Can't say I didn't offer to help... Guess First Amendment Rights for students is not top on the agenda in District #1. Considering the fact that NOBODY spoke on behalf of those "other people", percentage-wise we were a pretty darn good representation By the way, I never offered to personally pay for anything. I simply posed a hypothetical question and offered to "assist."
School Board Response:
Ginny,
We have clearly committed to review the specific policy changes you and others have suggested as we indicated to everyone at our board meeting and in the email exchanges we have had on this topic, which is in process as we speak. Kathy Zarling will be working with our Attorney's to make sure we are in compliance with our state and federal laws first and foremost. Then we will work to find the options we can legally consider to deal with the District and Board's desire to provide All of our students with a safe environment and to incorporate feedback we have from you and others who have spoken to us on this matter.
A group of 15-20 people who share their ideas on a matter does not mean that the 15,000+ other parents and taxpayers who elected the board and did not come to the meeting feel the same way as your group. We were elected to listen to everyone on both sides of an issue and then with that input make a choice that is legal and in the best interest of all students, our district, and our community. I know you would want us to do the same if a different group with the exact extreme opposite view from yours came to us and wanted to impose their views into our policies.
Therefore, let me further clarify my email response to you to avoid any confusion.
When you have been and still are one of the top 10 lowest spending districts of 426 in the State of WI with ongoing publicly documented growth in student enrollment and $80MM+ in deferred capital expenditures ( not declines as some would argue ) you must be very careful what you choose to invest your time and resources into even on the smallest of matters. This board would also not choose to initiate a lawsuit until we were absolutely forced to do so and that this elected board determines it is our only recourse since doing so places our limited district resources of staff time, educational programs, and money at risk.
We appreciate your unlimited financial offer to provide support towards all of the legal costs the taxpayers of this district would incur to fight the State of WI or DPI. A legal action like that remains highly unlikely even with your offer.
We did not in this or any other communication indicate to you that we agreed with you or that we would adopt your specific additions and deletions. Even if we choose to adopt some or all of your positions we did not indicate that we have any desire to bring suit against the State or the DPI if that would be required to implement them.
We will leave that issue for your group to decide what you would like to do and fund keeping in mind that any discussion of suing the State and DPI for your proposed changes came solely from you not this Board or the District staff.
Thanks Ginny for asking for allowing me to clarify my prior communication for you and everyone else on this email.
Joe
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