Request for Open Dialogue at TAS

Can I post here questions I have for the school where I have exhausted all the school directed channels, and I feel like I have been ignored, rudely responded to, given vague answers, or gotten the run around?

This petition is polite, thoughtful, and asks for the bare minimum. Do the decent thing: let's talk openly. Mango, Former Student Body President

Alum from class of 2005.

Change is Indeed needed at TAS.

A first step to acheiving change may require an effort by parents that impacts the school financially. As most of us truly appreciate the excellent teachers and support staff who work with our kids every day, we are unlikely to remove our students from the school. But we can withhold other dollars. Don't donate to the school. Tell your friends not to donate. Don't attend the ball. Until transparency is given to parents, until bylaws are changed, don't donate. Until issues of conflicts of interest with hiring of outside firms are addressed, don't donate. There are plenty of local organizations that could use the assistance.

http://www.trickytaipei.com/taipei-american-school-part-1/

It’s been around 70 days since the lives and families of 7 TAS students affected by the video incident got turned upside down by overly harsh punishments — in the name of more creative and flexible code of conduct that doesn’t require appeal or accountability — and a handful of administrators trying to justify and rationalize their actions with lots of words, while a community of board members, pta, faculty, students and other parents seem helpless other than to tell these parents and children to move on or it’s for the best. why is that okay or acceptable?

yes, about time

Saying a lot. Without saying anything of substance.

I am okay with Anonymous. As a parent, I am scared of retribution, especially toward my kids.

so we are back to allowing anonymous comments?

Yes, be honest, stop deleting COMMENTS!!!!

Where are the comments mentioning Tina？

I've sat through many company board meetings, and found yesterday's to be more of a presentation than a board meeting. Before the meeting, I emailed a question to the board (as instructed by the meeting reminder email from TAS) regarding the appeals process that has been talked about by many parents and alumni on this medium. Why did the board change TAS bylaws, ultimately removing rights of students and parents without announcing it to the general members (parents)? Unfortunately, the meeting ended without any questions being addressed. This is not only an issue with the administration. This is even more troubling as it reveals a problem in governance of the board of directors. Ed Deng Alum '96 TAS Parent

Dear Shonda and all PTA board members: I want to thank you for reaching out to us, and to Dr. Dodge, to see how best to support the School while other parents have reached out to you about their own questions and concerns about our disciplinary process. While Taiwan law, school policy, and concern for every child’s privacy prevent us from addressing specific cases involving individual students, we can of course speak in more general terms about our approach to student discipline. There are many who have promoted misinformation about our practices and policies, and confusion has resulted. We therefore offer the following in hopes of providing clarity and guidance for all parents going forward. Our goal is to elevate the dialogue and ensure we can continue to work together to promote TAS’s growth and maintain its position as one of the top schools in the region and around the world. When it comes to student discipline, I think it is helpful to focus on four considerations: our first principles, our values, due process, and consequences. Allow me to cover each in turn. First Principles Student safety and student learning are at the core of all we do. Whenever we make any decision, including in the context of student discipline, that is both our goal and the starting point of every conversation. We first ensure that all the students entrusted to our care are safe, and then we work to ensure everything we do contributes to student learning and their development as informed, thoughtful, and ethical citizens. The best interests of all students, as well as those of students being disciplined, are taken into consideration. Our Values In helping students become ethical citizens of character, we focus our efforts on our five values: respect, responsibility, kindness, honesty, and courage. They are the basis of our expectations for all members of our community. We sometimes identify specific expectations based on those values, but as our student handbooks make clear, t

Many signed this petition anonymously and many more who have been silent for fear of bullying or retaliation by TAS Administration. Please read this and the other informative posts by Oliver Silsby and Jeffrey R Williams. It is time that you circulate this petition to other TAS parents and encourage them to come forward. TAS parents must organize and unite now in order protect ourselves and our children; otherwise, a pack of wolfs will eat us alive. Each of TAS parents is a member of the TAS Foundation, the Board is supposed to be elected by the parents and answerable as such. But we all know if that is the case anymore – not to mention that the lopsided logic of having appointed directors who do not answer directly to the parents. TAS Bylaw used to have appeal right built into it for disciplinary process, and all of the directors used to be elected by the parents and answerable as such. However, the Board, under Tina Koo’s leadership, REMOVED any right to appeal for disciplinary process paving way for a totalitarian regime. Moreover, to enable a dictatorship, the Board changed the Bylaw to allow a big percentage of “appointed directors” who are essentially people on the inside or the inner circle. Are these appointed directors going to respond to parents’ concerns? What are the justifications behind these decisions? What is the deliberation process before arriving at these resolutions? Which director voted yay and nay? We must have full disclosure and hold those responsible accountable.

Many signed this petition anonymously and many more who have been silent for fear of bullying or retaliation by TAS Administration. Please read this and the other informative posts by Oliver Silsby and Jeffrey R Williams. It is time that you circulate this petition to other TAS parents and encourage them to come forward. TAS parents must organize and unite now in order protect ourselves and our children; otherwise, a pack of wolfs will eat us alive. Each of TAS parents is a member of the TAS Foundation, the Board is supposed to be elected by the parents and answerable as such. But we all know if that is the case anymore – not to mention that the lopsided logic of having appointed directors who do not answer directly to the parents. TAS Bylaw used to have appeal right built into it for disciplinary process, and all of the directors used to be elected by the parents and answerable as such. However, the Board, under Tina Koo’s leadership, REMOVED any right to appeal for disciplinary process paving way for a totalitarian regime. Moreover, to enable a dictatorship, the Board changed the Bylaw to allow a big percentage of “appointed directors” who are essentially people on the inside or the inner circle. Are these appointed directors going to respond to parents’ concerns? What are the justifications behind these decisions? What is the deliberation process before arriving at these resolutions? Which director voted yay and nay? We must have full disclosure and hold those responsible accountable.

Let's demand disclosures from the Board. We need to hire lawyers to review if they have breached their fiduciary duty.

Please take a look at this post which I am reposting it here. We had rights but the Board took them away to our detriment. We must demand answers and stand up to ourselves; otherwise, this pack of wolfs will eat us alive! "Dear TAS parents, Had unexpected feedback from my one previous post on this site. Apparently most parents do not know that under the bylaws of the school, since the school started, any student being kicked out of the school has the right to have their case reviewed by the school board. Or “had” the right, until just a few months ago, when the school board REMOVED THIS RIGHT FROM THE BYLAWS, I am just told. Again, I am not a parent, this is all second hand, so you need to read the 990 filings yourselves, or go into the school and ask for copies of all recent bylaw changes. You as members have the full legal right to be provided copies of everything done in the open sessions. But if true, parents, you better stand up, protect yourselves... you and your children have rights, including the right to put this review procedure BACK IN THE BYLAWS, even retroactively. Good luck to you all. Oliver Silsby Nine years on the Board Parent of 5 TAS grads Husband of TAS alum"

Let's demand ALL Board meeting minutes for the past 6 years. We need to hire attorney to review everything that the Board and this administration have done!