The "More" Child

Pro-magnet Sign at the BOE

I don’t know what you call a person who puts in a full day of work, and goes straight to a Board of Education meeting for another two and a half hours.  (And I don’t even have skin in the game!) A glutton for punishment?  Junkie?  Idiot?  Or just curious.

Put me down as curious.  I wanted to see what kind of a turnout the Eastern magnet students and parents would muster to protest the change in the schedule from 8 periods to 7. (I had also never attended a BOE meeting.)  During the day there was chatter of students bringing their instruments and performing a funeral dirge or perhaps some students singing (“We Shall Overcome”?) to drive home the point that not only would they would be losing an elective and be faced with having to choose between taking a foreign language or music/art, but that the process by which the decision was made was flawed and not fully representative.  And that many families only were informed of the change after they had turned down private school placements or a seat in the Takoma magnet.  And that the schedule change would prevent accelerated math and foreign language students from taking courses at nearby Blair High School, which is on a block schedule. And that shorter periods would make it difficult to have the in-depth discussions and project work that is a hallmark of the magnet.  Etc. Etc. Etc.

Despite my haste to get to Rockville from Down County, I sidled into the meeting room just as the last parent was testifying.  She spoke as quickly as possible in order to fit everything into her allotted two minutes.   A crowd of at least 20 parents and students was standing in the back, all holding signs in support of the magnet.  I discretely took the photo above with my camera phone…it says “Eight for Eastern” not “Easter.”

And then the public comment period was over.  I didn’t get a full count of how many testified, but afterwards I scooped up the printed testimony of numerous students and parents.  Clearly one of the points raised by one or more of the speakers was the fact that on March 13, students displaying the number “8″ were told by a teacher to remove them and that pro-8 signs were taken down.  Board member Berthiaume went out of her way to mention the Tinker case and that students do not check their first amendments rights at the schoolhouse doors.  A few other Board members echoed that.  And of course they all thanked the students for being part of the civic process, yadayadayada.

Outside, Community Superintendent Heath Morrison made a point to go up to several students and thank them for participating.  He said that a letter would be coming to Eastern families tomorrow or Wednesday that will “give some options” on music/art. Hmmm. Of course that’s only one facet of the issue.  Also will be interesting to see a copy of the letter from the Eastern administration to the Board explaining how the decision to change the schedule was reached.

Finally, in an ironic coincidence — or maybe not — I heard that some students from the Loiederman whole school magnet spoke earlier in the meeting and thanked the BOE for reinstating their 8 periods.

I don’t know how a system that on one hand has no compunction about touting the achievements of its highest achieving students and Brand MCPS, and whose employees repeatedly vow that “GT programs are not being cut,” and  “we have a continuum of services” –  can let the proposed changes at Eastern stand.  How can MCPS employees say these things with a straight face in light of what is happening at Eastern?