Response to Superintendent Tarzian

The following email was sent today to the District Offices in response to the letter received yesterday from Superintendent Dawn Tarzian:


Superintendent Tarzian,

Thank you for your letter regarding the School Board hearing scheduled for June 11, 2007. We have already notified the School District offices that we agree to the postponement of the hearing. We acknowledge that the ruling by the Attorney General will likely supersede any decision by the board.

We also acknowledge that the issue regarding the "right of children of 'low-income families' to attend without tuition any kindergarten program offered beyond half time" (quoted from your letter) has not been addressed by either you or your staff at any point in this process. It is for this very reason that we have continued to escalate our appeals.

As early as March 7th, in an email to Kathy Rodeman, we indicated that this was a major issue. This was one of three concerns that we discussed with you face to face on March 19th. In each case, we cited the exact statute in Oregon Law that appears to be violated. Throughout this entire process, we have been assured that the District attorneys were certain that District 509J was within the laws in their application of the kindergarten program.

In that light, it was with great frustration that we received yesterday's letter. We have been given the impression that District attorneys have been familiar with these issues for no less than three full months. We are very disappointed that they have come to this realization only four days prior to a scheduled hearing, as any earlier notification would have possibly given us the opportunity to keep our appointed hearing date.

We are confident in our interpretation of the law regarding this issue, and anxiously await the ruling from the Attorney General's Office.

We apologize to the members of the Corvallis School Board for postponing Monday's scheduled hearing, and acknowledge the valuable time they spend serving our community. We regret any inconveniences this may have caused, but unfortunately do not feel that the District offices have given us any other viable choices at this time.

We appeal to the Attorney General that this issue be addressed in a timely manner, so that any necessary changes to District policy may be implemented in time for the coming school year.


Ronald and Denise Bjarnason
Corvallis, OR





The preceding letter to Dawn Tarzian, Superintendent of Corvallis School District 509J is intended to be sent to the following persons:

Superintendent Dawn Tarzian
All members (present an incoming) of the Corvallis School Board
The Oregon Department of Education
The Office of the Attorney General of the State of Oregon

This email has also been copied to Russ Sweet at the Oregon Department of Education, Jennifer Moody with the Albany Democrat-Herald and reproduced at http://corvalliskindergarten.blogspot.com.