CONCERNED PARENTS/CITIZENS TO SCHOOL BOARD:
by SCRGadmin on Jun.29, 2011, under IB, Our School System
To: M. McKenna, Editor, Stow Sentry
I attended the Stow-Munroe Falls School Board meeting on June 27, 2011. I asked questions about children attending Indian Trail School with the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Echo Hills School which will be starting the IB program this fall school term.
My main question concerned parentsd who did not wish their children to be involved with the IB program; could they transfer to other schools within the district. I also inquired as to the availablility of bussing for the transferred children. The Superintendent assured me that, yes, children could be transferred and they will be bussed.
What he failed to mention was that no parents were informed that the deadline to apply for a transfer was June 1, 2011. REALLY!!! How above-board is this on the part of the administration and School Board to infoorm the general public?
I implore those of you with children in elementary schools in Stow to do some research on the International Baccalaureate curriculuum. For more information go to www.truthaboutib.com.
Geraldine Bettio, Stow
To: Stow-Munroe Falls School Board
Everyone:
Yesterday eevening was my first BOE meeting-ever! I came to listen…and to learn. Our time together raised some more questions, but no answers. With all due respect, I am writing for a RESPONSE from one of You, please.
I am assuming that you are all genuine in your assertion of “transparency”, That said…Have you ,the Board, formally voted the IB Programme into effect at each proposed school? At what meeting/on what date or dates? Is this vote in your minutes? Have you formatted a course of action for implementation and perpetuation in accordance with the NEOLA articles you were governing under at the time? Where is that plan and when was it constructed and ratified? Can I obtain a copy of that plan
Do you assert that you have made your IB intentions public knowledge? If so, when, and in what forum? Is that announcement also in your minutes? Can you explain how operating this program at one or two elementary schools can be considered fair and equitable to the remaining seven in our district? What will you do if mandates to comply with IB place demands on the budget that you cannot afford for all schools?
I have expressed my concern regarding the philosophy espoused by IB. What proof can you provide that my concerns are ill-founded? Besides IBO.org! Have you seen data that academic test scores improve after IB—where can I view that? Who is the original pitch man/woman for IB in SMF? Did the BOE approach IB or vice versa? How long has this been in discussion? How many parent meetings have you held? Did you conduct a community survey? Do you have mayoral or city council support? How did you identify the need for new curriculum at Echo and Indian? Do you perceive this need elsewhere…and how will you address it without IB? Ethically, do you not feel a parent/community meeting is necessary BEFORE you run the Programme in August? Are you scheduling one?
Is the mission statement next year genuinely the “global” reference I have seen? If so, why are PARENTS no longer referenced in that purpose and view? Should Title 1 and ARRA money run short, how will the Programme be funded? What do you estimate overall cost to launch and run the IB in 2011-2012 at Indian Trail to be, including teacher training,application fees, textbooks….EVERYTHING/
I am seeing that the IB recommends teaching only a global view until age twelve. Only THEN, should national history be introduced. How will you resolve this dissonance with State mandates…without compromising either side?
I am learning much about International Baccalaureate. The more I ponder, the more questions arise. I guess, however, that such is the nature of IB. I have many more questiions, but the list is already very long. I suppose I should apologize. Yet, I genuinely wish for one of you to answer each,individual question posed. Please, do not take offense. As the leading representatives of the community, I am certain that you understand the need for clarification. If there is something you cannot answer, simply tell me why the answer eludes you and point me to whomever might assist.
I recognize that you are in the midst of negotiations; I wish you well. I also know, though, that my questions should be easy for you to answer. After all, you seem convinced in your cause and confident in your course. Please don’t fail me in responding in a timely fashion. Ignorance is really NOT bliss.
Thanks as ever. Tami Carlisle
9 Comments for this entry
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June 29th, 2011 on 6:40 pm
There are many thoughtful comments here about this International Baccalaureate (IB)that is being introduced into our local school system.
Although I don’t know as much about IB as I am going to, what I have read & hear of it, I do not approve.
And there’s another problem with IB, namely the deceitful way it is being introduced into our schools. It’s being done by stealth, and that’s always a bad sign.
To see where this can lead to, look at homosexuality. Yes, homosexuality.
It wasn’t all that long ago that homosexual behavior was considered beyond the pale, a crime against nature & God.
But now in our culture, homosexuality is being legitimized across the board so fast you can hardly believe your eyes. It is even intruding on the sacred bond of marriage. If twenty-five years ago someone told you that states like New York would start approving marriages between two men, you’d look at him as if he had two heads.
Now look at polling data over the time period. You’d see that the percent of people accepting the homosexual agenda has consistently trended upward over time.
How come? Relatively few people have changed their mind on homosexuality, so how did thousands of years of tradition get throwen out the window so quickly?
It wasn’t due to any scientific discovery, that’s for sure. Rather, the answer is the public schools. The education establishment decide on its own that homosexuality should be normalized irrespective of what parents or the community felt or what the traditional religions taught.
And the education establishment introduced their ‘new and approved way of thinking’ into the schools without fanfare but by stealth, with only the insiders knowing the brainwashing that was going on years-after-year.
This IB smells the same way. The progressive elite that run the education establishment feel that U.S. exceptionalism and nationalism is too much. Yes, they do.
It insults them that we fly America flags and sing “God Bless America.“ The elites want all this watered down with large doses of internationalism.
They figure the best way to do this is to first dumb down our kids as to the history of their own country and to deny or belittle America’s awesome accomplishments & contributions to the world. Then, the next step is to introduce multicultrualism and things like IB.
The Leftists know that the future is determined in the schools. That’s is why the commies and socialists always went after education & schools, and that’s why our liberal elites do so today.
The question really boils down to this. Who owns the schools and who gets to run them — the community or the elite through their lapdogs that currently sit on the boards of education?
If the schools aren’t straighten out now, in twenty years the National Anthem might be replaced in the schools by Kumbya or the International, and the flag flying over them will not be the American flag but the U.N.’s.
Am I exaggerating? I don’t know. Before you laugh, just think what you would have thought of the likelihood of homosexual marriage twenty-five years ago.
June 30th, 2011 on 6:10 pm
Solid concerns about IB…that the District seems not to have researched/realized…
1) Cost
2) Lack of student improvement with IB
3) Less flexible than AP
4) Lack of participation in IB classes
5) Lack of college credit for IB
July 1st, 2011 on 3:44 am
It appears our superintendent has used money meant for a one-time-only-use to fire up an expensive program. What will pay for it in the future? I have an idea: lets get rid of the superintendent and use his salary to pay for the program!
July 3rd, 2011 on 11:53 am
Did you realize that I cannot post to FB because someone called this spam or abusive?
I have complained and will let you know the outcome.
I was however, able to post it in the comments under my post… so the URL is still there just not with the logo.
Please keep up the fight. If IB were not a UN propaganda program for the world government they would not have to bring it in by stealth as they did in my town.
Please join USPEIN@yahoogroups.com for a nationwide community of parents, teachers, taxpayers fighting the institutional bias in our public schools including the IB program’s attempt to propagandize our children and use them for political mules.
July 6th, 2011 on 2:20 pm
http://stow.patch.com/articles/video-a-new-way-of-teaching-at-indian-trail-elementary#comments
Interesting comments on Stow Patch!
July 10th, 2011 on 10:06 pm
THE NATIONAL AMERICAN LEGION PASSED RESOLUTION 31
TO INFORM THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AN ATTACK ON OUR SCHOOLS EDUCATION PROGRAM CALLED INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE. ONE OF THE BIG SUPPORTERS
IS THE UNITED NATIONS. MANY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAD ADOPTED THE IB CURRICULUM HAVE SEEN EDUCATION TAXES SKYROCKET IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.THIS PROGRAM IS A GLOBALIST AGENDA. INFORMATION CAN BE AQUIRED BY GOING TO http://WWW.americanlegion.COM/internationalbaccalaureate OR ASK FOR A COPY AT: AMERICAN LEGION NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PO BOX 1055,INDIANA 46206
EDUCATION REPORTER IS A NEWS PAPER OF EDUCATION RIGHTS. THEY STATE THAT A UNESCO ( UNITED NATIONS) REPORT ENTITLED WORLD WIDE ACTION IN EDUCATION REFERS TO A “SEAMLESS” EDUCATION SYSTEM “AIMED AT TWO ESSENTIAL GOALS” 1.SOCIALIZATION 2.TRAINING FOR A GLOBAL WORKFORCE. A WASHINGTON TIMES EDITORAL STATED THAT THE FAIRFAX COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD NEVER DISCUSSED OR VOTED ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IB DURING ANY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THAT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,EVEN THOUGH IT IS A MONUMENTAL CHANGE IN THE CURRICULUM. TEACHERS ,PARENTS, AND STUDENTS HAD NO REAL VOICE IN THIS PROCESS. STOW MUNROE FALLS RESIDENTS WHO PAY THE WAGES OF THE STAFF HAD NO SAY IN THIS PROGRAM. AND YOU WANT A LEYY TO PASS THIS AUGUST?
July 11th, 2011 on 10:11 pm
Now Americans are learning exactly what Andy Jackson meant when he said in his Farewell Address on March 4, 1837:
“But you must remember, my fellow-citizens, that eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty, and that you must pay the price if you wish to secure the blessing. It behooves you, therefore, to be watchful in your States as well as in the Federal Government.”
To which, we can now add that we must watch our local school boards like hawks, too, because, believe me, their agenda is not our agenda.
Our agenda is honest and up front — educating the young. (Okay, and maybe letting the kiddies play some organized sports.)
Their agenda is brainwashing the young while providing lucrative jobs for all those in the education establishment.
July 13th, 2011 on 6:52 pm
It is my understanding that several people have contacted the BOE with copies to Dr. Jones requesting information and answers as they relate to IB. Have these individuals even received a response or are they just being ignored?
Why is our BOE spending approximately $2m for only 2 of our schools? Did the BOE even vote on how to divide and spend the ARRA monies? How was the remaining money spent? If I understand correctly, SMF received approx. $3.5m in stimulus funds and are now asking for an additional $6.5m. What is this money being used for? The teachers and administrative staff all agreed to pay freezes, right? So, $10m gets us IB and what exactly?
In this wonderful economy, we have all tightened our belts and are spending within our means, can our schools not do the same? If they actually did spend $2m on two schools so the kids can ask more questions and be more accepting of others, could we not have used this money in our school libraries, retaining teachers, keeping the pre-school program at Indian Trail, busing for the high school, all day kindergarten, music, art, etc., etc., etc..Could we not have benefitted ALL children within our district?
There are too many unanswered questions with regards to IB and our BOE. Why is our wonderful community not demanding the answers we all deserve?
July 19th, 2011 on 11:28 pm
I can find no record in school board minutes of a vote to adopt the IB program, likewise the $3.5M in ARRA funds. It appears that these expenditures have been left up to the whims of the superintendent.
With the levy looming in August, do we really want to trust him with $65M to play with? The school board has voted to place a 6.5 mill levy on the ballot for TEN YEARS! They have disregarded the facts that the district is operating on a significant surplus ($13M if we trust the current five-year forecast). The staff has settled their contracts forfeiting raises. Such a hefty levy appeal is not necessary and an undue burden on taxpayers.
It is critical that we show up in force at the polls on August 2. There is a reason you’re not hearing much from the schools about the levy – they have spent a lot of money to sneak this through in a special election. Another waste of money we simply cannot afford.