11/26/98

Opelika * Auburn News
* THE NEWSPAPER OF EAST ALABAMA*
11/26/98

An open letter to Dr. Mick Martin

Dr. Martin:

When this process began, although not in agreement, I was appreciative that ACS was conducting such a fair minded and above board investigation of the proposed changes. As the process progressed, I became somewhat leery (afraid that the decision had already been made) although I continued to be pleased that parents teachers community and children had some input into the decision.

Today, however, I feel very differently. I am concerned about the survey process and what I see as a flawed exercise:

1 ) I am concerned that, in an effort to sway opinions, middle school children (who often think maybe means yes) were told that they may get to take dance, advanced art and rock climbing during intersession if we change our schools' calendar.

2) I am concerned. that the high school students votes were bought with the promise that this was the only way they could complete finals before Christmas (omitting the fact that our current schedule could easily be adjustedÛwith only minor inconvenienceÛto allow this as well).

3) I am concerned that some families never received ballots and that SOME teenagers were allowed to complete surveys as citizens while others (including my 17-year-old daughter who pays city and state taxes) were not.

4) I am concerned that if I preferred only one calendar on the survey, I was allowed one less vote than those who chose two (and that inherent flaw in the survey may make it impossible for my opinion to be ranked as high as others).

5) I am concerned that OUR children (yours and mine) are learning that the end justifies the means.

This last lesson may not be one that I would choose for my daughter to learn. I guess that maybe she will have learned an important lesson through this process. The lesson is that life is not fair. And in my opinion, neither is the approval process for an alternate calendar.

"If you gaze for long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."ÛFriedrich Nietzsche

Dawn N. Symuleski, M.S.
Auburn