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Problem solving the TSD way

 

Letter to the editor 2

To the Editor,

I have a list of steps for solving problems. Here is how the TSD (Loveland) school board measured up on Wednesday night:

Identify the problem.                           Student achievement is too low.

What does that mean?                        Not discussed.

How serious it is?                                Not discussed.

How did the problem originate?         Not discussed.

What do the teachers say?                  No one asked them (at least not as discussed by the Board).

What do education experts suggest?  Not consulted.

Research possible solutions.                Not done.

Agree on one approach.                      Only one approach presented (seemingly unrelated to the problem).

Implement it.                                          Board chose a lawyer to fix an education problem, by a 4-3 vote.

                                                               The minority fought and lost.

It was sort of like insisting on hiring a plumber to fix your car. Why?

How serious is this achievement gap? How did it get that way? What have teachers tried? Is the problem related to large class sizes? …poor teaching? …the number of students with learning difficulties? …shortages of funds? …testing fatigue? …lack of a Board lawyer? What have other districts done that worked? Will hiring a lawyer help? …or just postpone the problem? Would another approach have worked better, at less cost?

Was the student achievement gap the real reason for hiring this particular lawyer? If not, what is the real reason? I guess we’ll find out.

Ann Harroun
Loveland, Colo.