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Health & Fitness

Discrimination in Fox Schools

Official decision by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reveals discrimination in the Fox C-6 School District.

The Fox C-6 School District has been found noncompliant by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MODESE).  The full, official decision can be seen here. The ICAA public response can be seen here.

This decision comes on the heels of ICAA advocates publicly addressing the School Board last week about the issue, as well as mentioning the fact that October is Disability History and Awareness month in Missouri.

Does the leadership in the Fox C-6 School District believe that including students with disabilities is a choice? Does the leadership in the Fox district believe that operating separate schedules is equality? Does the leadership in the Fox district believe that it is not a violation of law to operate separate schedules or shortened school days for students with differences in ability? Will the Fox C-6 leadership begin to fully serve its students?

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The decision by MODESE was released by MODESE and sent to the complainant (ICAA) and to the district found in violation (FOX C-6). ICAA advocates have appeared twice before the Board to publicly address the issues, and media were in attendance at both of these times. Media have been made aware of the ruling by MODESE. Is it not the duty of publications that serve the local community to report on such an issue?

Operating separate schedules and shortened school days for students with disabilities is a serious matter. The documentation clearly shows that what has been occurring is a violation of law, and a violation of students' rights. 

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Do local editors of smaller publications not believe they have a duty to report these issues? A local reporter (along with two from other publications in the metro area) spoke to ICAA representatives last week after ICAA made its public comments. Is the lack of certain publications' reporting due to the fact that, as admitted previously in public School Board meetings, some heads at certain publications are personal friends with district leadership? How are parents and families in the district supposed to be informed about something as basic as their children's school schedules, or violations of law occurring in their child's schools? Do publications in the area believe that parents and families do not have the right to such information?

From my research thus far, schools practicing such schedules (separate from the rest of the school for students with disabilities) are generally more rural areas, who report budget problems, or other disadvantages, and thus claim insufficient funding for an adequate number of buses. Is the Fox C-6 School District a disadvantaged district? Does the Fox C-6 School District have budget concerns which makes it difficult to fund enough buses for students to attend school at the same time?  Has Fox disclosed why they operate separate schedules for students with disabilities?  How many Assistant Superintendents do we have? Does Fox C-6 require as much overhead as it has?  How do other districts of the same size compare financially, and with regard to the operation of separate school schedules for students based on their differences? All of these are questions that concerned citizens and residents have asked me, and have the right to ask their School Board.  All of the answers to these questions are public record, since the Fox C-6 School District is a public entity here with the purpose and duty to serve its community.

I would like to remind everyone that this occurrence is not only hurting students with disabilities. This practice hurts the education of all students in any district practicing such schedules. It is a distraction to all students to see their peers getting shuffled out in front of everyone else, earlier than everyone else.

The practice also forces all students to go along with discrimination towards people with differences. The practice keeps students from learning how to get along with, and understand each other. Therefore, this cannot be considered an adequate or appropriate education for any of our children. Once these students grow up and enter the world, they will encounter people with all kinds of differences, including people with disabilities. Do we care about the education our students are receiving or don't we?

The practice also hurts teachers, workers and families. Being forced to go along with discriminatory practices for their students, and being afraid for jobs, or other retaliation if they advocate for students is unacceptable. Teachers, school workers, and families should never be put in such a position.

Our schools should be a beacon of hope for the futures of our children and progress for our communities.

 

In 1954 Brown v. Board of Education

The unanimous Court wrote that a quality education was crucial for all children and ruled that it was the state's responsibility to ensure educational equality:

"In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education. Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms".

Disclosure: I have been trying individually (and later with the ICAA), for several years, to work with the school district leadership in positive ways to get the practice of separate schedules for students with disabilities stopped. Part of my efforts included running for School Board, and one of my goals was to improve the system from within, and end this practice. At one point, I had a local lawyer wanting to work with me personally to file a lawsuit against the district for practicing this discrimination (the lawyer had won a similar case elsewhere in Missouri not long before). I declined. Money to me or any plaintiffs would not solve the problem, and in fact could have made it even worse for students. It was also my hope to continue positive relations with school workers and leadership. I genuinely like the people in this district. It is the system that is broken and the system needs to change. Once ICAA had met with district leadership several times in an attempt to get the practice changed, and were getting nowhere, ICAA made an organizational decision to file official complaints. This will hopefully ensure that the district will end the practice of these separate school schedules and truly include all students with all abilities. Several ICAA members and representatives live, work, and/or attend school in this area and have firsthand knowledge of these practices.

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