255 replies to this topic

[Bill]

Painful is the best term I can come up with.

A few takeaways, Joe said repeatedly last night, that one of the goals for the grade schools 'marriages' was social and economic equity. He said that the worst performing school was Diven, and they chose to 'marry' it to Hendy as that was the Highest performing school. One of the reasons for this 'marriage' was that there needed to be social equity in public education. Poor kids needed to be in school with rich kids, kids who did not want to be in school at all (Diven), needed to be in school with kids who wanted to be there (Hendy). He admitted that it was an experiment, and that they had no idea if it would work or not, but that it was important to make sure that there was social equity.

So, my take away on that is, Kids from Hendy will be punished for coming from families who care more about their children's education, who spend more time ensuring their kids get a better education and who are more affluent. While kids from Diven, will continue on not caring much about school, as wil their parents.

I wonder though, do you think with half a school filled with kids who don't care about school, will it affect the kids who want to be there? I am sooooo very happy my kids are not subjected to the experiments of 'educators' like this, all in the name of social equity.

Renee tossed a curveball into the whole shebang by stating at the 11th hour that she had super-secret information about saving the 6th grade, the calls for "new data needs to be looked at' outweighed the voices of "We need to get this done. Look for a protracted mess that will not change the outcome but will cause unbelievable hardship on students.

But, in the end, we all have realized, this whole debacle is not about the student t all. So I guess that really doesn't matter, does it?

[smooth]

He admitted that it was an experiment, and that they had no idea if it would work or not, but that it was important to make sure that there was social equity.

Didn't they used to call this "Integration" and "Forced Busing" back in the day?

[MattfromHH]

I predict an upswing in "For Sale" signs in West Elmira.

[Bill]

Could be, seems more kids need to be sacrificed on the altar of social equity. I am extremely happy my kids are not included.

[PiedPiper]

Okay quick question. If they are marrying schools based on performance then the 2nd rated school and the 7th rated schools should be partnered as well and the 3rd and 6th and so on. That would actually provide the most pertinent information in an experiment not just the pairing of the two extremes. I don't want to hear that it is due to geographies either because it is just as far from the far reaches of Hendy's district to that of Diven as it would be from Fassett to Coburn and Beecher to to Broadway. Second if they are going to put all the highschool kids together at Southside then why not put all the middle school kids together at Academy. You could then close Pine City and put all of those kids at Broadway. Thus reducing a building.

[PiedPiper]

I predict an upswing in "For Sale" signs in West Elmira.

No kidding. I think I asked this before but I would love to know the amount of the tax base paid for by the respective towns (Elmira, Southport) versus the city not including the businesses.

[girlyperks]

I see a rise in the amount of babymommas Elmira produces

Affluent little bastards they'll be too

[felixthecat]

Once again those who strive and work for the ability to move into a better neighborhood by paying a higher amount for the property and a higher amount in taxes are punished for it.People in the Hendy distric worked their butts of so they wouldn't have to live in the DIven neighborhood and subject their kids to that school enviorment.Now their telling them well you are getting put there anyway because we need your "good" kids to teach those who have parents that could care less.Yep that sounds really like a good concept.Where do these idiots come up with this garbage?

[Bill]

Hey, this is the cutting edge of Teaching Theory. Communal punishment for wealth, it is all part of social equity.

[Chuck]

You will never achieve social equity . It can't be done . A better experiment (like they should be experimenting) would be to put all the achievers in one school and all the dumbasses in another iregardless of social or economic standing . Competetion breeds excellence ,equality breeds mediocratcy

[tony]

You will never achieve social equity . It can't be done

Sure it can, just have to beat everyone into the mud.

A better experiment (like they should be experimenting) would be to put all the achievers in one school and all the dumbasses in another iregardless of social or economic standing . Competetion breeds excellence ,equality breeds mediocratcy

Absolute brilliance, no way it will ever be tried in the public schools.

[Bill]

I think the brain trust believe that magically the kids who are motivated will somehow motivate the unmotivatable.

It is like all these educated people forget the base properties of entropy, motivated kids work hard, kids who do not care do not. Which do you think will overtake the other?

Yeah, this was not a hard quiz.

[jgault]

I think now is the time to get serious about starting a charter school in Elmira. I've gone through a lot of the applications to the state, and researched the process. It looks formidable and not very quick, but doable with a dedicated group of leaders, organizers and educators.

[Bill]

I would love to hear the proposal, but fear, from what I have seen of the unions and local government, that it would be unsuccessful.

It isn't about the best education for kids, it is about the public school system. The public school system must be protected at all costs, up to and including the kids.

[smooth]

Absolute brilliance, no way it will ever be tried in the public schools.

Well, some public school districts do it. It's called a Magnet School.

[HippySkippy]

I've been telling my wife that these changes are OK and everything will work out. Well, everything is not OK. Merging schools for social equity as an experiment is not OK with me. I guess that explains why the NAACP was involved. So does this experiment really save money? Or was that just the pitch angle and it really cost money leading to lay offs and tax increase.

[girlyperks]

I think it's funny to watch the local wealth trying to build a social wall to protect a public school in their neighborhood so that their brood can be separate and above other children in other schools in Elmira. Its hilarious to think that any public school should be coddled due to its neighborhood location in little Elmira.

Close the Pine City school entirely, move those students to Broadway and Parley Coburn. That's a good use for the new buses they just couldn't live without.

The lower eastside goes west and the concerns of the west simply can go to hell?

Welcome to the real world west Elmira

[felixthecat]

I think it's funny to watch the local wealth trying to build a social wall to protect a public school in their neighborhood so that their brood can be separate and above other children in other schools in Elmira. Its hilarious to think that any public school should be coddled due to its neighborhood location in little Elmira.

Close the Pine City school entirely, move those students to Broadway and Parley Coburn. That's a good use for the new buses they just couldn't live without.

The lower eastside goes west and the concerns of the west simply can go to hell?

Welcome to the real world west Elmira

You know why property cost more in better neighborhoods? cause people are willing to pay to get away from the bottom to get to the top.Maybe not to your likeing but it is what it is.We pay for privilage in this country might want to get used too it.

[Bill]

Is whipping the rich kids optional, or can we make that mandatory? Cuz, you know, those rich kids deserve a little pain every day.

[Chuck]

Class warfare has even decsended to education . No wonder this country is so screwed up .