ARUNDEL — School choice continued to be a point of conflict
for the Arundel Withdrawal Committee at the meetings held Wednesday, May 30, and
Tuesday, June 5.
Despite two private caucuses in which the Arundel side and
the RSU 21 side discussed their positions on continued enrollment for students
after the 2013-2014 school year, during the June 5 meeting, both groups agreed
to discuss the issue further after more discussions at the next scheduled
meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, June 11.
RSU 21 Director Frank Drigotas wrote a comprehensive list
of issues that Arundel and the RSU 21 side were having disagreements over and it
ultimately came down to school choice as the overruling concern, in addition to
financial responsibility and debt, that would ultimately determine the direction
forward for the remaining issues to be discussed and agreed on.
Jack Turcotte, elected chairman for the Arundel side,
informed the mixed group of RSU 21 officials and Arundel representatives that
Arundel's contract with Thorton Academy Middle School can't be overruled.
Art LeBlanc, a member of the RSU 21 committee, explained
that there is intent to allow Arundel students within the RSU21 schools to
continue their education as long as possible. To help encourage that
possibility, the RSU 21 representatives changed their initial proposal that said
students living in Arundel who wished to be part of the RSU 21 schools would
need to provide their own transportation to allowing all Arundel students to be
allowed the same ability to use bus transportation.
"Turcotte explained that, with the exception of "specials," which would include students within special education programs, students transferred under superintendent agreements and other unique circumstances, the Arundel side "is not interested in any language that implies school choice.""
ReplyDeleteTurcotte is flat-out WRONG. 'The Arundel side' is the group of people who hate Kennebunk/Kennebunkport to the point where they would elect a school board member who wouldn't even *consider* school choice as part of the withdrawal agreement ('thanks' for that waste of a vote).
There are many families who support the school district, and regardless of the contract want choice.
I sincerely hope that those of you who are pushing for this withdrawal are ready to write checks for your fellow townspeople, as you are going to drive our taxes up to the point where they can no longer afford to stay in their homes.
Removal of technology from MLD? Wow. What a brilliant maneuver. Yes, let's take away all of the progress that MLD has made, and revert them back to the dilapidated, sub-par educational level they were at prior to the consolidation.
What a bunch of miserable, selfish people. Taking a future away from your children. OUR children. All because you cannot bring yourself to be grown-ups and evolve.
No wonder Arundel is the laughingstock of our district.