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4A Daily News – Saturday, June 22, 2013 Opinion The hard reality of Paradise Lost DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. 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How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 When I was in college doing my undergrad work, I remember being asked to read John Milton's Paradise Lost. I thought about that title recently as I pondered the sequence of events this past year at Red Bluff High School. My own paradise is lost; it's vanished – it's gone, and I'm not the only one who feels this way. This column represents the sentiments of many on our staff, trusted colleagues and friends who helped me piece this together. The new superintendent's direction has withered away a campus that was once filled with vitality and life. In the name of program improvement, our school has been turned upside down. The myriad of changes have left honest, caring, good people in disbelief. Simply put, this year has been a gut wrenching, head scratching experience. Events of this year have caused us to become cynical toward our superintendent's leadership. Too many times the hows and whys behind her motivation and decision making have gone unexplained. Too many times we've been left asking, "Why?" From the beginning, teachers were invited to the table as part of the initial conversation concerning the new agenda; they volunteered for committees and provided input and feedback. However, there were times when their voices were not fully heard. Why offer direction or an opinion if someone else is just going to do it their way? The goal of our leadership team is noble: that every student at our school have access to a quali- ty education, and the opportunity to move forward toward graduation. There is not a single person on campus that does not agree with this. But, the sticking point is the road to take in order to get there. The reality is that school boards are voted in and superintendents hired by them to make such decisions. They can basically do whatever they believe when it comes to district goals and agendas. However, the hope with most teaching staffs is a common interest in working together to meet those goals. Teachers like to feel as though they are part of the process; they want to feel as though their voices are being heard. They want to feel empowered. For 22 years, I did. When I came to Red Bluff to teach, I did so for a new challenge (talk about change). My goal was to literally plunge myself into the pool of opportunity that existed here. I coached two sports and was the yearbook advisor. I contributed to a culture that was experiencing a renaissance of sorts. Students thrived, school spirit was incredibly positive, and teachers enjoyed their interactions with kids. Our culture didn't just exist, it had a measurable heartbeat. For years, teachers and administrators worked hard to maintain this culture, and it defined our school. Many of us poured our hearts and souls into making Red Bluff High a great place to go to school. And you know what? It was. If a teacher had a passion for doing a certain thing – like creat- The teachers at Red Bluff High ing a new program or rewriting a course curriculum, administration School believe that taking care of students is what it's all let them run with it. The about. common language I have lived in this between management community for 23 and staff mostly years. I have taught revolved around one side by side with those word: trust. who have done the This level of trust same. We know how trickled down to stucrucial it is to develop dents, as well. They those close knit relatrusted their teachers, tionships with our stucoaches, and even the dents – it makes a cantankerous vice printremendous differcipal. Coaches ran their ence. own programs. There Pat As one colleague was oversight, but they said, "We believe in had the freedom to do taking care of our what they wanted. The own. How many bottom line was people other schools can say knew what their role was, and everyone respected that. that?" Would you prefer your kids Everything is different now. That amazing culture has melted have a teacher who has a passion away. I have spent months trying for what he or she does, is gento figure out why. Maybe our new uinely concerned about students, superintendent doesn't quite and gives a 110%? Or, would understand our language or how you want one who sees teaching we do things. After all, she's not as a job and is constantly looking over their shoulder? from around here. Finally, we all understand what How could she know anything about us? How could she take her change means and what it entails. language and mix it with ours? It However, change for the sake of was like blending English with change – and not the betterment of students – just does not seem reaSwahili. Readers, here's the thing: most sonable. Teachers here are frustrated. people won't remember what test they took in school. They won't Those who have been here long remember what essays they wrote enough to remember our little paror what science projects they cre- adise have now realized that it is lost – and that's a hard reality to ated. But, they will remember that accept. Here's hoping we can get it one teacher, coach or classified employee who had a passion for back. what they did, the one who lit a Pat Gleason lives in Red Bluff fire inside them to pursue something great – like music, history, and teaches at English Red Bluff Union High School. wood shop, or auto shop. Gleason Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-3076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 3930707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary A magic carpet? This week the paper had a picture of "our" state senator looking confused, as if he were trying to remember his way "home" to Gerber. He may have just read the new school funding law, and I will assume that is the real reason for his seeming disorientation. School finance can be confusing, and it offers naysayers lots of reasons to grump and groan. Last week I mentioned the red tape that holds together many of the rules and regulations that schools have to follow. Here is an example of the silly business red tape can produce. When we were required to make schools a tobacco free area we were also required to post a sign immediately visible to visitors near the entrance of the school. There was a federally approved sign available for schools to use, and most did. That sign was very institutional looking and not in keeping with a bright and shiny elementary school with young children. I asked our students to participate in a contest to design a less institutional sign that might be used instead. We posted the colorful student designed sign near the entrance to the school. When we had a compliance review our school was criticized for not having the federally authorized sign. I was not happy, and I wrote a letter to the Superintendent of Public Instruction complaining that dealing with many of the rules were like peeling an onion. She called me and apologized, and we kept our sign. Not all state and federal rules and regulations are so inane; many both protect the rights of students and promote quality education. Enforcing the rules often relies on paperwork and filling out forms correctly, however, and not actual student progress or progress toward the goals of a program. It's as if the rule enforcers are judging a book by its cover. Things may be different this coming school year, and local school boards may be more important than ever. There is a new funding formula for schools and an alleged attempt to provide for more local control and flexibility. The new funding formula is named the Local Control Funding Formula (LCCF); whether or not the name is an accurate description has yet to be seen, but it sounds good. The formula is based on a plan devised by my doctoral advisor, Dr. Michael Kirst, who is a close advisor to Governor Brown and currently serves as President of the State Board of Education. The original plan was "unveiled" this spring and was simple in concept. The new plan has done away with over thirty categorical funding formulas; it gives given the school districts a basic grant including that money, and then provides up to 35 percent more money to districts with high concentrations of low income students, English language learners, and foster children. (Low income is defined by those stu- dents who are eligible for free and spur more participation in school reduced meals at school.) The plan matters at the local level because will be phased in over eight years. school boards will have to make decisions about how to For example, under spend the new money the original formula a they have. Heaven district with a concentraknows we could use tion of 80 percent of its such interest locally, students designed as given the paucity of high need would receive candidates willing to a supplemental grant of step forth to fill the the difference between empty Red Bluff Union that 80 percent and 50 Elementary School percent, i.e. a 30 percent board this spring; of boost. course, there were six Former County candidates for the board Superintendent and now Joe to interview for the vintner Bob Douglas most recent vacancy; always reminded us that maybe things are lookthere were two things we ing up. didn't really want to This new plan know about. One was how sausages are made, the other reminds me of a Shel Silverstein was how legislation in Sacramento poem: You have a magic carpet is passed. He often referred to That will whiz you through the Sacramento as California's great sausage factory. He was right, of air To Spain or Maine or Africa course. Some compromises had to If you just tell it where. be made to create the LCCF, and So will you let it take you the finished product is somewhat Where you've never been different from the Governor's original plan, and the result will need before, Or will you buy some drapes to lots of fine tuning. The State Board of Education match And use it will have an expanded role, estabOn your lishing ways to measure how Floor? accountable school districts actually are; the hope is they can put Joe Harrop is a retired together an effective system to measure accountability without the educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State. He use of red tape. be reached at The biggest hope for the can framers of the LCCF is that it will DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Harrop