Wednesday, January 30, 2002
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Wednesday, January 30, 2002 |
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Is BOE trying to sneak in year-round school? Re Proposed "Year-Round School" or "Balanced Calendar": Dear School Board members: The week prior to the MLK holiday, several teachers in the Hood Avenue and Fayetteville Elementary schools sent home two proposed calendars for parents' perusal in our children's take-home folders. One calendar appears to be the current norm; the other appears to be a calendar similar to the one adopted by Henry County for implementation this school year (2002-2003), designated by Henry County as "Balanced Calendar." Accompanying these calendars was a brief cover note asking that parents provide input on the two calendars. From what I recall of the highly dubious railroading tactics used by Henry County to initiate their calendar change, Fayette County School Board appears to be following the trodden path duplicitous, underhanded, sneaky, and insulting to parents' intelligence. Apparently hoping that most parents would toss what looked like just another piece of scurrilous paperwork into the trash, the Fayette County School Board attempted to sneak this proposed drastic change by us parents with little fanfare. With your kind permission, I would like to offer my comments on the proposed "Balanced Calendar" or "Year-Round School" in this public forum. As an educator myself (working on my Master's in Teaching at Agnes Scott College), I have several objections to such a radical change in the educational routine which has served families well for decades in the United States. First, the new proposed calendar begins school on Aug. 4, 2004. The children will begin the school year in the "Dog Days" of scorching, breathless Georgia heat, prohibited by smog alerts, skyrocketing heat indexes and fear of lawsuits from being allowed to run around outside during recess. For nearly two months of their initiation to the school year, restless youngsters will have no outlet for their energies. With Georgia being at the top of the list for Ritalin use to control rowdy children (chiefly boys), I fear the drug and its ilk will be inflicted upon more reluctant parents whose children are simply "being children," but, due to the artificial forcing-house of "Year-Round School," will not be allowed those precious minutes of screaming, shouting, abandoned running around in free-play which is so desperately needed by the generation of video-addicted children. Secondly, as a single mother, I have financial objections to the weeks chosen for the breaks. The breaks appear to be arbitrarily scheduled every five weeks or so, with no official holiday associated with them. Many single parents and families who do not have the luxury of nearby relatives to care for their children during these September and February breaks will have to find some means of childcare while they work. Many families, during the month of February, are trying to recover from Christmas spending, or saving up for the April 15 tax deadlines. The $750 daycare fee for three children will be hard to come by during that break. The September break, associated with no recognizable holiday, may be welcomed by teachers, but will provide yet another week of hardship for parents who have no vacation time to draw upon for childcare needs. After Sept. 11, southside families associated with Hartsfield Airport have suffered numerous job losses. This may not be a logical time to burden such families with heavier childcare expenses. I have heard "Extended Care Intersession" bandied about by some parents I've approached with my [concerns]. In my opinion, the extended care option that may be provided by the schools during these off-weeks of vacation will provide yet another door for the public school system to take over the raising of children, a task which is rightly the parents', not the government's. By forcing the parent into a corner in designating such arbitrary dates for breaks, the public school system may "kill the goose that laid the golden egg," causing a further mass exodus into the private and homeschool ranks. Many of us parents are disturbed by the government's intrusion into our parenting role; the "Balanced Calendar" causes even more disquiet. Third, as an educator, I am curious as to how the School Board will reconcile their demand that educators in Fayette County remain the most highly qualified teachers in the Atlanta area, with the reduction in time provided during the summer for necessary updating of teaching credentials. Many teachers use the three summer months to take classes which keep their teaching credentials current and improve teaching methods, or lead to specialization in highly critical areas, such as Special Education. With the drastic reduction of the "Summer Vacation" to five weeks at best for educators, when will the "cream of the crop" (the wonderful Fayette County teachers we are blessed with) find time to further their own educational goals? Fourth, I doubt the prudence of beginning an experiment which has been tried previously in one southside county (Coweta) with disastrous results, and which was not henceforth repeated due to the violence of parental reaction, without giving time for Henry County to try out the new "Balanced Calendar" in 2002-2003, then make some observations and conclusions from their attempt. Why should my children be chosen as the guinea pigs without waiting for the scientific results to be in on the previous experiment? I have heard through the grapevine that Henry County will receive a large sum of federal funding for their willingness to be the "test case" for the Atlanta area this year. Is the Fayette County School Board in cahoots with the federal government to pocket a big chunk of federal change to experiment on our children? Lastly, my gorge rises when I consider this "Balanced Calendar" as one more attempt to despoil the innocence of childhood. So few years to play, to dream, to have fun, to lie around looking up at the clouds and climbing trees and the Fayette County School Board wants to decrease these idyllic days of summer, foreshortening the already precious few moments children have to "just be kids." When will they go to camp and take a nature hike? When will they spend the afternoon playing mermaids and "Marco Polo" at the swimming pool? When will children get to read a book just because they want to read a book? Please, please give our children some time to enjoy the unpressured freedom of childhood. Don't try to turn them into little adults, stealing their lighthearted play into the drudgery of work before its allotted time. I have requested Cal Beverly of the Fayette Citizen to print this letter, along with the proposed calendars, in hopes more parents will respond to your proposals. Jean M. Zhuño Fayetteville [Editor's note: Proposed calendar number one starts school Aug. 4, 2003 and ends May 28, the Friday before Memorial Day, 2004. Breaks are Sept. 2228, Nov. 2428, Dec. 22Jan. 6, Feb. 1620 and April 59 (spring break). Proposed calendar number two starts school Aug. 11, 2003, and ends May 28, 2004. Breaks are three days for Thanksgiving, Nov. 2628; Dec. 22Jan. 6 (winter break); Feb. 1620, also called winter break; and spring break, April 29.]
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