To the editor,
This letter is in regards to the addition of a new sixth grade class at Brandon Fletcher Intermediate and how it was handled. At first we were torn whether to write, but as time went on and many parents approached us with the same concerns and anger we were feeling, I felt it was the right thing to do.
We are appalled at the way they chose to handle this. To wait six weeks into the school year to address the problem of classroom sizes and then completely separate some of the students from the security and friendships they had formed with classmates was emotionally damaging.
Children were pulled out of class halfway through the day and informed that not only were they chosen for the new class, but some of them would be in a new lunch. Our child found out before we did! We received a letter that same day stating that our child had been chosen for the new class. How emotionally devastating that was for some of those students (and parents)!
We were extremely upset and immediately contacted all levels of administration, more than once, to let them know of our concerns for our child and the move. My husband and I were shocked by the disregard they had for our concerns and our child. They were unwilling to do anything to rectify the situation. Who can we go to when we need a problem rectified, if we can’t go to those who were put in place to do so?
The administration wondered why we didn’t call with our concerns ahead of time. We had faith in the system and feel the system failed. Why didn’t the administration call us ahead of time letting us know our child was going to be chosen, which at that time we would have addressed our concerns.
We agree that smaller classroom sizes will benefit the students and teachers, and feel the new teacher will be a wonderful asset to the district. However, we disagree with how and when it was handled.
Mr. and Mrs. Jacobi
Ortonville