Friends, I want to share with you a story about the upcoming elections, in a very local way.
I know we all have so much weighing on us all the time, and with elections just the around the corner, we all have many decisions to make. The weight of those decisions is heavy, especially the ones closet to home. Like our own taxes, and our schools. One of the things that you'll be asked to decide on is a Infrastructure Bond dubbed the "Safe, Warm, Dry" Bond.
Our schools have $111 million in critical infrastructure repair and replacement needs to keep our students safe, warm and dry.
- Safe- Secure vestibules, locking doors, integrated cameras, PA systems, asbestos abatement
- Warm- Efficient HVAC, electrical upgrades, windows
- Dry- roofs, masonry, tuck-pointing, bathrooms
This seems like pretty basic stuff. None of us like paying more money, I get it. But we own a lot of beautiful old buildings, and we can't afford to kick this can full of critical needs down the road any longer. So I'm going to ask you, as friends and neighbors first: if you have any questions, ask. One of the things I've been most upset by in this process is the amount of misinformation out there. There's been too many people speaking out in opposition of this bond by throwing out unhelpful and unthought out solutions like jumping to close buildings and postponing repairs until that is done. In the heat of these "debates" several really controversial comments have been said or posted online, and it concerns some of our most vulnerable learners. Some comments have been walked back, some haven't.
What I took away from these comments is that a portion of my community members feel that maybe my son Brooks isn't a real student, with real potential, and so maybe we should just stick him and his toddler friends in a corner somewhere. This would be so that we can save some bucks (maybe) and close the Barnes Early Childhood Center (maybe).
For those who don't know me or Brooks well, I need to explain that he has an allergy disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis. With this disease, which is brutal by the way, comes a host of "secondary" conditions, and for Brooks that has meant severe sleep apnea among other things. For the first 2 years of his life, he stopped breathing *all the time* at night. He wasn't growing, he wasn't developing, and he wasn't learning at his fullest potential.
Shortly after his first birthday I contacted the state of Michigan's Early On 0-3 program and they put me in contact with the staff at Barnes. I was *immediately* comforted by the role they took with Brooks. There were many home visits, lots of therapy, then group therapies, and now classes at Barnes. It's been absolutely critical to have this group during Brooks's journey this far. They were there before we found the apnea, and they were there after he had his tonsils taken out to help him make up for lost time. They are still there.
His last evaluation before the big tonsillectomy was with my friend Monica, and we both clearly remember that in November of last year, Brooks had roughly 20 words and a handful of signs.
NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER, and he can, and will, talk your ear off about anything. Want to know which spinner bait to use when muskee fishing? Brooks is your man. Sharks more your thing? Boats? You got it.
So imagine where I'm at, having gone through all of that, and to now come to the realization that people in my community don't even see him worthy of a proper learning environment. They see him as an expense, not as a kid.
But we can't attack this problem from an emotional place.
***The building on Morningside is not responsible for Brooks' progress.***
It's not the building, it's the team. It's not the address, it's the people. It's the teachers and the therapists. It's their support staff, and their collaboration, and my side-line efforts.
Yes, I am a big fan of them keeping their building. Make no mistake about it. They do amazing things there and being in one central place allows a true collaborative atmosphere. That's the position I'm championing for right now. But in the future, if it's prudent to close it, I'll get on that wagon too. I'll help them hitch a ride to a well thought out, **age appropriate** location. A place where all of what goes on at Barnes, can go on. Together and in place. Not in the back of an already in use library, or in the filled in Middle School pool.
That's my Barnes Story, what's yours?
Share on social media, or email me privately and I'll share your story anonymously.
