Fact versus fiction in AOS debate

by Staff Pioneer Times
16 years ago

To the editor:
    On Jan. 31, voters of SAD 70, SAD 14, Bancroft and Orient will be asked to go to the polls to vote on a plan to reorganize the above-mentioned school departments into an Alternative Organization Structure (AOS). Listed below are some facts vs. fiction about an AOS.
Facts
    • AOS is simply the consolidation of the Central Office.
    • The AOS board, under Maine State Statute has no authority to close any school.
    • Each school district maintains their own boards, thus preserving local control.
    • All duties, assignments, contracts, insurances and other financial functions of the Central Office will be under the AOS board.
    • Collective bargaining to be retained by local boards and is not transferred to the AOS.
    • All Central Office personnel will remain the same for the next two years (except for MSAD 14 superintendent).
Fiction
    • SAD 14 school will close and students will be bused to Hodgdon. According to the Maine Statute, the AOS board has no such authority. The closing of schools is a local issue.
    • Policies and curriculum will be part of the AOS boards responsibility. These will continue to be the local board’s decision.
    • The AOS will force districts to increase wages and benefits for staff. The plan only calls for consistent collective bargaining. Consistency will not be understood to mean equal salaries and benefits. That is up to local boards to approve.
    • Districts will have to change their policies. District policies for the school units come from Maine School Management; they are very similar, therefore very little change, if any, is needed.
    • The AOS will change school curriculum. Districts will be operating under the state’s common core curriculum. How that curriculum is delivered will continue to be a local decision, not an AOS one.
    • Students will be bused from SAD 14 to SAD 70. Let us use common sense on this one. No way. The AOS, I repeat, has no authority to authorize this.
Robert McDaniel, superintendent
SAD 70