Author Topic: P2B- Illinois teacher commits suicide before being fired- didn't have tenure  (Read 3048 times)

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Offline Tucker

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002145510

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Mon Jan 9, 2012, 09:58 PM

Star Member proud2BlibKansan (89,552 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

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Illinois teacher commits suicide citing working conditions
Mary Thorson, a 32-year-old physical education teacher at Cottage Grove Upper Grade Center in Ford Heights, Illinois, took her own life on November 24, 2011. The note she left at the scene of her death was devoted almost entirely to the conditions in the Ford Heights school district, closing with, “We must speak up about what’s going on! This life has been unbelievable.”

A veteran of the US Army Reserve, Thorson was a popular teacher at the school where she had worked since 2008, having taught in Chicago and suburban Bellwood before taking the position at Cottage Grove Upper Grade in the Chicago suburb of Ford Heights. Her colleagues noted her dedication to the students at the school, including her habit of providing them with warm clothing and school supplies.

Thorson had been suspended one week before her death due to an allegation that she had cursed at a student. Her family told the Chicago Tribune that she was worried about having become a target of the school administration and about being fired. Her personnel records were found neatly laid out on her bed after her death.

More than 98 percent of students in the Ford Heights school district live below the poverty line. In her final statement, Thorson wrote of extreme hardships faced by the students, the school administration’s disregard for teachers, and the lack of resources available in the district.

<skip>

Mary Thorson’s parents have made a special effort to communicate their daughter’s intentions. Her mother said that the young teacher’s suicide was directly related to the pressures at Cottage Grove Upper Grade Center, emphasizing that Mary had no prior mental health issues and was never in a combat situation in the Army Reserve. Thorson’s father said, “Is the school responsible? Yes, the school is responsible.”

more . . . http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jan2012/suic-j09.shtml

If she had been with the school district long enough to get tenure, she could have cussed the students, taught queer subjects, promoted liberalism, taught them how to sing "Barrack Hussein obama MMM  MMM MMM" and even post on DU during class.

This i where I miss HannaBell, the schoolbus driver that knew so much about how charter schools were screwing the public school systems out of state money.

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:17 PM

Star Member madrchsod (52,191 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
4. the teachers are under constant attack here in illinois.

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there has always been people who found fault in the teachers, administrations,and the state`s role .today the teachers take the full brunt of the hatred of public education. we can blame both the democrats and the republicans for demonizing public education and public teachers. we can blame the guy who is our president and the person he appointed to "fix" public education.

this lady is another victim of the war on public education.

Every ****ed up school district in the Chicago area is caused by the democrat party policy. Republicans are rare in northern IL. They don't have enough political clout to effect change.

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Response to madrchsod (Reply #4)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:19 PM

Star Member proud2BlibKansan (89,552 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
5. Sadly, that's true in many other states as well

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It's an epidemic.


All your public school district are belong to you!

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

Star Member Remember Me (1,117 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
7. I now declare that IT IS MORALLY WRONG to allow schools to have different

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funding. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST BE EQUALLY FUNDED.

And it must start NOW.

So we have a local millage election to increase our taxes to better fund out school district, over and abouve the state allotment, and you believe that your district is entitled to some of it?

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 11:28 PM

Trillo (6,491 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
17. That's sad.

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In nearly every job I've ever had, mostly every tenth word or so was a cuss word, and the bosses cursed workers everyday.

Perhaps those administrators don't live in the real world.

You DUmbass. K-12 is a little different working environment that a Micky-D's.

Come to think of it, unions do create jobs. Companies have to hire two workers to do the work of one.

Offline DumbAss Tanker

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That school administration, and its district, are undoubtedly such a deep shade of blue that pelagic sharks want to live there.

 :whatever:
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That here, obedient to their law, we lie.

Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting at least twice.

Offline NHSparky

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I shudder to think of what most tenured teachers and professors would do if their little security blanket were taken away from them, and they'd actually have to PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS.
“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian.”  -Henry Ford

Offline DumbAss Tanker

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I shudder to think of what most tenured teachers and professors would do if their little security blanket were taken away from them, and they'd actually have to PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS.

The problem is at least as much the administrations and boards as the teachers, there's nothing here to indicate this teacher was actually doing a shitty job, in fact (Assuming Pam got that stuff from a story instead of making it up) it sounds like she went pretty far to help her students.  However, most schools are run like bitchy little henhouse small businesses, and once the Principal or Superintendant decides to make someone a scapegoat for their own failings, suddenly 'It's all THEIR fault' and the teacher is in a no-win situation.  It's unfortunately just the nature of the work.   
Go and tell the Spartans, O traveler passing by
That here, obedient to their law, we lie.

Anything worth shooting once is worth shooting at least twice.

Offline Chris_

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)
Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:17 PM

madrchsod (52,191 posts)
4. this lady is another victim of the war on public education.
When public schools are the largest beneficiary of public funds, God forbid someone demand results for the money they worked for.

The public school system in this county is 40% of the annual budget.  Police and fire receive less than that combined (about 32-35%).

If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline jukin

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Since Carter the Incompetent created the Department of Education our costs have quadrupled (Adjusted for inflation) and the results have not budged.  Take note that this was during the time of technological advancements that has increased every other field of endeavor productivity by ten fold.

The publik skool system run by the teacher's greed with our children in need.
When you are the beneficiary of someone’s kindness and generosity, it produces a sense of gratitude and community.

When you are the beneficiary of a policy that steals from someone and gives it to you in return for your vote, it produces a sense of entitlement and dependency.

Offline marv

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Offline Carl

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I am sorry,a person in their right mind does not kill themselves over stuff like that.
No doubt she had severe mental problems and issues and this was a way to,in her deluded mind get even with someone but it was not the cause.

Offline MrsSmith

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madrchsod (52,191 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
4. the teachers are under constant attack here in illinois.

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there has always been people who found fault in the teachers, administrations,and the state`s role .today the teachers take the full brunt of the hatred of public education. we can blame both the democrats and the republicans for demonizing public education and public teachers. we can blame the guy who is our president and the person he appointed to "fix" public education.

this lady is another victim of the war on public education

Well, this one obviously went to a public school.   :lmao:  His parents should demand a refund.
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Antifa - the only fascists in America today.

Offline Maxiest

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I was just reading this over there, what a cesspool of ignorance.

I love this:


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Trillo (6,491 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
17. That's sad.

In nearly every job I've ever had, mostly every tenth word or so was a cuss word, and the bosses cursed workers everyday.

Perhaps those administrators don't live in the real world.

I would really love to know where Trillo has worked.  I have had more jobs than I can count on all my fingers, toes, and ears since I was 10 years old and never have worked for said "bosses."  I had one that was just a plain witch, and I walked out on her for it. (WTF?  FREE MARKET?  OH MAH GAWD!)  Problem is Trillo, you have never wanted to work, heard what you wanted, and are a sorry loser who wastes good fresh air every time you breathe.

And to the other idiots in the thread.  More money doesn't equal better education.  In TN we have thrown money at the schools like they are strippers and nothing has improved in the schools with problems.  Can you say Unions DUmmies?
"The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither; the society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both."

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Offline GOBUCKS

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Trillo (6,491 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
17. That's sad.

In nearly every job I've ever had, mostly every tenth word or so was a cuss word, and the bosses cursed workers everyday.

Perhaps those administrators don't live in the real world.

You have to consider the jobs DUmmy Trillo has had.

They've all been in an interstate median strip, requiring him to wear an orange vest with "Department of Corrections" on the back.

DUmmy Trillo's "real world" is the same one where you'll find Cool Hand Luke.




Offline sharkhawk

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frazzled (7,095 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

13. The problem in Illinois is more complex

Last edited Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:47 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

...

Ford Heights is a community of about 3500 people 25 miles southeast of Chicago. It's 96% white, 0.06% African American, 2.5% Hispanic. The shocking statistic for me to read is that of the population, 45.3% is under the age of 18 (that's huge!), 11.2% 18-24, and 22.7% from 25-44. Most of the seniors must have fled: they constitute just 6.8% of the population. The median household income is a shocking $17,500. We're talking a kind of third-world skewing of the population here. According to its Wikipedia entry: "Often viewed as one of Chicago's most impoverished suburbs and at one point the poorest suburb in the United States., Ford Heights has experienced high levels of political corruption, decaying infrastructure, and an elevated crime rate." We're talking a serious situation here.

 
Actuall, Ford Heights is 96% black .06% white.  Wikipedia is wrong dummies.  Oh and the teacher was white, I wonder how that would change their opinions

Offline Maxiest

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Actuall, Ford Heights is 96% black .06% white.  Wikipedia is wrong dummies.  Oh and the teacher was white, I wonder how that would change their opinions

I hate to the the bearer of bad news, and I love to point on when the DUmmies are wrong, but those numbers in the Wiki are correct.

http://www.usbeacon.com/Illinois/Ford-Heights.html

"The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither; the society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both."

"Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program."

"We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork."

-Milton Friedman

Offline BEG

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I am sorry,a person in their right mind does not kill themselves over stuff like that.
No doubt she had severe mental problems and issues and this was a way to,in her deluded mind get even with someone but it was not the cause.

I agree.

Offline jukin

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I hate to the the bearer of bad news, and I love to point on when the DUmmies are wrong, but those numbers in the Wiki are correct.

http://www.usbeacon.com/Illinois/Ford-Heights.html



From your source:

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Races, 2000 Census:
Black or African American: 95.89%
Hispanic or Latino: 2.52%
White: 1.36%
Other race: 1.16%
Two or more races: 1.01%
Asian: 0.12%
American Indian: 0.06%
When you are the beneficiary of someone’s kindness and generosity, it produces a sense of gratitude and community.

When you are the beneficiary of a policy that steals from someone and gives it to you in return for your vote, it produces a sense of entitlement and dependency.

Offline dixierose

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I am sorry,a person in their right mind does not kill themselves over stuff like that.
No doubt she had severe mental problems and issues and this was a way to,in her deluded mind get even with someone but it was not the cause.

Bingo...I've gotten laid off twice since 2009....and THAT'S not even on my radar....
When Harry Truman was President of the United States, he had a sign on his desk in the White House that said: "The buck stops here." If Barack Obama had a sign on his desk, it would say: "The buck stops with Bush." - Thomas Sowell

Offline delilahmused

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

Star Member Remember Me (1,117 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
7. I now declare that IT IS MORALLY WRONG to allow schools to have different

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funding. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST BE EQUALLY FUNDED.

And it must start NOW.

True story that I won't even dignify with a "so". This was quite a while ago, about the time my youngest would've been in 6th grade if we weren't homeschooling. A public school teacher friend of mine and her students were holding a "garage sale" on the front lawn of the school to earn money for a class trip to the central Oregon desert. The school approved it and I really admired their willingness to work for what they wanted. They were learning more than just local geography. The district found out and told them they could NOT go because not all students in all schools (i.e. poorer neighborhoods or most likely, those with the ambition of a slug) were able to EARN money for a trip like this. I kid you not. I think they ended up having to give the money to the PTA for the GENERAL coffers. While this was one of the best school districts in the state (at the time), this was hardly the richest area by any stretch of the imagination, probably closer to lower middle. The lesson these enthusiastic kids ended up learning makes my blood boil. Homeschooling was the single best thing we did for our kids. We pretty much had no money because we didn't have the 2nd income most other families had. The house we owned was the armpit of the neighborhood despite the few renovations we could afford (but turned out to be an excellent investment because of how much land it sat on) and we drove VERY used cars that were always about 2000 miles from breaking down but given the alternative, I'd do the same thing all over again.

However, what she's proposing is absolutely idiotic if her goal is to protect poor schools. They're the most over funded in the country. Does she really want to take money away from poor underprivileged minority children? What a heartless bitch.

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Offline dixierose

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

Star Member Remember Me (1,117 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
7. I now declare that IT IS MORALLY WRONG to allow schools to have different

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funding. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST BE EQUALLY FUNDED.

And it must start NOW.




I know that my school district voted for a 1% Special Local Option Sales Tax in order to help improve the schools here. I guess that should be "outlawed" too?
When Harry Truman was President of the United States, he had a sign on his desk in the White House that said: "The buck stops here." If Barack Obama had a sign on his desk, it would say: "The buck stops with Bush." - Thomas Sowell

Offline Maxiest

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From your source:


Wowzers!!! I apologize... I had to read and re-read over the post to figure out where I went wrong.  I just saw sharkhawks reference to Wiki, looked at Wiki which actually has it correct.

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The racial makeup of the village was 1.77% White, 95.89% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 1.16% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.52% of the population.

Then I had like three tabs open from different sources, and when I was typing I confused myself.

Wiki is correct, sharkhawk is correct, and the DUmmie is wrong.  I am not sure where they got their info other than just completely making it up.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2012, 03:28:15 PM by Maxiest »
"The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither; the society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both."

"Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program."

"We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork."

-Milton Friedman

Offline BEG

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I know that my school district voted for a 1% Special Local Option Sales Tax in order to help improve the schools here. I guess that should be "outlawed" too?

We have a "robin hood" tax in our area (Leander, Texas), they take tax dollars from our area and give it to poor areas.

Here is some info on Robbin Hood (and some info on vouchers for the people on DU):

LINK

If I quoted too much of this article please edit my post mods.


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1.       Legalize real school choice

School choice is inevitable.  All government can do is try to slow it down, like the boy with his finger in the dike.  Home schooling is growing at about a 10 percent rate per year.  More private schools are being built all the time.  Not only do religious institutions provide private education, but there has been a tremendous growth in companies filling the void to bring private schools to the education market without any religious affiliation.  

Some would say that private schools are only for the wealthy.  However, the most vocal supporters of school choice are those with the most meager means.  There are single mothers working 2 and 3 jobs in a desperate effort to take their children out of dangerous and low performing government schools into higher quality private schools.  They are getting put in jail for putting their child in another school district to escape the one they live in.

I have been associated with an organization called Children’s Educational Opportunity.  Its purpose is to provide scholarships to families under the poverty level so that their children can attend private schools.  The waiting lists are much longer than the supply.  Why? Again, because those with meager means are begging for choice.

In the 1950s, an economics professor named Dr. Milton Friedman mentioned the idea of using vouchers for supporting school choice.  Government would refund part of the taxes families pay to their schools if they decide to apply it toward tuition in a school of their choice.  Since that time, there has been a significant spread of vouchers throughout the nation.  

The 2 most common objections to vouchers are:

Vouchers take money from government schools
Vouchers use taxes to support churches, violating the first amendment

The refutation of the first argument is that if the voucher refunds a portion of the taxes paid, the district makes money.  Having fewer students reduces costs such as staff, classrooms, and administration.  So the school would receive taxation without incurring the cost.

The refutation of the second argument is that not all private schools are church schools.  As stated before, because of the demand in choice more private schools are coming to market with no religious affiliation.  Additionally, it is the parents deciding where their money goes, not politicians.  The notion that this is a form of government funding of religion is dubious at best.

An argument Libertarians sometimes use is that when government sends money to schools, there will be strings attached.  That is why politicians force teachers to comply with mandated testing.  With vouchers there would have to be some way for government to determine what qualifies as a school. The concern is that this would lead to complete government control of all education.  However, this does not preclude other schools that don’t qualify to still attract parents to pay a tuition because it is the preferred choice.

There are other forms of educational choice.  Some like Education Savings Accounts where people can put their money into a tax deferred account to use toward education.  Regardless of the form, the cost of state government funding of education in Texas needs to be reduced by allowing families to opt out.  The future growth of education will be in the private, not government, sector.  The sooner legislators realize this, the better for parents, students, and the state budget.

2.       Eliminate the business margins tax

A new tax was introduced in the 2007 state legislative session in order to raise new revenue for education.  While it may be characterized as a modification of the existing business franchise tax, it amounted to a new tax and compliance burden on businesses in Texas.  The tax was designed to tax the profits (margins) a business makes and dedicate that revenue to K-12 education.  The initial problem was the compliance cost.  The system was so complex and misunderstood that the state comptroller had to issue several delays in filing deadlines because nobody could figure out how to fill out the paperwork.  I have a business entity that received no corporate revenue yet it was a complete mystery between me and my accountant how to file a form and comply with the law.  While cost of compliance is a detriment to operating a business in Texas, even if it were efficient the tax burden can be deadly.  Many small businesses get sticker shock at their bill and struggle to survive.  The final straw is that the tax is not yielding its intended results.  The revenue from this tax is falling well below the promise.

Damaging the economy and threatening jobs is not a defensible way of funding education.  Taxation, if it must exist, should be direct and straight forward so that people know what they are buying.  Elimination of an indirect and obtuse means of funding education through business profits makes Texas healthier economically.

3.       Eliminate Robin Hood

The popular perception of Robin Hood was that he stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and that is the concept of school funding in Texas.  Under the state constitution, the state must provide public education funding.  The interpretation of how this funding is to be provided is much debated and has been the source of significant court and legislative activity.  Regardless, Texas has a system in place to presumably equalize funding through a program referred to as Robin Hood.

Under this system, school districts that are deemed to be wealthy must send their money to districts deemed to be poor.  In effect, me and my fellow residents in the Lago Vista school district are not only taxed to fund our school district, but several others.  While this idea may appeal to your sense of fairness, the unintended consequences are that the so called wealthy school districts are prevented from funding their school district.  This is due to the fact that the state constitution also limits a school district on its taxation.  Many wealthy school districts operate at the maximum tax rate allowed by law.  If additional funding is needed, they are out of luck.  Meanwhile, the appraisal of wealthy and poor districts is well known to be dubious.  Wealthy districts are required to be audited by law routinely to determine how much funding they must provide to poor districts.  However, the appraisals of the presumed poor districts which get the money are much looser. The end result is a system that requires a heavy bureaucratic burden to operate, is dubious on its fairness, and presents obstacles for the wealthy districts to fund their operation.

It is time to bring to an end the notion of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.  A system based on theft cannot be just.

4.       Eliminate school district tax caps

This is the least appealing part of the proposal to Libertarians, but it is essential.  

As mentioned in the previous section on Robin Hood, the Texas constitution limits the tax rate school districts can apply.  When a school district needs to hire more teachers and build more classrooms, their options are limited.  That means more pressure is put upon the state government to distribute money across all the districts.  Instead of having the school districts responsible for funding their schools, the responsibility is put on the state government.  That is why every 2 years the legislature wrestles with school funding.

Libertarians like to limit government, and imposing tax limits is certainly a Libertarian concept.  However, the cap on school districts just replaces a local tax burden with a state tax burden.  

If a school district does not have a limit on its tax rate, it is up to the voters in that district to decide who will represent them on the school board and what their tax rate will be.  That gets the state government out of the school funding role.  Then legislators will get 29 percent of their budget problem removed.

Our federal government is setup under the concept of federalism.  It means we are supposed to have a small federal government, but under the 10th amendments the states reserved the ability to have their own policies.  To apply this concept toward school districts, it should be up to the districts to determine their policies and taxation, not a central state government.  It is a matter of local control.  As a former city council member, I often encountered cases where our city could not make a decision because the state or federal government impose their decision on us.  Let local school districts make their own decisions and get the state government out of the school funding mess.

These 4 components are my comprehensive proposal:

Legalize real school choice
Eliminate the business margins tax
Eliminate Robin Hood
Eliminate school district tax caps

I believe part 4 is the most difficult.  It requires a constitutional amendment and would be fiercely opposed by conservatives and many Libertarians.  Additionally, the amendment may have to go farther to the more fundamental perception that the state constitution mandates funding must ensure fair and equal across the state.  However, there may be a compromise.  What if there is no chance of changing the state constitution?  That means the state government must continue to fund schools.  If that is so, let us introduce choice the way much of Europe does.  Have the state collect taxes for education and give it to parents.  Let the parents choose the schools.  The money follows the child.  Perhaps many of these European nations surpass us in education because they are allowing parents to choose.  

Lastly, education will be stifled if choice is for parents and not for teachers.  Teachers today are demotivated by government funding which mandates standardized tests.  Teachers are discouraged from using their skill and passion and instead micro-managed by politicians telling them how to teach.    Education will work best if teachers are free to use their skills and talents.

The solution to education, as with anything, is liberty.  Liberty is the answer.  Embrace choice and we will solve the budget problem while yielding the best possible education.

Further references:

1) John Stosssel "Stupid in America": http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338

2) Texas Public Policy Foundation legislative guide to education: http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2011-EducationGrowth-CEP.pdf

3) Leander School District trustee commentary: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/waggoner-will-legislative-budget-cuts-push-the-states-1226013.html

 

Offline dixierose

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I'm sure this has been said before; but the whole school choice thing ticks me off to no end. First of all, school choice will only HELP those in the poorer districts. Secondly, the Dems are all for a mother's choice to kill her own child, but against letting a mother choose where to send her child to school? hmmmm....
When Harry Truman was President of the United States, he had a sign on his desk in the White House that said: "The buck stops here." If Barack Obama had a sign on his desk, it would say: "The buck stops with Bush." - Thomas Sowell

Offline Ballygrl

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Thorson had been suspended one week before her death due to an allegation that she had cursed at a student. Her family told the Chicago Tribune that she was worried about having become a target of the school administration and about being fired.


Just said a Prayer for this Teacher, but I have to say these are the results of the regressives and political correctness in our society. So what a kid got yelled at by a Teacher? I got smacked by the Nuns and yelled at like almost every other kid in my class, didn't affect my self-esteem at all, but in the regressive utopia that's a no no because God forbid Johnny and Janie's self esteem be affected.
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline Airwolf

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Its been about ten years since I heard this but on one of the local talk radio shows on KKAR in Omaha they had a show devoted to the Omaha School Districts Budget and how much it is. I remember the host the late Steve Brown talking and he said the entire budget was somewhere between 3.8 and 4 Million DOLAARS. More then the entire operational budget for the city. I was pissed because there is no way a singal school district should have more money to operate with then a city of over 500,000 in it.

The school have no streets,no fire departments, no cops and sewers to maintain so where would all that money go to? It wasn't and still isn't going to educate the kids that's for sure. It's going to administrators and overpaid,tenured teachers that don't educate and are barely more then barnacles on the bottom of a ship. Is long past the time to make schools and their employees accountable for the results of their policies and the same for parents. The parents are not holding the schools to a decent standard and the schools are failing to teach at that level.
MOLON LABE

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Offline Ballygrl

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Response to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

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7. I now declare that IT IS MORALLY WRONG to allow schools to have different

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funding. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST BE EQUALLY FUNDED.

And it must start NOW.

That's been happening here in NJ and the results are still the same in the urban areas, they still under-perform, and to pay for it my Property Taxes have tripled and are driving me out!
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats

Offline Ballygrl

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It's not money that's needed, we've been throwing money at the problem for decades now, it's Parental involvement, baby mommy and baby daddy need to marry and have a healthy structure before they bring mommydaddy baby into the world, instead of pawning their kids off on the system they need to help them with their homework and provide a healthy environment which includes a SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT! 
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"The nation that couldn’t be conquered by foreign enemies has been conquered by its elected officials" odawg Free Republic in reference to the GOP Elites who are no difference than the Democrats