tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post6681216147828273150..comments2023-05-05T03:15:17.710-05:00Comments on D181 Parents for Accountability and Transparency: Call to Action -- D86 Community Members Concerned with Next Year's Science Curriculum Changes, the time to Speak Out is Now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961215159419443702.post-92220731674635063352020-02-18T21:28:15.573-06:002020-02-18T21:28:15.573-06:00Dear District Residents:
D181 and D86 are incredi...Dear District Residents:<br /><br />D181 and D86 are incredible school districts that provide life-changing opportunities for our students.<br /><br />I thought I had seen the ultimate display of idiocy in the self-inflicted disaster that was Dr. White’s D181 math curriculum. How could the D181 Board believe the claim that the administrators are experts and that if you teach students less math, they will magically know more math? Ooohhh, Aaahhh.<br /><br />Now a challenger to that ignominious throne has emerged: the new D86 science curriculum. Like the D181 math curriculum, this was approved with fantastical claims that the administrators are experts, and that if you teach students less science, they will somehow know more science. The administration promised to improve science AP scores by eliminating the top science track and making the remaining classes easier, and the BOE believed it. Superintendent Prentiss and BOE President Pollak have claimed in an email that “what truly disappoints us is the insinuation that we would suggest a change or make a decision that is not in the best interest of all District 86 students.” Why would anyone not believe that the best way to benefit all students is to eliminate the district’s top science track and dumb down the other science classes? Guess how many BOE members recognized this utter stupidity when it looked them in the face and said, “No?” None. How many even tried to ask intelligent questions? Only one. Why didn’t the BOE get it? Because the administration promised that they are experts who can both increase engagement in science and raise scores, with no risk. They can’t achieve this, and they know it, but they don’t care. It got them the chance to dumb down your kids and make you pay for the privilege. Just like they did in D181.<br /><br />If you have a student in D86 or own property in D86, the administration’s stupidity is going to cost you dearly. Like math in D181, this isn’t just about science. It’s fundamentally about the kind of school district residents want and expect. Currently, D86 supports a full range of students at a level that only New Trier and Stevenson can match. It is a destination district for education-focused families who are moving to the Chicago area because, from the lowliest student to the best, it is a priority to support all students fully. The administration wants to stop that practice. Many families who come here have students who dream of being a scientist, a doctor, or an astronaut. These families want the best possible preparation for their students, and they are willing to pay to get it. Families like that spend a lot of money on homes and pay taxes that provide the resources to maintain a top district and also bring serious students who can capture the benefits of a top district. That virtuous cycle is coming to an end now because families are not going to pay $1 million for a home in this district when they can buy a home in Huntley for $300,000 and get the same dumbed-down science education for their students.<br /><br />What can we do? Well, once again, the residents are the last line of defense. Residents have to spread the word, send letters to the BOE, attend Board meetings, and speak up. Tell the BOE that you will not tolerate dumbing down the current depth of education in English, math, and science in this district. Residents need to demand accountability and replace the Superintendent with someone who knows how to manage a top district. If the current BOE doesn’t want to do their job, they should resign now. Don’t drop this academic giant turd in the D86 punchbowl on their way out the door. Remind the BOE that D86 is a top district nationally that achieves extraordinary results, and residents expect that to continue.<br /><br />Now that everyone knows about the giant turd in the D86 punch bowl, the only question remaining is the same as it was in D181. Are busy residents willing to act now before the dishonest D86 administration forces our students to drink from that punch bowl, or do they need to see the damage first? <br /><br />It’s your school district. You decide.The Palantírnoreply@blogger.com