The pocket-meeting politics of education

It is obvious that the Board of Education has ignored my request for a public meeting on the Praxis and other issues. Instead, three members have chosen to go on what I see as a “pocket meeting” tour of the schools to promote their side of the argument. I can understand and even appreciate their efforts to reach out to the people but with two other members and myself not being present, these meetings do represent the entire Board of Education. True, the three members have the majority vote to really do whatever they want to do and visiting schools is a simple a means to garner support and make sure they secure votes for the next election. The accountability for all board members is finally on the horizon because of Praxis mistakes and the hiring of our new COE is coming to a head.

Even though I agree with the three members that the scores need to be lowered, the approach or format in educating the public and getting support and feedback is not right. The people at these PTSA pocket meetings are being spoon-fed, just like what politicians do at pocket meetings. They are only hearing one side and that is what the three members want them to hear. What about the things the other members want and need to say so the people can make up their own minds? I haven’t gotten a schedule yet of these meetings and the other members are not showing up. Issues must stand on their merit, not on persuasion, which is why we are having all these problems with Praxis and the COE because too much of the decisions were made on persuasion and not merit.

The facts clearly dictate we must work with the teachers we have, not some imaginary teachers we hope or expect to come to the CNMI. It really is that simple. The board created the problems with Praxis and the COE and it should be the entire board addressing the public in a public meeting, like boards do on the mainland every school quarter. Instead, they are having separate pocket meetings with only part of the board in attendance. Eliminating the other two board members and myself does not solve the problem because only a new policy is going to solve the problem and we (all board members) should be working together as a team and not playing education politics. People should stop going to these pocket meetings and demand for a public hearing if they really want to be totally informed about the issue.

Please see the attached letter I sent to the board:

Nov. 13, 2006
To: CNMI State Board of Education c/o Chairman Roman Benavente
Re: Board meetings with PTSA

Dear Mr. Benavente,

I want to thank you for addressing the concern for the board to be more accessible to the public by attending PTSA meetings. However, I would like to respectfully and humbly ask for your consideration to have “one” general meeting for each island.

– With 20 schools in the CNMI, randomly going to different PTSA meetings will be extremely time consuming. One general Board meeting in the evening can accomplish the same thing.

– Having different meetings will set the conditions for numerous issues to be raised and redundancy—a sure loss of structure and focus for the Board.

– The attendance of ALL board members at 20 different meetings is very unlikely—no consistency in board members’ attendance, especially when six of the schools are on two other islands.

– One board meeting on each island will serve the same purpose of informing the public about Praxis and still offer each PTSA the opportunity to present their concerns “in writing and orally” by the PTSA presidents and parents.

I don’t believe it is in the best interest of the board and the purpose of the meetings for a few members to randomly attend PTSA meetings to talk with the PSS stakeholders, especially when the entire board will ultimately be held responsible for what transpires at these meetings. Given that you already plan to meet with the public, I hope you will agree that one general meeting on each island will suffice and set the board meetings’ agenda and places accordingly. We should be meeting formally in the evenings on each island at least four times a year for the stakeholders.

I hope the employers of the board (the people) will make a demand publicly and at the next PTSA pocket meeting for the board to have an “official general meeting” in the evening on all three islands so all board members and interested citizens can attend. It’s your right, people, and I think it’s about time you used it unless you want to remain lost and in the dark.