School Board Briefs

The Ann Arboij Board oí Education last n i g h t approved the implementation of the Innovative Summer School in the Black Experience and the allocation of $30,000 to finance the program. There will be 300 students participating in the program and they will range in age levéis from pre-school to grade 12. The students in grades 9-12 will particípate on a work-study basis and will be compensated for their work. There will be no cost to the students. o o The board authorized the administration to enter into an arrangement with the state Legislature that the Ann Arbor School District may be reimbursed for three-fourths of the cost of transporting students to Department of Mental Health facilities up to $200. o o Durins cmestions. comments and petitions from the public, Mrs. Clara Ríchardson voiced 'her objections to the school calendar for next year saying that most parents don't want their summer vacations ended before Labor Day. She said that it was unfair to begin this early when most other districts started after Labor Day. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. responded to her comments: "The administratión has received only 15 letters from parents in the community who objected to the Aug. 31 date." He also said that this represented only one-tenth of one per cent of the total number of Ann Arbor parents. o o Norman Keefer, president of the Ann Arbor ParentTeacher-Organization Council told the board that council members had received numerous calis and letters from parents concerning the Aug. 31 opening school date. He requested that "the board provide them wiÜLSome grammatic informatíon t o supplement the base from which parents are now ing." He also said many parents are concemed a b o u t the preparation of students prior to their move from the elementary school to junior high school and suggested that "an effective study of transition to junior high from sixth grade be reviewed." o o A woman in the audience Ftold the board last night that she was surprised that they needed to have a report on sexism in the schools and f that she was appalled at the reception that it received ] from the male trustees. "I feit offended," she said. "You would have responded more favorably if the report had dealt with blacks or any other minority groups." A Pioneer High School female student also told the board, "You should already have been aware of the sexist policies in the schools. I have had to cope with them all of my life." o o Rebecca Vanderhorst, pended Forsythe teacher and candidate f o r the school board, said that she must speak to the board as an attempt to get quality education for black and white students. "Black students and teachers have constantly been i harassed by other teachers at Forsythe for defending me," she said. "You're intimidating too many blacks who have spoken up for me." She told the board that since their goal was to remove her entirely from the system that they direct their 1 attacks at her personally and not against students and teachers. She also requested that the board send its human relations ombudsman to investígate claims that a Fors y t h e instructor makes obscene remarks to students in rlïiRS J