Where is Our Money Going?

Parents in the Franklin School District are not getting the answers they need from the school district. The lack of communication has been known for awhile. But this just kind of takes the cake.

Triggered by a complaint from parent and City Council candidate Brian Boynton about a lack of textbooks in his children's classes, Superintendent Jo Ellen Divoll said she was unaware of the problem.

"I can't address what I don't know about," said Divoll who said if the complaint was never mentioned to the teacher and/or the principal, then it would not have been on her radar.

"The teacher told me she had no right to speak to me and told me to talk to the superintendent," said Boynton.

"That's wrong," replied Divoll who said the agreed-upon communication route between parents and faculty was for the parent to speak first to the teacher, next to the principal, and finally to the superintendent. If there was no resolution, the School Board would take up the issue.

I think I found this part of it disturbing, but not all that surprising. When I was a reporter, and covered certain Franklin school district events, I had heard these complaints, as well.

Parent Lawrence McGrath said he has heard that some teachers are "intimidated" by the administration and School Board from speaking to teachers about their problems.

My son is going to be going to school in this district in about five years. I am hoping that these issues get fixed before he starts school, or they are going to be seeing me on a regular basis at the school board meetings.

To be fair, they said that the textbooks have been ordered, but it shouldn't have taken a month into the school year to address this problem.