Truth Behind School Boards

By Judith Pettijohn McConnell

A slightly satirical, significantly serious and informative reveal of what school boards do - and don't. An inside viewpoint from an experienced board member whose concern was academic education. Not so much.

• Language: English
• Publisher: GRAVI PRESS
• Release date: Nov 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781733879149

Judith Pettijohn McConnell

Award winning writer and editor. Northwestern Graduate. Principal - Writing Coach Associates. Former: PTA president, school board member, Chicago Historical Society interpreter (docent), PR Chair - Independent Writers of Chicago. Mother of two and grandmother of three.

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Copyright © 2021 by Judith Pettijohn McConnell—All Rights Reserved

Published by GRAVI PRESS, Los Angeles No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording of any information storage system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations within a review.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-7338791-3-2

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7338791-9-4

EBook, EPUB ISBN: 978-1-7338791-4-9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021912966

Cover and Layout Design: Jaad Book Design

POLO 48000 PolySci—Intergovernmental Organizations

EDU 034030 EDU / Educational Policy & Reform / Federal Legislation

BIO 026000 Biography & Autobiograpy / Personal Memoirs

Printed and Published in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

From the Author

Who, What, When, Where, and Why

School Boards are Taxing Authorities

Introduction H’mmm

My Luck Maybe it Is

School Board Decorum

Money Equals Education How Precisely?

Homework?

Clearly . . .

Considering Cursive

Contentious Board Meeting

Contentious Board Meeting—Part Two Your Agenda Is Not My Agenda

Public School Uniforms—Pros & Cons

Capturing Kids Hearts

Why Don’t You Believe Me?

Why Don’t You Believe Me? Part Two

Simple Questions. Wrong Answers.

Driver’s Education Should be Part of Education

Everyone Has a Personality

Everyone Has a Personality—Part Two

Back to Excessive Pension Spiking?

Lunch, anyone?

Leadership

Teachers’ Unions

Teachers’ Unions—Part Two

Distributed From District Administration

Distributed from District Administration—Part Two

Federal Department of Education

Are Board Members Friends of Parents?

Common Core and More

Teaching Time Off

United States Parents Involved in Education

Mandated Mental Health Education?

When Did Holidays Become an Academic Subject?

Principles, or Lack Thereof, of Principals

Laboratories of Innovation

Pronouncing Student Names Correctly

ACT vs. SAT

Roles & Responsibilities of School Boards

The Great School Legend

The Great School Legend—Part Two

The Great School Legend—Part Three

Should You Run for School Board?

Lost—Local Control of Education

Good News, News & Not News

Bullying

Union Money and More

Remember Civics?

Simply Senseless

What Might We Learn Looking Back?

Learning Too Early

Electronics Aren’t the Answer

Less is More—It’s True

Wondering Re Teacher Raises?

Comparing Reading Lists

Comparing Reading Lists—Part Two

Comparing Reading Lists—Part Three

Comparing Reading Lists—Part Four

Toss the Plan . . .

Now is the Time . . .

Social Promotion

About Advanced Placement Courses

Research vs. Rant

Meanings Matter

Time to Review

School Choice

Graduation—Yours

Parent Resources

Also by Judith Pettijohn McConnell

Neither Rhyme Nor Reason Exactly

For Calum Jeffrey, Jackie Jack and ElleBella—Two Ways.

From the Author

Albeit about academics this is not an academic book. It is more about experience, research, revealing how school boards actually work, and thinking through how they should.

Often explain that I learn more during my four years serving as a school board member than I do during four years as a student earning a political science degree at Northwestern. So, here is the Truth Behind School Boards.

As education is the basis for everything, every way we live, its importance is paramount. For so long a time we rely upon and trust schools but not so much any longer. School boards are being considered with concern. Sadly, yet gratefully.

Currently it is clear there seems to be very nearly a war between districts, boards, and parents. I don’t claim to be prescient for I could not possibly predict how far and wrong all re education will become; read Teacher’s Unions.

As I encourage all along, please stand up for our children. They do not belong to schools, and certainly not to the government. All that is occurring is beyond worrisome—it’s dangerous. Fight for our children; protect them in every way you can.

This may well be our ‘hill to die on.’

Who, What, When, Where, and Why

Who? That would be me; What? School board; When ? 2011 Where? Chicago suburb; and Why?

Many reasons for many members—some parents want to be more involved in the education of their children; others are displeased with changing district boundaries or such and want to have a say in future decisions; some with not much else to do find being a school board member validates them and others recognize the opportunity for publicity for their insurance or real estate businesses; frequently members utilize the position as a springboard to further political office.

Photo by Marie Gregorio-Oviedo

Here’s my Why: After retiring I move from the city to this charming suburb looking forward to reading, a lot; and writing, maybe a book at least; enjoying lunch sometimes with friends and best of all having fun with my three grandchildren who live fairly nearby. Okay, it’s not ALWAYS fun, but pretty much. At the time they are five, six and seven.

Somehow, I involve myself with the community, make new friends, attend various meetings and get-togethers to try in my way to ‘make a difference.’ Which I do. We all do.

This day is Thanksgiving: We, the children, their other grandparents, my daughter, son in law and I sit around the strikingly set dining room table to celebrate this uniquely American holiday. Following an appropriate toast, and helping the children fill their plates my daughter, Miss Perky, suggests that we go around the table to tell three things for which we are thankful.

The oldest, seated next to me does not skip a beat announcing, The earth, the air and the water.

WHAT? I don’t ask aloud. What? I hear the middle one, Everything. And, the granddaughter, My mother. Perfect. I’m not listening, but these seem more logical. Or, time off school, or turkey and mashed potatoes might be. The earth, the air, and the water at seven. WHAT is he learning at school?

Albeit not seriously, I have been considering running in the forthcoming election for school board. He pushes me over the edge.

School Boards are Taxing Authorities

The filing deadline is days away. I download and print forms, gather petition signatures; head to the County Clerk’s office, once I find it, then take my official paperwork to the district administration office once I find it, both during a serious snowstorm—really, a blizzard arriving 15 minutes before five. You should’ve seen my hair.

Not ever having attended a school board meeting I am now a candidate. Will I win a seat? Evidently so since there are three openings and three candidates, including me. Now what?

I will learn, that’s what. Because that’s what I want to do. Why is a seven year old thankful for the earth, the air and the water without even thinking for a second about it. This is what I learn—environmentalism is taught in every class—not just science which would make sense (if both sides of the issue are taught). No, students from first grade on study the environment and global warming during reading, writing, math, social studies, science—perfect, oh, and art.

Music? Not sure or if so, how, but thinking it through realize that all that should be taught across the curriculum cannot be if time is spent otherwise. So many wonder why our education system is failing our children and us—I don’t.

Board members take an oath to ensure the education of district students and represent the interest of the district property taxpayers. I also learn that the Board mostly considers—or not —spending money as if there were a spigot of it and there is because school boards are taxing authorities.

Intrigue, kind of.

Introduction H’mmm

We are invited, he and I—he being the other newbie elected to the Board, the third has been on the Board for eons—to an ‘Introduction Meeting.’ The two of us sit at a short table, with long tables from it at which are seated the Superintendent and all of the Assistant Superintendents. They ask us questions, e.g., he is an environmental architect and he and his wife, have a baby; I have three grandchildren in another nearby district and a son who teaches school in another state. My purpose for wanting to serve, I say, is concern that our children be provided with basic academic education and hope to help ensure this.

Because a vote at our forthcoming first meeting on new math books (more than a million dollars) is listed on the Agenda I ask the Assistant Superintendent of Learning & Teaching for a copy of the book. Okay, I flunk algebra three times in high school but still I want a copy to take to a math teacher I trust to determine whether it is appropriate and so, worth voting for. The reply is they haven’t a copy available. Oh, no, wait a minute. You have only one copy of a book you’ve at the ready an order for enough of them to cost more than a million dollars? Well, she hesitates.

The Superintendent tells her to make sure I receive a copy. Thank you very much. Within a day or two I go to the office of Learning & Teaching and chat a bit with the Assistant Superintendent of L&T who is resigning soon to move to her Michigan lake house from where, I later understand, she can work in that state to earn yet another pension. I wonder aloud whether the Board ‘rubber stamps’ administration wishes. Oh, my no.

Getting the approval re the math book I determine to vote yes. As for ‘Oh, my no,’ I soon learn, in fact, the answer is ‘Oh my yes,’ not every time but most times.

My Luck Maybe it Is

My first Board meeting. Members are seated at a U shaped desk facing rows of seats for attendees, of whom there are generally few. The Superintendent and his Secretary who is also Board Secretary sit here, too.

Date and starting time of meeting, the Pledge led by the Board President, and citizen’s comments precede the Superintendent’s Report and agenda items for discussion and subsequent voting, or not. Meetings are audio taped and put onto the