Week 4 Individual
The average person enjoys their lives for many reasons. Some may point to their family, others point towards their careers, and some may focus on the material things. However, what some may not admit to is, that being able to predict the events that shape their daily lives gives them a sense of serenity. The drawing of a simple line can disrupt this serenity, and cause a public uproar to thousands if done correctly. A scenario such as this will be discussed concerning the redrawing of school boundaries in the Miami Florida school districts. The unexpected increases in enrollment have forced the school board to redistribute the students across the various schools in the area. Question of how this will affect the lives of those being forced to change schools will be covered. The discussion will consider quality of education, increased travel times, the crossing of economic and cultural boundaries, property values, as well as the social effects on the children. We will consider who the stakeholders are, the negotiation strategy of the school board, and conclude with the ethical and cultural effect of the decision.
When the lines are drawn those doing so approach it by way of necessity not popularity. These lines do not take into consideration how they affect the neighborhoods they divide. They do not consider who the stakeholders are. The stakeholders are not limited to merely the students and their parents who live in the area. They include many others as well. First and foremost, the students, they will experience the most drastic changes. They will not only be switching teachers, but also entire schools as a result of the redistricting lines. Another party affected by these lines are the parents of the children and the residents who happen to live there. Those involved will be affected in multiple ways. Not only do they have the mantel of resident or parent, but also many of them have the mantel of homeowner, taxi driver, accountant, automotive repair technician and many others. Those parents affected by the redistricting will be forced, in some cases, to drive farther to the newly assigned school; in addition, they will most likely need to wake up earlier to do so. With the need to drive farther these households will show an increase in expenditures towards gasoline, oil changes, tire ware, automotive repairs…etc. One of the primary affects of these lines being redrawn are the possible effect of property values. Along with the general condition of the residence, many homeowners take into consideration the school zones the perspective location falls into. The value of the home, whether rented or purchased is greatly affected by the schools their children will go to. In many cases the school zones becomes the deciding factor for choosing the location, and can make or break a decision. In addition to the homeowners, the homebuilders also can be affected by the redistricting of school zones. The perceived value of the subdivision can see a drastic uptick or downturn depending on the school zones they fall into. With the redistricting of the Miami area, builders who have a stake within certain areas of Miami may be put into financial difficulties.
Other than builders, homeowners and students, there is the political fallout of the decision and the political stakeholders who will experience this fallout. The political representatives for the area want to assure their reelection, and when those who vote them in are disappointed, they chance loosing those votes. With this in mind, they need to consider whether or not they play in favor of their career goals or against them. Unfortunately, when the lines are drawn for the most logical reason, they do not always help with the relationship the politician has with their constituents.
In addition to the political value, the homeowners and homebuilders element, and of course the way the students are effected, we need to consider certain other aspects. A direct affect of this move, from the student’s perspective, may come in the form of the quality of education. A school bases its’ yearly budget off local property taxes. The higher the property tax rate, the more likely the school system can afford to pay higher teachers wages. In addition to higher wages, the school usually is better equipped for the students needs. This has a direct correlation to the quality of the education and the desirability of the institution. Many parents have moved into to school districts seeking out better educations for their children. For this reason, the redistricting of the Miami school zones can play havoc with the plans of the family.
In addition to educational quality, there is the consideration of daily travel times to and from the school. Where some parents are able to take advantage of the school bus routes, others drive their children to school every day. They have built this trip into their daily routine, and to change this routine will have its drawbacks. Some may need to leave earlier to make the trip. The need to leave earlier may cause them to wake earlier, hence losing sleep. The longer trips will also cost those residents more in fuel. The added costs of fuel will need to be absorbed into their budgets with no reimbursement from those who decided on the new zones.
Those forced to travel to different schools may also experience neighborhoods they are unfamiliar with, along with differing economic and cultural conditions. This change of surroundings can have a drastic affect on the student, and can sometimes hinder the learning experience, in addition to the effect on the Childs emotional state. This change to unfamiliar surroundings can easily change how the students interact with their peers. Where one environment offered a nurturing atmosphere that helped guide the student in the right direction, the change may lead them in another direction.
Wealthier students who can afford more than others is of great significance within the social environment of a student. The geeks and jocks, or class envy scenario comes into play here with the different clicks that form between those with, and those without. When a previously founded hierarchy is disturbed, it can be devastating to those involved. Imagine if you will, a grocery store without a produce department, or deli counter. The groceries stocked in no specific order to others of their kind. This brings to mind a sense of anarchy where nothing makes sense. The social environment of the schoolyard is similar except that the Children organize themselves into groups instead of the stock boy.
All the previous information is what a city needs to consider when deciding to redistrict their school systems. The decision itself can have a dramatic effect in all these categories. Because of this, the Miami school district will need to be prepared for the outrage that may follow. They will need to carefully consider their position on the matter. What will they say to those residents and students affected by this decision? What areas are going to be affected the most? How will this affect the tax base of the city? Are previously affluent areas going to be trimmed, or cut in half? Is this action going to mix students from rival gangs?
The school may choose the distributive negotiation approach where they inform the residence of the limited resources available to them, and how there is only so much to go around. On the other hand, I would make the wiser choice of going with the integrative negotiation approach and try to get those involved to understand how everyone can come out of this on top.
This angle comes with some challenges, but can, in many ways allow for greater flexibility. Since those involved are in a position to be affected in a multitude of ways, this gives the negotiation more bargaining chips to work with. The issue of increased taxes may be waived for those who may experience this with the new boundaries. Those who have high school aged students may continue to attend until graduation. This may be attractive to parents with students in special academic or athletic programs prepping them for their future. Another option may offer those affected the ability to stay if they agree to pay a fee. Alternatively, are the residents who stand to experience the greatest upheaval willing to pay for additions to the current school locations along with the eventual need for more staff?
These are just an example some of the options available to the residents of Miami. They offer a look at what an integrative negotiation can bring to the table, and how everyone involved may benefit when they take the time to work together.
The final decision may anger some and delight others. In the end, the decision will ultimately need to be made. The resources of any area, much less the densely populated city of Miami Florida are finite. There is no magical way they can be produced and no matter how much complaining is done, there truly is only so much that can be done.