The Rutland School Board held a special meeting last night. The board discussed the state Department of Education's order that it pick up open-enrolling students at only one site in Madison city limits. The board then said "Nuts to that!" (I'm paraphrasing) and voted to pick up Madison's open-enrollers at three sites: the Wesleyan church (west part of town), the community center (on the north edge of town), and Flynn Field (south side).
It appears that the Rutland board is following the logic Superintendent Carl Fahrenwald laid out in his letter to Education Secretary Melody Schopp and putting safety ahead of the petty political arguments enshrined into law by the really bad Senate Bill 77 during this year's Legislative session.
It also appears we will get to test the enforceability of this odd little law. Big districts like Madison Central wanted this law so they could meddle in the transportation decisions of smaller schools who recruit students to open enroll. How now will the big districts enforce this law? Will Madison Superintendent Vince Schaefer be standing in front of the community center to block the Rutland bus? Will Madison call the police? Will the state nick Rutland's funds for failing to comply with an order of the Secretary?
Rather than some spectacular showdown on the streets or in the courts, I suspect the schools will re-read this bill, realize the law includes no enforcement provision, see they are losing the PR battle, and let this bad law fizzle.
Update 14:17 CDT: Superintendent Fahrenwald answers a few questions from me. He says he doesn't anticipate much response from the competing entities because, as he says, everyone recognizes that the bus issue boils down to safety and that trying to criminalize picking students up on the bus would be a no-win situation for an entity that tried to push the issue. Dr. Fahrenwald also says Rutland parents are pretty strongly in favor of the board's bus action.
Also hot off the press: the following letter to Madison parents of Rutland open enrollers. As he explains the school district's rationale, Dr. Fahrenwald shows himself the happy warrior in his community's fight to keep its school alive.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Greetings Madison bus route families:
Good News! Our school board made a decision last night to start the school year using the 3 bus stops in Madison that they had previously approved. There was never any question on this end that our position in this controversy was a reasonable, well-intentioned compromise with student safety in mind. We just needed time to think through all of our options and explore the potential outcomes for the district.
We continue to believe that our unique K-12 family atmosphere, small class sizes, and caring, competent staff members will attract (and keep) open enrolled students/families at our school. We do not feel that a busing service (or lack of one) should be a major factor in families making a decision about whether or not to open enroll.
The DOE decision in support of a single bus stop was clearly political having little or no consideration for the student safety issues that we brought forth. Rutland and other small schools have been targeted in other ways as well, through legislative proposals to eliminate all or part of the state aid funding we receive from the "small school factor" in the state aid formula.
With support from local Rutland School patrons (property tax payers) though, and an increasing number of families from outside the district choosing to become part of our intentional school community through open enrollment we can overcome most anything.
We will continue to build a future for our district based on a growing (or at least stable) student enrollment. Your decision to enroll has been an important part of our history to date, but we need to keep building our student population to offset the possible loss of state financial support and/or the other schemes planned by those plotting against us.
This is fun, but we are very serious about children and education. You are too or you wouldn't be here. Please consider referring others to our school who may also benefit from our programs, and thank you for your patience through this whole mess of planning our Madison bus route.
ABC'n ya soon (next Tuesday eve at the open house!)
Carl Fahrenwald, Ed.D.
Rutland Superintendent
An eager reader does point out that Senate Bill 77 represents a compromise that small schools found palatable last winter. I would hypothesize that some small schools may have expected a little more fair play and safety consciousness from their big-school neighbors in negotiations for bus stops.
Safety of ALL students needs to be the priority. This decision is a good one.
The scary part of some of the posts in the previous posting on this issue, were the comments that indicated an entitlement to these students because of their geographic locations, and the near contemptious citing of open enrollment as a privilege.
Are our schools there for the best interest of the children, or are the children there for the best interests of the school?
The best interests of the students are to allow home pickup, and for schools to compete for students by catering to the tax payers who pay for these public services, the way it was before SB77...
I am indeed the "happy warrior" that Cory refers to me as. We have a noble cause and thus our board presses on. There is a lot at stake for the school of course, but remember we are really talking about the independent decisions of the families of 60 open enrolled students. These families have decided that our programs are important to the educational and personal welfare of their children. This is tremendously inspiring to us as we continue the fight to be "allowed" to provide safe transportation with our school buses. Somehow we just can't comprehend how this could instead be portrayed (much less penalized) as criminal activity.....
There are many students in smaller schools who would benefit greatly from the advanced programs offered by larger schools. Perhaps Brookings and Madison Central will send a shuttle into Rutland if it is in the best interest of those students who wish to advance themselves with more academic offerings and activities.
Sure, Rod! Why not?
Rutland made the right decision to go ahead with multiple pickups. Madison School District would do well for harmoney, good will, and cooperation to reverse their earlier decison at their next board meeting in September. As to madison running buses into the outlying school districts, let the possibility begin. Every student, every family, and certainly each district has unique capabilities, needs, and contributions to offer.
Be more specific please.Which classes and activities would a new student in Madison be more likely to participate in if they left a small school? Sports teams have very few openings and many classes are available by computer and through independent study. I have heard the argument for years "small schools just can't offer the same opportunities" and the only example I was ever given as to why big schools are better was years ago. The lady said to me-- "We have computers". At the time we actually had a better student/computer ratio in our small school than their district---which happened to be the Madison district. The lady was shocked, because her idea of small schools as somehow inferior had no basis in fact, it was just how she "thought it was". I see no reason for Madison not to run a bus---you can drive the whole bus route as far as I am concerned, but Rutland's bus is a service to existing students, so I am not sure how a recruiting bus would be to Madison's advantage.
Please be more specific about the advantages in activities and sports you think people are unaware of...and tell me honestly, what are the chances of a high school student coming in to your district getting a spot on the gymnastics, tennis or wrestling team? More important to me---what academic opportunities do you think you offer that cannot be duplicated in a smaller school?
Now, tell me how you can put the safety of the students in jeopardy because you don't like that they have chosen to go elsewhere to school.
There are two issues at stake here. Superintendent Carl Fahrenwald of Rutland has fanned the fires of activism and encouraged his board of education to directly violate state law and a decision made by the Department of Education. There is no safety issue with one pick-up point. There are more safety issues with multiple pick-up points as school buses drive on our streets while students are walking to school, crossing streets and getting out of vehicles.
The question that Suzanne asks about a larger school potentially offering more academic opportunities and certainly more activity choices is easily answered. Simply look at the class listings and extra curricular activities for each district. Both offer a strong base education, but students who want to stretch, who strive to learn more in an advanced environment will benefit in the larger district.
Carl is wrong to teach his students to defy authority, but desperate times require desperate measures.
"Carl is wrong to teach his students to defy authority..."
I guess Rutland will have to stop teaching about the civil rights movement.
So any student who chooses to go to a larger school has that option, correct? Isn't that what proponents of open enrollment told us when it was decided to open the doors to other districts? Any parent who feels their child would benefit from a larger school environment enrolls their child in a larger school district. Apparently not as many families as the state predicted (and hoped for?) feel that bigger is better for their families. When I first heard about open enrollment many people in the larger districts were positive many would prefer a larger school and the small schools would fade away...they were wrong.
Thinking that 35 kids walking (or being driven), across town to one pickup point is not a safety issue is naive.
Rod,
Rutland School District starts at 8:30AM. Madison Elementary starts at 8:20AM with the Middle School and High School starting at 8:15AM.
While I'm not sure on the pick-up times for Rutland, I'm guessing their three stops would be around 7:30AM at a time when most students are not "walking to school, crossing streets and getting out of vehicles".
Madison has 5 school buses all with 4-6 different stops in town starting at around 7:50AM, when a significant more amount of students are "walking to school, crossing streets and getting out of vehicles".
By the logic in your last post, wouldn't you say that the Madison Central School District's 5 buses with 26 total in-town stops is more of a safety issue than Rutland's one bus?
Folks need to get organized and get their legislators ear's...
Brett's got you there, Rod. If multiple bus stops pose a safety risk, then Madison Central's in-town stops are the greatest risk. But they don't. Madison didn't try to stop Rutland's buses because of safety. That's their cover for their political motives. When will Madison's leaders drop the pretense and just admit what they're really doing? Honesty would do a lot for this town.
More on safety: school buses are probably the safest vehicles on the streets. Their drivers have more training, they're going more slowly, and they're a lot more visible than anything else on the roads.
As for civil disobedience and respect for the law, Superintendent Fahrenwald is providing his students with an excellent learning opportunity: when is it o.k. to defy authority? Is student safety sufficient cause to challenge a law? What are the obligations of public employees (like Carl) and elected officials (like the Rutland school board) to uphold the law? Does this action set a bad civic and moral example? I would love to be teaching social studies in Rutland or in Madison right now....
Rep. Nelson makes a reasonable point: interested citizens should talk to their legislators about this very bad law that Rutland must defy for the sake of the safety of its open enrollers. District 8 Senator Russell Olson voted for Senate Bill 77. District 8 Reps. Mitch Fargen and Patricia Stricherz both voted against it.
As you know, I've been off the school board for a couple of years and my opinion does not necessarily mirror how the Madison Central Board would feel. Over the years, as Rutland has been targeted by the State for closure, Madison has been supportive of Rutland. Madison has allowed students to co-op for tennis and encouraged Rutland kids to participate in Madison programs that are not offered at Rutland. Madison has always kept a low profile on open enrollment, whether kids are attending Rutland, Chester or other districts. But when a small district solicits, advertises and targets a specific district with the specific goal of taking students away along with the tax dollars that follow them so that they can remain open, it makes it difficult to be understanding and passive. If Madison were doing the same thing to Rutland we would be considered bullies. One stop is adequate.
But Rod, none of what you just said explains why one bus stop is the safest option for students. All you've done is make clear the political motivation for Senate Bill 77. And even if Madison can justify some political response to Rutland's aggressiveness, even if Madison can justify making life harder for students and parents just because it doesn't like certain policies of the Rutland school board, that peeve doesn't explain how one school board can exert control over another school board's transportation decisions and use of public streets.
Isn't it wonderful that in SD people have the choice to select a school based on what is best for their particular child? Some do better in larger schools, some in smaller schools, some in private schools, and some in the home school setting. We have a choice in SD that a lot of places do not have. Our children are indeed fortunate, and I think we all need to remember the most important thing is what is in the best interest of each individual student.
Cory, you have to consider where we've been and where we're going. In the past, there were tight restrictions on students leaving or entering a district and now there is fairly liberal freedom of choice through open enrollment. It has also become an economic issue with money following the students. This process is evolving and rules are in place that may seem protectionist, but evolution takes time and those rules protect districts from feeding on each other like Rutland is trying to do in Madison and Brookings. The same rule that protects Madison or Brookings, also protects Rutland. Asking permission of a district for a bus stop makes sense and the district allowing one stop for the various districts also makes sense. The idea that adding three more buses (OR-Chester-Rutland) to our streets does not create more risk for kids getting run over is mistaken. We walk almost every morning between 7:00 and 8:00 and the number of students being dropped off and walking or biking to school is strong between those hours, especially with activities and practices. There is a risk, and Rutland, under Carl's leadership, is being greedy and aggressive to our district.
Couple things here----let's get over the pettiness. Rutland or any other district should run their routes where ever they wish even if that includes home pickup. Students/families can, should, and will attend the district they feel best for their situation. To say that a decision is based on an ad in the paper insults the intelligence of the family making the difficult choice. Lastly, every district needs to evaluate itself as to how it treats, educates, and provides opportunities for students. Every family, every district, and every circumstance is different. Don't pass stupid laws or put up artificial roadblocks that just harms public relations.
Great post Charlie. We wonder what is wrong with government at the national level, when two governments at the lowest level can not agree on something as simple as a bus stop.
Joseph G Thompson
oh my.... now we're getting personal. While I may be the most visible, active, audible "voice" for Rutland School policies let me assure Rod in particular that nothing major that I do, promote, argue, or whatever on behalf of the school happens without the direct involvement of our school board. This latest busing decision is just one example. The number and location of the Rutland bus stops in Madison has been, is, and will continue to be a board driven policy decided directly by board vote. I can assure you that I have zero ability to lead the current Rutland board (nor any previous board in 12+ years) down any path not of their own choosing- to suggest otherwise as Rod has done is a ridiculous insult to the community leadership of our school. Rod, I challenge you to attend just one Rambler Stop coffee crew session with any current or former Rutland board member present. I don't need to be there because they can (and will) speak for themselves and clear up some of your odd ideas about my magical powers.....lol
Here's one more just for the record. Rutland may well have quietly continued to run a school exclusively for their own in-district children but the state legislature passed a law a few years back requiring a minimum school size of 100 students. We were sort of running out of home grown children so to speak and thus this decision was forced upon us. Do we close, consolidate, or recruit? The Rutland School Community made a choice years ago to maintain their status as an independent school district by welcoming (and yes recruiting if I may use that nasty word) open enrolled students from Madison and other surrounding districts. From the very beginning of this time it became apparent that we did indeed have something uniquely effective and nurturing to offer area school children whose families were open to another public school option through open enrollment. We (and our open enrolled patrons) became so excited that we shamelessly ran ads promoting our school. Rod G. had a cow about this too- prompting a whole new section on my superintendent wiki page: https://rutlandsupt.wikispaces.com/School+Ads The sorry saga continues but our goal remains the same. We only wish to maintain a school to continue our small, rural school traditions. Why can't each public school develop and market their own specialized programs and services and let area families with school age children select from this menu of public school options.
So tell me Rod..these children we recruited right out from under Madison's nose...did they first attend Madison schools? Yes you say? Why did they leave Madison? Was it due to Rutland School Districts miniscule capacity for broader "academic opportunities and certainly more activity choices" and Madisons ability to turn out "students who want to stretch, who strive to learn more in an advanced environment who will benefit in the larger district." Come on Rod..students don't ask to change schools and parents would not move their children if they thought the larger school district was everything you say it is and met all their needs. Like another commenter wrote children have different needs and if these parents/students needed what our small school district has to offer than what is the problem. Thank God for open enrollment! Don't we want to meet the needs of the children whether it be a smaller or larger school district.
Just to enlighten you Rod..my father was transferred alot when I was growing up so naturally I have attended many schools and I can tell you this shy little girl who wouldn't ask questions did better in the smaller school districts. The teachers came to me and offered assistance when I was too shy to ask and I made friends easier due to the class sizes. Those were my needs as a student, and they just might be the needs of some of Madison's students who made the choice to move to Rutland.
By the way Rod..I run the bus route in Madison and I will come in around 7:10 and be gone by 7:25 so hopefully I won't clog traffic to terribly much, even with 3 stops. Never once, not even with the multiple stops last year did I have to stop for children crossing the streets, or for other buses to pass so I will try to keep a low profile in my large yellow bus as I roll through your town.
Give it a rest!
I don't know everyone involved in this conversation, but allow me to add a bit from a parent's point of view....
I am the mother of a son who would certainly be a high school drop-out by now if it weren't for open enrollment at Rutland school. He will be a jr. in high school this week, plays on the football team, enjoys involvement in the theatre, and is active in other school and volunteer activities in Rutland. He has a positive social life, teachers who know and nurture his educational needs, and he is a healthy, happy teenager because of it. He did not have any of these opportunities in the big school. His well-being has improved 100% because of the small school atmosphere.
We are grateful that families are allowed to choose an educational institution that is best for their children. I think we can all agree that safe access for all children to attend any school is extremely important.
This bus decision should be about what's best and safest for our children, not politics, or which board member likes or dislikes opinions and decisions, etc.
Just curious.....I know a lot of students leave the Madison school district, but I don't really know why? And what recent improvements has the Madison school district made to keep or bring back their local students in the Madison district? Does the school look at that as strongly as they do about how many times a Rutland school bus can stop on a public street?
Keep the faith Dr. Fahrenwald. Simply put, you and your school has improved the quality of life for a special young man in my family (and many others). That's what it's all about. We are eternally grateful that Rutland school and a bus to get there is available. And we don't feel recruited.
Km
I fully support Open Enrollment and its intent, which was to give students and families choices that best fit their child's needs and abilities without outside influence. I believe fully in Open Enrollment as the legislature presented it. What I disagree with is using taxpayer dollars to promote, market and advertise in other districts. I disagree with asking for three bus stops in a separate tax district, when one will suffice, then defying that district's decision and the State's decision.
I have a lot of respect for Carl and have friends who have been board members in Rutland, but when Carl says, "The Rutland School Community made a choice years ago to maintain their status as an independent school district by welcoming (and yes recruiting if I may use that nasty word) open enrolled students from Madison and other surrounding districts" it pushes the Open Enrollment program approved by the legislature into territory that was not intended. That's what I oppose.
I disagree that someone has the right to dictate how many times a bus can stop on a public street to pick up children, no matter where the bus comes from. Is that a tax issue? It's irrational. Feels like politics and inhibiting policies are brewing to discourage and make open enrollment more difficult for families. This decision is not based on the needs and safety of our children.
There's much larger education problems to take care of now.
Charlie Johnson's post is SUPERB btw. Thank you Mr. Johnson for posting.
I hope my special-needs son can get to the bus safely this year. It's a couple of miles for him to walk now. Thanks.
Km
I have to wonder how Rutland using tax dollars to pay for their ads is a problem for the Madison district...they don't use your money as far as I know. If the people in the district who pay those taxes agree that it is a good use of funds, then there is no real problem. Businesses advertise all the time...I see insurance ads, grocery store ads, all kinds of ads everyday. Schools are in the business of educating students...and if the people who "own" the school, the taxpayers of the district, feel a few dollars spent on advertising is worthwhile, that is their privilege and I would say their right. I have never known an ad that could make me abandon my current insurance company or other business---unless they no longer fit my needs and then an advertisement might make me look into a new company that better fits my needs. No one complains if too many insurance ads are run in the paper, or if I get grocery ads from more than one town; its considered part of doing business.
I realize that some people can't see the big picture here, and that's too bad. Foggy days, below zero temperatures,and long unsupervised walks across town are all valid safety concerns...add traffic at multiple street crossings and you have potential scary and tragic possibilities.
Stace Nelson...please tell me what we can do as grandparents and parents and where to start in Pierre! I dont know what to do but am willing to learn and I think others are too!
My email is dlblanchette@yahoo.com if you would please advise me what we need to do! Thank you in advance for your help!
I sent two emails to two different people in Pierre about this situation over a week ago and have gotten zero response.
Sorry to hear that DaLayne...maybe we should see if there really is strength in numbers? Nothing to lose at this point....I hope to get some direction soon! Who did you send the emails to?
And to Charlie Johnson... thank you for taking the time to talk to my daughter, Stacey about her son Davin. No one from Madison Central has bothered to contact her in any way at any time as to why she is moving him to Rutland. Thanks again for talking to her!
One thing we all known and recognize is parents love their kids. Grandparents come in at a close second. Any time they consider moving their student to a new school for whatever reason, it is a serious and difficult decision.
DeLayne! Keep sending those e-mails and making those calls. Make Pierre listen!
Rod, we all can identify ways in which we don't like the spending decisions various school districts make. I don't like the fact that Rutland spends money on football but not on a debate team (Carl! Get with the program!). If I become a state legislator, should I sponsor a bill requiring Rutland to drop football and start debate? Or should I sponsor legislation requiring Rutland to get permission from neighboring district Brookings (which has a good debate program) to field a football team?
It's one thing to disagree with how tax dollars are used. It's another to establish who has authority to dictate how tax dollars are used. If we believe in local control, then Madison should have no role in Rutland's busing decisions. If we believe in more legislative oversight of the use of tax dollars by school districts, then the legislature should skip the Madison middleman and simply ban out-of-district busing.
Just read that the Madison school board had a special meeting tonight to deal with this issue and possible litigation. Is the litigation in regard to this or another matter?
I had been a crossing guard for Madison for 5 years..I have seen FIRST hand how dangerous it is for the kids to get to bus stops, and when you have a gang of kids in one area you have problems and if you have 2 different school's at the same location waiting for a bus we could see fights. I don't know why school board members can't see that. What I am the most surprsied about is the Madison School Board, they are suppose to care about kids, but yet they put them in danger just because they are going to a different school. It is not going to hurt them ONE BIT, to let Rutland have 3 stops I thank god Rutland has enough guts to stand up for what they believe in. This is a safetly issue for Rutland and nothing else.