Missoula County Public Schools district trustee Larry Foust, not a year into his term, abruptly quit the school board Tuesday evening, leaving board members with their jaws hanging open. Foust, a recently retired 37-year MCPS teacher, resigned after reading a short letter he had written for the special board meeting, called to approve the ballot language for the upcoming May school trustee elections and to discuss the budget. Foust, reached at home, said he has been increasingly frustrated at being asked to approve school direction and policies enacted before he began to serve last May – particularly the International Baccalaureate Program, an academically elite program that will open next year at Hellgate High School. “We should be concentrating on educating the ‘unwashed masses,’ the kids who don’t have all the nurturing,” he said. “All the kids who need a good, basic education”/Jamie Kelly, Missoulian. More here.

Question: Sounds like this guy is attacking the International Baccaulaureate program from the opposite side that Coeur d'Alene School District patron Duncan Koler is. What say you?

When Hellgate High School opens its doors next fall, nearly 100 students will begin a course of study that will test their minds in a way they’ve never been tested before. Similarly, the debut of the International Baccalaureate Programme – commonly known as IB – will test the Missoula County Public Schools district’s commitment to leading education in a different direction. Hellgate will be only the second high school in the state to have adopted IB and its rigorous, two-year education, testing and assessment model. Flathead High School was the first in 2004 and began handing out IB diplomas in 2006. (The private Missoula International School is also an IB school in the Primary Years Programme)/Jamie Kelley, Missoulian. More here.

Question: Are you an IB supporter?

Duncan Koler (pictured), an outspoken opponent of the Coeur d'Alene School District's International Baccalaureate program, reacted strongly to recent Press stories criticizing his positions, including opposition to school social programs. Fumes Koler: “Unfortunately, this is not the first time our Press has abandoned journalistic ethics (an oxymoron?) to feature false, defamatory attacks dressed up as 'news.'” Then this: “Mike Patrick’s editorial ran online on 1/14, and in print as his lead editorial on 1/15.  First the title: 'Empty stomachs, vacant hearts.' Are you kidding me? (I considered titling this My Turn “Bleeding hearts, empty heads,” but decided that would only be half-true.)” Later, Koler says: “I accurately used the term 'social services bureaucracy' to describe the vast scope of undertaking by our school district.  I also impliedly questioned whether combining education and social services responsibilities was the best way to deliver both education and the necessary social services, stating, 'I’m not sure that’s how I would do it, but that’s a fact about what our education system is today.'  I did not state that needy children should go hungry or otherwise be deprived of necessary support.” More here.

Question: Doth Koler protesteth too much?

I attended the “Community Chat” on Sept. 26, which became a pep rally staged by IB teachers and students. I listened to a host of IB students speak emotionally about how much IB means to them. There is no doubt that these students are bright, but IB didn't make them that way. In fact, when confronted with the very poor IB exam scores and resulting lack of college credits for IB courses taken, the best “critical thinking” response both IB teachers and students could muster was, “we're not in it for the grades or the college credits.” IB students and teachers resist any effort to objectively measure the academic success of IB. Instead, it's all about how they “feel” about the program. Grades don't matter. College credits don't matter/Duncan Koler, letter to Coeur d'Alene Press editor. More here.

Question: Do you agree with Duncan Koler re: International Baccalaureate program?

Mike Patrick, writing for the Coeur d'Alene Press editorial board, nailed it Sunday when he wrote that the controversial International Baccalaureate program deserves scrutiny but not dismantling: “We believe IB has been an important option for ambitious students, but we agree with critics that the program should be scrutinized to ensure its delivery and results are meeting expectations. If those expectations are not being met, that doesn't necessarily merit flushing the program down the educational toilet. Enough students and parents have raved about IB classes that the district should be compelled to figure out how the program could be improved before it seriously considers dropping it.” Also, he's right when he sez that critics who are attacking the program for political or religious reasons should be ignored. Full editorial here.

Question: Do you agree with Coeur d'Alene Press position that the International Baccalaureate program should be jettisoned only if its proven that the program isn't passing muster?

Christa Hazel followed a report re: the IB (International Baccalaureate) meeting last night: “I am disappointed that there are so many community members not ashamed to be openly rude and it seemed to fall on one side.  Some people barked at the speakers when they couldn't hear or the speakers were too loud.  One older man interrupted a lady who was speaking about IB teachers like Mr. Ruskovich  and asked why Mr. Ruskovich sends his kids to Charter Academy.  Mr. Ruskovich, from the audience, re-directed the attention by stating, “Why don't you ask me that question, Sir.” As an audience member, it was difficult to hear all of the speakers because of the side conversations in the audience.  One man kept muttering “this is bull****” and kept raising his hand as though he wanted to question each speaker.” Full meeting report here. (Christa Hazel photo: Debbie Morris addressing Wanda Quinn.  Matt Handelmann, assistant Superintendent is seated next to Wanda.)

Question: I noticed this same phenomenon during the final meeting on proposed McEuen Field changes — older adult people in the audience acting like 2-year-olds when they didn't agree with something being said. Why are people in this town so disrespectful in public settings when they disagree with something?

Christie Wood: Mr. Hamilton I was on the Board when the decision was made to offer IB. I also worked along side your Board Chair Wanda Quinn for many years to become a school district that did offer as many different opportunities for learning as possible. With that in mind there are often grant opportunities that our district has utilized in the past to fund various programs. Have you or the administration researched the possibility of continuing the programs with grant funding? If funds were made available would you support the continuation of both programs?

DFO: Since the comment ended with a question pointed at Coeur d'Alene Trustee Tom Hamilton, I'll leave this for him to answer rather than post a question of my own.

A Coeur d'Alene Press story Wednesday reported that the school district had concerns about the performance of students in the International Baccalaureate and advanced placement programs at the Coeur d'Alene high schools. Trustee Tom Hamilton discussed this with a handful of us hung around after the 2011 Hucks Fallfest with Addy & Geoff ended. I noticed he's discussing the topic with Press commenters in a lengthy thread from the article above. He comments: “While there are differences in the approach taken, both programs are designed to challenge advanced learners. Students who will succeed in an IB program will also be successful in an AP program. However, the IB v. AP issue has been argued from ideology and emotion by BOTH sides of the debate and not from a true evaluation of the performance and cost of the program. For this reason, I have asked that the district make available to the public a complete picture of the program which should include academic performance, the true costs of both programs, enrollment numbers, trends, historical and on-going fees / costs, etc.” Tom's full comment at 8:06 Wednesday here.

Question: Do you consider the International Baccalaureate program in local high schools to be valuable?

COEUR d’ALENE - The findings of a task force formed in the wake of public controversy regarding the Coeur d’Alene School District’s International Baccalaureate programs were presented Monday to trustees.

“The board distilled all of the input from various constituents within the last few months,” said Superintendent Hazel Bauman. What board members came up with was a series of questions that needed to be answered, Bauman said. Maureen Donlan, Cda Press Full Story.

Will these findings quiet the controversy over the IB program?

Item: Washington Foundation donates $50K to Missoula International Baccalaureate Program/Michael Moore, Missoulian

More Info: The foundation gave the money to the school district to support development of an international baccalaureate program, which will be housed at Hellgate High School. The Washingtons have long had a soft spot for education, particularly the University of Montana. In fact, Halligan said Missoula’s school system is a top selling point when trying to lure people to Missoula. “It’s something that’s a very natural thing for us to support,” he said.

Question: Will controversy surround the International Baccalaureate program in Missoula as it has in the Coeur d’Alene School District?

• Monday Poll: 102 of 216 respondents (47.2%) said that the Coeur d’Alene School District shouldn’t be involved in the International Baccalaureate program. 98 of 216 respondents (45.4%) said the district should be involved in the program. 16 of 216 (7.4%) were undecided.
• Supreme Court Ruling: 89 of 114 respondents (78%) agreed with the U.S. Supreme Court decision Monday that “sexually dangerous” individuals can be kept locked up indefinitely. 22 of 114 respondents disagreed with the decision.
• Today’s Poll (in lefthand rail): Should Coroner Bob West have endorsed Deb Wilkey to succeed him?

Not for the first time we have protesters — this time in Idaho — trying to get the International Baccalaureate program tossed out of schools because, they say, it is, anti-American. Usually the most serious threat to the IB is its sort-of rival, the Advanced Placement program. But allegations that the international education program is not only anti-American but also Marxist and anti-Christian have led to controversies in recent years in several states, including Utah, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The program isn’t any of the things the protesters say it is. IB is a rigorous program for students ages 3 to 19, now in about 3,000 schools, in 139 countries, that teaches students to understand issues from an international perspective/Valerie Strauss, The Answer Sheet, Washington Post. More here.

H/T: Nick Adams

Question: Are you surprised that the local protest has caught the attention of the Washington Post?

Truth About IB: According to Channel 4 News, the district has spent $1.3 MILLION on IB. So Coeur d’Alene has a group of private IB lovers raising money to supplement its pet program? Are they an official 501(c)(3)? Any public accounting of the funds raised? Inquiring minds want to know. ;-) And: Btw, I love how the IB lovers here refer to Wikipedia as their source for information. Wikipedia is controlled by a group of left-wing control freaks who have no life outside of Wikipedia. It’s pathetic. And yes, I have been banned from editing there. ;-)

Question: At a time when school districts throughout Idaho are squeezing their budgets, does Truth About IB have a good point that $1.3M for the International Baccalaurate program is too expensive?

Item: Hayden Meadows students staying: No parents plan on moving kids after letter from school/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Pica said she has not received any complaints about PYP, and just one student has been withdrawn from the school because of the all-school, K-5 program. Hayden attorney Duncan Koler, one of the program’s most vocal local critics, removed his child from Hayden Meadows earlier this year because of PYP. Koler believes many of the parents sending their kids back to Hayden Meadows are doing it because they can’t afford not to.

Question: Am I the only one who thinks the anti-IB parents protests too much?

• pdf of Your Local Capitalist here

Christa Hazel said she was shocked to see a free full newspaper publication called “The Local Capitalist” which targets the District’s International Baccalaureate program. The paper was available at a local coffee shop. Quotes the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy’s founding member, Dr. Bill Proser, the IB program is “left-wing baloney’ and “anti-capitalist”. According to this, Dr. Proser also states of the IB Program, “I think they believe in re-deistribution of wealth.” I’m curious if he, a learned man, has been misquoted. More from Christa.

Question: What do you make of this new development?

Item: Stakes rising in International Baccalaureate fight: Deputies called to keep an eye on program protest/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Public controversy regarding the International Baccalaureate Organization’s Primary Years Programme at Hayden Meadows Elementary School spilled into the street this week. Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Stu Miller said his department responded Friday and Monday to a request from people at the Hayden Avenue school asking officers to do some extra patrolling in the area because there were people protesting the school’s IB program.

Question: What do you think the children at Hayden Meadows think of all this?

MamaJD (re: Patrons oppose International Baccalaureat program): I agree with Don: I think the USA is a pretty great country, too. BUT — I’m not angered to the point of action & protest over the fact that the United Nations is operating somewhere in the world. I don’t believe that Hayden Meadows is ground zero of indoctrination for a New World order. So I’m not frothing at the mouth over the UN but that shouldn’t equate to a one way ticket to live somewhere else, should it? And PS — the Pledge of Allegiance is still stated on a daily basis, the constitution is still studied, and kids at Hayden Meadows love their country.

Question: Do you think our schools do enough to teach American history and/or patriotism? 

Nick Adams: The Maureen Dolan story in the Press about the opposition to the International Baccalaureate program in the CDA schools is pretty interesting reading. I’ll admit that I’m not familiar with the program and had no idea that some folks view it as an “indoctrination” program (evil UN ties). Is it not an elective/voluntary program? If so, I just don’t see the problem if some students want to take part in more globally-based curriculum—especially at the high school level. It also sounded like several of the folks there don’t actually have kids in the schools currently.

Question: Patrons voiced concern that the International Baccalaureate program is associated w/the United Nations and UNESCO and “indoctrination that promote anti-American principles and socialist theories, including global warming and redistribution of wealth and resources through community activism.” What do you make of those concerns?