The "rally" didn't look too well attended. But it was covered well on the news media. Sigh. What does it take to get media coverage of events? These guys are experts, but just try to get a few seconds for a positive event.
No victim huh? Tell that to schools' liabilities insurers. It is simple. Don't hit others. And as Jesus suggested, turn the other cheek. It's not hard to do in class, where there is a teacher to report the assault to.
In this case in Warren, the students are adults and would have graduated to the wider world in two months. In that world, fighting really IS considered assault.
There is another victim as well: the learning that would have taken place in the classroom where the fight takes place. There is a teacher calling for the combatants to stop, and they are ignoring his/her authority. The fight is more disrespectful to the teacher and classmates than it is to the opponent.
Even if a student was really expelled, not just given a long suspension, she could still get an education later. The fact is she valued her ego about her fighting ability more than she valued her education. The fighter made her choice.
Fighting like this in NOT normal behavior. It is in fact criminal behavior. These young women are now over 18 and adults. I support entirely the Board's policy in cases like this.
The public schools give Mr. Gwin and the taxpayers the opportunity to question their boards, speak at board meetings, and criticize decisions.
Wouldn't you like to attend a charter school board meeting? – although of course board members are not elected, and owe their loyalty to the company, not the citizens. Good luck finding one. Eagle Heights is at 10 A.M. and after you take the day off, is likely to go into "executive session."
I have to trust that someday the voters will become aware of the game that Taft's administration and legislature has played in education “improvement”. But my gut feeling is that this will take place as they remember public schooling with nostalgia.
What is the Vindicator's interest in promoting these charters so diligently? I do not find such propaganda in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or in Canton, Akron or Toledo. My previous post was sent to the Vindicator as a letter to the editor, but they decided not to print it. Note that they DID find it necessary to print a letter from Miamisburg however.
A letter to the editor from Ron F. Adler of Miamisburg was published by The Vindicator on January 29th about the same "report". The two stories show exactly what our public schools are up against with these burgeoning charter enterprises.
Why do you think an observer from Miamisburg, wherever that would be, would be so interested in the local schools? He represents the "Ohio Coalition for Quality Education", yet another association of charter schools, and makes the claim that removing tuition for charter students from public school funding actually “helps” the public schools because they keep their gobs of local funding to be used for the remaining students. If he was more familiar with our area, he might have realized that Youngstown City Schools can raise very little funding through local property taxes. Only about 24% of Youngstown funding is local, and that is offset by their increased costs of (forced) transportation of charter school students across town.
In addition, in the exact time period cited by the author, the city schools have been required by the state and federal governments to provide all sorts of expensive intervention programs to their students because of lagging test schools. Those lagging scores are not as low of course as the local charter school scores -- though the charter schools have no such consequences attached to performance.
As a working teacher, it is impossible for me to spend my days spinning data as these hired guns for Charter Associations do. I am left with the conclusion that the whole testing circus, costing by the way, millions more than the yearly budget of YCS, was only implemented in the first place to secure a footing for charter schools to establish themselves in our state. The potential profits of charter schools as they replace public schools seems to be great enough to justify great amounts of investments in political campaigns, in charter school associations, and in propping up the funding of the pioneer schools. Before voters get excited about the lower cost per pupil provided by charter schools, they need to investigate their funding a little more closely. The larger charter schools receive extra funding from the federal government grants, grants from conservative foundations like the Fordham Foundation here in Ohio, and contributions from private sources, like the Christian school supporters of Eagle Heights. When the public schools are gone -- there will be no longer be a need to supplement the funding. It will come from the taxpayer.
Wow. I would have expected the Vindicator editorial staff to actually read the audit, in which case they would have seen that it is based on 2006 -2007 data, before the school closings and staff reductions that were made this year.
While the audit was being prepared, the auditors had numerous meetings with the school administrators, and the administrators have already taken action on many of the recommendations made by the auditors.
I would also have expected the Vindicator to explain the questions of fairness inherent in a document that is based on comparisons between the Youngstown City Schools and ten other districts with less diversity, poverty, size, and academic challenges. Why not use similar districts, like Canton City Schools? Because those districts have had the same struggles as Youngstown, both academically and financially. (This is the thinking of the auditors -- not mine.) To read what the Canton newspaper had to say about these issues go to http://www.cantonrep.com/printable.php?I.... What districts did the auditors decide to compare to Youngstown? Bath Local Boardman Local Canton Local (Not Canton City) Columbiana Exempted Lowellville Dover Girard Heath New Philadelphia and Weathersfield
I don't know that any of these districts, except Boardman, is comparable to Youngstown at all. For example, in giving recommendations about bus routes, the audit says that these districts have an average of 17 buses (and that is affected by the large number of buses in Boardman). Youngstown is supposed to base their routes with 60+ buses on this model? None of these schools transports students to 39 schools as Youngstown City does. Parents with students in charter and parochial schools should take notice: There are only 16 schools in Youngstown City School District. The majority of those bus routes go to private "choices".
Yes, Youngstown voters want to know they are getting their money's worth. According to the audit only 24% of the funding for Youngstown City Schools is local. More than 70% comes from the state, so I take it that the rest is Federal money. No matter what, Youngstown residents are getting a big bang for every buck they spend. Is it any wonder the state commission has asked local voters to step up a little more?
It was one thing when we were talking about our own charter school. Now we're talking about bringing troubled kids in from all over the county. I'm not sure that is a good idea, especially given the fact that most of the county schools reject our open enrollment students.
We should make sure we are doing the right thing here. I just finished reading a story about some juvenile armed robbers in Girard. The story says they may be part of a gang -- a gang that was formed when the participants met in a juvenile detention center. These boys are 14 and 16. Instead of beginning a life a crime by stealing someone's bike, they went straight to armed robbery of a gas station.
I have to apologize for typos in my post. In line 11, I meant to say we have lagging scores, not lagging schools. In the same line, our scores "are not as low" as those in charter schools.
Readers should know that the "No Child Left Behind" legislation stipulates that public schools must have teachers rated as "highly qualified" by the standards of the federal government. I heard today that this requirement does not apply to charter schools.
The demands placed on public schools are just constant. Why are charter schools, which use taxpayer funds, given a free pass in so many ways?
Posted on March 26 at 8:56 a.m.
The "rally" didn't look too well attended. But it was covered well on the news media. Sigh. What does it take to get media coverage of events? These guys are experts, but just try to get a few seconds for a positive event.
Posted on March 21 at 7:48 p.m.
No victim huh? Tell that to schools' liabilities insurers. It is simple. Don't hit others. And as Jesus suggested, turn the other cheek. It's not hard to do in class, where there is a teacher to report the assault to.
In this case in Warren, the students are adults and would have graduated to the wider world in two months. In that world, fighting really IS considered assault.
There is another victim as well: the learning that would have taken place in the classroom where the fight takes place. There is a teacher calling for the combatants to stop, and they are ignoring his/her authority. The fight is more disrespectful to the teacher and classmates than it is to the opponent.
Even if a student was really expelled, not just given a long suspension, she could still get an education later. The fact is she valued her ego about her fighting ability more than she valued her education. The fighter made her choice.
Posted on March 21 at 8:36 a.m.
Fighting like this in NOT normal behavior. It is in fact criminal behavior. These young women are now over 18 and adults. I support entirely the Board's policy in cases like this.
Posted on February 14 at 10:33 p.m.
The public schools give Mr. Gwin and the taxpayers the opportunity to question their boards, speak at board meetings, and criticize decisions.
Wouldn't you like to attend a charter school board meeting? – although of course board members are not elected, and owe their loyalty to the company, not the citizens. Good luck finding one. Eagle Heights is at 10 A.M. and after you take the day off, is likely to go into "executive session."
I have to trust that someday the voters will become aware of the game that Taft's administration and legislature has played in education “improvement”. But my gut feeling is that this will take place as they remember public schooling with nostalgia.
What is the Vindicator's interest in promoting these charters so diligently? I do not find such propaganda in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or in Canton, Akron or Toledo. My previous post was sent to the Vindicator as a letter to the editor, but they decided not to print it. Note that they DID find it necessary to print a letter from Miamisburg however.
Posted on February 14 at 10:27 p.m.
A letter to the editor from Ron F. Adler of Miamisburg was published by The Vindicator on January 29th about the same "report". The two stories show exactly what our public schools are up against with these burgeoning charter enterprises.
Why do you think an observer from Miamisburg, wherever that would be, would be so interested in the local schools? He represents the "Ohio Coalition for Quality Education", yet another association of charter schools, and makes the claim that removing tuition for charter students from public school funding actually “helps” the public schools because they keep their gobs of local funding to be used for the remaining students. If he was more familiar with our area, he might have realized that Youngstown City Schools can raise very little funding through local property taxes. Only about 24% of Youngstown funding is local, and that is offset by their increased costs of (forced) transportation of charter school students across town.
In addition, in the exact time period cited by the author, the city schools have been required by the state and federal governments to provide all sorts of expensive intervention programs to their students because of lagging test schools. Those lagging scores are not as low of course as the local charter school scores -- though the charter schools have no such consequences attached to performance.
As a working teacher, it is impossible for me to spend my days spinning data as these hired guns for Charter Associations do. I am left with the conclusion that the whole testing circus, costing by the way, millions more than the yearly budget of YCS, was only implemented in the first place to secure a footing for charter schools to establish themselves in our state. The potential profits of charter schools as they replace public schools seems to be great enough to justify great amounts of investments in political campaigns, in charter school associations, and in propping up the funding of the pioneer schools. Before voters get excited about the lower cost per pupil provided by charter schools, they need to investigate their funding a little more closely. The larger charter schools receive extra funding from the federal government grants, grants from conservative foundations like the Fordham Foundation here in Ohio, and contributions from private sources, like the Christian school supporters of Eagle Heights. When the public schools are gone -- there will be no longer be a need to supplement the funding. It will come from the taxpayer.
Peggy Palma
Posted on February 10 at 1:05 p.m.
Thank you for your letter. We have to do what we can to get the truth out, however little space The Vindicator gives us.
Peggy Palma
Posted on February 10 at 12:41 p.m.
Wow. I would have expected the Vindicator editorial staff to actually read the audit, in which case they would have seen that it is based on 2006 -2007 data, before the school closings and staff reductions that were made this year.
While the audit was being prepared, the auditors had numerous meetings with the school administrators, and the administrators have already taken action on many of the recommendations made by the auditors.
I would also have expected the Vindicator to explain the questions of fairness inherent in a document that is based on comparisons between the Youngstown City Schools and ten other districts with less diversity, poverty, size, and academic challenges. Why not use similar districts, like Canton City Schools? Because those districts have had the same struggles as Youngstown, both academically and financially. (This is the thinking of the auditors -- not mine.) To read what the Canton newspaper had to say about these issues go to http://www.cantonrep.com/printable.php?I....
What districts did the auditors decide to compare to Youngstown?
Bath Local
Boardman Local
Canton Local (Not Canton City)
Columbiana Exempted
Lowellville
Dover
Girard
Heath
New Philadelphia
and
Weathersfield
I don't know that any of these districts, except Boardman, is comparable to Youngstown at all. For example, in giving recommendations about bus routes, the audit says that these districts have an average of 17 buses (and that is affected by the large number of buses in Boardman). Youngstown is supposed to base their routes with 60+ buses on this model? None of these schools transports students to 39 schools as Youngstown City does. Parents with students in charter and parochial schools should take notice: There are only 16 schools in Youngstown City School District. The majority of those bus routes go to private "choices".
Yes, Youngstown voters want to know they are getting their money's worth. According to the audit only 24% of the funding for Youngstown City Schools is local. More than 70% comes from the state, so I take it that the rest is Federal money. No matter what, Youngstown residents are getting a big bang for every buck they spend. Is it any wonder the state commission has asked local voters to step up a little more?
Peggy Palma, Teacher
Posted on February 3 at 11:31 p.m.
Thank you for a well thought out challenge.
Posted on January 31 at 6:51 a.m.
It was one thing when we were talking about our own charter school. Now we're talking about bringing troubled kids in from all over the county. I'm not sure that is a good idea, especially given the fact that most of the county schools reject our open enrollment students.
We should make sure we are doing the right thing here. I just finished reading a story about some juvenile armed robbers in Girard. The story says they may be part of a gang -- a gang that was formed when the participants met in a juvenile detention center. These boys are 14 and 16. Instead of beginning a life a crime by stealing someone's bike, they went straight to armed robbery of a gas station.
Posted on January 29 at 7:09 p.m.
I have to apologize for typos in my post. In line 11, I meant to say we have lagging scores, not lagging schools. In the same line, our scores "are not as low" as those in charter schools.
Readers should know that the "No Child Left Behind" legislation stipulates that public schools must have teachers rated as "highly qualified" by the standards of the federal government. I heard today that this requirement does not apply to charter schools.
The demands placed on public schools are just constant. Why are charter schools, which use taxpayer funds, given a free pass in so many ways?