Monday, August 29, 2005

Monday Monday

-Wondering how my nephew in Biloxi has faired.
-Did the ever-dreaded back-to-school supply shopping today.
-Updated the DulciNET jam tune for this week.
-Got a poop-load of portraits that people want "adjusted" in PS.
One mom wanted all record of her sons blemishes erased. Honestly, I don't see any, but...I think she is "like that" anyway. Poor kid!

I go to pick up Blake from Camp tomorrow. He will be home for good now that camp shuts down. They finished clean up on Saturday and then all went down to Tillamook (Famous Cheese factory town) for a staff retreat. Then I will have mountains of crusty, skanky, post-camp laundry to do before the first day of school on Thursday.

School Rant
Now it wouldn't be August without Michelle going off on a rant regarding the state of public education, so sit down, shut up and buckle up, cuz here we go:

The new (NEW!!!!) super intendent of our school district decided at the beginning of the summer that the schools should start here a week early. The businesses in town were pissed, because this is a huge revenue week for them before the advent of winter, and this removes half of their labour force during that crucial week. This super intendent has alot ot learn. He is the kind of administrator that believes parents are all idiots, and they should just shut up and do what they are told, because the school employs "Proper Trained Educators" who know better than a parent, what their child should be taught and learn and believe.

He is an excellent reminder to me, of why I chose to keep my kids out of the public system.
The Proper Educators:

-Who else gets a job where they are guaranteed employement despite their work ethic?
(Called "Tenure")

-Who else gets 3 months paid off per year during the summer?

I am a firm believer that tenure should be abolished straight away. Then we would see some serious changes in the school system. Teachers who don't teach and who don't give a rip, would be in dire straights - and well they should be.

And here is an interesting factoid:
Private school expensive? (Without vouchers, yes it is.
I would like to have my tax $$ back to pay for it thank you very much.)

EXPERIMENT:
Just see how much it would cost you to send your kid out of district to a different public school without the blessing of the current district they are in? Then compare the cost of the public schools flat tuition to that of your average private school.

GUESS WHAT?
- It's cheaper to attend a private school than it is to attend a public school.
And, the private school generally offers a better education - provided the teachers are all state certified and the private school is accredited.

If vouchers for education were permitted, you would also see severe panic and subsequent change in the public school systems. For the better!

No.
I do not believe more money is needed for our schools.
I believe accountability is needed.
These people owe us an explanation and an account for what they are using our tax dollars for in the name of our children.

The NEA sucks, and is a pack of self serving lying Bast......uhm, buggers!
They hit us where our hearts lie: the benefit of our children - when really that is very often not what is their true underlying concern.

There are few jewels in the educational system crown.
They are the few, individual teachers, sprnkled though out each district, who actually care about students, and are willing to work with the parents to achieve the best possible outcomes for the kids.

That is my story and I'm stickin' to it!
;o)

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