Western Community Unit School District 12听Supt.听Darin Powell is the former听administrator听of the school district in Missouri听where听he wants to send听Western听students.
BARRY听鈥斕齏estern听teachers, parents and community members plan to听attend听tonight鈥檚听Western听Community Unit School District 12听meeting to speak out against a proposed plan听to听outsource students to Missouri Schools.
District 12听Supt.听Darin Powell is pushing to听bus听Western听students听out of state听to Missouri听for听classes.听The move is expected to cost taxpayers more than $2,100 per student. This听money听is听greatly needed听in听Hannibal,听Mo.听The Hannibal听school听district, where Powell proposes the听District听12 students be sent,听 .听He听is from Hannibal, taught in听Hannibal School District 60, served as principal听there听and is听the former听assistant听superintendent听of District 60.
鈥淔irst of all, we have a responsibility to our students to make sure they get the best education possible. Illinois teachers go through a rigorous process to be licensed and accredited to teach in our state,鈥� Western Education Association Co-President Susan Stout said. 鈥淪econd, I am not sure the Western community is okay with their hard-earned tax dollars leaving the area when we have another viable, much more affordable option for our students right here in Illinois.鈥�
The classes Powell proposes to outsource to Missouri schools are skilled trades courses like auto, cosmetology and welding, among others. Many of those classes are also offered at Quincy Tech, where administrators say they would be happy to receive Western students. Most of these classes at Quincy Area Vocational Technical Center would cost around $1,800 per student.
In addition to outsourcing Western students鈥� education to another state, Powell is also considering using a budget reduction to eliminate teaching positions and lower graduation requirements in District 12.
鈥淥ur teachers are hard-working and dedicated, and our students deserve nothing less than that,鈥� Stout said. 鈥淟owering graduation requirements will shortchange our students and lead to lower district evaluations from the ISBE. Every move our district makes should be done with our students鈥� best interests in mind.鈥�
The Western Education Association听represents听the nearly听60 educators听working in District 12.听More than 500 students attend听the听three听schools in the district.
Tonight鈥檚听District 12 Board听of Education听meeting starts at听6听p.m.听at Western Elementary School听(401 McDonough St.,鈥疊arry).
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The 135,000 member 黑料视频 (IEA-NEA) is the state鈥檚 largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
