David Delgado, a Webb parent, holds up student-made signs at the public hearing at Reagan High on Jan. 30.
JOIN THE FIGHT!
A large group of parents and community members have joined to form a group to SAVE WEBB! We need lots of volunteers to do everything from tutoring kids for the TAKS to writing letters to our officials and calling parents.
Our next meeting is Thursday, Feb. 8 from 6-7 p.m. at Webb.
To volunteer, call 653-4935 (English) or 940-4320 (Español), or e-mail volunteer@savewebb.org
Our Proposals to the AISD Board of Trustees
Given the short period of time AISD has given the community to respond to Dr. Forgione’s plan to close Webb, our immediate need to is stop a vote for closure at the School Board meeting on Feb. 26. Read our proposals below that were delivered to school board members at the Reagan hearing on Jan. 30.
January 30, 2007
To the Board of Trustees, Austin Independent School District:
As local community members and parents of students at Webb Middle School, we have heard Supt. Forgione’s proposal to close our community school. We have looked at the evidence that he has presented and heard what his concerns are.
Now hear ours. We make the following proposals to you as elected officials in a spirit of respect, but we also know that we are the true owners of our schools as taxpayers and parents. We have the welfare of our children and the future of our community as our highest concerns. We expect that you will take our proposals seriously. We will also be presenting them to our other elected representatives, as well as the TEA and concerned organizations and media.
1. The decision as to Webb Middle School’s future will NOT BE MADE before the students have had their fair chance to take this year’s TAKS tests and scores are returned.
2. Given that the results will come later in the school year, we expect that AISD will make every accomodation possible for both our students and teachers if it becomes necessary to repurpose Webb. We believe that you have the ability to be creative, and that the same energy it takes to hastily close a school can now be applied to giving students and teachers fair accomodation for next year.
3. We demand an immediate INVESTIGATION INTO WHY AISD IS FAILING to adequately educate students in east Austin. Not only Webb, but many other schools are not able to come up to standards. We believe that part of this failure involves inadequate approaches to bilingual education, and we demand FAIR AND EQUAL EDUCATION for all students in our city. We expect, as a community, to be closely involved in this investigation.
4. If the eventuality arises that Webb Middle School is repurposed, we demand, as a community who takes ownership of our schools, that the community be significantly involved in the decision as to how this facility is to be used to the best advantage of our community. We do not see it is AISD’s role to tell us WITHOUT OUR IDEAS AND APPROVAL what they will do with our community school.
Dr. Forgione, in his remarks, lays the responsibility for this situation at the feet of our parents and students. We strongly believe that the fault lies mainly with AISD. Don’t punish our children and community for your failure to educate. Shuffling kids to other failing schools is irresponsible and doesn’t solve the problem.
We request immediate meetings with school board members to continue this discussion.
Sincerely, and with hope that our children can be better served by AISD in the future.
Parents and Community United in Support of Webb Middle School
