Saturday, March 14, 2009

Closing PS/MS/HS 27

Mr. Klein,

I am deeply disturbed by your policy of closing schools with out any
effective consultation with any of the parties involved. By "parties
involved" I mean current students in the school to be closed, their parents,
the school's Parents Association (PA), or the local school board a/k/a
Community Education Council (CEC).

I don't believe that when the legislature approved "mayoral control" it
supposed that the city's school system would be operated by fiat, but that
appears to be how the current system operates. I urge you to:
- Carefully and fully enunciate the reasons that may lead to the "closing"
of a school.
- In each case that you believe that a school should be closed, explain how
the school has met your criteria for closing.
- Truly consult, in advance of a final decision, and in a manner reasonably
calculated to engender participation, with the parties involved.
- Set forth, in a public statement, the first two items and a summary of all
of the consultations together with a statement from each party consulted
with stating if or if not that party believes that your summary fairly
states that party's position.

Can you suppose that there is any other way for you to perform this task in
a socially and morally acceptable manner?
..
..
------------------------------
Eugene Falik

No comments: