Letter: It’s time to take another step on the Moon, North Penn School District

(The following is a Letter to the Editor from North Penn School District parent Vince Altieri. The views expressed within are his own.)

Unfortunately, tragedies have an odd way in bringing to light bigger issues that have been ignored for far too long. But before I speak about something that has become a passion of mine and many others, I share so many people’s deepest sympathies for the impacted families of the tragic event that occurred at Pennbrook Middle School on Tuesday, April 16^th.

First of all, I am appalled by the use of the term “We” in a public statement put out by North Penn School District to the community addressing the senseless and avoidable attack of a young girl.

How can I make such strong statements? Often the best answer is the simplest one.  This answer is because the North Penn community has allowed PUBLIC EDUCATION to morph into trying to solve what is wrong with the world as opposed to addressing what EDUCATION needs to be about.  Education needs to be about achieving Academic Excellence and keeping our children safe while learning.

Below is a list of common sense solutions that will help NPSD shift from a Monopoly to a Community.

• School Board officials must vow to NEVER accept donations from Politicians and from contractors that are paid to perform OUR work. This is happening at North Penn and is UNETHICAL as it lends itself to creating policy and making decisions that is NOT motivated by doing the “right thing” for children and the tax payer. While I never intend on running for school board again, I am PROUD to never have taken a cent from POLITICIANS
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• School Board officials must be held accountable when they make statements that deflect.
  
  
• For example, when asked to speak about the undeniable rise in violence at North Penn, it has been falsely argued that this rise in violence was because North Penn was “over reporting”. Just as during the last school board debate, an elected official noted that North Penn’s declining Academic rankings were due to an “algorithm” in the data.
  
  
• School Board officials must never be financially SUPPORTED and endorsed by a teacher’s union especially when this same teacher’s union ONLY endorses candidates from one party. This is one reason why I refer to the NPSD BODs as a Political Monopoly. Case in point, this Political Monopoly has had control of every decision pertaining to our kids for nearly 10 years and have casted 4 dissenting votes in that same time period.
  
  
• For example, when the administration asked parents to decide if in-school learning should be an option during COVID; parents voted to allow an in-school option.  Despite this, the BODs voted that in-school learning be eliminated. A similar scenario applied to student’s wearing masks.
  
  
• Arrogance and INACTION must have consequences:
  
  
• For example, current school board members were allowed a reasonable amount of time to speak at school board meetings prior to becoming BODs. These same BODs should not sit idle when other parents are shut down from speaking and told “your time is up”.  

Back to why referencing the term “WE” in communications is not appropriate. The right to refer to the North Penn community as “WE” must be earned. This term (“We”) has not been earned because Agenda based Academics are NOT educating OR protecting our children. This ignominious group of BODs has the audacity to DOUBLE DOWN by boasting during school board meetings that their actions have saved the community tax payer dollars while accepting praise for declining Academics and appalling school safety results. What concerns me most is that when I sat at the proposed curriculum meeting several months ago, I was only joined by roughly 10 people, and listened to “DEI” mentioned 44 times - yes I counted. Because the fact of the matter is that buzzwords like “DEI”, “algorithms”, “safe schools” and “climate coordinator” doesn’t improve academics or keep students safe. What also doesn’t solve problems is when a video of an elected official demonstrates disrespect of law enforcement. It is equally appalling when other elected officials defend such disrespectful behavior. Failure of elected officials to show up for debates or more importantly fail to show up for the emotional meeting that ensued after the vicious attack on April 16^th does not demonstrate strong leadership

In my opinion, the community deserves a public apology for the abuse of power and how inappropriate actions have caused harm to the NPSD community. School Board officials must vow to separate their decision-making process from POLITICAL organizations, avoid buzzwords, rethink curriculum such as “Wit and Wisdom” while focusing on common sense curriculum that allows teachers to educate.

Lastly, stop dividing the community by focusing on what flag happens to be displayed. Instead let “kids be kids” because I believe the American Flag is more than enough to represent ALL of US. There are so many great educators and programs at NPSD. Let sponsored events such as the “International Spring Festival” allow our community to bond in ONE setting as opposed to creating policies that divide.

Here is my ask of NPSD. EARN back the trust of the North Penn Community by reaching out to Pat. Hanrahan, a man that was interviewed for the position of coordinator of emergency management in safe schools.  Mr. Hanrahan is a well-respected member of the North Penn community. By reaching out to Pat Hanrahan for his wisdom and guidance regarding public safety, the NPSD BODs, will have taken the first step of many needed to restore TRUST and make it possible to truly refer to North Penn as “WE”.

Respectfully,

Vince Altieri
PROUD Parent and proud member of the North Penn Community