Weekly News
Star-Gazette photo by Ralph Sabetti
The annual Fall Fun Festival in Beardstown was another success as
food vendors and flea marketers filled Art Zeeck Park on Saturday and
Sunday. Wilbur Morrow, Beardstown, was the 50/50 raffle winner. Bobby
Maltby, Beardstown, won the 2008 Riley Bronk 49cc Cross Runner during
a drawing sponsored by the Cass County Republicans.
Festival celebrates community
Beardstown’s Fall Fun Festival attracted young and old from the
community and surrounding towns as warm weather and clear skies
graced the annual event.
The planning committee invited area veterans to ride as Grand
Marshalls and dozens of men and women responded and rode through the
parade route.
Korean War veteran Don Chipman noted that people stood and
saluted as the vets passed. “It was humbling and brought tears to our
eyes to see the public display of patriotism,” Chipman stated.
A Veterans’ Wall was displayed in the park, where visitors were
invited to write names of veterans on the simulated bricks. Four new
sections had to be added during the weekend. Over 700 names were
written on the wall by Sunday night.
The wall was donated to the Beardstown VFW, 610 E. Fourth
Street, for safe-keeping and future programs.
Pictured: Star-Gazette photo by Carletta Wankel ...
Raylynn Wankel (l) was crowned Fall Fun Festival queen on Saturday
during the annual Beardstown event. Joining the queen on stage was
Cassie Brown (center), first runner-up, and Kayla Force (r), the top
seller of 50/50 tickets for the festival drawing.
Committee of Ten begins series of public meetings
By Loren Hamilton / Star-Gazette Correspondent ...
The Committee of Ten presented its first public information
meeting on Sept. 24 at Triopia, but delivered more recommendations
than guarantees.
The Committee of Ten is required to do three things: (1)
determine the boundaries of the new district; (2) determine if a new
school board would be chosen from at-large candidates or from voter
districts; (3) determine a proposed property tax rate, which is
divided into rates for each of four funds-Education, Transportation,
Operations, Maintenance and Safety. The current committee has
completed the three tasks.
The boundary of a new school district would follow the current
boundaries of the three districts—Meredosia-Chambersburg, Triopia and
Virginia.
Early in the planning process the Committee of Ten chose the at-
large method of forming a new school district. It allows any number
of candidates to run for school board from all areas of the district.
All school board members would be expected to disregard their
previous district’s boundaries and vote for the common interest of
all communities within the new district.
The new tax rate would be approximately $4.80 per $100 of
Estimated Assessed Value (EAV). Taxes would go up, with Virginia and
Meredosia being the highest due to unpaid bonds in those districts.
But, those former districts would see a reduction when the bonds were
paid. Transportation costs would also rise to cover roughly 320
square miles the new district would cover.
Grades 9 through 12 would be in the high school at Triopia;
Virginia and Meredosia would host a sixth to eighth grade junior
high. Each current school complex (Meredosia, Triopia and Virginia)
would keep an elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade.
The hope is for a broader education in the new district,
resulting in more choices in the curriculum. Advantages are more
flexibility in scheduling classes, and a reduction in expenditures
for capital improvements and basic maintenance.
Two questions asked after the presentation:
1. What if class room size in the high school exceeds the maximum
capacity? Answer: Off-site classrooms could be established. The
downside would be additional transportation expenses.
2. Where would board meetings and sporting events be held? The
question went unanswered because some decisions are up to the new
school board to decide. One item was possible to determine about
sports. If the measure was in place today, the new high school would
be classified as a 2A school. But, Gadberry pointed out the projected
enrollment numbers show a decline, so the classification could teeter
back and forth.
Consolidation will be decided with a simple yes or no vote on
the ballot Nov. 4. If the measure fails, it cannot be placed on the
ballot in it's current form for two years. Consolidation
talks initially began between Meredosia and Triopia in 2003.
Combinations of school districts have come and gone, and different
Committees of Ten have been formed since that time.
The current group has moved the issue of consolidation closer to
a final vote than any other committee. If the measure succeeds the
projected start date for the new district would be July 1, 2010.
The next information meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday,
Oct. 1 in the high school gym, 651 S. Morgan, Virginia. Two
additional public meetings will follow on October 15 at Meredosia and
October 29 at Triopia. All meetings are in the high school gyms at 7
p.m.
The public is encouraged to attend any or all of the information
meetings to ask questions and discuss the consolidation issues in
order to be prepared to cast an informed vote on Nov. 4.
Beardstown school board approves ‘19 Minutes’
By Marla Blair / Star-Gazette Editor ...
During the Sept. 24 meeting of the Beardstown
school board, approval was given to keep the novel 19 Minutes, by
Jodi Picoult, in the high school library. Approval came with the
stipulation that parental permission be given for high school
students to check the book out.
Rev. Bob Schoolcraft read a written statement in support of
removal of the book. He made his point in the presentation when he
said, ”Would an oral book report containing the verbatim quotes from
‘Nineteen Minutes’ be allowed in the classroom? If not, would that be
censorship?” The board thanked him for his input and continued with
the meeting.
Board approval was also given for: an FFA overnight trip to the
National Convention in Indianapolis on October 22-25; District annual
review of of safety plans, protocols, procedures and school safety
drills report; Title I procedures; re-appointment Jay Greening as
Ethics Officer; a new three-year collective bargaining agreement
between Beardstown CUSD #15 Board of Education and the Beardstown
Education Association.
A recommendation for raises for “certain administrators,
technology, secretaries, maintenance, and transportation” personnel
was approved, but the Personnel committee will review raises.
Star-Gazette photo by Barb Hobrock ... Conner Schlueter and Rilee Hobrock were crowned Little Mr. and Little
Miss during Fall Fun Festival festivities Sept. 27.
Controversial book not for everyone
The book, 19 Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, is recommended to schools
by the Connecticut Department of Education and other establishments,
to initiate discussion and teach about the consequences of bullying.
But, sexual situations between characters and use of profanity caused
Beardstown resident Steve Griffin to file a formal request in March
to have the book removed from the school library.
Griffin first became aware of the book’s content when his, then,
seventh grade daughter checked the book out of the library and took
it home. The sexual situations, foul language, and reference to and
obsession with male body parts, seemingly out of context, were the
driving force behind his objections to the book.
“I was embarrassed just reading the passages,” said Griffin,
“and I couldn’t imagine what some kids might think about intimacy and
relationships if they used the situations in the book for a model. It
seems there should be a better way to teach kids about bullying, than
to also push casual sex and foul language at them.”
The request set in motion a library materials review procedure,
including a review by the Library Media Committee, made up of the
school librarian, Sue Reichert, a teacher and a school
representative. The committee recommended keeping the book and
requiring parental permission for a student to check the book out.
The issue was re-introduced at the Beardstown school board’s
August meeting when Steve Griffin addressed the board and asked the
members to consider removal of the book from the library. The issue
was tabled for the September meeting, when the board approved keeping
the book in the high school library, restricting it to high school
students, and requiring parental permission for students to check out
the book.
Other community members agreed with Griffin—ministers, local
citizens. But, a large number of supporters of keeping the book
contacted Superintendent Robert Bagby and protested the proposed
removal. Bagby also heard from the American Civil Liberties Union,
the National Coalition Against Censorship and other organizations who
protect civil rights and guard against restrictions of information
and content.
The board’s decision to allow the book to sit on the school
library shelf is a burden to the conscience of many, but a victory
for others who believe it follows the First Amendment and the freedom
of speech. A process was used to make the decision and a final ruling
brought the issue to a close—at least in the halls of Beardstown High
School.
|
NEW FORUM
About Us
Classifieds
Events
Obits
Email
NEW FORUM
About Us
Classifieds
Events
Obits
Email
Updated 10/1/08
Webmaster, Tippey Designs
|
