Running Head: MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 1

Miami School District Negotiation

Edward Charfauros

Organizational Negotiations MGT/445

June 26, 2012

Cecile Morris

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 2

Miami School District Negotiation

The Miami school district announces that it will be redrawing school boundaries upon the

upcoming year because of enrollment increases. A plan is in place by the school board for

students, as the school cannot accommodate every student within the district. The school hires

experts to submit after redraw school boundaries before the upcoming school year begins. The

majority of students are upset because they cannot remain at their present school. Stakeholders

voice their opinions concerning the school district’s proposal.

According to the article, influencing and negotiating skills: some research and reflections

- part I: influencing strategies and styles by Manning and Robertson (2003). “Negotiation is

directly associated with power in that it assumed that those concerned in a negotiation possess

some power which could be exercised, possibly in a disruptive fashion, to the detriment of

others. This is so even if one party is much more powerful than another” (negotiation and

influencing, p. 12, para. 1).

Quality Education

The majority of parents concern themselves with their children’s quality education, travel

time increase, cultural and economic boundary crossings, property value affects, and children

social effects. These are reasons against the plan proposal, as Edward addresses parents and

Miami school district’s concerns. Edward also develops a plan dealing with parent concerns and

negotiation strategy supporting school board issues concerning redrawing boundaries and parent

concerns. Additionally, Edward explains how culture and ethics effect decisions.

The Stakeholders

Many stakeholders within this situation with students are coercing to redraw from their

present school. Students, parents, teachers, staff, school officials, and the school district are

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 3

stakeholders. The redrawing affects upon the students as they may attend a different school and

personally dealing with different issues, such as friend separation, favorite places, and a familiar

environment.

Crossing Economic and Cultural Boundaries

Students may trouble themselves upon a new environment within society, struggling

upon meeting new people for friendships, possessing difficulty comprehending concepts, school

guidelines, education, and cultural differences. Students feel as though they lack support

according to surroundings and carry these problems home within themselves. It may become

difficult meeting friends while attending a new school, adapting to the new school culture, and

the groups within the school. Situations will appear where schools socially affect students taking

their problems out upon their parents. Student arguments may increase, receive teases, and may

be ignored by other students, which cause a lack of confidence and unhappiness within new

students.

Travel Time Increase

Parents remain as important stakeholders as they are concern about their children’s

welfare while attending a new school. Although students decide upon themselves by choosing

his or her lifestyle and life perspective, students surroundings affect them ultimately worrying

parents. Parents may worry of the education quality not equating to the same standards within

the new school. Additionally, the timing for commuting to and from the new school will be

unsatisfying for both parents and students, as the majority of students attend local schools within

walking distance. Many students will be crossing cultural and economic boundaries as they

move to attend a school with the majority of students representing certain cultures and religious

beliefs.

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 4

Affect Upon Property Values

Moving children to attend new schools affect property value. For example, schools

within higher income neighborhoods may witness lower income families moving in. Some of

the students from the lower income families may trash and vandalize the neighborhood after

inviting students from other neighborhoods and neighboring schools depreciating property value.

Additionally leading other residence toward becoming stakeholders. Parent’s primary concerns

surround the social effects upon their children and how social effects negatively influences

society.

Social Affects Upon Children

Teachers, staff, school officials, and the school district are stakeholders. School officials,

the new school’s staff, and teachers obligate themselves upon accepting students and providing

the students with a positive environment. The school district wants to provide quality education

for each student. The school district provides teachers and students with staff, materials, and

classrooms of appropriate size.

Negotiation Strategy to Redraw Boundaries

Although the school district wants to keep every student within his or her current school,

community growth challenges this idea. Therefore, as an alternative ensuring the school district

will continue providing education for students within the community, the school district redraws

students toward others schools. Attempting to satisfy both parents and students is base upon the

district’s decision, as it hires experts to redraw school boundaries.

According to the article, school redistricting officials listen to parent pleas on boundaries

under consideration: groups praise assistant superintendent for weighing alternatives to district's

plan to redraw boundary lines, by Puckett representing The Atlanta Journal the Atlanta

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 5

Constitution (1998). “Although the changes are merely alternatives under consideration and do

not address every parent's concern, they illustrate the school district's willingness to make

adjustments large and small based on input from parents” (abstract, p. 1, para. 1).

Upon supporting the school board’s boundary redraw for next year Edward uses

negotiation strategy persuasive style for stakeholder concerns. A large group of parents,

students, and school officials are unhappy with the school district’s decision. Edward uses the

persuasive style strategic methods and techniques to answer voicing parents concerns. Some

elements and steps include: emotional manner and tone, active participation with encouragement,

vivid language, fear incitement through threats, and violating receiver expectations.

Stakeholder Concerns

Primary concern for parents is the education quality their children will be receiving

within his or her new schools, because emotional tones and manners are high. A school district

meeting will occur encouraging parents to attend so school officials will explain what is

occurring.

Parents will first attend the meeting to voice their concerns and school officials will

attempt to satisfy parents by relaying to parents that education quality will not differ regardless

where their children will be attending. By using persuasive style, parents comprehend their

children (as students) will remain within the same school district, as the district continues

providing students and teachers with appropriate materials, staff, and classrooms. Although

attending new schools may be an inconvenience for both students and parents because of an

increase in travel, employing vivid language to manipulate parents will be in use for parent

agreement for a desirable decision.

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 6

School officials do not want crowding schools with students overflowing and a staff of

teachers with less teaching material. This will affect the education quality students receive,

unless the school district redraws for the upcoming year. As the school district looks upon

crossing cultural and economic boundaries, parents must comprehend the district is present to

educate students representing different cultures and income classes. The question remains

concerning racism, religious beliefs, and racial differences as parents argue of crossing

boundaries. Parents must comprehend every child represents a different background with the

right for fair treatment regardless of differences.

Property value is a concern for many parents; however neighborhoods require

understanding as good abiding citizens accepting the redraw. The involving stakeholders will

not tolerate graffiti and negative effects upon the communities. The school district will take

action upon individuals not complying with school district guidelines. Automatic expulsion will

follow from the school district when any individual is found conducting negative activity

internally and externally of school premises. Social effect concerns will be resolved as the

school district ensures every parent will comprehend school districts responsibility for

influencing children positively and avoiding negativity among students.

Culture and Ethics Affect Upon Edward’s Decision

Culture and ethics should not affect the stakeholder’s decision because many parents and

their children represent different origins and choices significantly differing from one another.

Although stakeholders believe they believe in the effects of culture and ethics, the Miami school

district believes it possesses no cultural differences. Therefore, the school district will not

choose where students will attend as the district hires experts for redrawing school boundaries.

For the crowding school this is the final decision with a final alternative, as the involving

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 7

stakeholders should comprehend this as the ideal solution for everyone. Students of diverse

origins attend each school district within the United States representing different cultures and

ethnicities. Parents desiring to have their children attend specific cultural groups and schools

may choose to have their children attend private schools.

Conclusion

Edward concludes with the stakeholders expecting to comprehend the concept herein this

paper accepting the decision using the persuasive style of negotiation strategy. Students, parents,

and school officials are expecting to adapt to school regulations and the district’s new changes

after exhausting the other alternatives. Presenting the concerns about the overcrowding school

situation, each involving individual will comprehend the purpose for redrawing school

boundaries during Miami’s school district meeting. During the meeting school officials, parents,

and students review each of the concerns publicly brought forward for solutions.

Edward uses the persuasive style to explain to the involving individuals the decision has

finalized. Finally, for the parents with disagreements concerning the redrawing have the option

to have their children attend private school.

MIAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT NEGOTIATION 8

References

Manning, T., & Robertson, B. (2003). Influencing and negotiating skills: Some research and

reflections - part I: Influencing strategies and styles. Industrial and Commercial Training,

35(1), 11-15. http://search.proquest.com/docview/214107625?accountid=35812

Puckett, P. (1998, Nov 14). SCHOOL REDISTRICTING officials listen to parent pleas on

boundaries under consideration: Groups praise assistant superintendent for weighing

alternatives to districts plan to redraw boundary lines. The Atlanta Journal the Atlanta

Constitution, pp. JJ.01-JJ;01. http://search.proquest.com/docview/247670017?

accountid=35812