Trying to Get Away from Westwood Heights

I think parents should have more control over what schools their children attend.

I've been trying to get out of the Westwood Heights school district that I live in for years but can't just move for many reasons- some financial, some personal.

I've applied for school of choice and gotten denied then this year I didn't even have the option because Westwood opted out of school of choice.

I want better for my children then what Westwood heights can offer them.

My daughter who is straight A student deserves a chance to receive an education that will challenge her capabilities while making her want to learn. She deserves the chance to excel academically, Westwood Heights does not offer that challenge.

Westwood Heights main focus is to make sure the students pass all the standardized required state tests. The students that have no problem doing that get bored repeating the same stuff over and over and never learning anything new. There’s nothing extra available for bright students that can do more, go farther.

I’ve watched Westwood Heights slide downhill over the years. I was a student there myself back in the 80s and early 90s, back when the district still offered a good education.

I’ve seen a major decline, mainly since Mr. Overweg retired. After he left Westwood became a mockery of an educational system.

Numerous superintendents have come through the district some with their own agendas and (rumored) racially motivated plans of action. Teachers were fired, principals were fired, new principals and teachers were hired, then many lawsuits were filed (which the school district repeatedly lost), board of education recalls have been numerous, The Flint Journal has been filled with numerous disgraceful articles about this district (see all the links in the previous post here on this blog)

Westwood Heights has become a media disgrace- especially after a “brawl’ occurred during a board of education meeting (videos below).

It is embarrassing that a school district focuses so much attention on petty arguments among the adults, adults that are supposed to be the leaders and role models for the children.

Then the ones to suffer are the students.

I don’t want my children to suffer. I want what is best for my children and Westwood Heights is not it.

Due to circumstances I have no choice but to live in this district for now, but I want my children to attend Flushing, where they have already been accepted pending their release from Westwood Heights.

My youngest will start kindergarten in the fall. He’s a bright, energetic ADHD child that deserves a fresh start in a district that can offer him the type of education he needs.

I honestly don’t think Westwood Heights has a staff capable of offering him the type of attention he needs.

As a parent I only want the best for my children. I don’t believe a floundering school district should have the right to prevent my children from having access to better education.

But at a board meeting last night that's exactly what they did.

James Mitchell repeatedly spouted off rules and criteria as antiquated as himself. "You have to be moving into the district you wish the children to attend, you have to work at the school district you want your children to attend, or the child has to have attend the school district as junior and wants to complete their senior year there"- if you didn't fit into those criteria you were denied.

Denied, denied, denied.

They denied every family there- essentially wasting everyone's time because their minds were made up before we ever arrived at the meeting.

The entire board- especially Brenda Battle Jordan and Lester Fykes- are so caught up in their power trip they seem to really enjoy controlling the fate of other peoples's children.

It's sad that the only power they'll ever have in life will be on the board of education for sad little school district.

But they're going to make the most of it and destroy the educational opportunities my children, and many other peoples' children, could receive from another district.

It's completely wrong.

I'll still be living in the district so they'll still get my tax money.

And it's not like it's going to make my life any easier sending my kids outside the district where I live- where they now get picked up on a bus ion front of my house.

Instead I would be driving them back and forth every day to 2 seperate schools at 2 seperate start and finish times.

But you know what?

That should be my choice as a parent who wants more for my children than a crappy education in a crappy school district.

I want more for my children and I don't believe the Westwood heights board should be able to stop me.

Four years ago my oldest son had to have his life threatened by a group of gang bangers before they would release him.

What's it going to take this time? One of my children being seriously hurt or even killed before they let us go?