| Livonia Observer; December 15 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 15 2005, 11:21 AM (2,411 Views) | |
| Mrs.M | Dec 15 2005, 11:21 AM Post #1 |
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Board recall meeting draws 100-plus Headline, top billing Sorry folks, it doesn't appear the article is available online. I would imagine Dave Varga was up late getting it out for publication the following day. The article is quite accurate and thorough. He does do a commendable job with being unbiased. It's got to be a tough position, keeping your personal feelings out of reporting. |
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| Mrs.M | Dec 15 2005, 11:23 AM Post #2 |
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Livonia Observer 12-15-05 Board recall talk draws 100-plus By Dave Varga Staff Writer More than 100 people gathered on a snowy night in Livonia Wednesday to share plans and questions on collecting more than 10,000 signatures on petitions to recall five school board members. Set up by the grassroots Citizens For Livonia's Future, the meeting comes just over a week after the Livonia Board of Education voted 6-1 to approve the Legacy Initiative, a plan to close seven schools, reconfigure grades for elementary schools, increase busing and trim $1.5-$2 million next year. "The reason we are meeting now is to show them that we mean business," said Salem Samaan. "This not only affects the kids, but it affects the property values." Jodi Hamilton outlined recall process. They would have 90 days to gather signatures; at least 10,000 signatures of registered voters must be validated (based on 25 percent of votes in the last governor's election); and each board member being recalled must be named on a separate petition - so recall backers must sign five times. Five board members targeted are Dan Lessard, Rob Freeman, Cynthia Markarian, Lynda Scheel and Kevin Whitehead. Joanne Morgan won't be included, since her position is up for election in May; Tom Bailey cast the only vote opposed to the plan. One audience member asked about recalling the superintendent. While that's not possible, Hamilton said: "If we unseat the board and reseat it, they can unseat him." That drew loud applause. Hamilton said they would try to gather 12,000-13,000 names on each petition. The first step, though, is to work on petition language, which must be approved by an election commission, before signatures are sought. Committee members didn't have a definitive answer on the idea of getting signatures to initiate a ballot referendum for residents to vote on the plan. According to Patrice Mang, "it doesn't look like you can do it." Parents also asked about marketing the recall with signs, and finding other ways to share their indignation (such as an organized student sick day or writing more letters to the board). Someone asked about a rumor that teachers were told to avoid the meeting and the recall. "They are being told this," said Mang, who is a teacher in another district. "They'll deny this, but it's true." The CFLF isn't collecting money. They'll rely on "sweat equity," Mang said. Some wondered if a recall election in late spring or early summer would be too late. "There is a possibility that we cannot stop this for this fall, I'm not going to lie," Mang said. Mang had urged each of the 100 people to find three other people to get at least 25 signatures each. "That's all it's going to take," she said. For more on CFLF visit www.citizensforlivoniasfuture.com. dvarga@hometownlife.com |
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| Mrs.M | Dec 15 2005, 11:53 AM Post #3 |
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From Livonia Observer Thursday, 12/15/05 LETTERS SHARE YOUR OPINIONS Are district answers too easy? Like many others, I disagree with the school board and their recent decision to close schools. It appears they have no regard for the persons who keep up the support of this district -- taxpayers. They have no respect for the students and parents affected by this poor decision. With all the people on the committee you would think they could come up with a better idea. Seems as if the decision was made first and the meeting process was there for show. This district has a lot of excess property and building that must be cared for, heated, insured, and watched over. Now there'll be more -- how much does it cost to not use a building? How about selling those buildings and property, or having someone develop them into subdivisions of entry-level to mid-level homes to attract new families? No, that's too easy. Oakland County has open school districts in some cities. This method attracts pupils and pupils attract state funding . No, that's too easy I guess. Vince Moceri Livonia Board needs to be removed My name is Corrie Roe and I am a parent at Adams Elementary. The school board has misrepresented the people of Livonia and should be reprimanded for this. They broke their own bylaws, and put themselves in very compromising positions. Mr. Lessard was very rude and inattentive to our concerns. How disgusting and self-centered can they be? One lone council member stood up for what's right and they acted as if his voice did not matter either. They are seriously in need of being removed from the board and this ill-gotten decision overturned. None of them cowards could respond truthfully to any concern posed to them. They are great at avoiding the truth and the facts in front of them. All the smoke and mirrors they fronted will crumble and fall, and too shall they! We Livonia parents (community) will prevail over all! Our children do not need more extras added to their school day -- they need to focus on their studies. Friends and extracurricular activities should remain a bonus for after school as a reward for doing well in their studies while at school. Corrie Roe Livonia |
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| Mrs.M | Dec 17 2005, 12:54 PM Post #4 |
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Article from Thursday's Observer available in above post. Sorry for the delay, I was out of town all of Friday. |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:12 AM Post #5 |
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Teachers try to calm Legacy storm BY STEPHANIE ANGELYN CASOLA STAFF WRITER Teachers publicly defended their schools as the debate over the Livonia Public Schools new Legacy Initiative continued this week in the community. Cathlene Hedden, a Livonia resident and teacher at Cooper Elementary, spoke out in defense of the school -- which has come under negative scrutiny from some community members throughout this process. Under the Legacy plan, students attending Roosevelt, Cleveland, Grant and Hayes will move to Cooper Upper Elementary for grades five-six, and then go on to Emerson Middle School. For families living north of Schoolcraft, it poses a major change and increased distance to school. But Monday, Hedden addressed those concerns she's heard from people who have spoken against the diversity in the Westland portion of Livonia Public Schools. For the past 10 years Hedden has taught either first or second grade at Coolidge. She teaches a diverse group of students -- from Hispanic to Arabic, African American to Caucasian. The young children work together and accept one another, she said. "I am passionate about the welfare of my students," Hedden said. She added that teachers are dedicated and competent and the location is safe. "There seems to be a group that is fearful, negative, and outwardly contemptuous of Cooper," she said. Hedden reminded the board and public that "children learn by example" and those negative sentiments may be passed on by some parents. OTHERS CONCERNED She wasn't the only one concerned with the divisive atmosphere that has engulfed the school district. Carolyn Norris-Deyell, president of the Livonia Education Association, noted Monday that teachers "all had the opportunity to give input" on the Legacy plan. She said she was concerned about some public comments made recently that asserted teachers had been silenced or left out of the demographics process. She said that was not the case. Russ Keberly, a Livonia teacher, made the same point. "I have tuned in and/or attended every meeting, and I am a member of our teacher's union," he wrote in a letter to the Observer. "In all these situations we were never given scripted language as to how we should address the Legacy Initiative. "In fact, our opinions and positions have been ." Teachers have not been the only group under fire through the Legacy process. Elaine Koons, a member of the demographics committee, said she felt the need to share all of her ties to the community publicly. Once the Legacy plan was initially revealed, members of the community questioned who sat on the committee and what their connections were to Livonia Public Schools. "I care so much about the community and the people in it," said Koons. She defined herself as a 20-year resident, a retired LPS administrator, a former member of the planning commission, a consultant with Wayne County and a volunteer puppeteer for Kids on the Block. Koons commended the school board for showing "class and grace under pressure." She thanked trustees for asking "insightful" questions and staying "up-to-date" throughout the process of deliberating on the Legacy plan. Supporters of the Legacy plan in the community, who asked to remain anonymous, said they have been harassed. Some have written letters to the Observer and later asked that those letters not be run for fear an opponent of the plan would seek "retribution." Others refrained from clapping during the public hearing, because there has been so much dissent against the plan. REP'S VIEWS And that dissent hasn't disappeared since the board voted in favor of the Legacy Initiative. State Rep. John Pastor, R-Livonia, spoke to trustees as a concerned parent. "I believe first and foremost kids are No. 1," he said Monday. "That is the most important thing." Pastor said he wasn't sure whether the extra programs which would be added at the upper elementary buildings are worth the switch to a K-4, 5-6 concept. And he has been through a school closing in the district already. His family's neighborhood school was Marshall, which closed three years ago. "I don't think we've had enough time to digest this," Pastor told the board. Board members had approved the Legacy plan 6-1 at their Dec. 5 meeting. Opponents of the plan -- including Livonia parent Mark Wojcik -- asked the board not to move ahead and approve the minutes of that meeting on Monday. Wojcik said: "Let the public have some input. We feel like we've been left out of the decision." The school board did pass the minutes of its previous meeting, 7-0. Trustee Tom Bailey, the lone voice against the plan, clarified that his support of the minutes, part of the Consent Agenda, signified only that those minutes were factual. Immediately following the vote, one man left the meeting yelling "You're all fired" to board members and "especially you, Liepa" to the superintendent. scasola@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2054 Originally published December 22, 2005 |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:22 AM Post #6 |
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Schools come together to sing for the season Families from Adams and Roosevelt elementary schools in Livonia have joined together in the spirit of the holiday season. On Wednesday, Dec. 14, staff members and families from Roosevelt Elementary took a school bus over to Adams Elementary to kick off a new tradition of holiday caroling along Lyndon. "Several strollers and lots of children joined in the fun as we sang all the way," said Shelly Robinet, a Livonia parent involved in the activity. "As we crossed Middlebelt, traffic was lined up to the lights at Schoolcraft and Five Mile." Once the long trail of singers reached their destination, back at Roosevelt, they shared cookies and hot chocolate offered by the school's PTA groups. These two school communities will combine next fall, under the district's Legacy Initiative. Adams is scheduled to close and students in grades K-4 will attend Roosevelt. "About 120 people spent time enjoying the refreshments and talking about the upcoming changes," said Robinet. "This is the first of many opportunities for these families to meet and begin to share the vision of the demographics team. "For the past two years, the staff at Adams has rented a wagon and caroled to the neighborhood. This year, they added their friends at Roosevelt to begin the blending of these two (school) families." Robinet said: "It took about an hour to walk the mile, but the memories and friendships will last a lifetime." She said blending the two schools "is just the beginning of a great friendship." -- By Stephanie A. Casola Originally published December 21, 2005 |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:30 AM Post #7 |
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LETTERS SHARE YOUR OPINIONS Local democracy failed I am writing today to, once again, express my disgust with and disapproval of the passing of the Legacy Initiative. It is clear that the board did not represent the community in its approval of this plan. Democracy at the local level has obviously failed. The board members and Dr. (Supt. Randy) Liepa have said that we "whiny" parents are just resistant to change. Rather, we are resistant to this Legacy Initiative. Our opposition, unlike this initiative, is based in fact. The plan causes academic loss (related to additional transitions), costs $1 million to $2 million to implement, saves only 1 percent of the annual budget (the same as other models-K5 & K-6), decimates the current model of neighborhood schools, drastically increases school populations and requires busing our children all over the city (with the purchase of 60 additional buses). For the many reasons stated above, the adoption of this plan does not follow logical reasoning. Myself and many other parents have repeatedly asked "Why this plan?" We have never received an actual answer, other than the pat response that this plan improves teacher communication. Our "visionary" school board and Dr. Liepa himself must clearly value communication issues over student and community welfare. Or perhaps it is merely an issue of administrative ambition. The "bright people" of this community do not and will not support this plan. Nor will we help the school board in achieving the "bazillion" things that need to be accomplished before the start of school in 2006. Rather, what many of us will do is to help our own children in making the single transition from public to private schools, or from this district to another. Hopefully, we will find a more democratic, responsible, and caring school board who will look out for the best interests of our community and its children. Jody Hamilton Livonia |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:34 AM Post #8 |
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Teachers not muzzled I am briefly writing in response to your cover story on the potential school board recall drive (Observer, Dec. 15). I am a teacher, a coach, a parent and a lifelong member of the Livonia community. I have become rather frustrated with the insinuations and rumor-based commentary coming from several of the members from Citizens for Livonia's Future. Patrice Mang alleged that teachers were told not to attend meetings and silence our opinions about the recall. That simply isn't true. Throughout this entire process, neither Dr. (Supt. Randy) Liepa nor anyone on the committee has ever, once, suggested or even tried to curb the opinions of LPS staff. I have tuned in and/or attended every meeting, and I am member of our teacher's union. In all these situations we were never given scripted language as to how we should address the Legacy Initiative. In fact, our opinions and positions have been encouraged. As teachers we are well aware of the impact the Initiative may have on our buildings as we make the transition next fall, and we are preparing to make those transitions positive and productive. Our goal is to work together and do what is best for the district and the families we work with directly. What brings me concern is the fact that comments like Mang's will only bring unwarranted tension between teachers and parents. There will be plenty of obstacles to overcome as we all move into the 2006-07 school year. Why create more challenges? I understand the committee has a goal and a purpose, and I do not mean to challenge its intentions. However, to direct more negative attention in the form of rumors or hearsay toward the very people educating their children is not a very progressive approach in addressing the concerns of Citizens for Livonia's Future. Russ Keberly Livonia |
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| NFarquharson | Dec 22 2005, 09:44 AM Post #9 |
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This article reminds me again of how offended I am by what Cathlene Hedden said at Monday's BOE meeting. I have attended dozens of meetings, have read all of these posts and have talked to a lot of people who are against the Legacy Initiative. I have NEVER heard a single negative comment about the diversity of any school or city. I have never heard anyone say that they were concerned about Cooper or any other school because of the racial or ethnic makeup of the student body. It is so WRONG for Ms. Hedden to imply that parents who are against this are motivated by racism. That is outrageous and disgusting! How dare she try to create divisivness by painting this as a racial issue? That is an insult to all of us and can only serve to paint our city and our residents in a negative light. |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:49 AM Post #10 |
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The "race" card is always played when they need to divert attention away from the real issues. Think "O.J. and "Wal-mart." I think the community is too smart for such a ploy. Been there done that! |
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| fyi | Dec 22 2005, 09:51 AM Post #11 |
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Someone needs to response to the Observer, to clarify this for those that are not paying close attention. Don't you think? |
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| angrymom | Dec 22 2005, 09:56 AM Post #12 |
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I agree. I was outraged after hearing Ms. Hedden talk on Monday! I have never heard anyone make the racists remarks she talked about. I guess they are trying anything to make us look bad -they don't care how many lies they have to tell to accomplish this! |
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| angrymom | Dec 22 2005, 09:58 AM Post #13 |
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I totally agree! We must let everyone know the truth! |
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| NFarquharson | Dec 22 2005, 10:02 AM Post #14 |
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I will be writing a response and would encourage everyone to do the same. |
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| grantmom | Dec 22 2005, 10:05 AM Post #15 |
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I am disgusted that this teacher from Cooper is playing the race card. I too am one who has attend every single meeting on the LI and not once has this come out of the mouths of anyone. As I have stated on the Cooper/Emerson/Franklin Forum, we are concerned with the toxic landfill across the street, this has nothing to do with race.......only the HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :angry: |
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