The speaker supports Dr. Grenita Lathan and the School Board's decisions regarding discipline, operations, and progress under her leadership. They oppose the group "Change 150" and their tactics of bullying and intimidation. The speaker argues that Change 150 wants control over the agenda, but under Dr. Lathan the district has balanced budgets, modern technology for students, new textbooks, and ways for parents to be involved through a parent university. The speaker believes Change 150 only exists because their agenda of controlling the Superintendent and School Board is threatened.

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I rise to voice my support for the superintendence of Dr. Grenita Lathan and to
uphold the School Board’s decisions in both discipline, method of operation, and
progress for our children under her tenure. I also rise to shed light on the
dissatisfaction with the continued efforts of the group calling themselves “change
150” for reasons I will address.
First, I would like to say to Board member Laura Patelle, whom I and others
worked with on the development of the District’s new and revised bully policy
through the parent/Teacher advisory Cmte, Yes, you DID THE RIGHT THING, in an
issue that involves more than just parents and students. What we are doing is yet
wholly about the message that we continue to send to our parents and students.
Change 150 claims to have the best interest of District employees at heart. They
claim that a climate of so called “fear and intimidation” is not representative of
the district nor the people of Peoria. However, their actions of bullying,
intimidation and blacklisting displays the exact opposite of what they claim to
stand for.
I ask the public to seriously examine why this group really wants “change”? They
say it’s because of the people “leaving district 150”, and the employees who are
scared out of their wits. But I ask, are either of those things really the case? Or are
their actions because THEY can’t control the agenda of District 150? I strongly
believe that it is because of the latter.

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Considering their strong arm tactics:
Could they possibly be complaining because the district under Dr. Lathan has had
balanced budgets the last three years, during the most uncertain economic times
of American history?
Could they possibly be complaining because the district now has modern
technology to facilitate the learning process, such as smart boards, laptops and
Ipads, that all district students, in a predominately Black and poor student district
can now use to prepare themselves to compete for jobs in real society?
Let me just stop and ask this group, did they want “change” when those same
students were suffering from technology disparity and when I had to personally
argue for updated equipment at one of the local schools and then hunt down the
equipment that was sent to another school outside of the inner city simply
because “someone” wanted to do so?
These were actions that Dr. Lathan said, “Not on my watch” and she has lived up
to her promise!
Allow me to further ask, could this group possibly be complaining because now,
our students have new and updated text books from which to learn as opposed to
old and in many cases over 20 year old text books? Is the modernization of
education and opportunities for all our students their problem?
Certainly this group couldn’t possibly be complaining because parents, such as
myself, can engage the district through parent universities, learning how to
improve our children’s future and horizon of opportunities .

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It was that same Parent University in which I volunteered to be the lead parent
involvement facilitator for the entire 2012-2013 school year…It’s funny that I saw
not ONE “change 150” representative for anything. In fact out of the hundreds of
parents that I spoke to and was able to give direction on how to get involved and
address and resolve student issues the Supt. (Dr. Grenita Lathan) was highly
supportive of my efforts and encouragements and not one parent was denied
access in any way.
Neither this group nor other District 150 detractors could possibly be complaining
because administrators, teachers and District employees are being held
accountable to outlined standards of performance, conduct and ethical
codes…Why? Let me remind you that these same individuals are quick to hold
their students (our children) to standards of accountability for any potential or
perceived cheating and bad decisions.
So I ask, why are they upset now that some of their favorite individuals are held
to the same or similar standards of performance and ethical codes?
I believe the only reason that they exist is because their agenda of control over
the Superintendent and the School Board is threatened.
If that is the case, I believe their worst fear has materialized. Because I and
countless others like me support the wrench in the equation that Dr. Lathan
represents, undermining their demand for status quo and control of this District.
I will not have, support or endorse, reversionary policies that exclude children
such as mine…Black children…from participating in an updated and modernly
relevant system of education. Or a system in which the needs of inner city schools

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are of secondary importance while the need for personal comforts, and perceived
cordiality are of primary concern.
We have an economic epidemic in this city for the families of the children that
this district primarily represents. This is an emergency, and full and complete
education is a solid step on the ladder of success to address and overcome the
problem.
If it had not been for the actions and interventions of this Supt, I shudder to think
what not only my child’s future would be, but the countless other children that
have been positively impacted by this Supt.
Is she or this District perfect? No. Nothing is perfect on this earth. However, with
all of this district’s imperfections and perceived imperfections, I will take it, and its
leadership any day over any proposed and mythological fixes.
Kudos Dr. Lathan, like Elisha found, there are more with you than are against you
and I am glad to be one in that number.