Response to the Northwest Herald Article

Shari,

I read the article in today's Northwest Herald. I have 5-year-old twins who will be in kindergarten this fall. When I registered my children at the elementary school, I wrote on the form that I wanted my children in the same classroom. The principal would not meet with me in person. After some weeks with no return phone call, I called again, and the principal spoke to me on the phone. This principal was so out of line in the way she spoke to me on the phone. She doesn't know me and doesn't know my children. She doesn't want to know us, and doesn't care about the reason I was asking my twins be placed in the same classroom. When I asked her why, her response was, 'because I said so'. When I asked if this was a rule for the district, she responded, 'it's my rule'. When I told her I had a recommendation from the pre-school my children attended, she said she doesn't care what anyone else says, she does what she wants and the district stands behind her. I said I thought I was making a simple request, she interrupted me and said, 'I don't take parent requests'.


I then requested a meeting with the superintendent. He wouldn't meet with me, but spoke to me on the phone, ending by saying he'd get back to me. He never got back to me, but had the principal write me a letter. The principal's letter was very toned down compared to the phone conversation I had with her, but in her letter basically said my children were not my responsibility when they were in her school.


This has been a horrible experience for me and my family. I will be writing my Senator about enacting the Twin Law. Until today, I didn't know this existed.


Though my husband and I cannot financially afford to send our children to a private school, there is no way we will send our children to the elementary school near our home (3 doors away!!). Since my conversation with this principal, I have heard so many bad occurrences involving this principal. And, I don't want to make a big stink about this and then have my children singled out or have my children be frightened in any way by anyone in the school, including the office staff. I just find it hard to believe the superintendent refused to meet with me in person, and another principal in the same district also refused to meet with me in person. I've been very polite and I don't understand why this is happening. Every child is an individual. Just like all children are not the same, all twins are not the same.


Thank you very much.


Sincerely,
Maria
(Crystal Lake)