“Confirm and dispel” is an ever-increasing role of my school board service — informing people whether what they heard about school issues is true.
The Lake Highlands “network” is renowned for transmitting information, data, stories, rumors, allegations, gossip, accusations, opinions and assumptions. This is not a new phenomenon, but the rate at which people share “news” is ever-increasing, whether it is broadcast e-mails, blogs, text messages or cell phone calls. It’s as if we still had central telephone operators and “party lines.”
There are untold benefits of our community connections. We keep each other apprised of family needs, prayer lists, hospital reports, schedule changes and the like. The network quickly notified us when LHHS graduate Sarah Miller was named a Rhodes Scholar. Homeowner associations alert us about public meetings and remind us about bulk trash pickup. Elementary schools still have their “weekly envelope” with flyers and information, but schools and PTAs supplement the paper trail with instant communication.
RISD joined the digital communication effort several years ago with e-mails about school news and updates via SchoolTimesNow (you can join the list at risd.org). Two additional tools are being introduced within RISD this year. “ConnectEd” enables RISD and schools to instantly send recorded messages to parents’ telephones (including cell phones), and the target audience can be narrowed to individual grade levels, school organizations and the like. Final testing is underway for RISD’s “Parent Portal,” which will provide parents with secure internet access to their child’s school records, including attendance and grades.
Unfortunately, instant communication can also cause instant panic. A recent Dallas Morning News headline read “Richardson School District Considering Closing Up to Nine Schools.” In a flash, people were certain which schools would be closed and when. E-mails rallied support for particular schools and provided talking points to share with neighbors. In truth, no schools are scheduled to be closed; there is no discussion about closing schools; there is no study about which schools to close.
RISD is studying the changing landscape of our district and commissioned a demographic analysis. This is prudent planning as Lake Highlands undergoes its redevelopment. As the balance of housing shifts, we need to make sure that we are making optimum use of our school resources, both fiscal and physical. At some point, it may be infeasible to keep a school open if the enrollment decreases to a point that does not make economic sense.
Neighborhood schools are a hallmark of RISD and Lake Highlands. Any decisions that involve changing those schools would include extensive study and community discussion.
I encourage us to think (at least) twice before we forward that next e-mail containing unconfirmed neighborhood news. If the subject is schools, contact me or your neighborhood school principal. We welcome the opportunity to confirm and dispel. If the issue deals with the City of Dallas, contact Councilman Jerry Allen’s office to get the complete and accurate story. We may not know your answer offhand, but we can get the answer for you.
I am not suggesting that we should mute our concerns, opinions and complaints. Rather, I encourage us to base our actions on facts, rather than a newspaper headline, an anonymous letter, or a broadcast e-mail. As someone observed, “a rumor will travel fastest to the place where it will cause the greatest harm.” Let’s do our part to avoid the rumors and the harm.
Communication helps define our community. What a blessing to know via the LH network who is making a positive difference, what is happening, where things are located, when events are occurring, why we should celebrate, and how we can help our neighbors. A well-informed community is a healthy and caring community.
See you at school.
