School Choice Reasons

According to http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121709dnplboundaries.414ffdb.html the Plano ISD Board made a unanimous decision on school boundary changes in a series of closed door meetings that were not open to the public but had less than a quorum present. Several years ago, the Texas Attorney General's Staff taught a course for Economic Development Board Members in which I was a student. At that training session I asked specifically about holding closed meetings with less than a quorum in each meeting to discuss difficult issues. The strong response to my question was that this is illegal because it has the cumulative effect of a quorum; however, the Dallas Morning News stated that what was done is within the letter of the law; therefore, it is possible at that training session there was some misunderstanding, miscommunication, or the law may have changed due to court rulings. This type of thing is why we need School Choice.

Below are other notes about Plano ISD with my reaction inserted below each:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Robert Canright recanright@gmail.com
Date: Dec 8,
2009 10:27 PM
Subject: 5th circuit court
To: David Lee Hall dhall.texas@gmail.com

David,

Because you are interested in education I thought you'd find this story of some interest.

I called my daughter in Lubbock during the Big 12 Championship to talk football and she asked me what was going on in Plano. She said many people were coming to her and saying things like, "Lauren, I'm so sorry to hear that the Plano schools are anti-Christian. It must have been horrible being a Christian and going to school in Plano." She asked me why kids from all over Texas suddenly think Plano schools persecute Christians.

I googled around a bit and found this article:
http://www.wfaa.com/home/Court-sides-with-district-in-Plano-candy-cane-suit-78395167.html
"Court sides with district in Plano candy cane suit"
by ASSOCIATED PRESS - Posted on December 3, 2009

You'll remember that years ago the Plano ISD took candy from children at Christmas because it was deemed to be Christian candy. There were also pencils confiscated that had this message: "Jesus is the reason for the season". So now the Plano ISD has won its case in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, but lost its reputation around the state of Texas.

Instead of having a school district respected around the state for academic excellence, we are now perceived as persecuting Christians. This is a perfect example of how one can lose by winning. The PISD won in court, but has lost in public opinion.

I think the PISD Board of Trustees should never had let things get so out of hand. What do you think?

Robert

This is another example of why there should be school choice. Most people would not want our tax dollars spent on these frivilous lawsuits. However, because there is no school choice then we are saddled with needless expenditures like the example above.

David:

Some people have suggested that you may have data sources to which you can provide links where I might secure valid statistics on the percentage of children of K-12 age in Plano that are home-schooled. I would sure appreciate receiving any links you might have.

Thanks,

Anyone who knows the information requested above please let me know. PISD has information on the number of students that have withdrawn to homeschool; however, you will have to complete a freedom of information request to obtain that information; and furthermore, if someone never enrolls then they will obviously not be counted. Another related issue is that a big part of the discrepency between the TEA dropout numbers and the actual numbers are homeschooled students; however, many or probably most of those students are simply dropouts that use homeschool as a way for them and PISD to avoid truancy court; therefore, I think the actual percentage of homeschooled students is not available from any source.

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