Show i 1 cf ual Notes ut Dy Oy Dr Wayne R Reid ld Superintendent Uintah Board attends state convention Under the leadership of Dr Phil Shumway President of the the Annual Convention Convention Convention Con Con- of the Utah School Boards Association was launched December 1st and 2nd in Salt Lake City The theme of the convention was entitled The Purpose of Education Among the guest speakers were Dan S. S Bushnell attorney at law Dr Dan W W. Peterson Supt of Schools in Alpine School District Dr Thomas A. A Shannon Executive Director of the National School Boards Association Dr Stephen K Bailey Professor of Education of Harvard University Dr Ed P P. P Moses management consultant and attorney at law as well as as a apanel apanel apanel panel presentation composed of Deans of the Colleges of Education including Dr Oral Ballam Utah State Dr Robert Erdman Utah Dr Curtis Van Alfen BYU YU and Dr M. M Lynn Bennion Executive Secretary Society of School Superintendents Superintendents Superintendents Moderator was Dr T T. T H H. H Bell former Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Com Com- missioner of US U.S. Education and presently Commissioner of Higher Education in Utah SPECIAL INTEREST clinics included presentations from Carbon Teacher Advisor Program Box Elder Performance Performance Performance Per Per- Curriculum Design Tintic Vocational Curriculum- Curriculum Mining Granite Preschool Intervention and Training for Children with Handicaps Morg Morgan n Middle School Tooele Multiple Handicapped Millard Early Identification and Individualized Individualized Individualized In In- Preschool Instruction Instruction Instruction In In- Jordan Public Involvement in the Decision Move to Middle Schools Iron Industrial Arts' Arts Career Exploration Exploration Exploration Ex Ex- Ex- Ex Weber Enrichment Programs I for Students Duchesne Delivering the Dream and Logan Multi Agency Program and Ac Ac- Some of the more pertinent advice came from the panel presentations Important guidelines these gifted individuals individuals individuals in in- counseled were Time is an important variable that boards must work with They n need ed to become far more aware of the time students spend in class They need to pick and choose those areas they can do well and then do it Boards must become more adversarial against all pressure groups which include potential take-over take by state board legislators etc There needs to to be a wide state-wide push in this direction Schools are one of the remaining hopes of our society We have the greatest stewardship stewardship stewardship steward steward- ship to influence young lives Those things which are valued to us must go into our educational systems We must run a tighter ship We must demand a stance on quality control of the product our schools turn out There must be better teacher tion Education is to make capable and sensible human beings TOM SHANNON advised that we need accountability for public education today Boards must begin to lobby quickly and become the most important lobby in the state and national scene Need to push for consolidation consolidation consolidation con con- of existing federal programs wherein there are too many rules and regulations there is too much expanded at the state level there needs to be a cabinet level for education there needs to be bl reduction of the administrative red tape ape on wit with a arine rifle rine approach rather than a shotgun approach school boards need to be the maker of decisions not parent advisory programs such as is indicated by Title 1 committees local boards need to file briefs against federal and even state governments as friends in incourt incourt court coun against unreasonable federal or state laws demand that some school law cases be heard which may influence education for some time Several of the key attorneys issued warnings to the over local board members of the states state's 40 districts Among these areas discussed were Almost every one of the 40 districts were Involved in litigation tt this s past year These cases ranged from termination to discrimination from seminary activities to the open meeting law Because of this harassment payment of attorney attorney attorney at at- torney fees and other otner unpleasant unpleasant unpleasant un un- un- un pleasant situations involved in litigation many outstanding present or potential board members will not seek election or reelection Suits by private individuals cannot be brought to the federal court tout Board members have the right and obligation to speak openly or publicity about in In- This is privileged communication Board members do not have to prove their statements right or wrong in their capacity Even if a flagrant case wherein it calls for employee dismissal Utah law states that you need to give them 15 days notice and am pay their salary during this period even if suspended PRIVATE CITIZEN groups do not offer the greatest threat to school boards the federal governments government's intervention mandating what local boards are to do is far more hazardous to local and state control Boards must watch a union takeover of the public schools by which was meant any teacher organization Unionism is not good for the schools its it's good for unionism Boards should fight against a state bargaining law any more towards an agency shop the closed shop binding arbitration arbitration arbitration ar ar- ar- ar massive co- co management with joint committees committees committees com com- for everything that take takeaway takeaway takeaway away the school boards board's autonomy an attack tt k on on school boards and administrators as asan asan asan an excessive burden with the claim teachers can run the school without them statewide bargaining and a national personnel formula Although some of the information information information in in- formation presented was quite controversial to many board members the convention was a arich arich arich rich experience to assist board members in becoming even better |