The Beaverton School District: Incompetence In Action

Mr. Viddy has a teenage son who had been attending a high school out of our local area on an administrative transfer. This high school, whose mascot is a warrior, saw fit to deny his transfer so we were informed that he would have to attend the original school. I was sent a form informing me that on a certain day he would be withdrawn from the current high school and transferred to the new high school, whose name conjures an image of what happens at the end of the day when the sun goes down.

So as a precaution, I contacted the new high school, spoke with a man in the counseling department and I specifically asked him if I needed to take any particular actions prior to bringing my son in to get enrolled. He says to me, no problem, just bring him in and he will be enrolled right away. I ask him again, just to be certain and to help expedite things if I needed to have anything done. Again, he says no, just come on in.

So we head out this morning, in the howling wind and pouring rain. We took Tri-Met because my vehicle was in use by my daughter and we arrive at the new high school, thoroughly soaked but ready to get down to business. Immediately I know something is wrong when we get to the counseling office because the lady there is looking clueless when I explain that we are there to get my son enrolled. She asks me if I have the transfer papers from the old school. I explain to her that I do not. That some man from her office told me that I did not need to bring anything with me.

This clueless lady then telephones the old high school and we find out that they have not completed the transfer process on their end. In spite having given me a form stating specifically that they had transferred my son out last week. So my son is currently in limbo and I must take even more time out of my schedule tomorrow to trek back to finish the transfer process. I hope.

I am fed up with the bullshit I have received from the Beaverton School District for the last six years. During that time I have had problems ranging from my children being reported absent when they were in class. I have had to fight with them to take action when my daughter was being threatened with physical violence from other students. I have had untold meetings with the staff of regarding imaginary issues on their part. And now, this fiasco. I clearly made an effort to find out exactly what I needed to do in order to get my son transferred and they basically dropped the ball once again.

This was not a case of me just showing up at the counseling office unannounced. I contacted everyone involved and asked direct questions so that I would know what I needed to get done. But these folks, who have a hand in our children's education, are clueless and incompetent. And that has a direct bearing on our children. They see the poor example being set by district staff on a daily basis. And as I have said, this is not an isolated incident but a pattern of incompetence. Thank god we are moving to New Mexico soon, I am fed up with the education system here in Oregon.