Why Mayoral Control Needs to End (updated)

Lets tell the public we are giving them what they want.
Small Schools= In the press release we will say we are creating more schools but not tell the public just where they are going to be. What we will do is shove the small school into an already overcrowded school thus creating the illusion of small schools. Give some students relief at the expense of the others. Same rule of thumb applies to charters.

Test Scores= Lets tell the public that scores are up, by eliminating certain groups from the average. We won't tell anyone we did that but in our big power point presentation we will tell them things are great and when confronted with the facts we will lie and make up data.

Parent Surveys= We will at great expense hand out surveys to parents asking them just what they think of the schools their children attend. Then we shall lump together categories so it looks like parents want more test prep and additional testing, instead of small class size which was overwhelmingly chosen as the number ONE priority choice of parents.

Friends in High Places= lets ask our friends to donate to the cause. Ask them for money for our schemes (experiments) give them a large tax write off and a pat on the back.

$80 Million= Wow look we have $80 million dollars you know what we can do with this to increase student achievement. I have the greatest thing Joel look it is a computer lets call it ARIS. Principals and teachers will go into training to learn how to input all this data so we can track what students are doing. What help they might need.
We don't need to put it in the classroom at all. Then we can use the data to get rid of teachers and principals by saying that they are not helping the students.
We won't tell the public how stupid this idea is. How Principals have complaints about not being able to access the system, how passwords don't work, how Principals are calling to complain that it is not working and that we just send them more support.

Children First= Lets call this initiative Children First so it looks like we love children. Then in the middle of the school year we will yank money from the budget and tell Principals to suck it up and don't complain about it otherwise the parents might become riled up. After all it is an insignificant cut and is not going to hurt.

When questioned= go on the defensive and tell parents to shut up and belittle them further by saying that they don't know what they are talking about because we are educators er I mean lawyers.

Getting in Shape

I am feeling better, but being sick the way I was and taking off some weight got me started on a new regimen. That and the fact that my oldest said hey I joined a gym and I need some psycho to motivate me, want to join with me? Yes, I am very competitive but I did not join with him since the gym was so far away from me and I know I would find an excuse not to go. So this is what I did instead. I started a home gym, and have started to walk again. So on Saturday I dropped wee one off at tutoring and decided to walk while I had to wait for him. So I-Pod in pocket, cell phone in pocket I took off. Next thing I know wee one's half hour is up and I am about 2 miles away from my target. I called the house for someone to go get him and I kept going. 5 miles later I turned around. All I have to say is I thought for sure I would be in intense pain but nope. Which now has me off to Mapmyrun looking for new routes.

So now we are down 15 pounds. Wahoo! I am so energized.
Even if the kids are off this week and I know each and every day I come home from work I have a big gigantic mess to clean. I don't care because I am going to be grabbing those walking shoes and off to my new run.

Driving the middle class out

I have become convinced, oh what the hell I knew it and so did you, that the Kleinberg administration has decided that middle class has no place sending their offspring to public schools.
They have done everything in their power to ruin our schools.
The budget cuts are just another example. I would have liked to see them just tell the employees over at Tweed hey guess what we are strapped for cash how about we give all of you a 1.5% pay cut until things blow over.
Schools are now forced to cut spending and of course what is the first thing out the door?
Only by what I have heard (I am waiting on some documentation), Regent Prep, Art Programs, Afterschool Enrichment programs. Hey Joel, I have a question. How can our children score well without prep. Oh that is right we don't teach to the test. Well this will just show you what happens when you don't teach to the test.
Next question I have is this.
What the hell is with the new open Kindergarten enrollment? Have you people not learned the mistake with open enrollment of High Schools. I understand that you are trying to level the learning field but by overcrowding schools that sure is not going to be the answer.
I know how about you just litter open fields with trailers to teach our students instead I understand they are cheap. Just like your hair brained schemes.

Hey, its me

Remember me? I used to blog here.
Things for me are really hectic. I have been working on something since
the Christmas break that has taken up a big chunk of my time.
That and the fact I have three children and a husband, a mother that is like a child and work I have not had the time to blog, or come up with any other coherent thought that is worth writing.
Hopefully this other thing will wrap up soon and I will be back full force.
Not only that but I have been sick. The kind of stress related stomach issue sick. Lost 10 pounds though so I guess it has been a blessing.

I have a thought on the new 5 year Captial Plan. Lets fix all the school first that have electrical problems. You know those schools that if they put a printer and a copy machine on at the same time blow fuses. Yeah those schools.
I mean otherwise how do you think you are going to do full year schools without air conditioners. Not that you really care about the comfort of the students, just as long as they perform like little circus monkeys.

See you soon