For several years, Flushing Community Schools has been exploring the possibility of introducing an open enrollment policy. As a taxpayer, parent and grandparent, I totally am opposed to any such notion. The district has sighted its need to bolster enrollment figures to offset dwindling funds due to the diminishing number of students.
The current enrollment policy reads: “Non-resident students who have been expelled at any time from any school district will not be considered for admission as tuition students. Non-residents who have been suspended at any time during the past two years may be refused admission as a tuition student.”
You only have to read the current guidelines to realize the only students Flushing would be gaining are those with severe problems Flint and other districts are willing to depart with. All this in search of the almighty dollar, the continuation of extremely high administrative salaries and the perks associated with them.
Is it really worth a few dollars – accepting problem students and all they embody into our district?
What would be so bad about reverting to a Class B school? Would our superintendent have to relinquish being the highest paid administrator in Genesee County? For more than 40 years, as a smaller Class A school, Flushing has struggled to be competitive in sports and other extracurricular activities. For example, 1967 was the last year we competed in basketball at the state level.
While 40 years ago, teachers were grossly underpaid. Now, they have the support of two of the strongest unions and lobbying organizations in the country – the NEA (National Education Association) and MEA (Michigan Education Association).
These organizations should be against a move which would jeopardize the quality of teaching a majority of these decent people provide.
In the last 20 years, Flushing Community Schools has gained much diversity. It is a delicate balancing act to keep harmony in the district without introducing a group of malcontents to upset the apple cart.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I'm for an open enrollment policy. Here's why. Open enrollment allows students of Flushing teachers who might live outside the district lines to attend school where their parents teach. It allows students of all ability levels and behavior levels an opportunity to attend a better school district than where they may be forced to live. Some parents may not be able to afford a house in Flushing, but can afford the pretty low tuition cost to send their kids here. There are lots of highly intelligent, good kids in surrounding districts who are getting a less than stellar education in their own district.
What DOES make me mad about Flushing Schools is their hiring policy for teachers and administrators. Most of their hiring is done outside the district lines, OR has (traditionally) been hiring teachers from one particular religion. Very slanted!
Caron Mosey, Ed.S.
I am afraid I'm going to have with Caron, here! I am sure the Michigan schools are better than the schools here, but let's say you just happen to be a parent who loves the neighborhood they live in. However, the middle and/or high school is not very good. Now, all parents want the best for their children, but can't for to send Johny to a private or Christian school. Well, the second nearest school to you just happens to be one of the Flushing schools and it meets your son's needs. As a parent it is a no-brainer you would fight tooth-and-nail to get your child in that school, even though you are out of zone. I was in that exact situation. The school I was zoned to go to was Chattanooga in the city of Chattanooga, which was a school with a lot of discipline and very few of the students that graduated from that school went to college. However, the second nearest high school to me was Red Bank High School, which was a Hamilton County School. I ended up going out of zone to Red Bank where I was able to take honors classes and when I graduated I finished in the top 10 percent of my class out of 333.
Now, let me say something else. If the student does need special attention due to a specific learning disability maybe the parents may also feel their child may learn better in a school where they can get more individualized. Yes, the student does have responsibilities, but so do the parents, teachers, and the school system. I was the only totally blind student in my high school and I was treated the same as well as had the opportunities everyone else. Sometimes they might have to modify the assignment slightly, but the student should at least be given a chance. I would be more than happy to answer any questions about how I was able to adapt in a high school and college environment.
I agree with a policy allowing students who are not disciplinary problems to enroll in another system for a fee covering the marginal cost above the amount the state reimburses per student. The district should not become a dumping ground for other districts problems, whether from Flint or Grand Blanc (affluence doesn't prevent problem students). The outside enrollment needs to be capped at a level the facility and faculty can support.
When Craig and I were at Flushing, the high school was growing in enrollment, and the facility was challenged to meet the academic needs of the community. Open enrollment didn't make sense - nor does it make sense where I live (Friendswood, TX) today for the same reason.
It sounds as if the district currently has a Class A sized facility with all of the associated fixed costs and is looking at a Class B enrollment in the near future. Economically and socially it would make sense to allow students living outside the district to enroll at Flushing.
I spent my school years prior to sophomore year in a smaller rural district (Class B my freshman year due to a merger and Class C before that). I've had pretty broad experience with school size and capacities. I currently live in a district with similar demographics to Flushing and similar in size to Flushing (Friendswood is equivalent to a medium Michigan Class A school). Both my sons spent all 13 years in the Friendswood district. Class B is marginal in terms of critical mass in size to offer a broad quality academic program. In that sense, shrinking the enrollment in Flushing could be limiting academically. On the other hand, if you have crowding and a school population of upwards of 800 in a graduating class as many of Friendswood's neighbors have, kids get lost in the shuffle and have limited opportunity to participate in extracurriculars from fine arts to athletics.
I will say, the district should not be in the business of recruiting and "cherry picking" athletes or top academic students or offering "scholarships" to attract this type of student. That would be a clear disservice to the Flushing and surrounding communities.
BTW - Friendswood has a policy of allowing children of faculty members to attend Friendswood Schools even if they live outside the district. I think it's a good policy. Most districts around here cooperate in providing an alternative environment for students with disciplinary problems.
Hal Smith
Post a Comment