Consolidation plan limits democracy

Gov. John Baldacci’s proposed school district consolidation plan is an extreme act which will do two things: save money, which is the driving force behind the plan, and create regional school boards further disconnected from their communities.

A month ago an OpEd piece written by Susan Gendron, the commissioner of education, was seen in the Bangor Daily News. In her piece she stated that the proposed plan will “ensure significantly greater local participation and engagement, guaranteeing every parent, teacher and community member a voice in how their schools are governed.” How could this be true if there are fewer representatives serving more people? This plan will limit school district democracy.

How will these megadistricts be arranged? My SAD 22 board represents 2,200 students in three communities. If Gov. Baldacci’s plan were to go though, the new Bangor Regional District would have one board representing 16,000 students in 33 communities. Under the Local School, Regional Support legislation, people living in regions with a smaller population may have one school board to represent 4,000 students. I believe there should be balance.

Will there be any student representation on the new megadistrict boards? My district has a high school student representative, and she has served the community and students very well. Most of the decisions made at the meetings will in turn affect students, and therefore I believe there should be at least one student who represents the community and schools.

A growing number of seniors from my high school want to have an outdoor graduation. Shifting the graduation from the uncomfortably crowded auditorium would allow twice as many family members and friends to attend and participate in this very important event. To make this happen, two senior leaders knew they would have to stand up and speak out in front of our tri-town education board. The seniors asked our board for permission and funding. The student leaders went up in front of the board confidently. Permission was granted. They are now raising money and considering returning to the board for more financial assistance.

I wonder if the outdoor graduation would have passed if the new megadistricts were in place. First, would there be time allowed for students to speak out and be heard by the megadistrict board? Second, could students get on the board’s agenda? The proposed regional district boards would have to consider far too many different school matters at their meetings before ever considering student issues. The new Bangor Regional District would have a 15-member board of directors representing its 33 towns. This means 18 towns will have no elected representatives. What if none of the new board members were from the present SAD 22 towns of Hampden, Winterport or Newburgh? Would they agree to help students at a school which they knew hardly anything about?

Part of the consolidation plan’s projected $250 million in savings will be used to provide student laptops for grades seven through 12. Commissioner Gendron states in her OpEd piece that the laptops given to seventh- and eighth-graders across the state have been highly successful. Has it been so successful? A laptop is a useful tool which provides convenience to a student. Will our teachers be motivated to work with and base their coursework on the laptops? Commissioner Gendron says that nearly a quarter of Maine’s students never graduate from high school and only half of our high school graduates go to college. Providing students with a machine alone is not going to increase Maine’s number of graduates to a high enough degree.

I wonder if our leaders in Augusta have faith in the spending decisions the local boards are now making. Some of the money saved from this plan is going to be directed right back into the classrooms. I have not heard

enough reasons why we as a state should allow for about five of every six superintendents to lose their jobs, and why nearly 10 of every 11 school boards should be dissolved and then be permitted only to give advice.

I believe that Gov. Baldacci’s plan is too extreme. If the goal is to save money by consolidation, then consolidate; however, do not decrease the number from 296 districts with 152 superintendents to 26 districts with one superintendent each because that is far too few. Our Legislature and the governor need to develop a plan where the state of Maine will save a great deal of money without cutting down the number of districts and superintendents so drastically. Maybe 100 districts would be a better alternative.

I ask the Legislature and the governor to value necessary community involvement and accessibility of students, parents, teachers and community members to their elected school board without the overriding desire just to save money.

Harvey K. Shue is a junior at Hampden Academy.