The family of a resident who does not attend school in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district has made an impassioned plea to the district to allow the individual to gain access, for a fee, to the district’s externally contracted driver education course, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Kreutzer.
There are state and district restrictions on allowing non-student residents to participate in extracurricular activities, particularly athletics and clubs, but the district lacks a specific policy addressing driver education, placing it in an extracurricular gray area. Dr. Kreutzer pointed out that the status quo among neighboring districts is to allow non-students to participate in driver education programs, and he asked the board to consider extending the status quo to the resident.
“This is a hole,” board President Mark Lipton said. “We are supposed to have a policy on this.”
Multiple board members, including Mr. Lipton and Charles Day, said the decision was an easy one, especially considering the course would begin soon and past precedent for expediting adjustments in policy had been set.
A well-trained driver is an obvious benefit to the whole community, Mr. Day said.
“This is ridiculous,” Ms. Tobin said. “Of course we should let this kid in the driver’s education class.”
Board members Marjorie Schiff and Janet Harckham deferred the issue to procedure, saying the request was not being addressed through the proper channels and that taking direct action was inconsiderate of others in the district who had previously raised issues about homeschooled children being excluded from extracurricular activities.
“That feels wrong to me,” Ms. Schiff said.
But without a set district policy on offering driver education, Dr. Kreutzer said he would refuse to allow the individual entry.
“This whole thing irks me,” Ms. Harckham said. “Lord knows you don’t want to punish the kid for our lack of a policy. We should really be apologizing for not having a policy and saying we will get to it posthaste, not having an entire board dialogue for one kid, for one family, for one driver’s education class.”
No action was taken and the issue remains to be addressed at the Feb. 7 board meeting.
elio moschetta
February 7, 2013
This is sad. The board can not decide to let a resident participate in a Drivers Ed class and we expect them to make decisions on school safety.
Way to go
Lewis Boro
February 8, 2013
The BOE majority and DR. Kreutzer are in favor of allowing the resident’s child to take Drivers Ed. It was the hissy fit Janet Harckham pulled to stop them from moving forward because she heads the policy committee which would be bypassed if the child attended. The BOE ‘s desire to placate this member will result in this student’s loss.
View the meeting on LCTV and you will see what she pulled.
Sean Harris
February 8, 2013
And this BOE is entrusted to make hard decisions? What happens behind the scenes? Are there bullies on the BOE?
Lewis Boro
February 8, 2013
It would seem if the BOE made the hard decisions in the past the district would not be in such dire economic straights. It looks like the only bullies are the Teachers union and the residents are the bullied.
Have no fear the 60% affirmative vote needed to pass the budget has given the BOE Viagra.
Sean Harris
February 8, 2013
Lewisboro- you seem very sure of yourself. Just how do you explain the recent lawsuits and incidents of discrimination, sexual Harrassment, vote of no confidence, Kreutzer’s absences, and the stupidity of the BOE?
Cousin
February 8, 2013
The nasty bully Sandy Grebinar that’s your answer
Dean Travalino
February 8, 2013
Sean Harris, p.s, another nom de plume, if you review the budget you will see that the cost of litigation, including the frivolous kind, is a minor component, while salaries are over 80% of the total, or expressed another way, over $91,000,000!
Tell me. As a disgruntled anonymous teacher, how do you spell HYPERBOLE?
Brutus
February 8, 2013
Sean, do some research. Even when KL budgets pass they usually pass in the low 50% range. Last year’s 60% was a rare outcome, and that was for a noncontroversial budget that stayed within the 2% cap.
Like the last contract that was naively entered into by the BOE, the last vote came in a spirit of cooperation towards the common goal of quality, affordable education. A trust that the union leadership seems intent on destroying.