Local: Blogosphere reacts to Hinton

District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton once again displayed his lack of respect to taxpayers and parents. In an interview with the Journal Star, he said that, sure, he’s meet with parents who are upset that 45 minutes has been cut from the school day. But he claimed that kids will benefit from all that wonderful extra planning time teachers will get, and that there’s no way the district will change it’s mind.

My reaction is: So why the Hell is Hinton meeting with parents? To placate them, obviously. At D150, public involvement is something that happens on their terms. And public involvement for them doesn’t mean that the district pays any attention, just that someone sits in a room and tolerates parents making noise for a few minutes, all to create the illusion they give a damn.

This is exactly what happened when they tried to move Glen Oak School to Glen Oak Park. They made the deal (behind closed doors) with the Peoria Park District first, the school board rubber-stamped the decision, the parents and the neighborhood erupted in outrage. Ken Hinton was dismissive of any opinion but his own, and board remained in his pocket. It was only because the park board blinked and didn’t give final approval. Finally, the school board was forced into a very public, very open process they resulted in a new school next to the current Glen Oak site, AND a new school next to the current Lincoln School site.

The Peoria Blogosphere — as well as HOINews, God bless ‘em — have been all over this story. Naturally, the blogs are buzzing over “King Hinton’s” latest royal decree:

C.J. Summers catches Hinton playing word games:

See, this is semantics. He’s distinguishing between “specialists” and “teachers.” The “specialist” time will be cut, but “contact time with teachers will not change.” I’m sorry, but if the “specialist” is teaching my child art, music, and physical education, I call that person a “teacher.” It doesn’t matter to me whether they are contractually or legally considered a “teacher” by District 150 standards. They’re teaching my children, and their contact time is most assuredly being cut.

It shouldn’t be. Art, music, and P. E. are not things that should be relegated to extra-curricular activities. These are an important part of a child’s education. They should be retained.

PeoriaIllinoisan puts words in Hinton’s mouth:

Even if I can’t persuade them, it really doesn’t matter because we’re not going to do what the public wants anyway. We never have in the past, so I ask, why start now? The role of a good administrator is to remain consistent and I plan on being consistently stubborn.

If they continue to be a thorn in my side I’ll dangle a carrot in front of them in the form of the promise that this is only a one year test and this could be revisited next year. That should appease them. What I won’t tell them is that next year it will be nearly impossible to bring back the 45 minutes of lost school time because money won’t be budgeted to cover lengthening of the school day and hiring extra teachers.”

Peoria Anti-Pundit seems to think that cutting 45 minutes from the schedule won’t matter:

So it is not a matter of tools or decent teachers that plagues our District. Is it a matter of money?  Is it a matter of mismanagement?  I would like to think it is the money because if it is mismanagement, then we are all responsible.  We vote the board in and the Board hires the administration.  Being on the school board is 5 years of criticism without pay. We have had some decent Boards in the past but over the last few years, egos have played into Board politics.  If you think the shit has hit the fan with Ms. Vespa firing off at the board over their latest action, then just wait until Martha Ross is not elected Board President like she thinks she deserves.  It will not only be a miscarriage of justice in her eyes but the old race card will fall out and we all will have to endure another distraction has those who disagree will probably picket the school board as in the past.

Nothing yet on Diane’s blog.