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« Politicians 2009
Rachel Hanni
- Rachel Hanni's Photo
- From:
Youngstown, OH
- Office Sought:
Youngstown Board of Education
- Rachel's reasons for seeking office:
Last year, I devoted my senior thesis to the topic of education funding reform. This project opened my eyes to the overwhelming reality of the disparities between school systems. The plight of Youngstown’s students deeply saddens me, but also serves as inspiration. Youngstown and education are two things that I am very passionate about. I view my candidacy as an outlet to combine and express said passion. I am a proud product of the Youngstown City Schools who believes that Youngstown's schools are Youngstown's future. I hope to exemplify this statement. The current state of the YCS makes me wary of Youngstown's future. We can discuss how Youngstown is moving forward with great things like the Business Incubator and Turning Technologies, but until we fix our schools Youngstown can never really flourish.
- Rachel's qualifications:
While pursuing a B.A. in Political Science at Youngstown State University, I completed several internships related to serving Youngstown on various levels of government. I spent the summer of 2004 as an intern for the Mahoning County Treasurer. In 2007, I was honored to intern for Congressman Tim Ryan. Interning for Congressman Ryan afforded me an invaluable panoramic view of the legislative process in addition to vicariously strengthening my community pride. More recently, my involvement with the Supporters of Youngstown Schools Levy Committee allowed me to play an integral role in an organization responsible for aiding the passage of a much needed school levy. This internship built upon the previous two by requiring a much greater level of responsibility. My last internship was not the most prestigious, but it was by far the most rewarding.
- Where Rachel stands on the issues:
There are many issues currently facing the Youngstown City Schools. The most significant issue was the Vindicator’s headline on August 26, 2009. It read, “Youngstown falls to worst in state!” To say that such a designation means there is much work to be done is an understatement! There are two approaches that should be taken with our students. The promise of reward and the threat of reprisal. In terms of the promise of rewards, there are many incentives that we can give our students in order to encourage them to exceed expectation. For example, last year the Kanye West Foundation offered students in the Chicago Public Schools the opportunity to earn tickets to a free concert. In order to earn a ticket students had to attend school, arrive on time, improve test scores, and decrease behavioral incidents. The positive results were overwhelming. There is no reason why the YCS could not attempt a similar incentive program. Discipline and the threat of reprisal go hand in hand. Discipline is arguably the main distraction in the classroom. “Revolving door discipline” results in students who know that disruption gets them a few days off and a free ticket back to class. It is estimated that only 10% of students are real discipline problems. Students who consistently disrupt the education of others must be removed from regular classes and taught at alternative sites. Rather than reform, I believe that the Youngstown City Schools need to transform. We can no longer attempt to reinvent the wheel. We must attempt new ideas. There are many ideas that people have frequently resisted. However, now is the time for change. I believe that many small modifications will have a large impact on the district. Such changes include: -healthier lunches -longer school days -longer school years -the elimination of bells -achievement incentives for students -a community service graduation requirement -alternative facilities for the behaviorally challenged
- Rachel's priorities if elected:
My top priority if elected is to restore the reputation of the Youngstown City Schools. I hope that people will no longer grimace when I tell them where I graduated from, but rather engage in a dialogue of how innovative the schools have become. The only way the reputation can be restored is by adequately educating YCS students so that they can perform on levels consistent with state & nation averages. Exceeding averages and implementing innovative means to achieve such statistics are my large scale goals.
- Related Campaigns
God Bless You Rachel- go for it! I was very impressed with what you had to say.
I believe the members need some fresh ideas to stimulate this board to action. Although I can't vote for you (don't live in the district) the voters who can should take note of what you have to offer. Your goals were well conceived and make sense and the area needs to see the Y-town schools achieve, if not this area will continue to deteriorate.
We need to develop some leaders within the city who have a V I S I O N! and a good education helps to promote this.
The steel mills, auto jobs, etc which only require a high school education or GED are gone forever and the sooner this valley recognizes this and gets its collective head out of the sand, the better. It all starts with a great school system. Without it all we'll get are minimum wage jobs, high unemployment and high crime rates!
I totally agree, Sky King! This girl sounds like she has what it takes to turn the schools around! Her responses are the most detailed and well written. We need people like her on the board...and in the city! Lets just hope that her last name doesn't work against her!
GOOD LUCK RACHAEL!
Oops! Sorry...Rachel*
Rachael, I commend your ideals; however, who's going to pay for longer school days, longer school years and healthier lunches? Why would you suggest eliminating school bells; there is no discipline now before classes, lunch periods and after school is dismissed. What is need is good old fashioned discipline and structure. Expel unruly and violent "students"; then educators can concentrate on the serious students in safety and without disruptions. Why waste teachers' and students' efforts by having to constantly deal with the troublemakers? Attempting to resolve their misbehavior is almost unsuccessful, disruptive, frustrating and the troublemakers don't want to be there in the first place. Expulsation is the only effective method for generating a conducive educational environment for teachers and serious students who want to learn.
I'm not in favor of bribing students with rewards for school attendance and good behavior at the taxpayers' expense. Adhering to my suggestions would give them the right to a good education, that's all the reward they need.
Teachers can't teach without the support of responsible parents, attentive students and law and order in school and the classrooms. The NEA is also a roadblock for parents, teachers, administrators and students. How do we deal with a radical, socialist union which is only interested in protecting their unworthy members and indoctrinating students which their founder John Dewey referred to as socializing them. He also said his goal was to turn them into little socialists. (circa, 1850). He would be proud of the American public schools.
"but until we fix our schools Youngstown can never really flourish"
Youngstown will never flourish on any major scale until the parents are held accountable for the actions of their children . The schools needs students who have a zest for learning and not students who want to bring subculture to the schools . Far too many children are taught drug culture and crime at home .
"A community service graduation requirement" sounds like forced volunteering. That defeats the purpose of genuine volunteerism and it's govenment mandatory government service. What next, a "volunteer youth corps"?
Looks like we all have a similar opinion here. The bottom line is we need to hold parents accountable for their children and we need a board and administration who will back the teachers and put discipline back in the classroom.
I don't see anything wrong with a little carrot and stick approach just like employees like a little BONUS once in a while for doing a good job, students also like some recognition, too.
I also see nothing wrong with giving back to the community. There a many organizations who would welcome interested students to work with them and it's a good life experience to learn from.
Rachel,
Congrats on your recent endorsement by the Vindy.
It's hard not to notice how many more ideas & information you are giving the voters on how we can begin to fix the YTown school system along for your opinion on certain issues than the other canidates. It seems like you are taking this much more seriously!
I also noticed that your vindy canidate page is getting the only reader comments (besides the funny comment on Dominic's about how he has nothing to say lol).
Good luck! We do need some fresh ideas!
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