Hello everyone.
Most of you are likely not aware of Abdul Hakim Shabazz, it’s not entirely surprising. He is an attorney who has a little, local political talk show during the morning drive time hours. I hate to give this gentleman any mention, but FTCSC Superintendent Dr. Bourke called in to his radio show yesterday morning to address accusations that there was an inappropriate relationship involved in the bus transportation process currently taking place with CIESC, the outsourced bus provider.
Aside from the sarcastic remarks of the radio host, I ask you to please listen to the responses of Dr. Bourke. Do not listen to the tone (because he is furious at the accusations against him), but please listen to the comments and explanation. Listen to the message. Listen to his answers to the questions posed to him.
Having served on that FTCSC School Board for 4 years, I will tell you CIESC is the perfect outsourcing solution to keep costs down for parents… I know it may be hard to believe that the costs are being kept down, but they really are. First, by leasing our buses to CIESC for $1, this keeps parent costs as low as they can possibly be kept. Second, there is a clause in the agreement that says the buses can only be used for Franklin Township students. Third, it allows Franklin Township to buy them back for $1 if circumstances would change.
Just like I told you months before the referendum that you’d be screaming about bus fees AFTER you chose to vote NO, I am now telling you FTCSC is only the first school system to do this. There are 8 other CIESC type organizations across the state, which are actual “not for profit” state agencies… and any school system that participates automatically has its Superintendent inserted onto the Governing body. They say Dr. Bourke is the chairman. That isn’t even true. He has not been the chairman for over a year.
In this particular state agency here in Central Indiana, I can almost promise you at this moment that Decatur Township will be next in line. My understanding based on an email I received the other day from an employee of that township is they have done almost everything necessary to make this outsourcing happen for them beginning in the 2012-2013 school year… with guess who?… yes, CIESC.
When you are listening to this exchange in the attached link, please make a special effort to listen to Dr. Bourke’s description of the educational rankings of Franklin Township Schools. They are in the 80th percentile in the state for ISTEP testing and rank as the #1 or #2 school system in Marion County for every single ISTEP category. That is incredible!
Oh… and that is why you will drive your kids to school or pay to have them ride the buses… because you moved to Franklin Township for the outstanding teachers and administrators that work with your kids on a daily basis. It surely isn’t for the infrastructure provided by the city (which you will soon see when you drive yours kids to school) or the educational support lacking from the state level.
Finally, one more note about this talk show host. He is irresponsibly trying to organize a boycott of school on September 16th. He has chosen this date because it is the ADM count day. He thinks this is the only day when the state funding is determined based on the number of kids attending school. His theory… if everyone stays home, the schools will get millions of dollars less and that will show those school leaders in Franklin Township.
First of all, if he were right, which he is not, that would do wonders for the education of our kids now… wouldn’t it? Cut a few more million dollars out of the budget for one of the best school systems in the state…and one of the least funded!
I’d love for some reporter to call this idiot to the carpet and ask how he can be so irresponsible in his actions on behalf of the kids in the Franklin Township Community. Clearly, that isn’t going to happen.
Fortunately, he is not right. You would think an attorney would have his facts straight before he embarrasses himself on his own radio show by encouraging parents to keep their kids out of school. The truth is… if you really want to hurt Franklin Township Schools (and indirectly the children that attend since that seems to be his objective), you need to keep your kids home every day and not let them attend school until after September 16th. At that point, you’ll probably have child neglect charges filed against you… so have at it! Otherwise, just know if your kids are attending school any time up until that point, they get counted.
Here is the link to the radio interview:
Have a great weekend!
