the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education proudly presented their colorful vision for the village schools at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. What they did not expect was the impending storm of discerning community members who quickly realized that the vision of the Board and administration was predetermined, despite whatever involvement that community members and students had in shaping this vision. Controversy is now percolating over the district’s convenient plans to “norm,” as it is posted in District goals, Critical Theory practices and social-justice activism.
Local residents pursuing this vision stopped first at the recognition that Community Schools are allowed to use federal Title I funds to hire a public relations officer with the expectation that this administrator will help improve student engagement. Further down the road, residents discovered remains of the template that the district used to reorganize the administrators chain of command. Then residents stumbled over exposed roots to find the receipt highlighting the exorbitant fees that taxpayers used for the educational consultant, Dr. William Adams of Hazard Young Attea Associates. Up ahead District Board of Education members and the administration that works for them are looking over their shoulders wondering how they can continue evading the public’s awareness that a silent entity has been manipulating taxpayer dollars and children’s education over the past decade.
Community Schools are a set of partnerships that operate as Cincinnati schools advocate, Darlene Kamine, calls a “quiet revolution.” California schools, with heavy promotion from the state’s teachers union, praise this style of schooling. Williamson M. Evers details the growing list of concerns regarding this model. The new reality is that Community Schools are “a clever new effort to use the public’s long-time attachment to public education to expand welfare-state services, promote critical race theory, and change school governance from oversight by elected school boards to rule by teachers’ unions and select community members.” (Link is provided for transparency purposes, which you won’t get from the BOE)
Community Schools are supported with four pillars. Pillar #1: Integrated Student Supports; Pillar #2: Expanded and Enriched Learning Time and Opportunities; Pillar #3: Active Family and Student Engagement; Pillar #4: Collaborative Leadership and Practices. The Ridgewood School’s Vision 2030 details Pillar #1 and Pillar #2. Pillar #3 Active Family and Student Engagement is already established with local politicians, shadow advisors, and organizations already having paid top dollar for inclusion.
Expect a battle to commence for Pillar #4 now that the plans are in place. Despite the head start in their pursuit to establish a Community School, school leadership is operating on a deficit. The Republican win in the White House depleted one funding source with little chance of Ridgewood receiving additional funds any time soon. Anticipate that district leaders will look to make withdrawals from continued public apathy while adding funds to support Sean Spiller’s campaign for New Jersey’s next Governor.
The Board of Education, district administrators, local politicians, and advocacy groups have spoken: Ridgewood Public Schools is a choice. Take it or leave it but keep paying for it. When the bill is due Ms. Sheila Brogan and Dr. Mark Schwarz will have skipped out on the check.
Anticipated steps within the next five years: dismantle the local Board of Education; get rid of school principals; diminish the teacher’s autonomy; add legal literacy curriculum; reframe Guidance and Child Study Team Departments; use state Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying law to address all conduct violations; further segregation between “gift and talented” programs and Special Education services; increase Social-Emotional curriculum while reducing academic curriculum; promote local activists into school operations; make local fundraising groups share gains more equitably across the district.
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