|
Comment on this article |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Miscellaneous |
|
School Climate Survey to be discussed at Champaign School Board Meeting Monday |
Current rating: 0 |
by Nancy A. Dietrich-Rybicki
Email: nancydietrich (nospam) juno.com (unverified!) |
17 Feb 2001
|
|
The School Climate Survey completed last year will be discussed during the Monday night Champaign School Board meeting. The survey shows both positive and negative results, with disparities between perceptions of African-American respondents and white respondents. |
The School Climate Survey completed last year in the Champaign Community Unit District #4 schools is to be released to the public and discussed during the Champaign School Board Meeting, Monday, Feb. 19, 7:00 pm at the Mellon Administration Building.
While the climate in Champaign schools was perceived as positive, there were some disparities between perceptions of African-Americans and White people.
According to the survey, the findings indicated perceived a lack of fairness and cultural understanding that are more a result of institutionalized school policies and practices rather than from malicious or intentional racism.
This survey was mandated by a "resolution agreement" between the Unit #4 School District and the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Civil Rights, after some Champaign community members filed a complaint alleging racial disparities in educational outcomes within the district.
The goal of the survey, according to the University of Illinois research team who conducted the survey, is to improve the quality of education for all students in the Champaign Public Schools by encouraging discussion among community members about the results.
Thom Moore, a Champaign School Board member, stated that there are some concerns in the community that issues related to race have been ignored in the public schools.
While the survey doesn't exclusively cover race, the results showed a difference in perceptions pertaining to race and fairness. Moore notes that because the survey is based on perceptions, the results shouldn't be looked at in terms of right and wrong, but in terms of understanding these perceptions and acting on them.
According to school board member Phil Van Ness, the School Climate Survey is just "one piece of a very large puzzle" in the district's attempts to address issues of racial inequity. "I felt that there were some questions on the survey that had some problems, but it (the survey) was done for the right reasons," he stated.
As far as complying with the resolution agreement, "We did what we had to do," Van Ness added.
Recommendations and discussion will take place Monday evening at the school board meeting. |
