I am with Bloomington Parents Alliance and a long time Bloomington resident.
It has been over a year and I still have not heard back on several book challenges I submitted. I am here to ask for a time line. I have followed the process, but the district is not taking these challenges seriously. Meanwhile BPA attempted to donate benign books that weren't accepted due to perceived interest level, yet books that are sexually explicit make the list.
How does the district build trust with parents and the community if they keep dragging their feet on this issue and process?
Second, as you go into your study session tonight on declining enrollment and substantial deficit spending, I hope you will take into consideration a community members concern, that was shared with me recently.
“As a long time Bloomington resident, I am woefully disappointed with the way the school district conducts itself. As a parent of a beautiful daughter approaching school age, we would never consider putting her in the ISD 271 public school system today. Not only does the district value agendas over academics, they deliberately obfuscate policy procedures and parental rights. There is blatant disregard for how the board and superintendent handle public concerns (i.e. access to explicit books, policies surrounding gender, adult immigrants in attendance with minors, transportation issues, teachers taking a lead role in after school student led activities, substance use on campus, gang activity, board meeting rule changes etc.). My daughter is not safe ideologically, or physically in these schools. I honestly never thought I’d be in this position as a parent. It’s heartbreaking when we cannot rely on teachers and those “elected” to educate our children. Instead, our children are treated as a commodity, at the mercy of those who hold the purse strings.”
The district needs to refrain from taking money that comes with conditions of implementing programs that do not align with neutrality and takes the focus off of academics. This is creating unsafe schools and poor academic outcome.
Start embracing the humanity of our children and stop seeing them as a commodity and you will start seeing a change for the better.
Thank you.
