Public education may have reached a turning point.
And, if administrators do not heed and respond to patrons' concerns, a precipitous decline looms.
A recent event hosted by the Jefferson City Public Schools morphed into a forum for district patrons to sound off about perceived problems, including undisciplined students, demoralized teachers and a disengaged administration.
The discontent has been brewing for some time. Consider:
• Discipline problems in public schools have been escalating, both locally and nationally. Schools traditionally have dealt with discipline issues, but today's problems are more prevalent, more disruptive and more pervasive. Explanations include a general cultural decline, more permissive parenting and efforts to include and correct problem students, which siphons attention and resources away from well-behaved students who are ready and eager to learn.
• Good teachers are leaving public education. Last year, 80 Jefferson City School District teachers retired or resigned, equal to the number of retirements and resignation the previous year. Administrators contend the local percentages are below the national average, but we find little solace in what we consider a significant exodus of quality educators.
• Parents and patrons are devoting their time, talents and money to alternatives. In addition to Helias Catholic High School, other secondary alternatives - Lighthouse Preparatory Academy and Calvary Lutheran High School - have been established in recent years. The flight of concerned parents from public education diminishes active involvement in parent-teacher groups and ballot issue campaigns.
The Jefferson City Board of Education and administration must heed the concerns voiced by parents and patrons. And they must respond with actions designed to improve the public school climate.
To their credit, administrators this school year plan some new initiatives, including a pilot program to bridge family-school issues and a "transitional classroom" for students with persistent behavior problems.
Public school officials must act to regain the confidence of patrons who, increasingly, are switching their allegiance to private and parochial alternatives. The public schools can ill afford to lose the time, energy and support of these patrons, parents and students.
At a time when the Jefferson City Public Schools are exploring costly secondary facilities' option, concerned parents and patrons must be embraced, not further alienated.
A community conversation about the future of public education is overdue.
Equally overdue is constructive and correction action based on the results of community conversation.