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Holding our Children Hostage; the Ignorance of School Boards
Tonight, the Imperial School Board of Imperial, California voted 3 - 2 in favor of closing Westside Elementary School, the number one school in the District; one of the best schools in the state of California.
Every year for the past 5 years the Superintendent has brought before the School Board, the proposal to close Westside School. Every year, the Superintendent insults the parents of this California Distinguised School by telling us the school is losing money. It's low attendance level being what they base this on. Every year it is proven that Westside Elementary School not only supports itself by way of fund raisers and generous contributions, but with the support of the parents and the community as well.
In 2012, Westside celebrates its 100th year serving the children of Ocotillo and a few surrounding communities. Ocotillo, it should be noted, is a low-income community. The 32 student, country-school has been a God-send to these children. Westside School students are among the highest scoring students on the California Standardized tests. They excel!
The reason for the closure? Jealousy. Teachers from other schools have demanded each year that Westside be closed. Why? Their logic is idiotic. Closing Westside does not save the District any money. As of tonight, the school is $40,000 in the black. A kind benefactor has seen to it that the funds are there so nothing is taken from the District. Even Frank, the supervisor of the buses has stated that it doesn't cost anything to send the bus out to Ocotillo and it is cheaper to pick the children up there and make the 20 mile drive to the school versus the 40+ mile, one way, trip they will have to make by going to the schools in Imperial.
The Superintendent wants the school closed. One board member applied for a job at Westside a few years ago. He was not hired and immediately went on a rampage to close the school. He is a former Westside student. Very sad.
We have been told, if we can come up with $100,000 for the other schools in the district to be able to continue their sports programs, Westside will not be closed. What the **** is this about? The Superintendent wants to be paid off.
The original deed documents have conveniently disappeared. The documents state the land and building was to be donated to the county to use as a school for the children of Ocotillo and if at any time the school is closed and not used for this purpose, the property would revert to the beneficiaries as designated in the Weaver's will. His children would get the school. I know the papers exist. I saw them in 1995.
Something has be be done to save this school. The Superintendent is so biased. Reverse discrimination is horrible within the district. The children from Ocotillo are not treated fairly at any of the other schools and the teachers have stated with malice in their voices, that the parents of Ocotillo children want more for their kids than other kids in the District. Holy Cow! We care for our children. We sure don't want the teachers that have stood up calling the parents of Westside students names and making threats about how they will not do this or that unless Westside is closed, teaching our kids.
What a joke. Now the students making such high grades and test scores are going to be bused to the lowest scoring, over-crowded schools in the District because of the petty jealousies of the other teachers and their mixed up priorities. Sports over education???? Really?
If Westside were the cause of the Superintendent being so far out of budget, everyone would support the closing. Fact is, the Superintendent has no clue what she is doing and the board members who voted to close Westside admitted they want money for athletics. These people don't belong in education. They belong behind bars. How dare they hold our children hostage.
Please.....help us to draw attention to this horrible atrocity. Americans need to know this is going on. http://westside.imperial.k12.ca.us/
Every year for the past 5 years the Superintendent has brought before the School Board, the proposal to close Westside School. Every year, the Superintendent insults the parents of this California Distinguised School by telling us the school is losing money. It's low attendance level being what they base this on. Every year it is proven that Westside Elementary School not only supports itself by way of fund raisers and generous contributions, but with the support of the parents and the community as well.
In 2012, Westside celebrates its 100th year serving the children of Ocotillo and a few surrounding communities. Ocotillo, it should be noted, is a low-income community. The 32 student, country-school has been a God-send to these children. Westside School students are among the highest scoring students on the California Standardized tests. They excel!
The reason for the closure? Jealousy. Teachers from other schools have demanded each year that Westside be closed. Why? Their logic is idiotic. Closing Westside does not save the District any money. As of tonight, the school is $40,000 in the black. A kind benefactor has seen to it that the funds are there so nothing is taken from the District. Even Frank, the supervisor of the buses has stated that it doesn't cost anything to send the bus out to Ocotillo and it is cheaper to pick the children up there and make the 20 mile drive to the school versus the 40+ mile, one way, trip they will have to make by going to the schools in Imperial.
The Superintendent wants the school closed. One board member applied for a job at Westside a few years ago. He was not hired and immediately went on a rampage to close the school. He is a former Westside student. Very sad.
We have been told, if we can come up with $100,000 for the other schools in the district to be able to continue their sports programs, Westside will not be closed. What the **** is this about? The Superintendent wants to be paid off.
The original deed documents have conveniently disappeared. The documents state the land and building was to be donated to the county to use as a school for the children of Ocotillo and if at any time the school is closed and not used for this purpose, the property would revert to the beneficiaries as designated in the Weaver's will. His children would get the school. I know the papers exist. I saw them in 1995.
Something has be be done to save this school. The Superintendent is so biased. Reverse discrimination is horrible within the district. The children from Ocotillo are not treated fairly at any of the other schools and the teachers have stated with malice in their voices, that the parents of Ocotillo children want more for their kids than other kids in the District. Holy Cow! We care for our children. We sure don't want the teachers that have stood up calling the parents of Westside students names and making threats about how they will not do this or that unless Westside is closed, teaching our kids.
What a joke. Now the students making such high grades and test scores are going to be bused to the lowest scoring, over-crowded schools in the District because of the petty jealousies of the other teachers and their mixed up priorities. Sports over education???? Really?
If Westside were the cause of the Superintendent being so far out of budget, everyone would support the closing. Fact is, the Superintendent has no clue what she is doing and the board members who voted to close Westside admitted they want money for athletics. These people don't belong in education. They belong behind bars. How dare they hold our children hostage.
Please.....help us to draw attention to this horrible atrocity. Americans need to know this is going on. http://westside.imperial.k12.ca.us/
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