RUSD Listening Sessions - Part Trois

Tonight the RUSD board members are meeting to study all those hot-topic issues (desegregation, busing, neighborhood schools, etc) – I wish I could have been there to hear what I imagine was some very animated discussion. Hopefully the Journal Times will be covering the meeting. In light of not being able to write about that – I will continue my discussion of the listening session I attended last Friday…

When I entered the board room, another board member was entering the board room from a different door and direction. He took one look at me and my friend, and said something to the effect of “Great, the trouble-makers are here!” All heads turned my way – what a self-conscious way to start my day.

Ask a few pertinent questions, and you’re labeled a “trouble-maker” or worse yet a “barracuda”. That’s OK, because I have a few pet names for some of the board members as well, and they are probably not to be used in mixed company.

Now on to more highlights from the listening session; I will pick up where I left off yesterday:

4. Racine does not need new buildings.

Racine has some very old facilities, some dating back to the 19th century and most of them built in the first half of the last century. While these buildings are old, structurally there are in pretty good shape. The group came to a consensus that with updated HVAC, windows that open, and cabling for the 21st century – these buildings could probably last quite a few more years.

5. The administration and board should not keep asking for additional operating revenue via the now “annual” spring referendum.

Duh, you think???

6. Uniforms, meaning the strict dress code implemented at Gilmore Middle School this year, should be implemented district-wide.

This is also a no-brainer. It will most likely cost the parents less at the back-to-school sales in August and it takes clothes factor out of the school experience. Whether it is a competition between the haves and the have-nots, or dealing with risqué clothing – making all the students dress in a similar style makes sense.

I am sure that there are more highlights from the session, but like yesterday, time constraints plague me.