The Puppet Show May Continue Its Double Session
“I believe that much of present education fails because it neglects this fundamental principle of the school as a form of community life.” – John Dewey
John F. Kennedy High School has been shut down by the Attorney General’s office after the school failed a safety inspection during June 2008. Since that time the Governor, Guam Legislature, and Guam Public School System had failed to take action. The double session situation at George Washington appears to be status quo with the new school year fast approaching in August 2009.
Scene One: The Governor
The Governor has been talking about renting from Core Tech International Corporation in Tiyan as a possible solution since December 2008, but only started entering into official contractual discussions during April 2009. Joshua Tenorio, Spokesperson for Core Tech International Corporation, has been seeking the media limelight to promote the deal by calling this a “favor to the community of Guam.” The Governor, persuaded by the opportunity to appear as a lead personality, was willing to enter into a 10 year agreement with a price tag of 5.1 million a year to rent a building to house 2,300 students and the 170 employees. The Governor had called the Guam Legislature into session once the contract was reviewed by the Guam Attorney General’s Office, and the Governor proposed an amended Bill.
Scene Two: The Guam Legislature
The Guam Legislature was completely oblivious to the happenings of the John F. Kennedy community. Some senators were not aware that the students of John F. Kennedy High School were in double session at the George Washington High School campus. Instead, they were under the impression that 2,300 students were using 20 usable classrooms to carry out their day to day schooling. These senators did not realize that the Superintendent of the Guam Public School System directed office employees to use 10 of those classrooms. Other senators were under the impression that all the John F. Kennedy High School students were redistricted into a newly built high school (Okkodo) and George Washington. A few keen senators like Judy Won Pat, Matt Rector, Ray Tenorio, BJ Cruz, and Rory Respecio were well aware of the situation that the John F. Kennedy students faced.
After two days of discussion, the Guam Legislature unanimously passed the Governor’s Bill to allow a contract with Core Tech International Corporation. The changes of reducing the 10 year contract to a one year contract and funding a million dollars less than requested, however, had the spokesperson of Core Tech walking away from the negotiating table and saying the deal is over.
Scene Three: The JFKHS puppet show may continue its double session
The John F. Kennedy High School community has stated numerous frustrations over the double session schedule at George Washington High School. The students complain about not receiving adequate instructional time as outlined by the policies of the Guam Education Policy Board, not having extra time for clubs to meet afterschool, and not being able to have part-time jobs. Parents are concerned about finding alternate sources of daycare for their younger children attending elementary and middle school because their sixteen year old John F. Kennedy High School student cannot supervise the younger children when their sixteen year old comes home at 7:00pm afterschool. Teachers are reportedly leaving John F. Kennedy High School to seek employment at other high schools that offer the traditional school hours of 7:00am-1:30pm as opposed to 12:30pm-5:30pm.
Scene Four: The funding for a rebuild of John F. Kennedy High School
Despite the complaints, there is a lack of urgency from the lawmakers to explore options for an interim John F. Kennedy High School. The only sign of hope of ending the double session is with the Superintendent of the Guam Public School System who has pledged the use of federal grants of $70 million to rebuild John F. Kennedy High School, in which International Bridge Corporation has assured a completion within nine months of having a contract signed. This news comes in time for the school year starting on August 2010.
