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Health & Fitness

Superintendent Hughes' Opinions

Should the PCCS superintendent use the district's email database to distribute his political opinions?

 I get myself in trouble, when I have issues with the school district. I feel like writing a long disclaimer, but I'll keep it simple. I love our city, and I love our schools. I do, however, take issue when I believe the district's email database is being used improperly.

I have a child in elementary, so my email address is in the district database. Many of you received an email from the district this morning, in which superintendent Hughes voiced his concerns over a piece of legislation being considered in Lansing. Since I haven't fully researched the details of the legislation, I won't venture an opinion on its merit. My problem is with Dr. Hughes, using the district's email database to circulate his political opinion. 

Here's how Dr. Hughes opens:

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"Although all the news from Lansing lately is about "Right to Work," behind the scenes there is still education legislation that is moving forward and, if passed, would have profound effects on Michigan's public schools, and on P-CCS in particular. This legislation pertains to the EAA (Education Achievement Authority). The EAA was formed a year ago as a kind of separate "school district" in Detroit that would take over the Detroit schools that fall in the bottom 5% of schools based on student achievement. The legislation now in Lansing would expand the EAA's authority and allow it to take over any school in the state that is in the bottom 5%."

In our politically charged environment, is it really appropriate to use a school district resource for politicking? The last time I checked, our community is made up of people with many different beliefs and political views; most of whom did not submit their email addresses, to receive propaganda pieces. When we need opinions concerning politics, there are enough of those out there.  Dr. Hughes then goes on to explain that the legislation, about which he is opining, will probably not affect schools in our district:

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"Although the likelihood of that ever being the case in Plymouth-Canton is slim to none, wherever it did occur it would be taking local control away from elected school boards. It would, in essence, be creating a statewide school district."

Followed by a bit more fear-mongering, over an issue that we are not likely to face:

"Of most concern to us in Plymouth-Canton is the provision that would allow the EAA to take over vacant school buildings, wherever they are located. If we closed a school in Plymouth-Canton, we would be required to put that school on a state listing of vacant school buildings and keep the school (even though vacant) in operating condition for two years. During these two years, the EAA could, by paying the appraised value of the building, purchase it without our consent for the appraised value, even if we could have got more than the appraised value by selling it to a old-school entity."

Dr. Hughes concludes, by explaining that he has only expressed his opinion, and not that of the school board. He then provides the email addresses for our state legislators, presumably for you to share his opinion with them. The superintendent is entitled to his opinions, he has every right to express them; but is the district's mailing list the proper vehicle to distribute anyone's political views? The last time I got involved in a school district issue, it was to openly support Dr. Hughes; when he unilaterally removed the book Beloved from the high school's AP English curriculum. I wrote an op-ed in the Observer, as well as here at Patch, to express my concerns; the same options are available to the superintendent, for expressing his opinions. I don't think superintendent Hughes should be using the district's website as a political blog, and I don't think he should be treating the parents in his district like subscribers.

This is about a principle. The email databases of public schools should not be used as a bully pulpit for the advancement of someone's political opinions. These emails should contain objective information, and facts relevant to parents, students, and faculty inside the district. If legislation actually does affect our district, give us the facts when they become reality. Let's save the hypotheticals for Facebook, and politics for politicians.

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