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May 15th 2008

When Fear Replaces Prudence...
By Donald Orcutt, Plympton

(April 18, 2003) Over the last two weeks I am sure many readers have become aware of the decision of Dr. Noseworthy to cancel all out-of-state student travel. His decision came without involvement, input or dialogue with the students , parents or the elected members of the Silver Lake Regional School Committee. With no apparent regard to the wide variety of circumstances or the types of travel involved his decision dealt a fatal blow to all student travel across the board. Dr. Noseworthy made this decision on or about April 1, 2003 just 10 days before many of these trips were scheduled to depart. As a result of the last minute nature of his actions the student trips to Orlando and France as well as Virginia were cancelled.

When repeated attempts to call Dr. Noseworthy’s office by phone went unreturned, frustration as it often does, sought the intervention of the media to at least extract some level of explanation. Finally, in one on-camera interview Dr. Noseworthy defended his decision as being “prudent” given current world events.

For this parent the word “prudent” was a curious one. In fact, I had to resort to my dictionary to try and fully understand just exactly what Dr. Noseworthy could mean. Webster’s dictionary offered the type of definition which frustrated me all through school “to be prudent was to be characterized by or showing prudence” Frustrated and still uninformed I turned to the definition of “prudence”.

1:The ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason
2: Sagacity or shrewdness in the management of affairs
3: Skill and good judgment in the use of resources
4: Caution or circumspection as to danger or risk

With the definition of prudence in hand I reflected on Dr. Noseworthy’s words and became even more confused.

First, to be governed and disciplined by reason or to act with prudence means that one must have the ability to realize one sweeping decision can not possibly be applied to such a broad spectrum of circumstances. Certainly a Senior High trip to France in April has different factors than a single student speech competitor traveling with her parents to Virginia in May. It is unreasonable to think that one decision can be applied prudently to such a wide variety of circumstances. To discipline oneself by the use of reason, or to be prudent, would entail seeing the complexity of a decision and taking steps to understand that.

Second, to use “sagacity” or shrewdness in the management of affairs or to act with prudence does not mean a person would make a decision that has such deep personal and financial impact on students, teachers and their families without at least doing so in a timely and courteous fashion. Two days before the outbreak of conflict in Iraq America was moved to a Code Orange Status. That places the date for Dr. Noseworthy’s concern around March 15, 2003. However, it took until April 1, 2003 for those impacted by his decision to know anything about it. His delay resulted in final payments being made and deposited which may now be beyond recovering. His delay in making and communicating his decision foreclosed the opportunity that alternatives could even be explored. Sage and shrewd management of affairs would have seen the human impact of such a decision and anticipated ways to explain, communicate and involve those most affected. To make one sweeping last minute edict which prohibited all out of state travel without the input, involvement or consultation of students, or their parents made it clear to me his decision and actions lacked prudence. One has to wonder if the decision had involved those impacted in a considerate and timely manner if we would once again be seeing Silver Lake Regional Schools on the evening news .

Third, to use skill and good judgment in the use of resources or to act prudently means one seeks input from those around him. I was shocked that school committee members new nothing about the nature, scope or impact of this decision. The reason they were left in the dark became clear when I realized their good judgment was never solicited, perhaps it simply was not valued. I would of thought a prudent use of resources would invite those members into the decision making process. Certainly the insight of one member, who did not learn of Dr. Noseworthy’s edict until she was informed by her daughter after the trip had been cancelled, highlights the imprudent nature of this decision. Maybe it is farfetched for me to imagine that a prudent administrator would even see the parents, students and teachers involved as resources in his decision making. As parents we have had to make some fairly difficult decisions involving the risk and benefits of our children. I do not believe we, as parents, needed to be tutored in current events by Dr. Noseworthy to fully understand the risks of our world. Among the parents involved were people with expertise in law, travel, risk assessment and terrorism. Why were we as parents treated as ignorant to be kept in the dark rather than resources to be utilized? When given the opportunity the parents involved in the Washington D.C. trip found a way to keep their trip in place without having to involve the school. I commend them for their courage and resourcefulness. We, as parents were never given that opportunity since cancellation of all reservations was made prior to consulting us. Perhaps if phone calls had been returned even the impact of this last minute decision may have been mitigated. The shared resources of the elected Regional School Committee members, teachers, parents and certainly not least, the students themselves never entered the decision making process because Dr. Noseworthy never made use of them. I can not call such a decision “prudent”

Fourth, to be prudent one must use “caution and circumspection as to danger or risk.”
“We are at Code Orange” Dr. Noseworthy lectured. “We are at war in Iraq” he informed..

Did he really think that we as parents were so uninformed that we needed this current events lesson? Certainly any parent concerned for their child’s safety could have withdrawn their permission for travel. But many of us were guided by the words of our President to refuse terrorists the victory they seek each time we as Americans cower in fear. As a life long Democrat I found myself filled with abiding respect for my President who, on October 30, 2001, not one month after September 11 strode to the mound of Yankee Stadium to throw out the first pitch of the World Series. President Bush’s decision was anything but “prudent” however it was uniquely American. I recall Mayor Giuliani calling for us to continue to travel, to live life with courage. He invoked the courageous lesson of history taught by the people of London in World War II and the citizens of Israel today who live life refusing to be driven into caves of “prudence.”

Sadly, I confess some suspicion that Dr. Noseworthy’s greatest assessment of risks of this trip were provoked by a far more insidious terrorist...the terrorist known as “liability”. Certainly in our litigious world we can not breath without fear of litigation yet school systems across our state and across our nation have discovered ways to negotiate a truce with even that terrorist. The parents involved in the Washington D.C. trip refused to succumb to that terrorist . We were not given that chance. I am reminded of a cartoon I saw, on the planet earth, a large sign had been posted , it read simply “ Out of concern for the risk of liability…Tommorow has been cancelled”

I would invite the Silver Lake Regional School District to become aware of how decisions are being made in our district. Express your concern to your elected representatives encouraging them to assure you that you will not be excluded from decisions that may impact you or your children. Fundamental change should be explored. Decisions of school leaders should be made which reflect the unique circumstances involved. Wisdom and shrewdness should guide school leaders to return phone calls, involve people impacted by their actions and seek cooperative rather than antagonistic relationships with parents. Timely decisions should be made with a sensitivity to their cost both in dreams and in dollars. Parents, teachers, students and elected officials should be resources involved in , not opponents excluded from decisions.

And finally, decisions should be made which teach the lessons of character we cherish as Americans. Decisions which communicate courage, bravery and steadfastness.
Decisions which may even require us to heed the advice of courage, over counsel.
 

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