evidently happening "many" times and you have actual evidence of such, please let me know where you're located, because as a long-time journalist, I'll happily pursue these issues on behalf of your community,

 

[EasyHawk]

Or maybe Ms. Castello simply doesn't pay attention. I always get a kick out of people who act astonished or angry that they didn't know about something, yet there have been countless mailers sent out, social media posts, district website updates and newsletters, local newspaper and radio reports, etc., on that exact issue. And then these folks stomp their feet and say, "WELL HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM US?? HOW IS THIS JUST HAPPENING ALL OF THE SUDDEN???"

Example: For weeks the local school district will send updates in various form about school conferences, concerts, or some other function. My kid has literally come home before with a sticker on his chest that say "CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY, NO SCHOOL THAT DAY." And then I will hear of parents whining to the likes of "They don't have school on Tuesday??? Why didn't anyone tell me this??? What's going on???"

And you say "many" school boards and administrators suppress oversight, accountability and transparency. Give us some specifics. Are the admins and school boards in your area not holding regular meetings? Are they meeting in closed session and shutting out the public for issues that should be in open session? Are they violating quorum and gathering on the side? Are they using personal emails and phones to dodge sunshine and open records laws? Are they not submitting to audits and reviews by the state? Are you in a news desert?

If these things are evidently happening "many" times and you have actual evidence of such, please let me know where you're located, because as a long-time journalist, I'll happily pursue these issues on behalf of your community,

Yes!! As far as I know, most schools have infinite campus where students, parents, etc can all create accounts and they can out and see agendas and grades and topics being covered, calendars, school board meeting info. The school sends information on it and the teachers mention it in conferences but many parents don't sign up. Regular public school board meetings are always held but few attend. Some parents literally don't know and don't really care that their kid is failing until he or she is going to have to miss a basketball game or track meet, then it is a huge issue of what can the student do for extra credit or can he or she turn in missing assignments weeks late for credit, etc. And it is like pulling teeth to get them to come to conferences. Some sign up but don't show, some don't sign up. And then they complain about not knowing what is going on.

 

[Hawki97]

Where would the disrupters go? How would they be educated?

As a retired teacher I agree it would be much easier to teach with less discipline problems, but I have yet to hear from posters advocating for their removal a plan for where and how these disrupters will receive an education..

There's a good chance they end up being drains on society because they don't have skills / behaviors / experience to do otherwise. And cons don't have answers for that other than preaching their tired old bootstrap stories of how they "pulled themselves out of poverty" or using Law and Order (which they've proven they have selective hearing on).

An educated populace with a purpose serves us all (lower crime, better innovation and performance, just smarter people). That's why strong public schools are important. Don't like how public schools are trying to meet that end? Fine repubbers, work to make it different. You have complete control of the state for phucks sake! Roll your sleeves back, dig in to the details, put in the work and through policy make the changes you think will make a difference.

Like Republicans always do though, they chose the easy way out in Iowa and created a system that doesn't benefit the masses and solves the bigger issue. Instead, they use fear and gullibility to whip up some solution that only benefits the few and makes some donors happy. And in this case, the few already had the leg up for the most part. All while claiming they've done something good.

It's the republican way. I'm not surprised, I'm just disappointed in my former party. And I'm barely disappointed anymore because it's so predictable.

 

[MitchLL]

They have not been underfunded.

You just move here?

That have absolutely been underfunded.

 

[LunchBox50]

Yes!! As far as I know, most schools have infinite campus where students, parents, etc can all create accounts and they can out and see agendas and grades and topics being covered, calendars, school board meeting info. The school sends information on it and the teachers mention it in conferences but many parents don't sign up. Regular public school board meetings are always held but few attend. Some parents literally don't know and don't really care that their kid is failing until he or she is going to have to miss a basketball game or track meet, then it is a huge issue of what can the student do for extra credit or can he or she turn in missing assignments weeks late for credit, etc. And it is like pulling teeth to get them to come to conferences. Some sign up but don't show, some don't sign up. And then they complain about not knowing what is going on.

My kid's teachers send text alerts all the time through an app and send flyers home in his backpack. Some people simply don't want to be informed, and then get angry when they're not informed. And I've gone to school board meetings in three states for more than 15 years as a reporter and more recently as a parent. At no point has there ever been a shortage of good seats available.

One of the moments that I always go back to when I hear complaints about government was covering a county budget approval one evening. After all sorts of debate by the board members, they approved a budget that was more than $650 million. I was the only person in the room with them as this happened (all of this was also being broadcast live on the cable access channel and videos posted to the county website). That's not a lack of transparency by the board — that's a lack of giving a f$ck by the citizenry.

 

[joelbc1]

There are a lot of things that my taxes go towards that I don't agree with. How is this any different? Change the people that make the decisions right. Or is it just because you don't like it? IMO, public schools have held a monopoly on the system and the funds. You are seeing a visceral reaction from people not because they care about the kids, but because their control is being interrupted and challenged.

What do your tax dollars support that you disagree with? Curious.. what might they support that legitimately violates the spirit of both the State’s and nation’s constitutions?

 

[Tom Paris]

Why are you against parents having more options than before?

Why are you making up horseshit? You're obviously pro-grift.

 

[Tom Paris]

They can choose whatever the hell they want. The public shouldn't be forced to pay for their private school choice. If you don't like that, the answer is simple: Accept public money, accept public responsibilities.

1. They must accept every student who applies - same as public schools.

2. They can’t charge any more for voucher students than the voucher pays - same as public schools.

3. They must follow and allocate funds for every accommodation in a student’s IEP/504 - same as public schools

4. No student under 16 may be expelled unless the school fully funds an alternative placement that meets the student’s needs - same as public schools

5. Every student must take every state and local mandated test - same as public schools

If THEY don't like those responsibilities, they pay their own way. Why do you have a problem with that?

It's truly impossible to argue with stupid. No other professions gets told about what they do and what's best for the job than education. Nonstop stupidity with these clowns. Every fvcking week.

 

[SSG T]

Or maybe Ms. Castello simply doesn't pay attention. I always get a kick out of people who act astonished or angry that they didn't know about something, yet there have been countless mailers sent out, social media posts, district website updates and newsletters, local newspaper and radio reports, etc., on that exact issue. And then these folks stomp their feet and say, "WELL HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM US?? HOW IS THIS JUST HAPPENING ALL OF THE SUDDEN???"

Example: For weeks the local school district will send updates in various form about school conferences, concerts, or some other function. My kid has literally come home before with a sticker on his chest that says "CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY, NO SCHOOL." And then I will hear of parents whining to the likes of "They don't have school on Tuesday??? Why didn't anyone tell me this??? What's going on???"

And you say "many" school boards and administrators suppress oversight, accountability and transparency. Give us some specifics. Are the admins and school boards in your area not holding regular meetings? Are they meeting in closed session and shutting out the public for issues that should be in open session? Are they violating quorum and gathering on the side? Are they using personal emails and phones to dodge sunshine and open records laws? Are they not submitting to audits and reviews by the state? Are you in a news desert?

If these things are evidently happening "many" times and you have actual evidence of such, please let me know where you're located, because as a long-time journalist, I'll happily pursue these issues on behalf of your community,

This.

Any parent who says they didn't know or wasn't told is most likely not paying attention. Maybe you could have said you didn't know in the 1970s, not now. Hell, every school board meeting I know of is online, plus Infinite campus and other communication available. They make it as easy as possible to know things.

 

[SSG T]

My kid's teacher send text alerts all the time through an app and send flyers home in his backpack. Some people simply don't want to be informed, and then get angry when they're not informed. And I've gone to school board meetings in three states for more than 15 years as a reporter and more recently as a parent. At no point has there ever been a shortage of good seats available.

One of the moments that I always go back to when I hear complaints about government was covering a county budget approval one evening. After all sorts of debate by the board members, they approved a budget that was more than $650 million. I was the only person in the room with them as this happened (all of this was also being broadcast live on the cable access channel and videos posted to the county website). That's not a lack of transparency by the board — that's a lack of giving a f$ck by the citizenry.

It's like when people "Want to know what they're teaching my kids". Um, the curriculum is available for anyone who wants to see it.

 

[StallmanCurse]

Or maybe Ms. Castello simply doesn't pay attention. I always get a kick out of people who act astonished or angry that they didn't know about something, yet there have been countless mailers sent out, social media posts, district website updates and newsletters, local newspaper and radio reports, etc., on that exact issue. And then these folks stomp their feet and say, "WELL HOW COULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM US?? HOW IS THIS JUST HAPPENING ALL OF THE SUDDEN???"

Example: For weeks the local school district will send updates in various form about school conferences, concerts, or some other function. My kid has literally come home before with a sticker on his chest that says "CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY, NO SCHOOL." And then I will hear of parents whining to the likes of "They don't have school on Tuesday??? Why didn't anyone tell me this??? What's going on???"

And you say "many" school boards and administrators suppress oversight, accountability and transparency. Give us some specifics. Are the admins and school boards in your area not holding regular meetings? Are they meeting in closed session and shutting out the public for issues that should be in open session? Are they violating quorum and gathering on the side? Are they using personal emails and phones to dodge sunshine and open records laws? Are they not submitting to audits and reviews by the state? Are you in a news desert?

If these things are evidently happening "many" times and you have actual evidence of such, please let me know where you're located, because as a long-time journalist, I'll happily pursue these issues on behalf of your community,

Thank you for the tangential rant, but what Ms. Castello is speaking about is the structure of school board meetings. While an open comment period is required, the board is not required to answer any inquiry directed at them, nor is the public allowed to respond to any answer the board may choose to give, regardless of how disingenuous that answer may be. Going through the process of being added to the agenda, again, only provides the opportunity to speak, not the guarantee of receiving any answers.

The board leverages these rules to operate legally, yet avoid accountability and transparency. I completely understand that board meetings cannot devolve into shouting matches, but the need for order does not overrule the requirement of accountability. As structured, the only recourse to hold a board member publicly accountable is to vote them out, a process that may be years away from being available.

I admit my use of "many" is subjective, but I've come to that conclusion due to this common theme across the conversations I've had and the articles I've read regarding school board meetings throughout the years. I can only provide evidence for my district. Of the legal operation questions you posted above, I can only say with certainty that one of those items listed it happening. If you have earnest interest in discussing that further, we can take it to DM's.

 

[LunchBox50]

I admit my use of "many" is subjective, but I've come to that conclusion due to this common theme across the conversations I've had and the articles I've read regarding school board meetings throughout the years. I can only provide evidence for my district. Of the legal operation questions you posted above, I can only say with certainty that one of those items listed it happening. If you have earnest interest in discussing that further, we can take it to DM's.

When was the last time you went to a school board meeting? How many have you personally attended?

Also: What is the school district you're referring to and which of these legal operations are being violated?

 

[joelbc1]

It's like when people "Want to know what they're teaching my kids". Um, the curriculum is available for anyone who wants to see it.

And NOW is it legislated by a bunch of tired old white guys and gals!

Thank you for the tangential rant, but what Ms. Castello is speaking about is the structure of school board meetings. While an open comment period is required, the board is not required to answer any inquiry directed at them, nor is the public allowed to respond to any answer the board may choose to give, regardless of how disingenuous that answer may be. Going through the process of being added to the agenda, again, only provides the opportunity to speak, not the guarantee of receiving any answers.

The board leverages these rules to operate legally, yet avoid accountability and transparency. I completely understand that board meetings cannot devolve into shouting matches, but the need for order does not overrule the requirement of accountability. As structured, the only recourse to hold a board member publicly accountable is to vote them out, a process that may be years away from being available.

I admit my use of "many" is subjective, but I've come to that conclusion due to this common theme across the conversations I've had and the articles I've read regarding school board meetings throughout the years. I can only provide evidence for my district. Of the legal operation questions you posted above, I can only say with certainty that one of those items listed it happening. If you have earnest interest in discussing that further, we can take it to DM's.

school boards must operate the way the Iowa legislature operates their committee hearings then…

 

[StallmanCurse]

When was the last time you went to a school board meeting? How many have you personally attended?

Also: What is the school district you're referring to and which of these legal operations are being violated?

I don't have an official tally, but I'd say I've been to 8-10 school board meetings throughout the years. I've been to three school board meetings this academic year, including the last two. I will also be attending the next two, at a minimum.

"Also: What is the school district you're referring to and which of these legal operations are being violated?" As I stated, I would be happy to discuss that with you via DM if you're truly interested.

 

[StallmanCurse]

This.

Any parent who says they didn't know or wasn't told is most likely not paying attention. Maybe you could have said you didn't know in the 1970s, not now. Hell, every school board meeting I know of is online, plus Infinite campus and other communication available. They make it as easy as possible to know things.

Our school board meetings are no longer broadcast live, nor video recorded for public viewing. I've never heard of Infinite Campus; just looked into it and got this as a search result:

"No districts found. Try modifying your search (if you entered a school name, try your district name)."

 

[stout1]

School Board meetings are not public hearings. They are business meeting of the board held in public. They are not setup for free flowing discourse about anything the public wants to discuss without restriction. The board is elected to represent the views of the electorate, not be a a receiver of grievances in a public setting.

The role of the school board is to hire a superintendent, set forth the broad policy structure that the superintendent is to operate within, and receive, review, and approve certain items (personnel decisions, payroll expenditures, accounts payable, curriculum adoption). Even the best board members I have worked with over the years don't have the capacity to discuss the details of the school corporation and rely on the professionals they hire to represent them in that area.

I have worked in and around schools for 2 decades and have attended ~300 school board meetings. There have been very few if any situations where productive results of come from someone showing up out of the blue with no prior communication to "hold a board member publicly accountable".

 

[Hawki97]

Our school board meetings are no longer broadcast live, nor video recorded for public viewing. I've never heard of Infinite Campus; just looked into it and got this as a search result:

"No districts found. Try modifying your search (if you entered a school name, try your district name)."

Iowa City uses Infinite Campus. It has everything you’d ever need or want to know about what’s going on with your student, the school, and extras. Any time I hear a parent say they didn’t know about something or it wasn’t communicated…this is me:

 

[SSG T]

Our school board meetings are no longer broadcast live, nor video recorded for public viewing. I've never heard of Infinite Campus; just looked into it and got this as a search result:

"No districts found. Try modifying your search (if you entered a school name, try your district name)."

If you're a parent, your school has infinite campus (or other similar product) available for you to track everything going on with your kids. If you're not a parent, you don't need it.

Now keep in mind, I'm speaking specifically about Iowa. If you live elsewhere, I don't know what to tell you because things might be different.

As for the SB meetings, I haven't heard of any not being broadcast live. Some use YouTube, some use FB live, some use NFHS network, etc. I'd be showing up at a SB meeting and demanding to know why, because again, I haven't heard of it.

 

[gohawks50]

Our school board meetings are no longer broadcast live, nor video recorded for public viewing. I've never heard of Infinite Campus; just looked into it and got this as a search result:

"No districts found. Try modifying your search (if you entered a school name, try your district name)."

If your district has a website, the software they use for communications and recording (grades, attendance, discipline reports, etc) purposes will have a link available there. Have you checked their website? Also a lot of districts have X and Facebook accounts as well.

 

[EasyHawk]

Our school board meetings are no longer broadcast live, nor video recorded for public viewing. I've never heard of Infinite Campus; just looked into it and got this as a search result:

"No districts found. Try modifying your search (if you entered a school name, try your district name)."

If you go to your school district website, it should have some sort of portal for students and parents. The ones I know of have monthly letters from the Superintendent, upcoming events, etc. Once you set up an account you can go to all your kids' grades, their schedule, absences, tardies, contact info, etc. It should be very apparent on the school district website. It does require you to set up an account with a user name and password.

 

[stout1]

If you're a parent, your school has infinite campus (or other similar product) available for you to track everything going on with your kids. If you're not a parent, you don't need it.

Now keep in mind, I'm speaking specifically about Iowa. If you live elsewhere, I don't know what to tell you because things might be different.

As for the SB meetings, I haven't heard of any not being broadcast live. Some use YouTube, some use FB live, some use NFHS network, etc. I'd be showing up at a SB meeting and demanding to know why, because again, I haven't heard of it.

In Indiana not all schools broadcast live, but all schools are required to record and post their meetings.

 

[Tom Paris]

Iowa City uses Infinite Campus. It has everything you’d ever need or want to know about what’s going on with your student, the school, and extras. Any time I hear a parent say they didn’t know about something or it wasn’t communicated…this is me:

We had to go back to paper report cards because 90% of our parents weren't checking them on Campus.

 

[Pinehawk]

We had to go back to paper report cards because 90% of our parents weren't checking them on Campus.

I'm sure it was just the distribution method, and they'll all be reviewed now. Of course, you'll never know.