A number of letters on this page this week and last ponder how we could have been at the board meetings where the charter school proposal has been discussed, mainly because of our apparent ignorance on the subject.
A letter today accuses the writer of the editorial two weeks ago of trying to remain anonymous and work behind closed doors like the School Board.
To answer that: I wrote most of that editorial. I have attended all of the recent meetings on the charter school; and Scott Swanson, the publisher, or I have attended every meeting about People Involved in Education’s charter school proposal since its inception.
An editorial represents the opinion of the newspaper as an institution so remains unsigned. That means Scott and I agree substantially on the content of an editorial before it gets that heading.
As far as the May 15 meeting, where the board was allegedly vague, according to PIE officials and supporters, the district answered questions in plain English.
Among PIE officials and supporters, only Jay Jackson has directly addressed the question we raised, essentially, “Why not create a new corporation?”
His answer, during a PIE board work session on May 16, was that the district has not offered anything in return for its demand. It hasn’t offered transportation or anything else in return for the creation of a new corporation to run the Sweet Home Charter School.
The law allows contracts to deviate from the approved proposal, as District 55 Board member Diane Gerson pointed out.
The law says that both sides must agree to such a change, Jackson said, but the district has not offered anything in exchange.
This is a reasonable answer to the question.
It has been easy to get confused during this process about what the district wants. After a meeting three weeks ago, attended by Jackson but not the many parents and supporters that attended on May 15, I was confused by a detail.
After the meeting, Chairman Scott Proctor outlined what the board wanted. The School Board then outlined it clearly at the May 15 deadline meeting. The district’s attorney Peter Dassow did too, and most eloquently of anyone.
What the board said, on the advice of its attorneys, is that it would like PIE to form a separate corporation, something that could be a subsidiary under the control of PIE. That is what the board offered – no more, no less.
Apparently, rather than hearing what the district has demanded, some folks choose to be confused and harp on Dassow’s statements that it is possible to operate the school as a DBA (doing business as). It is possible, he said, but he doesn’t recommend it. The board wants to take his recommendation. This explanation is simple and forthright.
District officials have said this corporation thing is all that stands in the way of a contract. If the district is truly attempting to stop a charter school from coming to Sweet Home, PIE should call its bluff.
And what would Jackson and PIE get for the exchange, even if the board offers nothing in the end? A peaceful resolution, one unhampered by conflict and bad blood — At little cost.
I didn’t see it until I attended the PIE board meeting two weeks ago, but this has been all about anticipated conflict from the start.
Charter schools tend to be unpopular among regular public educators, so PIE appears to have come into Sweet Home with a chip on its shoulder, expecting trouble.
I’ve heard grumbling from some board members in tone and directly, but generally they’ve gone along with this charter school idea. I’ve heard no one talk about ways to stop it from coming to Sweet Home, and some board members actually do favor forming a charter school.
PIE officials seem to presume that the district throws up obstacles in an attempt to foil the charter school, first the requirement to find a facility and second the requirement to form a new corporation – something PIE knew about as early as December.
The insinuation about our unsigned editorial is further evidence of PIE’s combativeness.
It’s time to forget the adversarial approach and start looking for ways for everyone to win — This year.
For the record, I want to see charter schools in this community as much as any PIE supporter – probably more so.
The School Board has given PIE a way to get the job done. Let’s get to it, and let’s get it done, people.
If the board reneges and starts looking for other ways to stop the charter school, it will be readily apparent to us and the community.
Let the district have that extra layer of protection, whatever it’s worth, for crying out loud. Big deal. PIE, you might perhaps buy the goodwill of your sponsoring district along with a good working relationship. Wouldn’t that be a nice change?