My husband, Bill, and I attended the June 5 BOE meeting, and I spoke during the public session segment.
Michael Kramarenko followed me with his comments. He referenced the ongoing bullying that occurs among middle school students. The issue was submitted to Mrs. Okenquist, a middle school teacher, but nothing has been done about it despite several parents’ reports of concern.
Kramarenko was told by one of the BOE members that night that he was not allowed to mention anyone by name during public commentary—we do not know if this is a standard rule, or one simply created by the Granby BOE. If it is not a standard rule, it is, as I have stated before, a patronizing rebuke to a parent who contributes to the salaries of administration employees.
Kramarenko also stated that students are being allowed to call teachers by their first names or even nicknames, something that parents find disrespectful. Additionally, there are shop and tech/ec classes that occur apparently without teachers and are mostly study halls. Students are receiving grades. How does this occur and why?
Further there is considerable swearing in class by students, and teachers are allowing this type of disruption to continue without reprimand. We, the taxpayers, are not comfortable with nor wish to have this “wokie/fokie”/loosey-goosey environment to continue. We do not pay taxes to have students subjected to eight hours of mayhem and potential risk to the character and safety of every child.
Kramarenko also said there has been no notification of the summer school program. He recommends that this information should be “hard mailed” (USPS), not sent by email to assure receipt by all parents.
In summary, we believe that we are not getting the quality of leadership expected by parents and taxpayers in Granby. “Let Kindness Ripple” does not meet a standard of messaging based on what we observed on June 5.