Life’s Silver Linings, Inc.

Chapter 7, Part V: Advisory Council or Unelected Representation?

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dvisory councils are mandated? in Goals 2000? with which state education reform laws comply.? Advisory councils? are also mandated? in federal grants? contained in Goals 2000? such as the Drug Free Schools and Communities? Grant, the Safe Schools Acts and The Goals 2000? Community Partnerships? Program (page 245).? Advisory councils? and partnerships? are mandated? as part of the infrastructure used to implement government mandated? health and education reforms, goals and outcomes.?

Advisory councils? exist at every level — national, state, county, city, and school district. They generally consist of individuals who are active in the community.? According to a federal document titled Together We Can? (page 23,) those participating “make a commitment? to collaborate by agreeing on a unifying theme, establishing shared leadership, setting ground rules, and securing financial resources for the collaborative’s planning efforts.”?

After expressing an interest in learning about the values? of the school district, (there was concern about school-based clinics), a parent was invited to be a member of the district’s advisory council? which met three or four times per year.? Discussion centered on issues, programs, and projects that generally dealt with comprehensive health? and social services.? Most members were employees of local health and family service agencies, the hospital, community college, pastors, school district support personnel, and a couple of parents.

Instead of voting, a “consensus” was the goal when making decisions. It seemed that those who organized the meeting also prepared the agenda, and provided direction for the “consensus.”? The function of the advisory council? was to be representative of the community.? Some members felt concerned that their presence on the council was lending credibility to predetermined projects which they were not comfortable with, nor whose planning they participated in.

Seldom were people appointed to the council who may have had a reputation for carrying a dissenting voice.? It seemed that the less compliant members were rotated off the advisory council? or didn’t return for some reason.

The advisory council may be used by a school district as a “sounding board” so as to plan projects in such a way so as not to upset the community.? The advisory council is also a vehicle through which it may be stated that “community support” exists for whatever it is that is being implemented.? While such efforts may have noble intentions, advisory council members are NOT ELECTED, but rather appointed by advisory council organizers.? Generally, the average community taxpayer is not aware that they are being represented nor of the nature of the issues being decided that may affect the health and education of their families.

The use of an advisory council? is also a mandate of the Drug Free Schools and Communities? Grant.? This grant has been reallocated to fund broad-brushed “prevention” programs which may include health screenings, referrals, and efforts to reduce teen pregnancy.? One school district’s Drug Free Schools and Communities Grant stated that the funds? would be used to “learn the information (students) need to successfully deal with the risk factors prevalent in today’s society (drugs, sexual activity, suicide, etc.”)

While abstinence? receives a largely unfunded, patronizing “pat,” one health goal listed in Healthy Missourians 2000? is to “increase to at least 90 percent the proportion of sexually active, unmarried people aged 19 and younger who use contraception–.”? The practice of secondary virginity? (renewed commitment? to abstinence) is healthier, more economical, and is in the best interest of our students, but there is NO MONEY in it.

Section 14 of Missouri’s Outstanding Schools Act (SB380) established the A+? Schools Program within the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education? The state board of education approves A+ grants? made to schools that have a partnership? plan developed in cooperation with local business persons, labor leaders, parents, and representatives of college and post-secondary vocational and technical school representatives, with the plan then approved by the local board of education.”[1]

Likewise, Missouri’s health care reform bill states, “A public school or school district may establish an advisory committee to review and advise on the services to be offered.? Advisory committees shall be composed of an appropriate mix of parents, teachers, health professionals, administrators and students.? The advisory committee shall monitor the delivery of services under sections 1 to 9 of this act and may advise the public school or school district regarding any changes or improvements in the delivery of services that they believe should be adopted.? Any public school or school district which has existing committees or similar composition may use those committees for the purposes established herein in lieu of establishing another advisory committee.”[2]

“A coalition of Missouri parents and business, civic and education leaders has announced a broad-based outreach plan to establish community committees for education around the state.? The Missouri Partnership for Outstanding Schools, created in 1994, is a private citizens group–the overall goal of the plan is to establish education ‘partners’ in every school district in the state.”[3]? The letterhead of The Missouri Partnership for Outstanding Schools includes the names of powerful people working at the state level of education who are implementing federally mandated? and politically correct education reforms.

Healthy Communities 2000? and Caring Communities? are two public/private partnership? programs which utilize an advisory council, and delivers services to children and families through a system of school/community-linked integrated services.? Together We Can? explains how to implement the Caring Communities program and states:? “Organizers become partners and INVOLVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE, a diverse group with clout and commitment.”?

One community non-profit education corporation (which happens to be pro-life) offered free educational programs on prenatal development and abstinence? to the local partnership? as their contribution to reducing teen pregnancy? and substance abuse? related to Post Abortion Syndrome.? The organization was told they were “too narrow based.”? Is it possible that because the corporation was pro-life, it was determined that it was not to be counted among “the right people”??

In Missouri the federal Caring Communities? program is implemented through the state’s Family Investment Trust.? The Family Investment Trust is a partnership? between the Missouri departments of education, health, mental health, social services and philanthropies.? The Family Investment Trust? produced an article titled “Creating Caring Communities” which stated:? “Each project is governed by a local advisory board and provided a range of activities which include:? alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, referral? and counseling, anti-drug community activities, student tutoring, parent education, counseling and support groups, case coordination, and case management, community learning opportunities, recreational/ social activities, school-aged child care, mentoring programs, community development, and many other services geared towards supporting families and kids at-risk–Caring Communities must expand the capacity of helping institutions: schools, healthcare providers, mental health agencies, family and child serving organizations and state and local governments–A final element of the Caring Communities approach is the joining of the reform agendas of the human services community and the reform/ restructuring? movements in early childhood, (and) elementary and secondary education–The marriage of school reform and human services reform agendas has the potential of providing for a comprehensive, coordinated approach that will support families and ensure quality education for all.”[4]

Funds are available to school districts which implement the Caring Communities? program through the Missouri Department of Education’s Incentives for School Excellence? grants.? Caring Communities activities such as case management, case coordination, referral? and counseling? are services which are also reimbursable to schools through Medicaid, even though school nurses already receive a salary for providing such services.

Is anyone checking to see if public funds? are being received for overlapping programs from more than one source for a single service?? MOSAP, Parents as Teachers, Caring Communities, early childhood? programs, the school/Medicaid? Interagency Agreement, and other programs ALL include an identification and referral process for case management!?

The August 9, 1995, issue of a community paper carried an article about a school district which was implementing steps to become a Medicaid provider.? The school district had formed a Medicaid panel or council that was said to represent parents from each school in the district.[5]

Some district families were concerned that they were being represented without their knowledge, input or permission on a panel that was making important health decisions that deeply and personally affected them and their children.

In some cases school principals were neither aware that someone was representing their parents on the district’s Medicaid panel nor that such a panel existed.

Some panel members were totally confused by the Medicaid issue and did not understand the Medicaid Agreement or realize its ramifications.? They thought it was simply a way to receive funds? to pay salaries for additional school nurses.

Since advisory councils are making decisions that affect each of us, shouldn’t this be an elected position?? Is parental authority and the values? of your family being reinforced or undermined?? Is your school collaborating with a local health care provider such as the County Health Department’s Teen Clinic? which distributes contraceptives? to minors? without parental consent?

Contact your chamber of commerce, city hall and school district for a list of advisory council? members, and the agencies with whom they collaborate.? Find out what decisions are being made for you.

[1] SB380, “Outstanding Schools Act,” Section 14, May, 1993, pp. 92, 93.

[2] “HB564,” Section 5.1, May, 1993, pp. 67, 68.

[3] “Outstanding Schools Partnership Initiates Statewide Outreach,” MSBA Board Bulletin, May, 1995, Missouri School Boards Association,? p. 1.

[4] “Creating Caring Communities,” Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Caring Communities section.

[5] “Board Set To Decide On Medicaid Funding,” North County Journal, Aug. 9, 1995.