| Tracy Parents against MTYRE and YRE |
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| Don't buy the District line - IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL |
| Dear Parents, One of the major problems with school districts implementing YRE is that it is implemented without a strong support from the parents. The school district says it is overcrowded, it needs to put a school on YRE, it can't afford to build yet. The school board is sold on it. Board members say they have done there own research on it - meaning they reviewed the district's recommendation, they visited sites on YRE with staff and spoke to people who knew they would be visiting. I do not call this independent research, their own research. Of course they expect that the recommendations of staff are in the best interests of the students and parents. They expect they are getting the whole picture. The district delays building a school. Then they again request another school and another school be placed on YRE. The board goes along again and again. The board does not insist on the whole picture, they don't even realize they are being used by agency advocacy. Do they care? Some do, some don't. Though if you asked them they would say,'I care, you as a parent care about your little world, your child, his schooling. I, the board member, care about all the children'. This has been said to those who oppose YRE. What makes a board member think they care more than a parent or citizen. What makes a board member think only board members are capable of truly caring about all the students. I have to say those of us who are against YRE are working to change the tide before all of our elementary schools are on YRE, because we care about all the students also. Our district is not overcrowded by state standards, nor the district standards. Our district has 5 schools and another, shortly, on YRE. I believe the district's strategy is to get all the elementary schools on Multi-Track schedules and then try to get the middle and high schools on Multi-Track Schedules or Single Track Schedules. Though there is no factual evidence that these alternative schedules are a factor in improving academic achievement, for the dream of one, or a few, our school board is going to sacrifice our children with yet another fad. It wouldn't be so objectionable if it were voluntary. Our school board has not even had the insight to insist a policy of when and how those schools converted to Multi-Track Schedules should and could be returned to the traditional schedule. For instance they could have required schools with alternative schedules be returned to traditional schedules if that is the desire of the majority of the parents at the school. Nothing, nada! For the most part our board members are nice people who care and are concerned. But I do not believe our school board is acting in the best interests of our students, parents or their constituents when they vote for Multi-Track Schedules. I believe their approval of Multi-Track Schedules, knowingly or unknowingly is to give the administration a way to achieve their desired end goal. First a few elementary schools on Multi-Track Schedules, then all the elementary schools on Multi-Track Schedules, then try to get the Middle Schools and High Schools to go on Multi-Track Schedules. If they aren't willing sell them Single Track. If the parents at elementary schools get sick of Multi-Track, we'll sell them Single Track to appease those ill-informed parents. They just don't know how wonderful Year Round Schedules. Those poor deprived people, they still haven't learned that we know what's best for their children, they don't. Our superintendent has said he is not an advocate of Multi-Track YRE, nor is the school board, though he is an advocate of Single Track YRE and surely he is working to get all of our schools on YRE schedules. I said to him if you are not an advocate of Multi-Track YRE you should not be recommending or supporting it, you should advocate what you support single track. I told him if the board is not an advocate of Multi-Track Schedules why do they keep voting for it? You see it is just a game, actions speak louder than words, and our superintendent and school board have been advocating Multi-Track Schedules for some time now. I am sure the superintendent knows what the meaning of advocate is. We need a school board that is willing to take a stand for the students and parents. A school board that does their own independent research before making decisions. We need a school board that earns the trust of the citizens, because they are responsible to the citizens by making all their decisions based on reviewing staff documentation and recommendations, and also doing their own independent research to ensure that they have considered the whole picture before voting on any issue. They were not elected to represent the hired help. I believe our school board is making a big mistake in supporting Multi-Track Schedules. Those recommending Multi-Track have no children in the district. Almost all of our board members have no children attending school in the district. One board member that does have a child in the district and attending a Multi-Track school has basically said my child attends a multi-track school and I don't have any problem with it. He needs to justify his support of Multi-Track Schedules as to the proven academic benefits, as do all the board members. Not just flip the parents off with a subjective and shallow statement supporting Multi-Track Schedules. Besides his statement, not one board member has, on the record, stated their reasons for supporting Multi-Track Schedules. Not One. Of course I would like to give a little deference to our two new board members, who I believe and hope will represent the students, parents and constituents, first and foremost. Only time will tell. Sincerely, Charlene Astorga Tracy, CA 95376 |
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