“At my past school, I’ve been shoved down the stairs. I’ve had dirty hands wiped on my shirt. I was treated like I am nothing. Going back ... is not an option. ” – Steven, seventh-grader
Parents and students pleaded with the West Geauga Schools Board of Education Wednesday night to reconsider the 47 open enrollment students cut from the program.
A Newbury Township mother, Phyllis Fuchsman, with daughters at Westwood Elementary School, said she appreciates the opportunity for her children to attend West Geauga, but sees the cuts potentially hurting the quality of the school.
She said she appreciates her family is a “guest” of the school district and that her children do not have an “inherent right” to attend West Geauga or to remain there, nor does her family have a vote in how the district is run.
“We do have a right to apply for enrollment and to be treated fairly when we do so, and we have the right to leave if we’re not satisfied,” she added.
Fuchsman said her family chose the West Geauga school district because they perceived the community was more willing to support its school system than their home district — Newbury — and because of the course offerings and support for the arts.
“I’ve since learned that this high quality is partly funded by open enrollment. Our open enrollment students bring nearly three times as much tax revenue — at least double — compared to the local tax revenue of resident students,” she said. “If you cut open enrollment, you’re endangering the financial stability that supports the current high quality that attracts families like us.”
The biggest disadvantage of West Geauga, in her opinion, is the lack of diversity in the student body.
“I went to an integrated school as a kid and I wish that my children had that positive experience as well,” Fuchsman said, adding that cutting open enrollment would only exacerbate the problem.
“So cutting open enrollment would make school quality go down and local taxes go up, and there’s no way that protects property values,” she contended.
Fuchsman said she did not know how the board arrived at their open enrollment quotas.
“However, the appearance is that the school board is pandering to a vocal minority and that minority is motivated by some combination of misinformation and bigotry,” Fuchsman said. “That’s what it looks like and that’s very distressing.”
She added, “Above all, for the school board to set a quota that is so low that students who have already been attending West Geauga schools … that those students should be kicked out for no compelling reason is a disgrace and it is a disgrace that should be fixed now.”
Ron Hackleman, of Chester Township, said his son’s locker mate was “kicked out,” causing his son to be upset.
“If you want to get rid of open enrollment, let the current 47 students enrolled stay and finish,” Hackleman said. “You’re throwing out $250,000 in fees you need (to pay for improvements) for the football field. You got all these teachers here without a contract. Go back and reconsider (your actions).”
Jill Kent, of South Euclid, spoke up about the cuts as well.
“Please take one step back to discuss the levels you cut from the ninth grade,” she said to board members. “Ideally, there’s a grandfather clause you put into place.”
She thanked board members for her child’s opportunity as an open enrollment student for one year, but said being cut from the program “came upon us suddenly.”
She said for her child to return to her local school would be a “one year set-back in education.”
“It didn’t allow us time to prepare and we really have nowhere else to go,” she said. “Open enrollment children were accepted into the band program. They had already paid fees and purchased their uniforms. I hate to see you lose the enthusiasm these kids bring to your school.”
She added, “Ideally, what we’d like to see is a grandfather clause put in place. It’s definitely your prerogative to cut back on the program, which we would hate to see, but if that needs to be done, we’re asking that you do it in a way that won’t hurt the children who are here right now.”
Michelle Allen, of Cassie Lane in Chester, shared a different perspective.
“No one wants to choose sides and this madness has to stop. I have friends that live in neighboring communities, I mean we grew up together, it’s awful because it seems like I’m against them,” she said. “I’m not against them. I’m not against the teachers. The kids are put in a horrible situation and it’s got to end.”
Allen said a proud, hard-working and generous community supports West Geauga Schools.
“The fact is, a prior board expanded what was a limited open enrollment policy to a policy that was growing out of control,” she said. “The current board was elected by the community and we need to give the board the opportunity to do their job. The disunity with the board and the past superintendent is good for no one. The watchdog group further adds to this disunity.”
The division that statewide open enrollment has caused is not what Chester Township is about, Allen said.
“We pride ourselves with excellence in our schools. I do not think that expanding classroom numbers is part of that equation. Statewide open enrollment is only contributing to a bigger problem with reducing the number of families moving to our community,” she said. “To the open enrollment students and families, I would like you to know that we know you’re good parents and that you want what’s better for your children. And to the kids, you’re great kids. We like having you here, but we would like you to move to the community and be part of the entire community.”
Followed by applause, Allen added houses sell in their area because of the schools.
“If no one has to live here to go to school, the results will be disastrous. No levies will pass, because the people that vote for the levies are the people that live here,” she said. “Property values will drop; we will not have the money to continue educating students at the current level we do,
Oak Hill Drive resident Blake Andres said the school is at a crossroads and needs to be “solutions focused,” with strong leaders.
“We are at a really critical juncture, all of us — the school board, the parents, the administrators — because we’ve adopted a vernacular in our back yards, in our editorial page and, quite frankly, in these meetings that is us versus them, administration versus school board, in district versus out of district,” he said. “Our kids live up or down to our expectations. Employers want 21st century citizens with solutions-focused thinking. They will interact in a multi-cultural world and hire administrators to support them and help them do their job.
“Not every decision can be put up to a popularity vote,” he told the community. “There’s a lost opportunity cost and a leadership cost. It’s a tough, complicated and controversial decision.”
Sarah, a 14-year-old open enrollment student from Sagamore Hills, said she was “not welcomed back after two years.”
“I was going to be a ninth-grader,” she said. “I made the cheerleading team for both football and basketball. In my district, I can’t do any of the sports I wanted to because of how late it is. It’s very rough knowing that I’m going to start all over and make new friends.
An emotional seventh-grader from Richmond Heights recounted being bullied and physically abused in his former school.
“At my past school, I’ve been shoved down the stairs. I’ve had dirty hands wiped on my shirt,” Steven said. “I was treated like I am nothing. Going back … is not an option. I have forged friendships with not only teachers, but students who have accepted me. It has been life changing. I felt happy.”
He added, “Now, I have another life-changing experience. I got a letter two weeks ago saying that I would no longer be accepted to the school, that I’m forced out.”
A Richmond Heights girl said the board did not take their feelings into consideration when making its decision.
“This was a warm, loving place where everyone was accepted,” she said. “You took that away with one letter. Friendships are affected. There’s a domino effect for all students”
In other points of discussion at the meeting, West Geauga Turf Field Committee member Bill Patterson asked the board to contribute roughly $165,000 toward the estimated $675,000 turf project at the school stadium.
He said the committee has raised $510,000 and needs the remainder to start the project.
He further said the decision would have to be made in one week to meet the construction schedule and be completed in time for the fall sports season.
The board asked for more information and will plan to hold an Operations Committee meeting early next week.
Interim Treasurer Shawnna Jones presented a five-year budget to the board that points to deficit spending that spends down the school’s current surplus of funds by the 2017-2018 school year.
Board member Ben Kotowski expressed concern that her budget shows an $8 million deficit, which would indicate that a large mill levy would have to be placed on the ballot in the next few years, along with renewal levies.
