Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

At Thursday night’s School Board work session the Board made it clear that they wanted the 2006-2007 school year to begin on August 14, but somewhere in the muddle of numbers and options their words got lost in the translation and instead they were bewitched into thinking that August 7 is their only option.

As would be expected, many members of the Citizens Calendar Committee were busy jotting down every detail and insinuation we observed at the work session. Becky Pair’s concise narrative of the work session's discussion gives a quick overview of what each Board member said. We listened intently as each board member spoke about what they’d observed over the past few weeks and how that might affect their decision when they actually vote on the calendar on January 17.

Almost without exception, the Board members said that there is still far too much that is unknown about the issue and they can see no compelling reason to move to a year-round school calendar this coming year. A couple Board members said they felt there is enough support in their counties to for “yes” for a year-round school calendar, but the other 9 members in attendance were quite clear that next year’s calendar should mirror this year’s calendar with some minor “tweaks.” The general consensus of the Board is: start school on August 14, and make compromises within that framework.

But then, something strange happened . . .

David Heath, Deputy Director of Schools, and head of the calendar committee, addressed the School Board asking in essence, “In light of everything that has been discussed, how does the Board want to instruct the Calendar Committee as we draw up the calendar that will be proposed at the January 17 board meeting?”

In the next several minutes, a flurry of items were discussed about state requirements, exam timelines, Christmas (yes, I said Christmas . . .their words, not mine), optional vacation days, election days, teacher developments days, and suddenly, without any urging from the Board, THE DATE AUGUST 7 MAGICALLY APPEARED. In the muddle of a very confusing discussion, it was implied that there was no way school could start any later than that date. Without calendars in front of them, and with too many options buzzing around in their heads, it was nearly impossible for the Board members to visualize how these numbers could actually be plugged in.

However, within just a couple of hours of that work session (and without the help of a committee) Dr. David Carleton—MTSU professor and fellow Citizens Calendar Committee (CCC) member—had drafted 6 variations of a calendar that begin on August 14 AND include most of the non-educational “goodies” that were being bandied about at the work session.

IN FACT, in a flurry of e-mails that have been going back and forth between the CCC Steering Committee, we have seen that, if we further trim some of the “fat” from the current calendar, we MAY be able to start the school AS LATE AS AUGUST 21.

Judging by the way the conversation ended at this work session, it appears likely that the revised calendar that the Board members will receive in their packets this next week will show a start date of August 7. That is NOT what the Board requested and there is no reason for this move other than “calendar creep” which simply moves us one step closer to year-round school.

Last year, for reasons that no one seems to know, a similar thing happened: the Calendar Committee presented the Board with a calendar that began on August 8—a week earlier than the Board intended. The Board said “NO” and instructed the Calendar Committee to move the start of school back to August 15. In what appears to be a bad case of deja vu, the Board requested a start date of August 14 but it would appear that they’re going to be handed a calendar that begins on August 7.

Please join us in reminding the School Board this week that their instructions to the Calendar Committee have once again been "lost in translation." With its built-in mini-breaks and non-educational days, AUGUST 14 IS ALREADY A COMPROMISE.

No matter what measuring device you use—whether it be the Board's own words, the SEA OF RED at the work session, or even the very faulty phone survey conducted by the Central Office—there is NO ONE that has given any indication that August 6 should be considered as an option.

Another SEA OF RED is needed on Tuesday, January 17 as the Board makes THE VOTE THAT MATTERS. Reinforce their belief that the coming school year should begin NO SOONER THAN AUGUST 14.