Jefferson High School - Revolution Yearbook (Bloomington, MN)

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Students listen with skepticism to the Spokesperson for Concerned Parents, panel's answers to questions concerning Mans Anderson, argues his point after a modular scheduling. Ivceum. ;A panel was organized to answer students' questions about modular scheduling. The panel included math instructor. I ou Cohen: principal. Hr. Robert Smith; and school board representative. Richard Schneider. Student (iovernment Chairperson (iretchen Schneider shows her concern about losing modular scheduling at one of the two student lyceums. • Modular Scheduling

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Hits of the Time • 25

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Modular Scheduling Born: 1970; Died: I‘ 79. Pendulum Swings Back; Modular-Scheduling Expires Concerned Parents were organized. The students were not. The controversy over modular-scheduling was building long before the decision to abolish it, Concerned Parents, a group whose spokesperson was citizen Hans Anderson, was a group opposed to modular scheduling. Concerned Parents swept into the picture before anyone knew what was happening. Their main argument was that not all students could handle it. Early in the year they circulated a petition. The petition requested that modular scheduling at Jefferson and Olson Jr. High be changed to a traditional system. Presentation of the petition, with more than 2,000 signatures, to the Bloomington School Board resulted in a survey sent to every home in the vicinity. The outcome showed 27% favored modular scheduling, 44% thought there should be a traditional system, and 43% thought a combined traditional-flexible system would be best. Principal Dr. Robert Smith said, “Any system that is different from tradition is difficult for people to accept.” A change was necessary, Smith added. The Jefferson faculty voted on a six-hour day to present to the school board. Students had difficulties organizing their assets in the fight to keep modular scheduling. Problems included students not knowing how to constructively fight the issue, and students being misinformed about the situation. A survey taken by Student Council indicated that 96% of the students backed modular scheduling. Also 99% of the faculty preferred a flexible system over a structured system. Student Government President, Gretchen Schneider, said the loss of modular scheduling was due to the lack of communication between the community and school. Community adults thought students were not handling their time responsibly; students felt that high school was the time to learn about time management. Many students told their parents, “You’ve never had modular-scheduling, how do you know it’s bad?” Parents often replied, “You’ve never experienced hours, how do you know it isn’t better?” It was obvious that students and parents did not see eye to eye . . . They fought a battle with no compromise, and a battle with no winners. Modular Scheduling • 27