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Show Ireland trip cancellation Dear Jack: Last Thursday a group of parents met with the School Board about the cancellation of the drill tream's trip to Ireland. A number of people felt that the comments given there should be submitted to the Express for publication publica-tion on the Editorial page. Following are those remarks. Our presence here tonight is not to request re-quest a change in the decision to cancel the drill team's trip to Ireland. Previous actions have eliminated the need to do that. The girls themselves, at this time, are no longer completely for the trip. A silent ballot taken Monday indicated that exactly half of them no longer desire to go. They, for various reasons, have lost the fire that wes previously burning. What we have come for is to present the feelings of anger, dismay and disgust of the community at the way the entire matter was handled. The words are mine. The thoughts, feelings and expressions, insofar as possible, are those of many of the community. For many of us, we started as supportive and interested but uninvolved observers. As time progressed, may became involved with raising and contributing con-tributing money and goods to assist the girls in getting to Ireland. We observed as you, the Board, reviewed the proposal, pro-posal, indicated limitations for fund raising, and set a deadline for raising $20,000 of the necessary funds, (a deadline that was never kept since the trip was cancelled before it arrived.) Three times Mr. Caldwell and Mrs. Kearl appeared before you requesting approval to make the trip. Each time the effect of these meetings was to raise the anxiety of the girls and to put their trust in the adminstration of our schools. I know this because I have a daughter involved and she and others of the drill team have been in my home expressing ex-pressing their feelings. After the second visit to the Board by Mr. Caldwell and Mrs. Kearl, you suggested sug-gested the creation of a parent committee. commit-tee. At a parent meeting shortly after that meeting such a committee was created comprised of Karen Stewart, Gaila Holmes, Garth Nuttal and me. I was appointed chairman. The limitations limita-tions of this board for fund raising were explained to us by Mr. Caldwell and we got to work. There were a number of programs planned for fund raising. Following the dinner recently held we have $9,400 in the fund and projections for an additional $10,500. This would have left approximately $360girl to be raised. I had personally talked with TV, radio, the Utah Travel Council and major ma-jor business people in Salt Lake City and had an indication of support from all in fund raising. I had no doubts that . the money could have been raised. That is what happened from our positive point of view. Now I would like to reflect upon what happened from a negative point of view. From the time that I accepted the chairmanship of the parent's committee until two days following the public opinion programs on KVEL involving Mr. Caldwell, Superintendent Reid and Mrs. Kearl, my phone did not stop ringing. For this reason, plus the fact that I was chairman chair-man of the parent's committee, I am serving as spokesman tonight. Following the board meeting on January 22 when approval (and I used that term loosely) was given, we the parents and girls were working to get to Ireland. Now I'm not naive enough to realize that there were some girls and parents who were not 100 for the trip. But some of those parents and girls were some of the hardest workers to earn the money. Where my naivete entered in was when I took all things stated and done at face value. Because a parent committee was created I assumed that we would be an integral part of all planning and decisions. Because a phone survey was made of all parents and a personal interview was held with each girl and the trip vas still "on" I assumed that the support problems were overcome. Because the board on Janury 22 said you can "go" I assumed that the trip was on unless the money could not be raised. No one bothered to tell us that Mr. Caldwell had authority to cancel the trip at any time. Because Mr. Caldwell seemed upset when he got back to town and found that the phone survey and girls interviews had been done plus his support sup-port and comments at the dinner, I assumed that he was in favor of the trip. Let me add a footnote here. I have had a great deal of experience in dealing deal-ing with boards, committees, councils, etc. I have learned as a result that when serving on such a board, committee, council, etc. you only know what the executive ex-ecutive officer, director or whatever his title may be wants you to know. That is a sad fact of life and can only be counteracted when the group involved really digs into the facts. As a result, I should have known better than to assume any of that which I have indicated in-dicated above. In personal mutters however, I have always tried to operate as if everyone else is also dealing with me in complete honesty. Regretably I must say thtat this was not the cose in this situation. Because this wus a volunteer situation, requested by the administration, and based on trust, none of us took time to dig into the facts. Now I'm not here to point fingers at anyone, I don't have the fads. I do believe things devolved into a set up. Who was set, up, by whom, and for what reason I don't know. I initially thought that it was just to keep the girls home from Ireland. Now I'm not no Klir(. What did hapen, however, in my opinion opi-nion and that of many others of the community is a community disgrace. The girls of the drill team and Mrs. Kearl in particular were disgraced and maligned by what many of this community com-munity were outrageous, improper and untrue statements. The information given out supporting the trip has not changed one iota from beginning to end. The itinerary did not change nor the items on the itinerary. And so to call Mrs. Kearl and the girls frauds and liars, albeit in nice language, was totally total-ly uncalled for. The second major reason for cancelling the trip was stated to be finances. As I indicated earlier, finances were basically covered. However, the committee was not even asked whether we thought we could raise the funds. In fact, I was not even contacted about the concellation until 3:30 p.m. of the Monday on which it was cancelled. The decision was made in effect the previous Friday. Now there are four major points that I want to make because of all of this. I am uncertain as to which of them is most important. All stand equal in my mind. 1. Mr. Caldwell made the decision not to allow the girls to go. He accepts that responsibility. I don't know if he should have to do so. As I said earlier, he seemed seem-ed supportive of the effort early in the process. After the fact, I find that he was against the trip from the beginning. beginn-ing. So when he was given the responsibility respon-sibility for that decision must be left up to you. I hope that you have the courage to make it. However, we have been greatly distrubed by rumors that everything possible is being done to harrass Mrs. Kearl to cause her to resign so that another teacher on staff can take her place. Reports are coming in now that this other teacher has announced an-nounced to her classes that she will not be teaching the same classes next year. It is also rumored that if the resignation effort fails then Mrs. Kearl will not be offered a contract for next year. If this is part of the reason for the cancellation it is unconscionable. I must state that If Mrs. Kearl is forced out by such action, then I will do all in my power to rally public opinion against any and all involved in-volved so that they are no longer part of our educational system-whether they are adminstration or board member. 2. I feel that the administration owes the girls, Mrs. Kearl and the community communi-ty an apology. If it were not appropriate to allow the girls to go to Ireland on February 2, then it was also not appropriate ap-propriate for them to go last November when the board was first contacted. If the decision had been made then there would not have been the turmoil in the community. Add to the delay of the decision, the misrepresentation, inflammatory, in-flammatory, and maligning nature of the news releases and you have a community com-munity tragedy. Those releases, it appears, ap-pears, were not to justify the decision but rather to justify not assuming the responsibility for the decision. May I quote from the Deserct News of February 5, "The drill team member-s...have member-s...have raised only $2,500." It is a matter mat-ter of record, as I indicated above, that there was $9,400 in the fund at that time. To ulso quote from the Vernal Express of last week "In an administrative clarification of the drill team trip to Ireland, it is mentioned that it is unfortunate unfor-tunate that this trip's announcement was in the hands of the media and into the community before either the principal, prin-cipal, superintendent, or school board knew anything about it. 'Circumventing this vital educational process places everything dealing with it on a highly emotional level rather than clear, un-tuitivc un-tuitivc and rational investigation taking place prior to any implied or real permission per-mission being granted.'" To that I grec. Why did it take so long for that process to work. It all could have boon stopped and the emotion generated would never have developed if the decision had been made last November. Add to all this the efforts of many people, I.e. donated time, services, good, und money for a cause destined for cancellation and you have sufficient reason for an apology. 3. The money gathered, goods given, the services rendered need to be repaid insofar as possible. The money collected col-lected during Turkey Days seems impossible im-possible to return. However, nil moneys collected, goods given and services rendered since the committee started operation should be returned. This means all. To do otherwise would be dishonest. Some have said that those attending the dinner should not have their money refunded but there was no roll kept of those attending. Also all money donated was for Ireland, the meal was basically all donated for Ireland and therefore since Ireland is no longer the goal the money should be returned and the items donated paid for. Another justification is that many donations were made by grandparents and others who really could not afford it but were only supporting the girls. Since the Turkey Day's money is unreturnable that money should perhaps be used to pay for the items donated. Any balance should bo given to the girls or to whomever they indicate. in-dicate. If there are insufficient funds to cover all of the necessary payments and refunds then we fool that the school or the district should cover the balance. Those funds wore gathered by a committee com-mittee requested by the board and therefore the board has final responsibility respon-sibility for refunds. 4. We are extremely concerned about the cultural implications of the cancellation. The educational experience ex-perience that the girls would have boon immeasurable. There are manv who feel that if this had boon the wrestling team or another athletic invitation then npproval would not have boon questioned. ques-tioned. The district has lost too manv music, band, and other culturally aligned teachers. We desire a change in this policy. To sum up. We have made a statement state-ment of intent with regards to Mrs. Kearl's position as drill team teacher. We have throe questions that we desire the board to respond to. Will an apology be given to the drill team, Mrs. Kearl and the community? Will the money nnd donations made le returned in full? Will something be done to shift emphasis em-phasis in our education to n more central cen-tral position and show some emphasis ton cultural education. It must be said that the Nwrd responded that if n decision is made it will made in executive session To date no response has boon made to mo. K. DIUK KVKIU'SKN Chairman, parent's committee |