LETTERS: CLASS SIZE ISN'T THE ONLY CONCERN

To the editor:

In all of our interactions with Superintendent Dan Steska so far, we have found him to be a thoughtful, honorable and competent person. Because of that, we can only assume that he has made a terrible mistake in his understanding of the underlying concerns of Franklin Elementary School parents regarding the Franklin/Blanchard redistricting. Granted, our concerns extended beyond class size as time went by, but that is no excuse for the accusations he made at the May 15 school board meeting. Steska said that in making this redistricting decision he was concerned only with the class size and capacity inequities between Franklin and Blanchard Elementary School. And he implied that Franklin parents do not share his concerns about equality and fairness. Far from it. However, we apparently have a different concept of what equality and fairness mean one that goes beyond mere class size.

Steska's claim that he was only concerned with class size and capacity doesn't ring true. First, in discussions Cathy Evans, assistant superintendent, had with Franklin and Blanchard parents concerning boundary changes, the suggestion that students formerly in Franklin be returned to Franklin was rejected because taking those students out of Blanchard would raise the minority percentage at Blanchard so as to make it a racially identifiable school. This hardly sounds like issues of race were not being considered by the district.

Second, Evans argued that the current boundary-change plan has the benefit of increasing the percentage of at-risk students at Franklin to a point where Franklin qualifies for full Title I federal funds. Again, Steska's claim that the only consideration was class size and capacity simply does not ring true.

Third, why, exactly, would a district superintendent actively choose to ignore issues of race and income when deciding district boundary issues? Surely Steska is aware that higher concentrations of at-risk students are strongly correlated with lower academic success. That correlation is precisely why the federal government sees fit to increase the funding for schools with high concentrations of at-risk students.

Is there anyone who does not realize that children of wealthy parents can be stressed? Or that children in free or reduced-price lunch programs can have stable home lives with loving parents who make sure they are in school on time with their homework done, as we're sure Steska's children were? The federal government would not spend thousands of dollars on at-risk children, however, if as a group they were exactly the same as all other children. On average, at-risk children are under more stresses themselves and bring more stresses to the schools they attend than other children. If you deny this fact, then you deny that extra money should be spent on educating these children.

Franklin parents suggested ways of addressing the issues of class-size equality that also addressed questions of social justice and economic fairness, but the district chose to reject and ignore these questions. Why? These suggestions go to the heart of our concept of fairness and equality. Educating children is our main focus. We feel that issues of justice, fairness and equality involve more than mere calculations of class size.

MARTHA S. ZLOKOVICH

Franklin PTA co-treasurer

H. HAMNER HILL

TINA WRIGHT

Franklin PTA co-president

SANDRA RHODES

Franklin PTA co-president

ALBERT HAYWARD

NEIL ZLOKOVICH

Cape Girardeau