Why didn't the Franklin principal want pictures taken of the school before demolition?

Yesterday, June 9th, Thursday, 2016  Missoula schools watchdog attempted to take pictures of the inside of Franklin School. It ended with a police visit and then a breakfast at Ruby's Café with a friend.

The day before, on the 8th, Wednesday, a friend of mine talked to the secretary at Franklin and explained that I would like to take pictures of her in her childhood classrooms at Franklin. The secretary said that it would be no problem and that the best time to take pictures would be Friday morning after 8:30 a.m. as things were going to be removed at a fast pace.

My friend and I agreed to meet at Franklin School at 8:30 on Friday as per the secretary.

I arrived with camera in tow at the correct time, just a little early. As I wanted to get started taking pictures I decided to go ahead into the school even though my Franklin friend had not arrived. I went to the desk and explained to a secretary, perhaps not the woman that my friend had talked to yesterday as she was perhaps the woman that was on the phone, however, the woman I talked to said to go ahead and that she was sure that it would be OK to go ahead and begin taking pictures.  I gave her my business card with Joscelyn Photography and my phone number on it. There, I had my bases all covered. Or did I?

Only a minute or so after my camera was clicking off pictures of this priceless and historic school soon to be demolished I heard a woman say, "I am asking you to leave, You have to leave." Oh, Oh, The woman, the principal to which I talked shortly before the bond was passed when I took up Superintendent Thane's suggestion to go into the schools and see what is planned for each one. The suggestion by Thane to visit our schools was aired on the radio on KGVO's Talk Back morning show.  One day I was driving on Johnson Street near Franklin School and decided to take Thane up and stop in to Franklin.

As I knew that each school had a 21st Century School plan for the bond I went to the desk to see if there was a flyer on the plans for Franklin. As I did not see one asked the secretary where I could get the flyer for Franklin's plans. She came out and gave me a flyer and we stood and discussed the changes which were also posted on a wall. The most important aspect of the new plans were that FRANKLIN SCHOOL WAS SLATED TO BE DEMOLISHED!! As I cursorily walked down one hall with many old class pictures and saw the absolutely beautiful wood work and the beautiful and historic architecture I was so saddened by the thought that this school could be demolished.

I conveyed this opinion, that of the school being so wonderful,  to the principal. She did not agree and said that MCPS needed to implement the 21st Century type of schools and that this demolition was "For the Kids".  My thoughts were at the time that how could demolishing a perfectly good school really be good for the kids.  Thinking of this beautiful building, serving our Missoula children since 1916,  was going to be the victim of a wrecking ball. was almost too much to bare.  I wondered if other Franklin employees thought as the principal did asking the nearby janitor and the secretary what they thought of MCPS plans. Not remembering the exact words to these employees it appeared that they were for the demolition.

While discussing the plans with the principal she was continually looking and typing something into the cell phone. I thought it was rather rude for her to be using her cell phone during our conversation. Additionally, she did not seem to  take my reservations for the demolition seriously, stating again that it was, "for the kids". 

As I left the building I was upset at what I heard about the plans for the  school as it they broke my heart, as I've stated,  going to the extreme action of demolition. As I sometimes do, unfortunately, I expressed my anguish in a louder than normal voice and unfortunately, as I also sometimes do inserted an inappropriate word - as of this writing I have forgotten the exact wording of my comments but take full responsibility for them and realize that I need to work on controlling my emotions when upset. However, oftentimes escalating tensions occur  when plans such as demolishing a cherished asset that is such an integral part of a neighborhood and it's heritage are ill-advised and the consequences not thoroughly thought out.

In the attempt to finish this post but also thinking that I may add/edit/delete some parts at a later date I must quickly end this post. OK - so I've added a little historical perspective to my one visit to Franklin prior to going to take some inside pictures (Oh - and Superintendent Thane did call and ask me to call him back which I did not do as I couldn't really think of anything that I could say that would make a difference one way or another (I'm assuming he called about my Franklin visit) but mostly because I didn't get around to it. I also was thinking that I would schedule a meeting with Thane but again did not have time for that. So it was mostly a time issue for my not getting back to the superintendent.

So, anyway I was basically kicked out of Franklin School by the principal. I did not leave immediately as my thought process was that I had a right to be in the public building as I  was a taxpayer thus having helped to pay for it and it's upkeep. I thought of calling an attorney. By this time my friend had come to join me in my ill-fated picture taking  project. She came at the right time and guided me outside so we could talk about the situation. Soon after the policeman came as requested by the principal, and told me that the principal had a right to kick me out. So I left with my friend and met her over at Ruby's diner, a long time Missoula restaurant, to help me get grounded which it did over with a cup of coffee, some eggs, hash browns, and toast. Thanks go to my Missoula friend, who truth be told rescued me from a bad situation, and good old Ruby's diner to help me get back to my normal self after my latest rendezvous with MCPS insanity.

P.S. My friend goes to Ruby's when she needs to feel connected to the "old" Missoula. She said we were sure to see someone we knew there. Sure enough, there was my husband's Uncle Herb, going to his car. My friend also knew who Herb was as they used to go the same old church. There really are pockets of the old Missoula out there for which I'm so thankful.

Posted on June 10, Friday, 2016 and I see lots of mistakes which I'll get to later -  Bye - for now! Thanks for reading!  Missoula school watchdog written by a baby boomer Missoula girl! (You can't take Missoula out of this Missoula girl - ha!)

GOING - GOING - GONE RIP FRANKLIN SCHOOL

Missoula school watchdog is sick about the loss of the Franklin School building which has been at this location for decades. The school building was first opened in 1916 and just celebrated its 100th birthday.
Was it really much of a celebration? Wouldn't it be like a person celebrating their 100th birthday and saying, "Oh, you just turned 100 years old. You are too old and we need to build a new you - good bye."

Missoula will forever lament the soon to be demolished Franklin School building.

RIP - the first Franklin School in Missoula.

Research Talking Points on Small Schools

Research Talking Points on Small Schools

This link was featured for this blog post, however, the article did not transfer to the blog.
I decided to keep it on the site and plan to return later and see if I can get it to transfer.
My apologies for the technical problems.

Charlotte Iserbyt -- Speak Out - For The Sake of Our Children - Article on News with Views shared by a friend

Charlotte Iserbyt -- Speak Out - For The Sake of Our Children

Nick Salmon - Coordinator of Missoula County Public Schools "Smart Schools 2020 Facilty Report - featured in the following profile -"Share This Profile"

Nick Salmon was hired by Missoula County Public Schools to coordinate a large project dealing
with the district's school buildings and properties. This study was spread out over a two year period.

When I attended some of the MCPS meetings lead by Nick Salmon, who is employed by CTA Architects in Missoula, I was troubled by some of his suggestions. Glass classrooms. Multiple lunch areas. Group learning areas and other unfamiliar school environments.

It did seem that there was an agenda behind his work as it smacked of something so much "out of the ordinary".

If one reads the profile on Nick Salmon it explains a lot. Salmon has done work for and is connected to Smart Growth. Smart Growth is a concept of city planning which has garnered a lot of controversy when it is  introduced into a community.

This revelation, that of Nick Salmon being connected to the Smart Growth idea of planning should make citizens pause when voting for the huge bond being brought before the voters this November.

A clue to Nick Salmon's ties to Smart Growth also resides in the name of the study for which he was responsible -

"Smart Schools 2010"

Share This Profile

Rosemary Harrison's Bombshell to Missoula - the 158 million dollar bond passed on November 4, 2015

I've mentioned in many of my blog posts both on the Prescott School Missoula blog and the  Missoula schools watchdog and Missoula school watchdog  blogs (all using the Blogger blogging program)problems caused to the school district by former MCPS Trustee Rosemary Harrison.

I feel that I need to add more about this woman who has done such harm to our school district and to our city.

Former Trustee and Former MCPS Board Chair Rosemary Harrison:

Voted to close Emma Dickinson School in the late 1990's in a rushed process (2 weeks) -

Voted to close Roosevelt School in the late 1990's in a rushed process -

Voted to lease Roosevelt School immediately after the closure to a private school for what many think was a sweetheart deal in a rushed process -

Voted to sell Roosevelt School in 2005 for what many say was again, was a sweetheart deal (sale price was based on the sweetheart lease rate) in a rushed process -

Voted to close Prescott two or three times (2001 and 2003) (these closures were reversed after the spring elections) -

Voted to close three schools in the northeast part of our city in 2004. There was a second vote on these closures due to a forced repeat meeting due to violations by her and other trustees in the closure process -

Voted to lease yet another one of our public schools which she voted to close to a private school. Harrison voted to privatize two of our public schools, Roosevelt to a religious school which violates the state constitution and Prescott School to Missoula International School. Both of these private school remain to this day in two schools which we owned for years, one school for more than a century(Prescott).

And now - because we Missoulians, some oblivious to this woman's disloyal and irresponsible actions, voted to close another school, Cold Springs.

Former MCPS Trustee, Rosemary Harrison, has another feather in her cap, on the number of schools she has closed. In this latest school closure, that of Cold Springs, she, and I am suspecting it was her, wisely on her part, avoided the "C" word (closure) by sneakily (her and Clark's modus operani during her stint on the Board with her good friend and partner in crime - former Superintendent Jim Clark) actions, voted to close another school, Cold Springs.

Missoula school watchdog, because of my experiences both as a victim of the 2004 school closures and as a watchdog of MCPS is, on this blog post with the above substantiation, am accusing Rosemary Harrison responsible for a large part if not the instigating person of this 158 million dollar bond.

For this reason, Missoula school watchdog is calling this 158 million dollar bond a scandal and is also calling for an investigation of the bond procedure with looking into the actions of Rosemary Harrison during this process and her role in the process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Psychopolitics: Using Education to Change Your Children’s Values

Hello Missoulians,

Last night some of our citizens voted for two bonds for a total of 158.million dollars. As I follow one of Missoula's venue's for free speech to listen to other Missoulians - that is KGVO's Talk Back show from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m on 1290am.



This morning the show focused for awhile on the school bond election and Clair shared this with the Talk Back Face Book page. She always comes up with some great links on what is going on behind the scenes of our politics, etc.



Click on the link below to read this interesting article. I haven't read it, however, I thought I'd share it with my watchdog readers.





Psychopolitics: Using Education to Change Your Children’s Values