Over crowding and inequality in education - Peoria, Illinois

Where is the ACLU when you need them? They sue for over crowded prisons - they need to sue District 150 for over crowded schools.

A new school boundary map was made and schools were closed. Parents were given a handful of schools, where children are learning, that they could scramble and beg to attend. Today we read that Glen Oak Community School and Harrison Community School are filled beyond capacity.

While the schools North of Forrest Hill are not seeing classrooms bursting at the seams and children failing to learn; the schools South of Forrest Hill are. Additionally, the schools are all set up on some type of program schematic that place students on a different learning trajectory than their "peers" out North. When questioned about why the classrooms are so crowded, the Superintendent of Schools says: 

"I don't know where people are coming from...,"

How is this an acceptable response to the very real problem of classrooms packed beyond building code?

I will guarantee you, new people are not coming to Peoria feinding to attend Glen Oak or Harrison Community School. These are the same lower economic citizens that the City and the Schools have agreed it is okay to herd in this way. 

Inequality in education is a market in Peoria - it has been for generations. Folks coming from communities far and wide to make money off of the under educated parents with children who live in this town. Millions and millions of dollars in grant money has flooded into this community for the last several years, but ain't nothing changed. We continue to get what we got - maybe even worse. 

So what is the Board of Education going to do for all of these kids crammed into a couple of buildings? How will they remedy this heinous situation? Will they open up more schools; will they open up the boundaries and allow more students to get waivers; or will they continue to allow the most vulnerable students in the City of Peoria to be treated in this way? Unfortunately  I think I know the answer to these questions - they will do nothing. 

I am thoroughly disgusted with this situation, THIS IS WRONG!

Peoria Story has the scoop from last night's School Board Meeting.

Notice for filing School Board nominating petitions

click image to enlarge

School Board Member, Martha Ross' term expires in 2013. Mrs. Ross was appointed to the District 150 Board of Education prior to being elected to the Board from District 1 in 2003. It is not known at this time if Mrs. Ross will be seeking re-election.

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The Board of Education, City of Peoria, School District #150, hereby gives public notice that one (1) School Board member is to be elected in the election to be held on April 9, 2013. One School Board member is to be elected from the first (1st) School Election District.

Petitions may be obtained from Joan L. Bastian, Secretary of the Board of Education, at her office at 3202 N. Wisconsin Avenue, Peoria, Illinois, during regular office hours. School Board candidates may circulate petitions beginning September 25, 2012.

The first day petitions may be filed is Monday, December 17, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. and the last day for filing petitions is Monday, December 24, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Source

BOE - Special Meeting @ 5:30 tonight

Anyone care to speculate?

AGENDA ITEMS

A. CALL TO ORDER – 5:30 p.m.

B. ROLL CALL

C. MOTION FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION

PERSONNEL 2(C) 1 Appointment, discipline, performance, dismissal, employees; (3) Appointment to Public Office; (11)Litigation.

D. ADJOURNMENT

BOE Notice of deadline for filing a Petition for 2011 election

The seats of two of the Board of Education's most criticized members have terms that are set to expire in April of 2011. Debbie Wolfmeyer, who was elected to the Board from District 2 in 2006, currently serves the Board as President. Mrs. Wolfmeyer also serves on the Strategic Communications Committee. Also set to expire is the District 3 seat that Jim Stowell currently holds. Mr. Stowell also serves the BOE as Chairperson of the Building Committee and Community School Advisory Committee.

The Notice

The Board of Education, City of Peoria, School District #150, hereby gives public notice that two (2) School Board member are to be elected in the election to be held on April 5, 2011. One School Board member is to be elected from the second (2nd) School Election District and one from the third (3rd) School Election District.

Petitions may be obtained from Joan L. Bastian, Secretary of the Board of Education, at her office at 3202 N. Wisconsin Avenue, Peoria, Illinois, during normal office hours. School Board candidates may circulate petitions beginning September 21, 2010. The first day petitions may be filed is Monday, December 13. 2010 at 8:00 a.m. and the last day for filing petitions is Monday, December 20, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Source

BOE votes to close Woodruff!

Roll Call
Parker - no
Wolfmeyer - yes
Pettele - yes
Stowell - no
Gorenz - yes
Butler - yes
Ross - no

A chance to put up...

Many people north of Forrest Hill Avenue have a lot of advice to give District 150's Board of Education about how to do their jobs. Now that there is a chance to put up, apparently candidates are hard to come by...

Petition packets are available for those who want to run for the Peoria District 150 School Board's District 3 seat in the February election.

Those interested in the seat can pick up petition packets between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the district's Central Office, 3202 N. Wisconsin Ave. District 3 largely covers the area of the city north of Forrest Hill Avenue.

So far, no one has requested petitions.

Candidates must obtain 200 signatures from registered voters who live in District 3. The petitions must then be returned to the district's administration offices between Nov. 16 and Nov. 23.

The election is Feb. 2. Winners serve five-year terms starting in July.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old and live within the district he or she is seeking to represent for at least one year.

For more information about the requirements or petitions to become a School Board member, call Julie Cramer at the district offices at 672-6763. Source