I grew up in a small town in Zimbabwe called Chakari. I’d walk 10 minutes to school each morning for primary school (elementary). I remember conversations pertaining to my cousins in Gokwe, the more rural areas of Zimbabwe, who would have to walk 30 minutes to an hour, each way to school. Growing up I knew they were a disadvantaged bunch, simply because the main resource to lift them out of poverty, education, was so difficult for them to access. One really had to want to learn to continue going to school in those areas. Secondary education was a bit more expensive, so a few of my cousins did not go further than 7th grade. Due to the financial constraints, an even greater number of girls didn’t go, because the cultural norms in that area dictated that the male was more worthwhile to educate.

Today I have witnessed a county in the country of dreams that I moved to, the USA, taking a regressive step away from “no child left behind.” They have favored the city school student over the rural child.

We have heard time and time again, how the closure methods that can work in other counties, are simply not practical for our large county. I have seen the Randolph county board (all but one) vote to make school less accessible to the rural student population. I cannot begin to explain the embarrassment I have in being part of this regressive county. They have taken the one resource that is a proven way out of poverty, education, and made it less accessible to the rural child, just like I witnessed growing up.

Zimbabwe is a third world nation with heavy government corruption, yet the rural situation my cousins grew up in has in the past couple of decades changed. I went back to Zimbabwe earlier this year, to the happy news of many rural schools opening. These are mostly private schools of course. I return here to my own county in the USA and see the local school government closing rural schools.

Shame on you Randolph County Board of Education! You are trying to take the American Dream from your future generation. A decision based on cost saving measures that are a sham at best. Let’s see how much money you truly save.

We’ve heard one presentation after another, showing how the figures Dr. Dilly has in his impact statement are exaggerated at best. He calls the unenrolled students “revenue,” which is a good sign of how detached his proposals were from the students that he claims to serve. The reason closures were even brought up this year was because we had a budget to balance, and the state’s State of Emergency on our backs. Both of these are a non-issue now, since we found out on Tuesday that the budget did balance. Closures were not that urgent after all, but here we are. Dr. Dilly has projected a downward movement in enrollment; this vote should guarantee that now. You forget the main reason why parents are taking advantage of their freedom to School Choice. It’s because test scores placed Randolph county as 55th out of 55 counties. You are failing to educate, and have now added another reason for less enrollment.

Harman school families, do not despair. We will overcome. We will show this Randolph County BOE how education is done; in the best interest of the child. This is my call to you Harman parents and probably all rural families (the writing is on the wall). It’s time for you to be at the forefront of your child’s education. We can do this together. God knows what education is going to look like here in our rural communities. I’m excited for it. We have so many resources at our fingertips. Do not take a backseat to your child’s education anymore. Now is the time for you to step-up.

I have seen some of you at the board meetings with your pleas to the county BOE. We will take those same cries to our state BOE. If they fail our children too, we will not!

All you Harman parents, what is your next move? Can you do whatever you can for your child(ren)’s sake? Your children are watching you. They want to see if you will fight for them.

Wake up! Be involved. They need you.

Trish Bucher

Harman