See Should you Donate to the Deer Creek Schools Foundation Parent Post >>

August 28, 2006

Concerned parents are addressing a current issue that relates to this question. To ensure equal treatment of our children:

• Download letter - Download signature sheet (PDF FORMS)

May 3, 2006
On Monday May 1st, parents, DCCEF members and school officials met to review the status of the laptop project.

Facts:

• No official plan was created for the project.
• A teacher was approached and selected to run the classroom.
• Everything was in place to have the laptops by the start of the next school year.
• Bids were accepted for laptops and a preferred company was selected.
• Not all School Board Members were aware of the bids received.
• The goal was to get matching grants to expand on the project.
• Project came to a halt when parents raised concerns.
  

As it stands today all technology issues are basically on hold until the new IT director has a chance to evaluate the current Deer Creek School District IT situation. From there the IT director will develop a plan for all IT needs in the school district that will be submitted to the School Board. The time to develop the plan was estimated to be between 6-12 months. It was suggested that there may be a need to develop a committee to review and address the long term IT plan for the Deer Creek School District. This committee may be made up of School Officials, teachers, and parents. A letter should be going home soon to all Prairie Vale parents addressing the laptops project (see posts below).

Many side issues came up at the meeting but one in particular needs to be addressed. It is the apparent lack of communication throughout the entire process of this laptop issue. Had school officials used better judgment and followed proper procedures, much undue heartache would have been avoided. It is imperative that as our school district grows that everyone goes out of their way to over communicate. I don’t think anyone wants to tell school officials how to do their job on a day to day basis but we certainly expect that they do not make major decisions in a vacuum. (You can see my note to the Superintendent for more on this subject)

As for Dr. Barnes, it did not take me very long to realize what his true intentions were once we met face to face. It is my opinion that Dr. Barnes was on the right track with what he was trying to accomplish. I think we all realize that the Deer Creek Schools need a boost in technology and he was trying to jumpstart the process. I am sure if you ask Dr. Barnes he would agree that the whole situation could have been handled differently by all parties involved. With all that said I am positive that as a collective group we can work together to get Deer Creek Schools going in the right direction technology wise which is exactly what Dr. Barnes was trying to accomplish with his generous offer.

Early in April an announcement was made at the Deer Creek Community Enrichment Foundation that a designated grant had been received for a portable laptop computer lab for third grade. The announcement was made to the Foundation in an effort to generate enthusiasm and hopefully encourage additional donations for similar projects in the district. Without adequate details on the actual workings of this grant being planned for Prairie Vale, skeptism and concerns regarding the grant surfaced. Knowing how important it is that we all be partners in our children's education, the

designated grant was withdrawn a few days after its announcement in order to allow our new technology director to evaluate and offer recommendations for the most useful application of technology to the school site.

It was the intent of the school to hold a parent meeting of all second graders moving to third grade to discuss how the grant might work. However, since the grant has been withdrawn, the need for the meeting no longer exists.

I regret the confusion this has caused some of our patrons. If you have further questions or concerns, please direct them to me through email at wilkinsonb@deercreek.k12.ok.us or office phone, 348-6100 X1.

There is some confusion on when these conditions were made known to Mrs. Wilkinson and Mrs. Anderson but it is known that they were aware of the conditions and rising community concerns within 24 hours of the Foundation meeting. Though she was aware of these concerns being raised, Mrs. Wilkinson chose to move ahead and announce the donation to the parents present at the Prairie Vale PTO meeting on the morning of April 7, 2006.

When questioned on the conditions, Mrs. Wilkinson acknowledged that Dr. Barnes' child was guaranteed a place in the classroom. No other Prairie Vale student or parent is allowed to request a specific classroom, nor is any other student or parent allowed to make a similar selection anywhere within the school district. According to statements made at the Foundation and PTO meetings, other children would be selected for that classroom on a lottery basis.

Dr. Barnes as a member of the School Board is held to a code of ethics that includes "… the public expects my first and greatest concern to be in the best interest of each and every one of these young people without distinction as to who they are or what their background may be". The code also states a board member is "To resist every temptation and outside pressure to use my position as a School Board member to benefit either myself or any other individual or agency apart from the total interest of the school district".

The offer of money coupled with stated conditions by a board member and the acceptance of these conditions by the school administration to gain money raises a serious question as to the ethical and moral leadership of our school system. The moral and ethical conduct of our educational leaders is paramount in properly teaching our children. To allow any individual, particularly a School Board member, to buy their children's education (whether in academics or athletics) in a public school is unacceptable, unethical and immoral. This type of behavior must cease immediately.

It is equally troubling that once the conditions were made known, the administrators chose to accept them and move forward in the process. A more appropriate response would have been to step back, slow down and reassess the situation. Perhaps an agreement could have been reached to accommodate both Dr. Barnes' generous donation and the requirement that a public school offer equal opportunity to each child.

Few will dispute the need for our children to be savvy technologically and the community has consistently supported a strong technology program. However, some basic questions arise as to the need for laptops for our elementary students.

1) Why would we even begin to think of supplying a select, few students in one elementary school with laptops when the students in the High School, who are more likely to gain from them, don't even have them?
2) If we do choose to provide laptops to our elementary students, is it reasonable to expect that each elementary student in the district will have a laptop in the next few years? Where will that money come from? Who will maintain them? How will we replace them when they wear out in 2 years? Or, are we trying to make Prairie Vale an elite school and break away from the district's consistent and proper goal of providing equal support and funding for all schools in the district?
3) The district already can't afford to support the existing technology with maintenance, staffing and training. Why is it reasonable to add more complexity and technology when we can't even support what we already have?
4) How will this enhance our current academic performance?
5) If the children won't be taking the computers home, as stated at the PTO meeting, why not take this wonderful donation and buy desktops. This money could purchase enough computers to bring the currently deficient computer lab up to standard as well as start a new computer lab. Both would serve the entire elementary, not a few favored students.
6) Why was the School Board not included in a long term plan for this and why was a public discussion not held before forging ahead with this plan?

Finally, many, many questions arise as to the issue of "Looping". Some of those questions and concerns are:

1) Why is looping being pursued in the district without the approval of the School Board and parental input as this could change the curriculum direction of the entire district? Mrs. Wilkinson stated at the PTO meeting that she did not need Board approval on curriculum matters. Is this a change in Board policy and direction? Has the Board abdicated their ultimate authority on this matter to the Superintendent?
2) Why wasn't research backing this program presented to the community? How have the risks of this program been evaluated? Is this the latest educational fad or is there factual research and evidence to back the stated benefits?
3) The district looked at this issue nearly 10 years ago when it was proposed in Deer Creek Elementary school and rejected the concept. What has changed that now makes it acceptable and the preferred educational method?
4) What are the long term plans for "looping" if it were instituted and proven successful? Will all students be required to participate or is this an alternative method of teaching that parent's can elect to participate in or opt out of?
5) Where else has this method of teaching been used, both successfully and unsuccessfully?

As parents and patrons of this district, we have lost a great deal of trust and confidence in the way our school system is being led. We specifically request that the Board of Education take the following steps regarding these matters:

1. Reject the donation by Dr. Barnes unless it is restructured to benefit all students through an appropriate process that supports the technology programs in Prairie Vale Elementary School and/or the other elementary schools.
2. Direct Dr. Barnes to cease utilizing his Board position and financial status to benefit his children to the exclusion of other students. Many, many, many of the patrons and parents of this school district have donated millions of dollars over the years without seeking personal recognition and favoritism, but have gratefully and generously done so for the benefit of all students. We should expect no less from a School Board member.
3. Establish a long range committee to study and review the ongoing staffing, training, funding, and utilization of the current and future technology needs of the district.
4. Hold a public forum or meeting regarding the issue of looping and any other proposed major changes to the curriculum or proposed pilot programs where research based data can be presented to the patrons and parental input and evaluation is sought and utilized.

We appreciate the hard work the Board does and the difficult task of leading the district. All of us recognize that Deer Creek is a wonderful school district and we fully support progress in all areas. We would not have taken the time to raise these issues if we didn't believe in our school district. However, it is clear that the Board and the community together need to thoroughly evaluate where we are, where we are going and seek a community consensus on our values and the direction of the educational process. We hope that the Board will address these issues immediately and move our school district forward to the benefit of ALL of our students.

Yours very truly,
The undersigned Patrons and Parents

Download Letter (pdf)                                         Download Signature Page (pdf)

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