Monthly Archives: June 2018

Is ALEC in Vermont?

Is ALEC in Vermont?

Could it happen here?

June 23, 2018

If you've never heard of ALEC, you'll certainly know it after watching the video below.

A few years ago (2012), legendary reporter, Bill Moyers produced an exposé on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and it's efforts to influence state politicians and craft laws in the US, one state legislature at a time.  

If you're wondering; could it happen here? in Vermont? The second segment (filmed 2015) in the video answers that question, very clearly.

By the way, there's a part on education issues midway through the video.

Barnard School Merger Info Meeting November 21, 2019

​Barnard Academy ​​Discusses Merger Before VOTE


Scroll Down to See Meeting Video

​​​​​​​Learn Before You Vote

​There will be an important vote in Barnard on Tuesday, December 10th. The ​question; Do Barnard voters want to voluntarily merge Barnard Academy (our elementary school) with schools from 6 other towns and have minority representation on a multi-town governing board of 18 members?

​Because of the great importance of the decision by Barnard voters, 2 of our local board members have held 3 informational meetings. The second meeting was filmed and is shown below. (The first meeting has an audio-only recording, here.)

​Also, there was a recent meeting showing the operation of the 18 member multi-town merged school board. You can see a video of that meeting, here.  

It's important that you fully understand the points presented by the board members AND also the questions and comments from the community members who attended. So, extra efforts have been taken so that you can watch the video in full OR click on the various topics that are listed below the video and jump directly to that topic.

Making tough decisions can be... well, tough. Judging from some comments at the informational meeting, ​that is certainly the case for some people. If you feel like I'm talking to you, then I've got something for you that might just help ​out. Here's a link to "A Short Guide to Tough Decisions". Try it out, it's been help​ful (it's at the bottom of this page).

Most importantly, be sure you understand what's going on and then go and vote on Tuesday, December 10th.

See the LIST of ​TOPICS below the video.
CLICK on a ​TOPIC and JUMP directly to that part of the video.
video
play-sharp-fill

    A Short Guide to Tough Decisions

    1. SIMPLIFY. Write down the most important issue on the "Pro" side and write the most important issue on the "Con" side. Never mind the other issues, just focus on the big ones on each side. Then ask yourself these 2 questions.
        (a) How much does the Pro side help me? A little or a lot?
        (b) How much does the Con side hurt me? A little or a lot?
        
    ​From here, it's easy to decide. If something helps you a little but hurts you a lot; most people would take the Con side. If the situation is reversed; help a lot - hurt a little then, take the Pro side.
        
    Next, continue to #2.

    2. BALANCE AN EGG. Yes, you can balance an egg on it's tip IF everything is perfect. But is this a perfect world? Whatever decision you came to in step 1, ask yourself; Does everything have to be perfect to get the result I decided on?

    So, if perfection is required to get the outcome you expect, maybe you'll want to reconsider step 1. Otherwise, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise (and a cracked egg on the floor).
        
    Next, continue to #3.

    3. WHY IS THIS A QUESTION? If you are the one asking the question, then you know why you're asking it. But if someone else is asking the question you'll be deciding on, then ask yourself these 2 questions.
        (a) Do they truly have my best interest in mind? Yes or No?
        (b) How do I really know that? Write down your answer.

    Next, continue to #4.    

    4. FUTURE REGRET. Regret is a tough thing to live with. This tip may help to keep away regret. Review your answers in steps 1 ,2, and 3. What decision are you leaning toward right now? Ask yourself these 3 questions.
        (a) If I'm honest with myself, am I happy with that decision?
                If No, then switch your decision.
        (b) If I explained the reasons for my decision to my best friend, would I feel comfortable doing that?
                If No, then switch your ​decision. 
        (c) If I explained the reasons for my decision to myself 1 year from now, would I feel comfortable doing that?
                If No, then definitely switch your ​decision.

    Governor to Dismantle Vermont Public Education – June 1, 2018

    ​COMMENTARY

    Governor's Plan Aims to Dismantle
    Public Education​ in Vermont

    Plan forces rural school districts to merge
    against the wishes of their electorate


    ​Plan does not provide evidence

    of fiscal or educational benefit

    Margaret Maclean - Vermonters for Schools & Communities

    ​​June 1, 2018

    The administration of Governor Scott released a plan today that disregards the wishes of the local electorate.  This action is an attempt to begin to dismantle public education in Vermont. The plan forces school districts to merge governance. It is not accompanied by evidence to show merger will save dollars, offer more opportunities for students or demonstrate increased efficiency.

    Following the passage of Act 46, local school boards in many communities studied the possibility of merging for over two years. They found that merging would destabilize the quality of education, disconnect families from their schools and schools from their communities and ultimately would not save money or increase opportunity.  School boards decided they could better meet the goals of the law via an alternative plan, an option under Act 46. Voters in these communities have rejected merger at the ballot box and/or approved the alternative plans developed by their elected school boards.

    “Merger does not make schools better or cheaper. It merely empowers bureaucracy — which is of course why it appeals to state government. It distances citizens’ voices from decision-making and magnifies the voice of outside interests, of politicians, managers, and lobbyists. It shifts priorities from teaching to accountancy. It narrows the scope for civic action and degrades our capacity to organize and govern ourselves. In sum, it works against both democracy and education.” Scott Thompson, U-32 board (Calais), member of the Washington Central SU merger study committee 2015-17

    By undermining the stability of these school districts and their ability to work collaboratively with their neighbors the Scott administration is laying the groundwork for dismantling public education in Vermont.  The unnecessary strife and turmoil caused by this action exposes forced merger as a charade.

    "This forced merger will make our current union smaller and less efficient by eliminating the town of Vernon from our Union, move resources from the highest poverty areas to the lowest, and improve nothing but the job conditions of the superintendent and business manager. That's why it was voted down in all the towns by a 2-1 margin. This is all politics not what is best for our children” David Schoales, Brattleboro School Board

    In our lifetime, we're going to see fifty percent of the world's species go extinct. Are we going to add 100% of Vermont’s community schools to that list? Steve Mason, Lowell School Board.

    The next step is for the State Board of Education to review each community’s plan at public meetings in July, August and September. The State Board will then vote to approve local plans or comply with the administrations plan and force the merger of these districts by November 2018.


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