I’ve been seeing ads in the local papers from “Larry Lins and Concerned Citizens” all week, demanding that you vote No on the Elcho School District Referendum. There are a couple of problems with Larry’s ads. Let’s take a look. Larry, if you want to follow along, visit http://www.elcho.k12.wi.us/ref-info.html for a little free education.
Larry’s ad states, “Other districts cutting back – Not Elcho!” That’s patently false, Larry, and that makes you a liar. For the 2008-2009 school year, the impact of the Revenue Limits on Elcho students was:
* The loss of 1 Middle School teacher
* The loss of 1 Spanish Language/Alternative Education teacher
* The loss of 1 Elementary teacher
* Reduction of District Administrator to 1/2 time
* Reduced Family/Consumer Education classes
* Reduced Business Education classes
Larry’s ad exhorts, “Why no layoffs? Why are we hiring?” See the above listing, Larry. Any hiring done by Elcho was only to partially replace losses through retirement and resignations. Note the 1/2-time District Administrator. You CAN do math, can’t you Larry?
Larry flares, “In this economic time everyone is making cuts – how can we ask the taxpayers to spend more money when the belt should be tightened.” I have to point out, there’s a difference between a belt and a noose, Larry.
First, if you don’t spend it on education, you’ll wind up spending it on welfare, social services, unemployment checks, prisons, and increased medical care. That’s the “Total Cost” view. There is ultimately a huge bottom-line cost to the entire society for neglecting education.
Second, the cost, considering the consequences, is well worth it. The owner of a $100,000 home may expect to pay an additional $118 over THREE YEARS when the referendum goes through. I’ll help you with the math — that’s an average of $39.33 per year, less than the cost of a carton of cigarettes, or a dinner for two at a local restaurant. We’re not talking about blowing your retirement nest-egg, Larry.
Finally, the ad admonishes, “Elcho school will not be closed – That is a scare tactic!” Right, it WOULD be a scare tactic if anyone had ever said, or printed, “Vote for this referendum or we’ll be forced to close the school.” However, no one, except Larry Lins, has made such a claim. That’s called a “Straw Horse”, Larry, making up your own outrageous statement and claiming it’s from the opposition and then wailing “ain’t that awful!”
Go to the web site, read the information, and think about it. Your “Concerned Citizens” need to be concerned about more than the pain of forfeiting a couple of cases of beer a year to support education in our community.
—-
Referendum approved! My congratulations to my friends and neighbors in the Elcho School District for their determination to give all our kids the best education we can provide. It takes courage to bite the bullet in these tough economic times and be willing to dig a deeper into the torn and frayed pockets to assure a future vision. I’m proud of my community for making the decision on the basis of facts and analysis, instead of caving in to emotional appeals and shadowy fears of the unexamined darkness.
Is it just me or do the number of votes look a little funny? Total votes 1,408. Population of Elcho/Post Lake 1,137. Of that 1,137 people 169 are under the age of 18.
Of course I am looking at 2,000 census numbers. Those might be outdated. Elcho school district also includes Monico, Pelican Lake, Enterprise, Summit Lake, and a few other small towns. I did not count those. There must have been on hell of voter turn out.
Either Way, I am happy for Elcho School. Just that I find the voter number quite interesting when the media only reported a 15 to 20% turn out.
The people in Monico, Pelican Lake, Enterprise, and a few other small towns and densely-populated areas like Bass Lake definitely like to be counted, especially at the polling booth, it seems. I wonder if Larry will sue for a recount, or just move to Merrill where the school budget referendum was defeated?
I have some issues with School Referendums.
I think Obama’s intentions are to Federal and Socialize the school systems. There are already hundreds of billions in dollars in stimulus packages allocated to schools. We will have to pay for this for a long time.. So will our kids, grandkids, and probably several generations yet to come. I would rather see MY money go local and serve MY area. If we don’t fight for it some other school 2,000 miles away WILL get it.
My point is people voted for Obama, they wanted schools Federalized.. The federal funding is there.. Get the money from the Federal system and not the local system. We’ll see how that works out for them.
Yes.. I am happy the referendum passed, but if more federal money is dished out I will not vote for any further referendums in the future.
“Obama’s intentions are to Federal and Socialize the school systems”?! Obama?!
First, it was Bush who pushed No Child Left Behind through the GOP Congress. You remember that one, don’t you? It set Federal standards for local schools, and penalized schools that didn’t meet the one-size-fits-all standards, and neglected to fund the whole thing adequately, forcing the fill on local governments. That was Bush, not Obama.
The billions of dollars in stimulus funds that we and our kids will have to pay for is because of the economic disaster that the fiscally inept Bush and the GOP Congress handed over to Obama. The stimulus funds are the finger in the dike, to prevent an economic disaster that the next four generations would have to pay for if it were allowed to happen.
“Cause and effect” are really not difficult concepts, and are taught in the critical thinking exercises conducted by elementary and secondary education systems that are citizen-funded well enough to afford competent teachers. With all the taxes we pay, I don’t know why we have to keep running into people who apparently didn’t do their homework when they were supposed to.
Yes.. Bush did that.. Took the Department of Education and Doubled it.
Took No child left behind but never followed up with it. We should have learned from Bush’s mistakes that Federalizing education is not the way to go.
Now this BOZO in office wants to double it Again. Ever call the Department of Education? Nobody can answer a single question. You get bounced around from department to department. After spending all day on the phone you give up.
Technically we did not have a “Recession” yet.. A “Recession” is 2 consecutive quarters of Negative GDP growth. Hence the “Recession” is another buzzword (like Global Warming, War On Terror, New world Order). It was used to put people into Panic. Push an agenda, and take away our rights of free enterprise and capitalism.
We had a housing hiccup our politicians and Media took the problem and enhanced it 200 times. Even our beloved President last week said “its not nearly as bad as we initially thought.”
millions out of jobs lost, homes lost, trillions of dollars spent, millions of businesses going under all because of media hype and our politicians (both republican and democrat) calling this “the worst economic downturn since the great Depression.. ” Creating Panic. This downturn still isn’t close to what happened in the 70′s and 80′s. Eventually people will catch on, and the markets will BOOM.. But I am worried about the massive amounts of newly printed Dollars. When they go into circulation we are going to have some massive inflation problems. Either we will need to dramatically raise rates, raise taxes, or both.
You can blame every President and every administration all the way down to Kennedy for this. They each laid out a domino. Bush with excessive spending made the dominos fall.
But getting back on topic.. My point is some of the local school districts have made little attempts to get stimulus money from the Federal Government to help with the shortfall. I am not sure what Elcho, Merrill, and Northland Pines did.
I think one thing you may agree with me on is we as citizens SHOULD volunteer time researching and find what Federal Money is available to help support our schools. Federal money is our money. If we don’t take it, someone else WILL. Take 15 minutes away from Facebook, MySpace, Pogo or whatever it is you do on the internet and see if something is out there.
One thing we do NOT agree on is the “Bozo in office” comment. The Bozo has left the office, and has returned to Texas where his inarticulate gut-thinking swaggering anti-science style is more appreciated.
So tell me.. Obama (Bush Jr.) has no intentions of ending the war in Iraq. Has absolutely no intentions of repealing the Patriot Act. Has no intentions of ending Gitmo. But yet is asking Congress for another 87 Billion for Iraq. Remember he got elected to the Senate..The dems were talking big saying they were going to end the war ONCE AND FOR ALL by cutting off Bush with funding. Remember that? If this war was to benefit Bush and BIG OIL.. Why aren’t we ending it instead of making Bush more rich? Bush Jr (Obama) took the patriot act and expanded it by making all credit card transactions reported by the IRS. Yep.. He is a bozo.. By the way he will never shut down Gitmo. The year will come and go and he will sit empty handed. MARK MY WORDS.
This is all from a person when he campaigned he said “Now is the time. There is no time for tomorrow”..
If my clients demanded “CHANGE” I will work day and night until they get the change they want. Nothing has changed. Odumma is a Bozo.
“Nothing has changed.” Wow. You have clearly no concept of how change, and process, works. And look at all the Limbaugh-esque wise-crack name-calling. That’s a clear sign of non-thinkus-mentus, with prejudicial complications. If you have no grasp of the facts, just shoot off some fireworks….
Here’s the homework you missed in school –
http://attitudeadjustment.tripod.com/Books/Logic.htm
I doubt that I will be responding to your diatribe monologues in the future. It would be like trying to have a civil discussion with Rush Limbaugh.
I think I have a concept how change and process works. Its been quite sometime since I buzzed in. And no.. I am not a huge fan of Bush either. In the last 6 months rather than throwing Bush Policy and Doctrine in the toilet.. Obummer has taken almost every single Bush policy and EXPANDED it. But that’s all perfectly fine because Obama is a Democrat and because he wears a blue shirt instead of Red that makes it OK.
Instead of hijacking a thread.. I’ll sort of get back on topic.. Elcho School has taken advantage of just about every Bush grant available. Now there are rumors programs like “reading first” is bankrupt and this very well could be the last year funding is available. Grants for Teacher’s Aids, Title 1, were all beefed up under Bush.. They are all under threat to be squashed or severely limited under this administration. We not talking about a few bucks here and there. Elcho will probably need another Referendum again within the next year or two.
Maybe the Democrats have better ideas, and more grants to replace those that will be dropped. Congress only has another year to prove themselves otherwise they will be voted out.. The other evil party takes over. With an approval rating of 26% its going to happen. We are going to be deadlocked with a Republican Congress and a Democrat President. So whatever doesn’t get finished in 2010, will likely sit until 2013. I try to remain positive.. But Public Schools and Homeschooling seems to be a much better option for education these days.
Looking at the Elcho School Announcements today.. This is what was posted..
Nice to know our tax dollars went to a school where almost half of the High School enrollment has at least one “F” this Quarter.
“*** Attention 7-12 Students
Yesterday I went through Power School to check all of your grades. Fifty-eight students are currently earning 1 or more F(s). Please keep in mind that 1st semester grades earn credits and you will be really hurting yourself if you do not pass your classes. See your teachers, or me, Mrs. Jacobs if you need some help.”
You seem to have missed the point that the school is pushing to help those students improve. What would you do — just cut off all support? Did you make it through school without getting any “F’s”? In fact, did you make it through school at all?
Another option, followed by a number of Texas school districts inspired by the Bush “No Child Left Behind” fiasco, is to simply fudge a bit on the grades, and don’t hand out any “F’s”. That would seem to solve your complaint about spending tax dollars on schools where students are allowed to received admonitory “F’s”, wouldn’t it?
Of course, that’s not a particularly intelligent solution, but that criticism would seem not to disqualify it from your consideration.
If I told you where I went to school, and what my grades are you wouldn’t believe me anyway.
Bottom line is the number one concern for any business these days. A school is a business. Our children are being used as pawns. They are quick to get labeled. More labeling, more Government funding. There should be no reason these students are receiving F’s.. A class of 20 children has a teacher, a few teacher’s aids, and a Title One Teacher. Its different than the days when ONE teacher does everything. The point I am making everything the Government touches turns to do-do. Also, our Children in the Public School system are being brainwashed into beliveing Liberalism and Socialism is the answer to our problems.. George Bush was a Liberal in many ways incluing education. Liberal programs never work.
You have an interesting view of the educational objectives and process. It’s skewed, and disconnected from reality, but interesting nonetheless. It’s kind of like watching a train wreck — you really don’t want to see it, but you can’t take your eyes away from it….
Be afraid, “simplemind”, be very afraid. For I deal with these little labeled pawns, down in the ditches, on the front line, as one of those nasty, government-paid teachers. Your tax money helps me devote my time and energies to shaping their morals and minds, so they can protect themselves from the inept analysis and faulty reasoning folks like you spew at them.
Be afraid of what?? the Boogieman? Elcho is a Poverty district. Many people are gladly giving up a fishing or hunting license this year in order to pay for the Referendum. There are some who won’t be able to register a 2nd car for that tax increase. Most of them are not complaining. They want the students to have more than what they were able to get out of life. These students owe it to the supporters to give them a good return on that investment. If the students are not passing they are not only hurting themselves, but hurting the future of Elcho’s largest employer. If students decide to not utilize the system to its full potential, they lose it. Also spoil it for those who want to make use of it. In my opinion there is no time for bright students to fail. If (heaven forbid) our Country goes bankrupt or our Dollar goes into collapse, one can bet there will be a period of time when Student Loans and Pell Grants are not going to be there.. Finishing High School and moving on to the next level should be the priority.
I hold a grudge against Public schools because of horror stories from my childhood. To this day I have flashbacks and my life is affected by it in a negative way. I hope and prey that no child has to go through with what happened with me. I didn’t grow up in Elcho. Elcho was not the blame. The problem wasn’t entirely school. I also blame my parents for not becoming more involved. You would be surprised to know I did support the last referendum. I am not expecting perfection, but I expect better results. You are correct Elcho should not sugarcoat the grades like other cities do. If students with good grades end up failing College exams, that opens another can of worms.
“Elcho is a poverty district”? Compared to what? I’d like to see your math on that. From your previous math, asserting that 58 students is almost one-half of a high school student body of 153, I would guess that your figures could use some checking.
I’m not surprised to hear that you supported the referendum. I think you really want to be on the right side of things. I’m sorry you had a tough time in school, but that’s not reason to harbor any ill will towards today’s schools. As a teacher, I, too, expect better results, and strive to achieve them with every student.
I’m glad you brought up one of the key factors for success — parental involvement! I hope you can spread that lesson, so hard-learned, to others.
Well. I think Elcho is low income. Elcho School district is the only district that I know of that offers Free Breakfast for all students. They would not receive the Federal grant to do it if it wasn’t. I am not knocking the program, just giving an example.
On the other hand, thanks for being nice after I blew off some steam. I am also not happy with how the Federal Government made a larger mess out of education. In fact I am outraged about it. Do you think the education system might be better if the Federal Government totally got out of it? Just left it up to state and local government to oversee it? I suppose there are pros and cons either way.
There’s no question that Elcho is a low-income area. But that said, you have to admit that the district is wringing good value out of every nickel it can get. The board, the staff, the community at large cares about its kids, and it shows. That even affects the kids, to the point where they care about each other, even take care of each other, more than kids in any school system I’ve seen.
The main problem with keeping the Federal government out of education is the huge disparity among local governments in terms of what resources they can apply to education. I know that “distribute the wealth” is considered an evil concept in some circles, but without some way to make sure that kids in poor areas have the same chance at a decent education that kids in wealthy area enjoy, we’d be doing a disservice to children everywhere. Add to that the tendency of isolated local governments to “go their own way” in matters of science, technology, and social issues, and you’d have a formula for breeding discrimination and ignorance on a massive scale.
It ain’t perfect, but it’s the best we’ve been able to come up with, so far.
……. http://monclerblog.blog4ever.com ……
very good, your website web site theme is actually great, I am seeking for any new layout style for my own website, I like yours, now I am going to go search the similar theme!…