Chuck Fugate on Ozarks Parent's Concerns of IB: "I Don't Care"

A number of parents in Ozark, Missouri are worried about the anti-American, globalist agenda of the International Baccalaureate. The Ozark School Board has been trying to push IB through the district quietly, promoting the program as a way to get children ready for college. However, a group of parents quickly discovered the costs and the agenda don't necessarily represent the values of our conservative community.

I was alarmed today to read what one parent claims school board president Chuck Fugate replied when the parent tried to address their IB concerns with Fugate during the meeting held by the school board with little notice given to parents to attend. From Today's Christian County Headliner:

Ozark resident Dr. Bernard Kennetz, a vocal opponent of the IB program, said nothing he heard at the Ozark School Board meeting Feb. 24. changed his mind.

“Actually it just solidified my position,” he said. “It showed that the board doesn’t know enough about the program to vote on or implement the program. It was all anecdotal evidence—little or no facts at all.”

Even though Kennetz is philosophically opposed to the program, he said that wasn’t his main reason for getting involved.

“My primary concern was that there was no public meetings held before a vote and before implementation of a far-reaching policy,” he said. “Why wouldn’t you want a public debate.”
Kennetz said after researching the program, he found even IB guidelines strongly encourage public input before implementation.

“IB said you should have public meetings before the application is filed,” Kennetz said. “Then I thought for sure our district should comply. Not take a vote and then tell the public what you did, which is what happened in Ozark. That is outside of common sense—that is outside the American way.”

Kennetz said, even though he was not allowed to ask questions during the informational presentation, he did press the school board president about disclosure after the meeting.
“After the meting I talked to the president of our school board, Chuck Fugate,” he said. “And when I expressed my concerns about the public not being involved and that he didn’t even follow IB recommendations, his answer to me was, ‘I don’t care.’”

The Headliner asked Fugate for a response, and Fugate said he didn't say that. I know form experience, although I haven't addressed my concerns directly to Fugate, that other members of the administration have shown they don't care what I think either. I have written several e-mails to Dr. Gordon Pace, the superintendent of Ozark Schools, and at first Pace didn't even respond to my concerns until I sent him a follow up e-mail asking him why as a public servant he didn't feel inclined to respond to my concerns. I have not doubt that 'I don't care' was said because that's what I have gotten from Dr. Pace. (I might post some of our e-mail exchanges in the coming days.)

The truth here is the school board doesn't care. They wait until the last minute to announce these meetings, they drag their feet on responding to parents' concerns, and they often transfer real concerns into mock threats using verbiage to avoid the issue, like Dr. Pace did to me after I posted a photo of him on this Web site that also showed his wife. The picture was used to show Pace is an Evangel alumni while asking the question, considering the IB's distaste for Christianity, why Pace would support such a curriculum.

I think it's time for Ozark to clean house from Fugate to Pace and on down. My dealings with Ozark school have been disappointing. I even had one teacher ask me if I had anything better to do with my time that analyze her assignments and her lack of attention to details. I think, in order to get Ozark kids ready for college, it's time to force school board members out of office and administrators out of a job.

Here's some things Ozark parents need to know about the IB.

A Look at a Community Similar to Ozark, And What Happened After They Adopted the IB

The IB's Thoughts on Christianity

A Look at the Rhetoric Ozark High School Officials Are Using to Sell You on the IB

The Globalist Agenda of the IB

It's Un-American and A Foreign Governing Body Decides the Curriculum of Your Child's Education

The IB's Connection to Radical Left Wing Domestic Terrorist William Ayers of the Weather Underground

IB is Simply the Wrong Path for Your Child

An Open Letter to Dr. Gordon Pace Concerning the International Baccalaureate