Parental Discoveries
Fiscal Responsibility
Community members should feel like their tax dollars are being used for academic purposes and in a responsible way. Below is tax information on how much of your property taxes go directly to the schools as well as an analysis of property tax increases compared to average inflation. When the district is spending $500,000+ on branding mascots so that they can then charge you a licensing fee when you purchase spirit wear, that is not being fiscally responsible with your hard earned money.
Tax bill based on a house valuing $380,000
Classroom Environment
We at OFEI have been trying to work with district leadership to obtain learning environments within the schools that are academic focused. Unfortunately, academics is no longer the number one priority in the Olentangy school district. Based on what a teacher has hanging in their classroom, you can determine that teacher's main priorities. Is it academics, are their walls covered with subject matter or with activism materials? Are your child's academics declining or not making enough progress, are they distracted or uncomfortable in that teachers learning environment, you can remove them from the class. You as the parent have the right to dictate the learning environment that will help your child succeed academically. Email the school counselor and principal to have your child placed in an academic environment that will help make them successful.
(Pics are from Morgan Thornberry's room-Berlin and Tyler Williams' room- Orange HS)
Parents should be aware of what is being made available to their child(ren) during the day. In addition to academic curriculum used in classrooms, materials from administrative departments, clubs, and 3rd party organizations are being shared with students.
Gender Identity Activity
The Gender Unicorn activity is utilized to help children identify their gender identity. This is displayed in the classroom of the GSA advisor at Berlin High School. It is displayed during regular school hours for any student to have access to.
Panorama Surveys are Not Anonymous
The Panorama surveys that have been given to the students since 2016, and have been promoted as anonymous surveys, are in fact not anonymous. Panorama has profiles on all students that participated in any of these surveys. They have tracked their responses and given students an SEL score. None of this information has been provided to parents.
Sex Work Book Found in Middle School Library
The book Seeing Gender was displayed on top of the bookshelves in the Liberty Middle School Library. The book is riddled with sexual material. Available for our 11- to 14-year-old kids, it includes an entire chapter on Sex Work.
Anonoymous Staff Letter
Mailed anonymously to a parent's home address, this letter was post marked 9/16/21. Clearly staff within the district are not ok with some initiatives and are too afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs.
2nd Anonymous Staff Letter
Another letter mailed anonymously to a parent's home address, this letter post marked 4/6/22. Staff again asking for help and are not ok with some initiatives and are too afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs.
Failed Final Exam
My son is switching to private school for his freshman year. He took Algebra 1 in eight grade at Liberty Middle School. When he took the entrance exams for the private school they asked if he wanted to take the final exam for Algebra 1 to enter into geometry, since he already had a year of Algebra 1. We agreed and he took the final exam to test out of Algebra 1 and into geometry. Well, he failed the final exam for Algebra 1, even though he had an entire year at Olentangy and received straight A's in the class. Olentangy also placed him into Geometry at the high school level. So, he will have to take Algebra 1 again his freshman year at private school. My son was upset because he wasted a year of Math and he wasn't prepared for the academic excellence needed at private school. This speaks volumes for the lack of academic focus at Olentangy and how much further ahead kids that attend private school will be compared to kids receiving their education at Olentangy.
-A former Olentangy Parent