>>SOUTHERN INDIANA — My area of Southern Indiana was covered in a thick, horror-movie like fog last Friday morning making it difficult to drive to work. The night before, our school board had voted to close four of our schools. I am pretty sure that the gloom felt by all had caused the low visibility on Highway 150 — our fears over not being able to see our children’s immediate educational future had manifested itself into not being able to see the car in front of us.

My daughter’s school, Galena Elementary, was one of the schools voted to be closed. It was a sad Thursday night in our household. Both kiddos were up past bedtime and extra care-giving measures were taken to get my daughter tucked in.

“But I don’t want my school to close. I don’t want a different teacher,” cried my daughter. It took much reassuring before she was convinced that Galena would not close overnight and that her kindergarten class’ Donuts with Dad event would still happen the next day. Only after I had calmed her fears about not getting to bring her dad to school with her did I clarify that regardless of what school she was going to attend she’d have a different teacher for first grade anyway.

Comforting her did little to help assuage my own concerns. I have always felt that we are lucky; we live in a community surrounded by strong schools, kindergarten through 12th grade. Our address is actually part of the Georgetown Elementary district, but I had requested my daughter be transferred to Galena because it was more convenient for my home-to-work commute and would give me more time with her in the morning. As happy as I am with all the schools around us, I liked Galena’s smaller size versus the larger elementary schools. It is that very attribute — its small size — that forced Galena onto the chopping block.

Per the proposed new district maps, my daughter will attend Georgetown Elementary along with the other kids in our subdivision…if we choose to keep her in the public school system. And what an IF that if is. Since this school closing issue surfaced, every stray thought I have about my children’s educational options ends up with me Google-ing private schools.

I could go two ways with this column. Part of me wants to write about how fortunate we still are to have the public school system we do. Budget cuts are happening not only across the state, but across the country causing schools everywhere to shut their doors. The reality is that the money for education has taken a hit along with the rest of the economy. Crying about it and pointing fingers doesn’t help.

Besides, I am an optimist like nobody's business. There is rarely a hardship I endure that isn't followed by me asking what the universe is trying to teach me. A bounced check, a stubbed toe, an unfortunate childhood experience — I don’t look back on anything without considering how it can help me move forward.

As the optimist in me considers the universe’s grand plan, the realist in me can't stop questioning Dr. Hibbard’s strategies.

My seed of discontent started way back in the beginning of the school year when parent-teacher conferences were cut. After writing a column about what a bad idea I thought that was, I received an anonymous email from a teacher that claimed the decision was nothing more than a political power play between the union and the superintendent. It wasn't about our kids; it was about two opposing forces refusing to negotiate.

At the time, I wondered who won that negotiation. From my perspective, the one group everyone was supposed to be looking out for — the students — lost the most.

Now with the closing of four public schools, I find myself wondering once again who is winning and who is losing. I want to believe in the public school system. I also want what's best for my child. Politically speaking, I believe that if the people who sent their kids and their money to private schools supported the public school system, public schools would be in a lot better shape.

But what do I know? I never thought our public schools were in that bad of shape. Then again, I didn't have a child in the public school system until last August and never thought that much about it anyway. Now, speaking as a parent within the NA-FC public school system, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of good news being distributed on the superintendent’s letterhead. I fear what’s next.

Will we keep our daughter in the public school system? I want to. But, I also want my daughter to attend a school that is part of a system led by someone I believe is creating an optimal learning environment for her academic endeavors.

Someone who can work with all involved — administrators, legislators, boards, and unions — to keep our public schools strong and our students at the top of the academic rankings. Someone who will take the time and effort to explain to parents exactly how our schools will become stronger and our students more prepared with the decisions being made. Someone who doesn't continue to surprise us for the worst when it comes to what’s next.



Amy Gesenhues is a freelance writer who lives in Floyd County. You can read her daily commentaries at www.AmyWroteIt.Wordpress.com. E-mail her directly at amy@amywroteit.com.