Many parents came to the meeting to express their concern regarding the effect this would have on their children and to ask the Board to supply another teacher to create 5 classes of 21 children each.  The classes would then be the size of all the other 5th Grade classes in the District.

Many parents spoke to the Board until 10 o'clock that night.  They presented well structured arguments and pleas to the Board which included the following:

• The classes are too large for effective teaching of 5th Grade students
•  All the other 5th Grade classes in the other Elementary Schools are much smaller
• The District budget is $76,000,000 so why can't one teacher be added?
• The District budget has increased 60% in 8 years so where are all the teachers
• We pay a lot of taxes, so where is the service to the children?
• The Board spent over $2,000,000 on new turf fields that are now damaged by sink holes but we have no money for teachers?
• The Board bought land we do not need for over $6,000,000 but we have no money for teachers?
• Out of all the teachers we have, you can not find one teacher?
• The Board is spending $500,000 for new heating and air conditioning in the District Office Building, but we have no money for teachers?
• And many, many, more............

The School Board listened politely, with a few exceptions, but only 3 Board members said anything and they all defended the decision based on their "guidelines".  As is usually the case, there was absolutely no debate or discussion among Board members.  President McGarrigle did almost all of the talking and basically said that they were following the "guidelines" that the Board had established, but she could not explain the basis on which the "guidelines" were created.  She could also not defend the fact that one of the classes exceeds the "guidelines".  Many people expressed frustration during and after the meeting regarding the Board's behavior and statements.  A few mothers even shed some tears.

This was a simple problem that the Board refused to fix for the benefit of the taxpayers.  All they had to do was tell the Acting Superintendent to create another class of 5th Graders at KD Markley in order to have 5 classes that are the same size as all the other schools.

The pattern of the Board continues as it ignores the parents/taxpayers and refuses to reconsider any decision they have made no matter what evidence or arguments are presented.  They do not debate and they do not discuss anything.  It followed the pattern of their handling of Superintendent Jones' contract renewal, the approval of the teacher union contract, and the purchase of the land.

This is the Board that will be selecting our new Superintendent.