Independence Senator wants Indep schools to annex 7 KCSD schools

Plan would let Independence annex 7
KC school exit debate crowded
By JOE ROBERTSON
The Kansas City Star

“I want to give you the power as taxpayers to set your course.”
Missouri Sen. Victor Callahan

More people wanted to hear a debate about carving west Independence neighborhoods out of the Kansas City School District than could fit into the Englewood Theater on Thursday night.

And afterward it was clear that most of the 500 or so who got in did not hear what they wanted to hear about a plan that would allow the Independence School District to annex those neighborhoods.

Those who shared Missouri Sen. Victor Callahan’s view that the Kansas City district’s “tragic” history has crippled the economic viability of west Independence and Sugar Creek saw no progress toward resolving the many complications that would have to be resolved.

Those who came to defend Kansas City’s schools saw little interest in Superintendent Bernard Taylor’s request that people revisit the schools and “challenge your perceptions.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/13835303.htm

I talked to a couple people who went to this meeting last night and their reports were a lot more interesting than this story from today's Star.

They said there was a man there who kept shouting "Let my people go!". There were several hundred people who could not get in because the fire marshall was there and he said the auditorium was too crowded. They also said the crowd was extremely rude to Dr. Taylor (KC supt) and shouted him down. They also said the woman in charge of the event was very selective about who was allowed to get up to the microphone and ask questions. One man who spoke stated that he was a landlord with two rental houses in the area, one in the KC school district and the other in Independence. He claimed he got $200 more in rent from the Independence house. (No, he didn't say if one house was larger than another.)

A statement was made that the Independence police claimed they had visited these schools 500+ times this year. That is complete bullshit. The 100th day of school was Thursday. Do the math. Do you believe that Independence cops have had to visit 7 schools an average of 5 times a day this year?

The facts left out of this story:

1. There are other schools in this area that are not part of the annexation plan. Why does Callahan not include Pitcher (a 10 year old building and a beautiful facility) or West Rock Creek or Anderson Alternative School?

2. These schools educate 40% of the non minority kids in the KC School District. Losing those kids would drastically change the racial balance in the KC Schools.

3. 2200 kids are enrolled in these schools. That is approximately 10% of the KC School District.

4. Park University is working with Callahan on this annexation plan. They plan to turn these schools into charter schools. Charter schools in the KC area have the lowest MAP scores of any schools in this metro area and are among the lowest scoring schools in the entire state.

5. There are several hundred teachers and other employees at these schools who would lose their jobs. As big as the KC School District is, they could not place that many employees in other district schools. What happens to them? Will the district offer early retirement to older experienced teachers to make room? What about the tenure of the younger teachers? Would the lose that along with their jobs?

6. If these schools are taken away from KC, the financial consequences would be devastating. Can you say higher property taxes for the rest of the KC School District residents? There wouldn't be much choice.



There is another meeting next Friday at 3:00. I will post details when I learn them.

Something about it, aside from you've already mentioned, smells very bad here. I'll have to go back to the paper and read more about the plan.

and the misinformation surrounding this story is shocking to me. If these schools are annexed, the kids won't automatically be a part of the Independence School District, especially if they become charter schools. If that happens, 2200 kids will be abandoned. Charters can be very exclusive about who they admit. Does anyone really think the charters want these west Independence kids? I also heard and am trying to verify that the Independence School District had these schools at one time and gave them to KC.

What everyone needs to remember is that the Independence School District did not come up with this plan and they are NOT backing it. They don't want these kids or these schools. They can't afford to add these schools and KC can't afford to lose them.

From what I have been able to dig up, this is strictly Victor Callahan's idea. He has managed to inflame a community. What an ass.