It appears the information requests made by the local grassroots, nonprofit group TEAM 20 concerning Oxford Schools? dealings with international students is becoming more and more burdensome to the district.
While giving some general updates about the district at the July 22 Oxford School Board meeting, Superintendent Tim Throne informed the board that an audit of Oxford had been done by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), due to several notifications by TEAM 20 alleging the district’s ‘Schools of Choice (program) was discriminating.?
‘They let us know they had been doing a total, complete audit of us over the last three weeks because they had so many notifications. In MDE’s words, they ‘didn’t find (anything of a) discriminatory nature or any issues or miscounts on our behalf,? he added. ‘I’m thrilled on the district’s behalf that we’re not doing anything illegal and that we’re doing things the way that we should be.?
However, Throne pointed out the audit also comes on the heels of over 800 pages of documentation that they have to submit to SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). SEVIS is the part of U.S. Homeland Security whose mission is to ‘track and monitor schools; exchange visitor programs; and F, M and J (visa) non-immigrants while they visit the United States and participate in the U.S. education system.?
‘Basically, it’s our international program,? Throne explained. ‘That’s the main governmental program that we interact with.?
Based upon the questions they were asked, Throne said they were related to whether or not there were some improprieties in the way Oxford handles international students and/or the programs they offer. He noted both his Administrative Assistant Pat Bono and Director of International Operations Jill Lemond ‘spent numerous hours the past couple weeks? preparing the documents, some of which went back five or six years.
‘I’m just letting you know this from an informational perspective and that this is how some of your administrative time is being utilized right now,? Throne told the board.
Throne was asked if he was sure that TEAM 20 had made the request of SEVIS to do an investigation?
‘I’m pretty sure, yes, just based upon the questions that SEVIS asked of us and posed to us. They wouldn’t have any idea unless those questions were coming from someone within the community,? Throne said.
Board Treasurer Dan D’Alessandro also pointed out how ‘eye opening? it was that the district had spent over $12,000 in legal fees (in June alone) to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests made by TEAM 20.
‘I think it’s very important that we realize that as a board,? he said. ‘Because I think a lot of times we get challenged, how we spend our money and that’s money coming directly out of the programs for the students.?
Board President Jim Reis agreed.
‘In my (personal) opinion, TEAM 20 gets an answer they don’t like and then they pursue it further, further and further and they cost the district money and this is just one example,? Reis said. ‘I’d like to know how this helps the kids. And I will ask them the next time (members of TEAM 20 are) here (at a meeting).?
‘It’s my understanding that all of this was vetted at one point when we first started this through Homeland Security with the visa program ? what was happening and how they were being handled and how they’re getting issued,? Reis added. ‘Isn’t that correct?
Throne reiterated that it’s not their intention to do anything illegal.
‘We want to be totally, 100 percent legal, above the board. We just want to offer an international experience and do it in such a way that our kids benefit and our district benefits at all levels; programming, financially, host families you name it. That’s what we want to provide,? he said. ‘It is what it is and we’ve worked through that process and we’ve got nothing to hide. We’ve submitted it all. It’s just taken a lot of time to go back and produce all those records.?
D’Alessandro said he understands the public is entitled to information and he believes the board understands that too, which is why they’ve worked so hard to provide it.
‘I think Tim has done an outstanding job answering questions,? he noted. ‘But I think at some point, there has to be that level of trust that we’re getting you the information that we know that exists and there isn’t a whole lot more that we can do.?
Trustee Kim Shumaker said she had some time to think about everything recently, while on vacation and she concluded that it is costing the district money, but if they continue to keep getting back ‘clean reports? that it will ‘buy? some trust back.
‘It will put to rest some of the inaccuracies that were reported along the way,? she said. ‘While it’s not a comfortable process, I think at the end, it’s going to bring good results.?
‘In the end, it’s going to cost the district a lot of money,? responded Board Vice President Carol Mitchell.
Shumaker agreed, but pointed out that there were things done that put the board and district in a light of mistrust by members of the community.
‘I guess I’m just not comfortable with 100 percent of the blame being shifted on a group that wants answers. We’re where we’re at because of something that we or someone else or whatever did. Now, there are answers being required,? she said. ‘We’re getting a clean bill of health and I think the end result will be a place of trust. Not by everyone, but by a majority.?
TEAM 20 response
Kallie Roesner-Myers, one of group’s leaders, did confirm TEAM 20 had contacted SEVIS.
‘We are concerned that there are violations of F-1 Visa laws and have been told by them (Homeland Security) that F-1 students are not allowed to attend a public high school for a second year,? she told this reporter. ‘TEAM 20 members do not want our district to break or bend rules and want to ensure that our district is acting both legally and ethically.?
As far as TEAM 20 costing the district over $12,000, Roesner-Meyers believes the board’s reaction is nothing more than a blame game and an attempt to try and ‘silence them.?
‘If they had been forthright and honest all along, provided FOIA requests accordingly, and done the right thing in the first place, maybe the (board of education) and school district could be spending money on the kids instead of lawyer fees,? she added. ‘Why are there so many attorneys needed for something which is ‘common sense?? You just release the FOIA information…plain and simple.?
Like other TEAM 20 members have stated (on their private Facebook page) Roesner-Myers feels if $12,000 spent by the board on attorneys ‘ousted? former Superintendent Dr. William Skilling and put a spotlight on what they believe to be a ‘cover-up and payoffs? then ‘it was money well spent.?
‘It seems more than a bit hypocritical for the district to say that TEAM 20 is incurring legal fees to the district without crediting TEAM 20 for the fiscal savings and responsibility we have brought to the district,? Roesner-Myers said. ‘We feel that paying employees not to work is not fiscally responsible. We feel that racking up legal fees to avoid answering FOIA (requests) and trying to blame TEAM 20 for the district’s attempts to circumvent (the) Open Meetings (Act) and the Freedom of Information Act is fiscally irresponsible.
‘In summary, shame on them.?