Dear Editor,
I would like to thank Tom Mulhern for bringing attention to an
important subject.
In his recent column (Aug. 28,
”
I Wonder If Everyone Has Gone Numb From The Neck Up
”
) he wonders why there has been no public outcry over recent
test scores
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank Tom Mulhern for bringing attention to an important subject.
In his recent column (Aug. 28, “I Wonder If Everyone Has Gone Numb From The Neck Up”) he wonders why there has been no public outcry over recent test scores. Though it’s true we haven’t seen “agitated parents gathering in the streets with pitchforks and torches,” I can assure Mr. Mulhern that Gilroy parents feel not only angry but also betrayed. They had been told by those in the know that GUSD was heading in the right direction and assumed that that direction was up, not sideways or down.
Many parents have expressed their anger by simply getting up and leaving the room. They are sending their children to private schools and neighboring public schools or home schooling. Over the years I have heard the opinion expressed by many district leaders that only well-to-do parents of high-achieving students are choosing this option. I have since found out that this is a myth. I am hearing from many parents of children with a wide range of abilities; they are holding down multiple jobs and taking out mortgages on their homes in order to avoid the public school experience.
Public school education is one of the few businesses that receives payment, in the form of tax dollars, but then doesn’t deliver the product the customer ordered. When customers, the parents, report that the product is broken, they are often told that the problem is not with the product but with them. Mr. Mulhern wonders why those customers don’t speak up, but the sad truth is that they are frustrated and fearful of repercussions, especially given the experiences of other outspoken parents and teachers.
The parent response, therefore, was not surprising to me. What did disappoint me was the lack of response from the district during the last school board meeting, which took place a day after the scores were released. By law, agenda items need to be set ahead of time, but there is ample opportunity for board members and the superintendent to comment during the course of the evening. I waited in the audience for some kind of acknowledgement, but it was business as usual.
Mr. Mulhern indirectly refers parents to those who should be held responsible, namely school board members, administrators, and teachers. I agree that the first two belong on the list. School board members especially are ultimately responsible for the quality of education our district delivers. Not only do I not place blame on our teachers, but I think there is a possibility that we could find some meaningful solutions if we engaged and empowered them more.
I have put three children through this district and currently have one enrolled in the high school. Like any profession, whether it is truck drivers, doctors, or manicurists, there are always a few who do not meet expected standards. In my experience, there is no more dedicated and hard-working group of people than teachers, who strive everyday to educate our children. They are the heart and soul of our school system and all school systems.
Why are we not asking those directly involved in the classroom experience, namely teachers, students and parents, what barriers are standing in the way of achieving academic excellence? Is it the leadership’s lack of emphasis on the classroom experience? Is it the curriculum? Is it students not doing their homework? Is it student behavior? Is it low morale? Is it activities that distract teachers from their subject matter? Is it the district’s allocation of resources?
I am looking for some answers. If anyone has any, please email me at [email protected].
Rhoda Bress, Gilroy School Board Candidate
