Quotes are taken from a message written by Regina to Charles on 07/22/96...
RF>Oh I have been to the meetings.  The board member put alot of effort on
RF>themselves for awards on achieving the certificates they are suppose to
RF>have.  They give awards on children who achieve acknowledgement for
RF>MEAP tests (mine was one) which of course makes the school system look
RF>good.  But unfortunately you are right.  And as a parent when you open
RF>your mouth it is Oh, I will look into it.  We will discuss that at the
RF>next meeting, or whatever baboon answer they want to give.  And of course
RF>most of the parents who do have problems don't go to these meetings which
RF>in turn doesn't help change the system.
I don't blame the board of education members as much as I blame the 
system.  Except for a few big cities here in New York State, board 
members serve without pay - if they give themselves a free trip or two 
each year, I think that is a perk some of them have probably earned.  
BUT, the system is political - those who get elected are those who make 
the biggest promises with little or no regard for the actual way in 
which schools run.  As I mentioned earlier, our medium sized district 
(2,700 kids K-12) spends $21,000,000 a year and the board members don't 
have to have any qualifications nor do they even need to get any 
training after being elected.  Now that's a sad state of affairs.
RF>Our teachers are pretty well respected around here, except that they
RF>are not going to get smaller classroom size and some to the help they
RF>need to give a quality education.
Our school district is the largest employer in the area and it pays 
considerably better than most of the small businesses around.  Many of  
our residents equate teaching with blue collar jobs and don't understand 
why teachers are paid more than $10 an hour.  Less than 10% of our 
residents have any college training and don't understand the investment 
that goes into getting that degree.
RF>Unfortunately, our city wanted to get a Bond to update our school and 
RF>the community won't go for it.
That's common in our area right now as well.  The current blast in our 
local newspapers (letters to the editor, editorials, etc.) is that the 
staff is so well paid, THEY should pay for the school improvements.
RF>My mother is from Germany and you should see how intelligent she is.
RF>She is intelligent because as you say education is very important.
RF>English is a required language.  There are alot more things there to
RF>support that everyone will get a good education.  But they are also
RF>smaller countries.  Well the philosophy of taking the beam out of
RF>your own eye before to help take the beam out of a fellow man's eye
RF>is not the US's philosophy.  Therefore, we will continue to have many
RF>problems throughout our history.
In some cases cutting costs today increases the promise of even larger 
problems tomorrow.  If we don't educate and protect our children today, 
they will be a serious drain on our society tomorrow.
Chuck
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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* UniQWK #5290* Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of reason.
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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