School Official Is Community, Advocate Within System

Where do you go if you are a student or a parent and you have a complaint or I concern about someone or something Ihat has occurred within the Ann Arbor Public School System? I "The community should be aware that within the administration there is an office that functions as its advocate," explains Dr. Robert Potts, human relations ombudsman. Dr. Potts says he holds enough leverage in his position to be able to cut through the red-tape to help institute change within the system. The Office of Human Relations also listens to the grievances teachers or other staff memhír; mav havp ggqingf tho gftir.rlc As school ombudsman, Potts feels that his role is to "facilítate change within the institution and to look at the system from the community viewpoint including all segments and minority groups." This year, the human relations officer will have two field worker.s who will work directly with the schools and have offices outside the administrative building. Potts, who was appointed to the position of human relations grievance officer last August, also headed the Humaneness in 'Education report. "With the new administration, my office has a more direct relationship with the staff," Potts says, "and more emphasis is placed on the advocacy role as a monitor." Potts plans to encourage more pro_gnams for in-sp.rvinpi t,raining_and_im. proving relationships between students, teachers, administrators and parents. He , also wants to seek more parent, student, community in-put in the area of curriculum. In settling grievances, the human relations office first brings the two parties together to attempt to resolve the issue by some understanding. In some cases, individuals do not know the proper administrator that can respond to nis concern. The human relations office functions as a source of direction in these matters, and if the complaining person feels that an adequate response was not made he can then go directly to the Board of Education. Last year, Potts handled some 200 mpi Somp nf the áreas he dealt with ncluded such t h i n g s as complaints against teachers, dismissal of a stafí member, alleged incidents of assault, students rights proposals, school testing policy, and numerous other types of concerns. Working as a resource to prevent emergencies within the schools, Potts is spending more time in the schools and the community. "The human relations office will work for greater effectiveness in the school system and willbe very sensitive to the differences in all students," Potts says. Potts' office is working to breakdown whatever may constitute a barrier in delivering a better education to each individual child. "Our office is heloins the school system to be more responsive and the ombudsman will help parents and students facilítate change in policies and program," he says. One of the great challenges of his office will be developing effective lines of Communications within all of the various "communities" in Ann Arbor. Potts says he wants to get at "their" contributions to make the entire system relevant. "I believe the parents, students and teachers should receive straightforward listening because each grievance is important to that particular individual," Potts says. "When people cali for information this office can expedite their response." It is also essential that the human relations office be.in touch with the people, the community and various organizations and groups. "I am most concerned with fulfilling the objectives of the Humaness in Education report with the total commitment of the entire school system and the community," he says. "We have set definite goals and although there was considerable anxiety last year when the report was first presented, it seems evident that the report has now become a priority direction of this administration." The human relations Ombudsman admits that it takes time to build up the confidence of an entire community. But at the same time he voiced confidence in the fact that the constant work of the office will show people that they do indeed have an "advocate in the administration."