4-23-04 At our recent School Board meeting on April 22, 2004, issues regarding boundary changes and closing of the Acton elementary school were addressed. A strong showing of parents gave the meeting an overwhelming community presence as many impassioned pleas and a petition with more than 200 signatures opposing the closure were presented. Yet by all appearances, this public outcry fell on deaf ears; the Board had already reached its decision.
Following this futile meeting, frustrated parents discussed alternatives for future directions: recall the school board; place the closure issue on a future school board agenda once again; picket and demonstrate? What should our next course of action be? We don’t have sufficient time to recall the members of the School Board. Attending more meetings will accomplish nothing. The school year is almost at an end, so there is no time to mount effective demonstrations. But we need to act now.
Obviously, our School Board views our district as nothing more than a mere spreadsheet. Well neither my child, nor yours should be viewed as a number. They deserve so much more. It is now time to take a stand and show Dr. Wagner, the School Board, LACOE, our California state legislature and yes, the Governor that our children are more than numbers! They are the future, and as parents we are responsible for ensuring them a high-quality education.
So our only course of action is now apparent: It’s time to STRIKE! Yes, we need to go on strike and withhold our children from their manipulations. By striking, we can hit them where it counts so we gain their full attention so we can all partner together in educating our children.
It’s obvious what they want: ADA and test results. So we need to withhold those two vital elements to show them we are in control of our children’s educational future. STAR testing is coming up in the next few weeks at Acton school—the perfect timing. We must unite as parents and keep our children out of school for that time period. That, and only that, will send our message loud and clear. In fact, by organizing educational activities and field trips during this time, we can enrich our children’s development rather than subjecting them to hours and hours of filling out little bubbles on test sheets. Testing benefits school officials, not kids!
We will not be bullied by LACOE into closing a school just because that is "standard procedure" in urban Los Angeles. This is our money and our school district for our children. Our rural community need not and will not operate like other big-city school districts. Why are we undercutting our children’s future? We need to say NO! They need to identify other alternatives. Our children are not going to pay for the mistakes and failures of our state government or school board.
It’s time to take action. Get on the phone, write press releases, and contact the various media outlets (print, TV, radio). Education is going down a very bad path in this state and it’s time to make a difference. Let’s be the first community California to stand united show other parents that they can demand changes too. If the MTA mechanics and grocery workers can strike, why can’t we? What a great life lesson for our children to learn and participate in first-hand. Let’s teach them we can save their schools—we have the power!
We must begin organizing our strike now. I’m ready to take a stand along with my four-year-old and my sign: 30 to 1 SUCKS! No CSR in Kindergarten!
Sincerely, Heather McLeod
Bond - Closure index
Acton Agua Dulce School District
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