Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

On the Other Hand

The middle school math and science scores worry me too. Orginally, I thought it was possible we had a class or poets, not physists. That's statistically possible. But they have caught up with the previous classes in Jr High and High school, at least judging by their next testing scores. If it were isolated to a single class of kids, you would expect a similiar tend throughout their school career. It's not happening that way. Second, this problem has persisted over several classes. That's scary.

Conclusion: we need to grab the BOE by the lapels and shake them real hard. The system has failed and continues to fail over a long period of time. It's time now to start firing middle school math and science teachers. If the bridge falls down, the engineer goes to jail. If little Suzy can't explain E equals M C squared, then you don't make your house payments.

What we're doing now isn't working--so let's change it

I agree

In principle, I agree with you, the system isn't working.

However, my belief is that the system IS working for the kids that are not ''at risk'', but ISN'T working for those that need the extra help.

My belief is that there needs to be a renewed emphasis on the the at risk kids. I know for a fact that the budget that was approved had monies allocated for six new intervention specialist positions, however, the new superintendent axed it down to only two new positions.

In my opinion, to even consider spending money for a new football stadium or an eighth lane for the Central running track is beyond belief. Let's get the reading, writing, and arithmetic up to par before spending money on the extracuriculars.

Double standards

Bert and Jim

It seems very hypocritical that you don't want to spend any Capital money on a football stadium at Central yet you have stood by silently as the board bought 60 acres when they only needed 43 acres. Land anywhere in this district is expensive. Actually they had land to build the elementary at the North Complex and they choose to build on newly purchased lands. So they really only needed 25 acres. Is it any wonder that the school levy folks have a hard time convincing the voters to pass operating levies when they get screwed regularly with the capital bonds issues?

The fact is once the three schools are built the board can stop spending operating monies to fund the capital classrooms. More money can actually go to funding the needed teachers for those at risk kids.

For the life of I me can't understand why this board can waste the taxpayer's money in the North district and NO ONE SAYS a word. Yet let us bring up the idea for an adequate facilities at Central and OHHHH MY GOD we need to think about education.

Clearly there is a double standard at work here.

My experience


Jim,

Good to hear from you again. Let me pass along my experiences with Ridgeview junior high school. My girl just completed tenure there. She is an average student with average skills, average drive and average results. She is not an athlete but participated in music. She was totally lost between the cracks. She was totally ignored by the teachers. Those that got attention were the over-achievers and those who, for various reasons, were probably considered at-risk. Despite Mrs. Central Dad and my constant involvement with the staff at Ridgeview, we were seldom made aware of issues with our daughter?’s performance until interim reports or grade cards came out.

We (collectively all Ridgeview parents) had to endure vicious fights and other altercations by pseudo-gang members. We had to endure sexual harassment of students by students. We had to hear tales of bullying. We had to hear about athletes who were given much more than special consideration. In other words, Ridgeview has become a lot like some inner-city Columbus public schools that get media attention. The main difference of course is always in Pickerington we have iron-clad deniability. These black on black and harassment and bullying issues simply do not exist. Kids are assaulted and the schools refuse to call a squad. Why? Because that would involve an official report ?– for an incident that never happened. Kids are caught committing crimes but the police are not called. Why? Because that would involve an official report ?– for an incident that never happened.

School staff had to expend so much time and energy dealing with issues like these and much more that they were unable to spend as much time as we would like educating our children. There are also problems within the staff itself. There is quite a rift between the principal and the teachers. There are issues with Lew Stemen and how the staff perceives his roles and responsibilities when it comes his influence on their careers.

When teachers were not exhausted from breaking up fights or staunching bloody noses, they came back to the classroom and took the path of least resistance. They were able to connect with the high achieving students and let?’s face it; some of the only personal reward they can derive from their jobs in the environment they are subjected to is the success of these students. It?’s only human nature that they would focus on possible successes and minimize failures. The average performers were simply passed on to the next grade to let the next team of teachers see if they could do better. The lowest performers were also passed on simply because they were tired of dealing with them in any case. Kids who were expelled for violence (yeah right ?– expulsion, that?’s a whole other posting) in 7th grade returned for 8th. Those expelled in 8th, lo and behold, showed up for 9th. The cycle continues.

The school report card will continue its downward slide in this school year. Put your self in your kid?’s shoes for a day. You are at an age where you require the most sleep you ever will. You are at the peak of your growing. You could eat continually. You get up at 5 in the morning. If you are lucky, you showered and packed your lunch last might. If you are a girl (my experience) you are required by ?“girl law?” to apply makeup, do your hair and change outfits at least twice. You have to be out to the bus no later than 6. If you were very lucky, you got to eat breakfast and if you were even luckier, it was healthier than a pop tart on the walk to the bus stop. You then have to endure all the pandemonium you are exposed to on the bus ride.

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