The Independent-News, Volume 115, Number 43, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 22 March 1990 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - MARCH 22. 1990

| EDITORIALS |

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS An important item of School Board news came out of the March 6 meeting but was somewhat overshadowed by the Richard Kickbush situation. The Board, on the recommendation of the superintendent, voted to disband any plan to realign the grades and use the current buildings with a considerable amount of busing of students from one town to another. They voted to go ahead with the construction plans of a new middle school thus leaving an elementary school building in both Walkerton and North Liberty. The Board would have been remiss if they didn’t pursue every avenue in this situation and with a price tag of something like $8.5 million for a new middle school, it was well worth consideration. However this plan hit resistance and caused another barrage of complaints from the patrons of the school district. One wonders any more if the school corporation will ever get out of debt in their debt service fund. The bonds on the high school are about to be retired but further construction and remodeling since has added more to the bill than just the cost of the high school. It kind of comes back to the old question, “do bricks and mortar help education’’. The changing educational system with the computer age, has caused a lot ot change. It is no longer the three “R’s” but about every other letter of the alphabet as well.

"No-Win Situation” Not being a native Walkertonian (We bought a place a mile out of town over eleven years ago). 1 have been slow to become involved in local politics. However. I no longer want to be uninvolved. Maybe the fact that 1 am a retired teacher has something to do with it. How well 1 remember my experiences with school politics and my disgust with favoritism on the school level. In fact, I left the teaching profession with a very bad image, determined never to be involved with that type of despotism again. 1 am not acquainted personally with Mr. Kickbush, but 1 can certainly emphasize with him. Once out of favor, you are dead meat, as the kids so quaintly say. The board could have saved his

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face (and theirs too) by asking him to retire after this school year. His benefits would have been intact and the board’s credibility would also have been intact. It was not a no-win situation. It seems to me to be a personal vendetta. lam not saying that all who voted against him. were against him. I am saying we must have a great many sheep who follow the shepard. Leila Bare R. 4. Walkerton “DlacipUne In Schools" I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1. 1 praise and thank God for the "four years” 1 attended Walkerton High School. 1 liked all of my teachers, including superintendant J.B. Munn and principal Roy Broman. Through disobedience. 1 my very special friend was expelled from school for a few days; • discipline in the school was peace-

fully done. 1 am eighty-two years old now; it broke my heart as I read the school news on the front page of the Walkerton paper. I cried tears unto our God who hears me. He gave His only son, Jesus, to suffer on the cross that every person might be saved He said, "Call unto me and I will answer thee." Jeremiah 33:3. I prayed for the John Glenn Schools and will continue. When Jesus prayed in Matthew 4:10 He said. Get thee hence Satan, for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve. I would recommend that the John Glenn School Administration call unto God. through His Son Jesus, for assistance. Children are a gift from God; it is an honor to teach them. I taught in the public schtxils on Indiana for thirty-eight years and one year in Boca Raton, Florida. I thank God for all of my years in the school room. We settled disagreements and disobedience peacefully. I hope the administration. Mr. Kickbush and the parents will read my letter to you. Some day, we can meet in heaven where there is no sin and trouble. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be *aved. Romans 10:13. Helen Fouts Geyer Edwardsburg. Ml 49112 “Termination Os Kickbush" I am writing this letter in regards to the termination of the teaching contract of Richard Kickbush at John Glenn School Corporation. We live in Walkerton and have had three children attend and graduate from the John Glenn School Corporation. All of our children were affiliated with Richard Kickbush throughout their school years. 1, myself, worked with Mr. Kickbush through the athletic booster club several years ago when my children were in school and Mr. Kickbush was high school athletic director at that time. I have attended all of the school board meetings and the hearing concerning Mr. Kickbush's termination. I am not condoning Mr. Kickbush's actions as far as what is now commonly called "the first incident”. However. 1 feel from that point on many errors and poor judgement on the part of the administration and the school board have been made. It appears to me that this whole matter should have never reached the point that it has of today. If we had had a competent administration and school board this could have been handled in a more diplomatic way at the onset. Now we are all facing a divided community on this issue; lack of respect and a loss of credibility in a school board that we. the people, elected to represent us; termination of a qualified and dedicated teacher; lack of discipline measures in our school corporation, because the teachers are hesitant to take a stand; expenses (legal and otherwise) to our school corporation and Mr. Kickbush; a superintendent and elementary principal, which I feel made poor decisions; etc., etc. I feel that Richard Kickbush has been treated unfairly and that the punishment rendered does not fit the crime, so to speak. 1 feel many discipline actions of the type Mr. Kickbush undertook probably have gone on on a daily basis, unnoticed or covered up, until this time. Now he is the one who is paying after 34 years of dedication to a teaching profession. After attending the hearing for Mr. Kickbush and then later reading the “Findings of Facts” that had been presented to the school board at their meeting I was appalled at the difference in the various issues. And then to think that our school board voted unanimously with one member abstaining, because he wasn't able to attend the hearing, to terminate

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the teaching contract of Richard Kickbush. It appears as though Mr. Kickbush hadn't even defended his position on the situation in the "Findings of Facts" and that opinions of James Harvey, the superintendent, and the testimony of Marilyn Lightfoot, elementary principal, was the only testimony heeded, even though Mr. Kickbush had 18 persons testify on his behalf. A petition bearing over 900 adult signatures was presented in support of Mr. Kickbush at this hearing, nut was apparently not taken into consideration. I honestly don't know what can be done at this point to help our schixil corporation during this difficult time. Ido realize that at this point our teachers are having and will continue to have a discipline problem in our school corporation unless something can be resolved. The students of today are a generation of working mothers, temptation to drugs, divorced parents. peer pressures, larger classroom sizes because of school consolidations. etc. I. myself, graduated in 1959 and faced none of these factors, nor did my children on the most pari. I will continue to support Richard Kickbush as 1 feel we need discipline and respect for teachers and other school employees in our schools. 1 don’t want the students to have the opportunity to "rule” our classrooms, halls and school activities. I feel that the students, on the majority, also want discipline. We need clarification of school policies and disciplinary measures. 1 feel Mr. Kickbush should be reinstated as a teacher, we should all learn from this experience and our superintendent and school board re-evaluate their values and decisions and put them in perspective. We are a small community and we don’t need, nor do we want, these problems. Carol Aitken A Concerned Citizen SCHOOL MENUS John Glenn High School MARCH 26-30 MONDAY Hamburger on bun French fries Peas Fruit Milk No salad bar TUESDAY Goulash Green beans Com bread Cake Milk or Salad bar and milk WEDNESDAY Pork patty on bun Parsley potatoes California blend Fruit Milk or Salad bar and milk THURSDAY Turkey sandwich Mashed potatoes Carrots Brownie Milk or Salad bar and milk FRIDAY Tuna casserole California blend Bread and butter Fruit Milk or Salad bar and milk Urcv Middle School MARCH 26-30 MONDAY Hamburger on bun French fries Peas Pudding Milk TUESDAY Pizza burger Com Fruit Cookie Milk

WEDNESDAY Redi rib on bun Tater tots Broccoli Fruit Milk THURSDAY Spaghetti Garlic toast Green beans Fruit Milk FRIDAY Grilled cheese Mixed vegetables Fruit Cookie Milk North Liberty Elementary MARCH 26-30 MONDAY Pig in blanket Mashed potatoes Buttered peas Fruit Chocolate milk TUESDAY Chicken pattie on bun BriKColi Fruit Cookie Milk WEDNESDAY Pizza Lettuce salad Corn Fruit Milk THURSDAY Hamburgers French fries Fruit Cookie Milk FRIDAY '/i Peanut butter sandwich ‘/j Tuna sandwich Tator tots Green beans Apple crisp Milk Walkerton Elementary School MARCH 26-30 MONDAY Peanut butter and jelly or tuna sandwich Cheese stick French fries Fruit Milk TUESDAY Fish on bun Green beans Macaroni salad Fruit Milk WEDNESDAY Taco with lettuce and cheese Buttered peas Cookie Milk THURSDAY Hot dog on bun Pickles and onions California blend Hot cinnamon apples Milk FRIDAY Pizza square Buttered corn Carrot sticks Fruit Milk St. Patrick School MARCH 26-30 MONDAY Chicken nuggets Tator tots Green beans Fruit Milk TUESDAY Tacos Lettuce and cheese Corn Fruit Milk WEDNESDAY Turkey sandwiches French fries Mixed vegetables Fruit Milk THURSDAY Pizza Tossed salad Fruit FRIDAY Macaroni and cheese Buttered peas Fruit Bread and butter Milk