District Challenges

By Sherman Lee Campbell

Need for experienced leadership to address all students' needs, boundaries, transfers, student choices, and district size.

While Santa Rosa High School District is improving, major problems still beg attention. Present plans to change boundaries will soon rip apart educational communities of students and parents. Redistricting transfers will decrease student and parental choices. Vocation opportunies are reduced. Many students are not motivated by the curriculums being offered. Students need more choices in schools and curriculums than are available. When the system demands students fit the program rather than fitting programs to the needs of students, more students fail.

As our 17,000 student district grows, increasing rigid control by the central office is required, offering students fewer options and flexibility. Yet students from Santa Rosa's distinctive geographic communities' have diverse needs. Smaller schools and districts require more student and parent participation, both crucial to student success. How many more students are we willing to sacrifice because the system is too large to address community, parent, and student concerns? Isn't it time our schools served all students? Vote for Sherman Campbell!