They can't all be sheep....really, can they?

So, how do you clear up what must obviously be a misunderstanding. Removing an effective, experienced, likable Principal, who lives in our community and has four of his own kids in our school?  Outright firing an Assistant Principal who has worked in our Elementary for years, advocating for and motivating our neediest students. Keeping them coming to school day after day, despite their often inability to make it through the rigors of an entire day. A person with more than a decade of experience in Special Education, working in our District?

Clearly we've missed something. There must be some huge controversy, a cover up? We've heard of skunks, sheriffs and lawsuits...OH MY! But how do you get at the truth in a respectful and transparent way?

You start by getting home from work, worrying about dinner, investing 15 minutes of conversation into your marriage and doing an hour of homework with your second grader.

Then, you go back to the cheery letter announcing the demise of your child's security at school and review the comment:

"All questions or concerns regarding these changes should be directed to our Board Members...residents may also contact the Superintendent (name)." 

Then you ask people to make phone calls.

Lots and lots of phone calls, more than 70% unrequited. You get summaries and transcripts of those phone calls and dig through all of the information. 

Board members respond surprised..."What letter?"   Poor Board Members. Others state "This has been in the works for months, shouldn't be a surprise to anyone."

 When we cry out in despair and beg for reconsideration, tell our heroic, love filled stories of these two faces of our Elementary, we get the following: "We thought everyone hated them", "We've been told that they have a long history of disciplinary problems, their files are riddled with write ups". 

Do you have data? Do you have any evidence? Where did you get this information? When is the last time you were in our school? Have you seen any of this first hand?

How have our kids been attending this Alkatrazian Institution and yet they are willing to return day after day without any signs of severe mental duress????

Sure they have information, the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent (AKA the High School Principal) have been coming into executive sessions during Board Meetings and telling them this for months. 

Excuse me? Can that be right? Isn't it your job to keep the District Admins in check? Don't they technically work for you? What else is being blindly enacted at the command of the Superintendent and her heir apparent?

And so.....we have more questions.