Letter to the NYT Reporter/Editor About Transfers & Racism

I never really understood the idea of people blogging or how they even got started, until now ... maybe it takes something you are passionate about, or just something that sticks in your craw so to speak.  Heck, I'm not even on Facebook and I'm somehow doing this!

Thanks to the heads-up article by Karl Frank Jr., South County Racism Makes New York Times which refers us to the recent NYT article, In Missouri, Race Complicates a Transfer to Better Schools by John Eligon.

Long story short, though informative on some levels, I found the article a bit narrow, with only the focus on race which I do not think does this issue justice, nor is it fair -- especially considering its national reach.  To underscore my thoughts after reading the article, many of the comments posted to the site are even worse and are, in my opinion, the product of not having all of the facts.

So, since comments were closed on that article, I decided to tell them so tonight in a letter to both the reporter and editor.  And, yes, some of my bullets were influenced by the comments made regarding this issue to other Patch blogs.  I doubt it will get any traction and not sure who will all agree but here it is...

Mr. Eligon,

Looks like I got in on the comments too late for your article because they are closed.  I'm not sure if you'll even read this as I'm sure you are very busy, but figured I'd give it a try.

Though some of your article was informative, I found it to be a bit one-sided and definitely not complete;  honestly, it was not what I'd expect from a reporter looking to reveal ALL of the facts.  I know, I know ... only so much can go into one article, but perhaps you'd consider writing about other parts of this multi-faceted issue.  And, I'll already say sorry for the length of this email.

I am a 39 year old mother of 3 who lives in the Mehlville School District -- because it seems to matter to some people, yes I'm white.  No I don't live in a mansion (I wish) and we really don't have those around here though we do have some nice housing.  My family and I live in a modest ranch home in a middle-class neighborhood.  My husband works full-time and I do some part-time work -- I gave up a full-time career to spend more time with our young children as he travels quite a bit as a contractor (laid off in 2009 like many people).  We have to supply our own health insurance which is costly due to my condition of Multiple Sclerosis and we pinch our pennies every month.  No, not the worst story and I count my lucky stars every day that it could be worse but I'm just trying to say, I guess, that I'm not some trophy wife (again, I wish) living the high life pissed off because "I don't want to have a bunch of outsiders coming into my district".

I did not grow up here, but went to school in another very good neighboring school district called Rockwood.  At that time, I lived in a town that did not have it's own high school so we were bused out to Eureka High School - with construction, the ride could be as long as 45 minutes each way.  However, my peers from the city had it tougher as they rode for even longer in the school's in desegregation program.  Though the school was better than their local options, I know from playing sports with many from the city that it was a very hard educational life as well, starting very early in the morning and often ending very late into evening hours if they played after-school sports.

My long background story is simply to say, I get it.  We are in a different, but somewhat similar situation here with Riverview Gardens.  But, I feel like your article took a larger look at race being the issue rather than what I'd say the majority that I know here are worried about -- PROCESS and RESOURCES.  Are there those opposed to the idea simply due to race - yeah I'm betting so and that makes me sad and disappointed.  BUT, as for my family and those I know, this has been frustrating due to the following:

* Why are the political groups in an uproar just now?  Where were they while this Riverview Gardens district was losing accreditation?

* Why did the Missouri Supreme Court make such an important decision with so few guidelines?  Was it just to look good?  Did they really not think through HOW this was to occur?

* Why does the failing district get to choose, with hardly any notice, the district they want to offer to bus their students to?  How are they even qualified to make that decision given their failure?  Why would they choose to offer bus service to a district so far away when there are other accredited districts half the distance away (my guess is that it's to discourage parents from wanting their children on bus rides that take over an hour long EACH way in AM/PM traffic, and that's in good weather BTW - but I'm only speculating)?  The map of the school district can be found at http://www.stlouisco.com/Portals/8/docs/document%20library/maps%20and%20gis/maps%20for%20download/Sc....

* Why does the failing district only have to choose and offer bus service to ONE district?  What if every single student chose to go?  Do we all really think that ANY another school district can simply double up and still provide good education?  Is it fair to ANY student, those in the district or not, to have to attend an over-populated school where resources and teachers are stretched so as to provide less quality education for all?

* The ACLU says "make more room" with mudslinging comments all over the media.  OK then, how do you suppose we do that?  Build another building at taxpayer expense?  Hire more teachers?  Open classrooms in basements?  Cram too many students into rooms and overextend teachers?  They seem to like to cite numbers from 10 years ago but as our Superintendent said on a recent radio interview, SO much has changed in 10 years and the numbers have been affected -- only one example is the newly offered tuition free (taxpayer paid) full-day kindergarten program in the district.

From personal experience, my son was in first grade last year - his was one of THREE full first grade classes at his school - his class alone had 24 students and the others were full too.  If he chooses a college one day that teaches to auditoriums full of students, that's his choice, but large volumes of students in one room don't belong in elementary/middle/high school education.

Again, I apologize for the length of this email.  I'm frustrated with political parties that only seem worried about pushing their agenda.  I'm frustrated with the lawyers who only seem to be interested in their final bill.  I'm frustrated that a school district that has failed their students gets to choose to overextend the resources of another -- and that they'd have the gall to send their students so far from home on a bus -- and then point the finger at the receiving school district when we say we can't take everyone.  I'm frustrated with the lack of focus on how to improve the failing school district.  I'm frustrated that what should be an exciting back-to-school time of year for everyone is tainted with an issue that's almost solely been blown into a race issue, and I don't think quite justifiably so.  And, finally, I can only imagine how frustrating and unnerving this is for Riverview Gardens families trying to understand what is truly happening as well.

Again, to be sure, race issues exist all over our country still and they flow BOTH ways between all kinds of races.  These issues are also present in Europe and other parts of the world.  But, I believe the media do their profession no justice when they ONLY focus on this side of any issue -- it's the easiest, most sensational, and most quotable stuff to write or talk about to be sure -- but it's not always the whole or even the biggest side of the story for those of us who DO care about our fellow human beings.

I welcome Riverview Garden students -- as one of our students recently said, "As soon as they walk into the door, they’re Mehlville" and I could not agree more.  I am happy to help and believe we should treat those in need that come through our doors as our own.  However, we should not lower the quality education that we can provide to all by cramming schools beyond capacity -- nor should we be penalized for trying to adhere to standards that keep that education of a high quality.

Thank you for your time, Jennifer Siess Gansner

P.S. ~ I just saw this on our local patch feed that I thought was great of our staff and students...

http://mehlville-oakville.patch.com/groups/back-to-school/p/welcome-to-mehlville-school-district-vid...