The Board’s current MISSION is (in part) to teach our children to become good citizens of a “global society” but its MISSION does NOT include any reference to teaching children to become good citizens of our great nation.
In my letter to the editor of the Sun Star Courier (Nov. 29, 2012), I asked members of our community to join me in asking the Board to change its Mission Statement so that it includes teaching children patriotism.
How did the Board respond when, after my letter to the editor, the Board received emails from the community asking the Board to include patriotism as part of its Mission Statement and to not elevate duty to a global society over duty to country?
"She directs enough as it is. Let’s not allow her to do it with this."- Board member, Kathleen Mack, email thread between all Board members, 12/3/2013, referring to the Watchdog
"Not worth elevating." - Board member Mark Dosen, email thread between all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to the Watchdog
"She's not worthy of a response. We have more important work to do."– Board Vice-President, Mark Jantzen, email thread between all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to the Watchdog
The Board should now put petty politics aside and direct our schools to also teach children to become good citizens of our country! The importance of teaching children patriotism should far outweigh any concerns the Board has about the Watchdog!
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According to a recent Sun Star Courier article, the Board is expected to approve its “Goals and Objectives” in May. Those “Goals and Objectives” are set against the backdrop of its Mission Statement. Even though the Board received several emails from members of our community asking the Board to change its Mission Statement, the Board did not discuss, or even mention, its Mission Statement at a public Board meeting since my letter to the editor.
The fact that the Board remains silent about the Mission Statement, and based on emails between the Board members concerning my letter to the editor and its Mission Statement (which I received in response to a public records request), it is clear to me that the Board has absolutely no intention, whatsoever, to change the Mission Statement so that it includes teaching children patriotism—at least any time soon—simply because the Watchdog is the one who made the recommendation! Consider the following excerpts from the emails referenced above concerning my letter to the editor and residents’ emails asking the Board to change its Mission Statement:
“I have received several emails like this.” --Board President, David Tryon, email to all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to an email he received from a resident asking the Board to include teaching patriotism in its Mission Statement
“She struck a chord in the community.”--Board President, David Tryon, email to all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to the Watchdog
“Any educated person in our community knows the writer is not worthy of a response. We have more important work to do.”—Board Vice-President, Mark Jantzen, email thread between all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to the Watchdog
“Not worth elevating.”—Board member, Mark Dosen, email thread between all Board members, 12/2/2013, referring to the Watchdog
“She directs enough as it is. Let’s not allow her to do it with this.” —Board member, Kathleen Mack, email thead between all Board members, 12/3/2013, referring to the Watchdog
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BOARD’S MISSION STATEMENT DEFINES THE VERY PURPOSE OF BBHCSD:
To teach students to become responsible members of a "global society"
Our schools' mission should include teaching students patriotism and to become good citizens of our great nation!
A mission statement sets the tone and direction for the entire school district and defines its very purpose; it establishes the foundation upon which all of our district’s educational objectives are based. The Board is currently working on revising its “goals” and “objectives” (Strategic Vision) for the school district, which it began to do in June 2012. Those goals and objectives are set against the backdrop of its MISSION STATEMENT (as seen below on the cover page of a draft of the Strategic Vision that the Superintendent provided the Board for its September 22, 2012 meeting)..
Currently (and since at least 2007), the Board’s Mission Statement (Board Policy #2105) is the following:
“The mission of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District is to inspire and prepare students to be lifelong learners, to be flexible in approaching opportunities for growth, and to be effective as well as ethical contributors to our global society.” (emphasis mine)
Public schools, funded by American taxpayers, should not undermine the importance of instilling patriotism in our youth by focusing on a “global society”.
Schools heavily influence our youth--the future generation of leaders of our nation. What our nation will look like in the future, in many respects, is determined by what values they are taught in school. Unless our nation’s schools foster patriotism and help preserve, reinforce, and teach the values that make our nation great, we risk having a future generation of leaders who have totally lost sight of the fundamental principles upon which our nation was founded.
America is the richest, freest, most powerful, and most generous nation on earth. America is the stabilizing force for peace in a tumultuous “global society”. Oppressed peoples throughout the “global society” still look to America as their last beacon of hope.
Many people have fought and died protecting our freedoms. They did not lay down their lives for a so-called “global society”. And, we adults have a responsibility to pass those freedoms down to future generations.
During a discussion of its goals and objectives at the Sept. 22, 2012 board meeting, the Board’s mission statement came up. The Board President questioned the origins of the mission statement, but not even one Board member said anything about changing the mission statement. At that meeting, the Superintendent said the following about the mission statement:
"That’s been around for a while. That mission, by the way, was taken through the ringer, if you will, by all of our continuous improvement teams, and they still find it, at the building level, to be a mission statement that works K-12." (emphasis mine)
It makes me very sad to know that, after intense scrutiny and careful deliberation, none of our school leadership finds anything wrong with the current Mission Statement that emphasizes duty to a “global society” without even mentioning duty to our country!
Even though our school officials have not placed proper value on the fundamental principles and freedoms that make our nation great, we can hope that there are some teachers in our schools who value those principles and freedoms. Those teachers may want to implement a curriculum that would “prepare” students to become good citizens of America by “inspiring” them to value the fundamental principles upon which our nation was founded. But, those teachers would be up against their school leadership and the school Board who are sending the message that “inspiring and preparing” students to become good citizens of America is NOT the purpose of our schools—the purpose of our schools is to “inspire and prepare” children to become good citizens of a “global society”! The Board reinforces that message in its Statement of Philosophy(Board Policy #2110) which reads, in part, the following:
"The curriculum and instruction of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District will provide an educational program to help each student realize his/her potential as a contributing member of a global society." (emphasis mine)
We need to help those teachers whose efforts to foster patriotism in their students would be undermined by the overall purpose of our schools. If the Mission Statement is changed to one that encompasses patriotism, those teachers who truly understand the importance and value of fostering patriotism will be emboldened to do just that. But, if the foundation for the education of our youth continues to point us in the wrong direction, then we cannot expect anything but a bad result.
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Watchdog Advocates for Patriotism in Schools
Sun Star Courier publishes Watchdog's Letter to Editor
The BBHCSD Board recently said it wants community input regarding its goals and objectives. I am asking others to join me in asking the Board to revise its mission statement. Part of the Board’s stated mission is “to inspire and prepare” children to become good citizens of the “global society”; it omits any reference to preparing children to become good citizens of our great nation.
Public schools, funded by American taxpayers, should not undermine the importance of instilling patriotism in youth by focusing on a “global society”. Many people have fought and died defending the freedoms of our country. They did not die for a so-called "global society."
America is the richest, freest, most powerful, and most generous nation on earth. America is the stabilizing force for peace in a tumultuous “global society.” Oppressed peoples throughout the “global society” still look to America as their last beacon of hope.
Because schools have such influence on impressionable youth and the future leaders of our nation, we, as a community, should insist that school officials place proper value on the fundamental principles and freedoms that make ours the greatest nation in the history of civilization. That value should be reflected in schools’ mission statements. Otherwise, it won’t be long before future generations forfeit our freedoms for a purported “good of the global society.”
Tell Board President, David Tryon (tryond@bbhcsd.org /440-526-5355) the Board’s mission should include teaching children to become good citizens of our nation.
Renee Engelhart
Publisher: schoolboardwatchdog.com
ALERT!
Tell the Board to change BOTH its MISSION STATEMENT and its STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY!
Mission Statement (Policy #2105)
“The mission of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District is to inspire and prepare students to be lifelong learners, to be flexible in approaching opportunities for growth, and to be effective as well as ethical contributors to our global society.” (emphasis mine)
Statement of Philosophy (in part) (Policy #2110)
"The curriculum and instruction of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District will provide an educational program to help each student realize his/her potential as a contributing member of a global society." (emphasis mine)
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At the Board's Saturday morning, September 22, 2012 meeting when the Board was discussing its goals and objectives for the District, the Board’s “Mission Statement” came up. The following is a transcript of all that was said about that Mission Statement:
Board President, David Tryon: “Where does the mission come from?”
Superintendent Prebles: "The mission is that mission that’s on the wall." (pointing at plaque on wall)
David Tryon: "So, that has been around for a long time."
Superintendent Prebles: "That’s been around for a while. That mission, by the way, was taken through the ringer, if you will, by all of our continuous improvement teams, and they still find it, at the building level, to be a mission statement that works K-12."
In other words, after intense scrutiny and careful deliberation, none of our school leadership finds anything wrong with the current Mission Statement that emphasizes duty to a “global society” without even mentioning duty to our country!.
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June 29, 2012
Board Changes "Education Objective" in High School Handbook
Watchdog asks Board to take next step: The Board should ALSO change its Mission Statement
Public Comments to the Board by Renee Engelhart
Board Meeting, June 25, 2012
I’m glad to see that Board President David Tryon and Superintendent Prebles put on tonight’s agenda an official proposal to change one of the education objectives found in the high school handbook.
I have publicly criticized the Board for rejecting Mr. Tryon’s suggestion to include, as an educational objective, teaching children their responsibility to our country.
The current education objective of teaching children their responsibility to a global society but not their responsibility to our country is unsatisfactory because it elevates duty to a “global society” above duty to our country. That sends the message to our children that patriotism takes a back seat to their responsibility as global citizens.
The proposed change---“To assist students to become good citizens of the United States of America and to assist them in competing in a global society.”— is long overdue and would be a positive step in the right direction toward setting the proper foundation for education of our youth.
I would urge all of you to vote in favor of the proposed change.
I would also urge this Board to take the next step in the near future and that is to change its current mission statement. It currently states that part of our schools' mission is to teach children to be “ethical contributors to a global society”. That mission should be changed to at least include teaching children to be ethical contributors to our nation.
(In response to my comments, Mr. Tryon asked me for any specific language I would recommend. I gave him a copy of my prepared comments above.)
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BACKGROUND
Up until just a few days ago, one of the education objectives for the High School was to teach children to become aware of their responsibility to the “global society.”
Two years ago, David Tryon suggested the Board also include, as an educational objective, teaching children to become aware of their responsibility to the the United States of America. The other four board members (George Balasko, Alan Scheufler, Terri Neff, and Mark Jantzen) rejected Mr. Tryon’s suggestion. (Mark Jantzen was thrown into the Doghouse for his rejection of Mr. Tryon’s suggestion to teach patriotism to our children.)
Last year, David Tryon again suggested the Board include an education objective to teach children to become good citizens of the United States of America. And, again, the other four Board members (George Balasko, Alan Scheufler, Mark Jantzen, and Kathleen Mack) rejected Mr. Tryon’s suggestion. (Kathleen Mack should have been thrown into the Doghouse for her rejection of Mr. Tryon’s suggestion to teach children to become good citizens of our nation, but she somehow slipped through the cracks and was not thrown into the Doghouse. Mark Jantzen was already in the Doghouse for this same offense.)
After the Board rejected Mr. Tryon’s suggestion to include teaching patriotism as an education objective, I sent a letter to the editor that was published in the July 2011 edition of the Brecksville Magazine and Broadview Journal. (go). I received feedback to my letter from people who agreed that our schools should teach patriotism to our children. One email I received can be found here.
On June 25, 2012, Board President David Tryon and Superintendent Prebles put on the Board meeting Agenda an official proposal, within which, the education objective of teaching children to become aware of their responsibilty to a “global society” would be changed to the following education objective:
“To assist students to become good citizens of the United States of America and to assist them in competing in a global society.”
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Below is a copy of the letter I sent to the Editors of the Brecksville Magazine and Broadview Journal. The letter was published in the July 2011 edition of those publications.
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Brecksville Magazine/Broadview Journal Publishes Watchdog Letter
"Schools Teach Responsibility to Global Society, Not USA"
To the Editor:
One of the most important lessons we can teach our children is that we are privileged to live in a great nation founded on principles of freedom and we are all indebted to those who were and are willing to fight and even die for the freedom we enjoy.
One would think that public school officials, those who work for a governmental entity such as a school district, would especially appreciate the value of instilling patriotism in our youth. But the BBH School Board has shown it places greater value on instilling in our children a sense of responsibility to the “global society.”
Recently, the Board approved seven BBHHS educational objectives, one of which is to teach children responsibility to a “global society.” In May, the Board overwhelmingly rejected (for the second year in a row) a member’s suggestion that the school add the educational objective of teaching children responsibility to their country.
It’s a sad day in America when officials entrusted with the education of our children would send a message that it’s more important to be a good member of a “global society” than it is to be a good citizen of this great nation. Those who died for our freedom did so out of loyalty to our nation. We pledge allegiance to the United States of America, not a global society.
Tell the Board: if our schools are going to teach social values, then one of those values should be patriotism.
Renee Engelhart
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July 7, 2011 On May 23, 2011, when the Board approved the High School Student Handbook, it approved everything contained in that handbook, including the High School’s “Quality Statement.” The Quality Statement includes 7 educational objectives, (go) one of which is to teach children their responsibility to the “global society,” but there is no mention of teaching children their responsibility to our great nation.
For the second year in a row, the Board overwhelmingly rejected Board member, Dave Tryon’s suggestion that the Quality Statement add an educational objective to teach our children their responsibility to be good citizens of the United States of America. Last year when the Board rejected the inclusion of an educational objective to teach our children responsibility to their country in the Quality Statement, Dave Tryon voted against the adoption of the High School Handbook. This year, however, Dave Tryon voted for the Handbook. It looks as if Mr. Tryon has softened his position.
One really shouldn’t be surprised by the fact that teaching children their responsibility to the “global society” is an educational objective but teaching patriotism is not one of the educational objectives because it simply reflects the Board's MISSION. According to Board Policy, the District's "Mission" is to "inspire and prepare students" to be lifelong learners, to be flexible, and "to be effective as well as ethical contributors to our global society." Inspiring and preparing our children to be effective and ethical contributors to our great nation is not a part of the District's "Mission." (go)
Unless we have a Board committed to the basic concept of teaching patriotism to our youth, it’s unlikely that our schools will ever make teaching our children their responsibility to our nation an educational objective. It’s ok to teach students to be contributors to a global society; but our responsibility to our nation should supersede any responsibility to a global society. When our educators include responsibility to a global society in a mission statement and educational objectives, but exclude any mention of responsibility to our nation, then our educators are sending a message that duty to a "global society" is more important than duty to this great nation. That’s the wrong message. It’s ok to teach students to be contributors to a global society; but they should be taught that our duty to our country is greater than any duty to a so-called global society.
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To read about the Board's rejection last year to include teaching our youth their responsibility to our country, go to "Who's in the Doghouse?"
_____________________________________________________________________________ If anyone finds anything on this website that is not correct, please contact me through e-mail so I can quickly correct any mistakes.
