[Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
Jerry Weitz
gweitz at moscow.com
Fri Jan 26 21:12:52 PST 2007
Tony, Judging from your all to common experience with the disconnect
between a college degree and the realities of making a living, allow me to
render a few observations.
First: about 20% of the workforce needs a BS/BA or above to run the
country. This has not changed for the last 50 years.
Second: the "educated" (college or above degreed) make most of the
policy. I recall reading in the 1980's "Preparing Kids for High-Tech and
the Global Future". We were in a new age. Of course there is nothing new
about American future-ism. What is new is the wedding of future-ism to
what might be called "virtualism"---which means that somehow we take leave
of material reality and glide about in a pure information
economy. (Another of the disconnects which causes shifts in ed.
policies). Sue Hovey is a local expert on the waves/shifts in education I
would bet.
While manufacturing jobs have certainly left our shores to a disturbing
degree, the manual trades have not. If you need a garage built, your car
fixed, the Chinese are of no help. The Chinese simply live in China and in
fact there are US labor shortages in both construction and auto
repair. Yet the trades and manufacturing are lumped together as "blue
collar" and as you know looked down upon as uneducated by the "educated."
But there is a deep difference between the trades and manufacturing. Last
year, the Wall Street Journal pondered over what would be the sure path to
a making a good living. The Journal concluded that being a cog in the
information society was not stable. However, as you may have
surmised "skilled (manual labor) is becoming one of the few sure ways
paths to a good living." (Wall Street Journal). Recall a few years ago the
best seller "The Millionaire Next Door", which revealed the guy driving a
pickup, with his own business in the trades--- You guessed it--the profile
of the millionaire.
I am a skilled manual laborer as a dentist. My real concern however is not
the economics of skilled manual labor , but of its great
satisfactions. When I was on the MSD's Board, the concept of learning by
doing and what you learn must have a context that students can relate to
was more or less rejected. A great book "Clueless in Academe--How
Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind" By Graff is a great starter. Bill
Gates has shown what a college drop out can do. However, there are many
skilled (manual labor) opportunties with vast shortages. One comes to mind
the elevator tech..a $100,000 job. However, I doubt the average high
school counselor would have much of a grasp on skilled (manual labor) by
virtue of their college training and society's bias: if you are not college
educated you are a nothing. The MSD which reflects the attitudes of a
University town is stuck in the same paradigm. Help is needed.
Another item that has proven very valuable is an aptitude test such as the
Johnson O'Connor. I used to mention this during my tenure and of course
the "educated" would not even look at it. I mentioned the test as a very
reliable tool that could be used at about the 6th or 7th grade to help
guide students into areas of interest and where they have talent, when the
folks at MSD would get stuck on where to start and how to counsel for
learning by doing. (they still are by their response at the MCA's recent
forum). This test is one of the most comprehensive time proven tests
(Since the 1930's) It tests hearing, sighting, personality/phycological,
common sat/act, manual dexterity, color blindness, how a person reasons:
inductiviely or deductively, one's interests, word memory, number memory,
etc. Anyone who has taken the test, has thanked me profusely. My own
children took the test and shaved years of bouncing around trying to find
the perfect occupation. Nothing in the common k-12 school does anything
like this.
What a shame it is to have folks/students who do not know what their
talents are and what occupations there are out there that they have the
make up to be great in. Most teachers are knowledgable. Good teachers are
intelligent. Great teachers are patient. Exceptional teachers are students
themselves. Thus the rest of the week end I have to devote to learning
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's. See you next week. Hope you find this
helpful, Jerry
At 07:33 PM 1/26/07, Donovan Arnold wrote:
>Jerry Weitz wrote: "Give the non college bound a skill."
>
>Then when you are done giving them a skill, give the college kids a skill
>too so they can afford to pay for their college loans that have 7.5
>percent interest. I don't make $200 a month more than non-college
>students, which is equal to my college loan payments. Think about it.
>
>Donovan
>
>
>Public Schools for the most part serve a wider audience and have been
>given the responibilty/directive to deal with our present family/parenting
>realities. With both parents working, declining incomes in adjusted
>dollars, uncertain employment future due manufacturing being exported,
>etc. I am supporting this levy with these suggestions/imperatives
>
>Increase the number of instructional days to a minimum of 190
>days. Recall Canada is at 200 days (with less cost per student than the
>US and the MSD in adjusted dollars.) Other advanced economies are at 211
>days (with less cost per student that US and MSD).
>Do not increase the number of hours per day. This has the potential of
>giving teachers more time for preparation and the kids more time to
>sleep,recreate, practice the piano, etc.
>
>Give the non college bound a skill. Pullman outperforms the MSD in
>academic acheivement; with 5-7 times the amount
>of skills (learning by doing.), higher postsecondary enrollment, higher
>graduation rates, much higher use of their
> university, more AP,and a lower cost per student. Look to Pullman. The
> non college bound have a much better education in Pullman. Let's do
> something about this. The MSD with $2 million extra plus the state now
> kicking in-places MSD's funding at a high level if the state follows
> through. I don't have any reason to believe that they will not. Luna
> so far has shown to be education's friend. Education is bipartisan
> issue. MSD is not the friend of the non college bound but could be.
>
>Use the vast resources of the UI. This has been offered by UI and
>rejected by the MSD. All requires a change in attitude, something I found
>completely lacking when I was on the board.
>
>Have a 5 year contract that all in the community understands. On one hand
>MSD wants a permanent levy increase that is supposed to last 5 years
>before the next, yet I am deeply concerned that giving a "bolus"of money
>upfront and a "starving" situation five years from now is unfair to all
>concerned. MSD will exceed the amount of funding per student than the
>schools of Virginia.
> Thus funding is not the issue if the levy is given a positive. Jerry
>
>
>
>At 12:42 PM 1/26/07, keely emerinemix wrote:
>
>>I echo Sue's thoughts, and wonder if Kerry and others remember that this
>>is to raise the amount of the permanent levy Moscow voters enabled by
>>voting years ago for (I think) nine consecutive levies, whose passage
>>resulted in the permanent levy, but at the current rate. It's not enough.
>>
>>keely
>>
>>From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>
>>To: "kerry becker" <kerrybecker6924 at hotmail.com>, kjajmix1 at msn.com,
>>deco at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>>Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 10:32:26 -1000
>>
>>Kerry,
>>
>>I guess most of us do what we do based on our personal feelings, but I
>>wonder what has impacted you to feel a levy is unnecessary? There are
>>those on this site I know would never vote for a levy and regardless of
>>their talking around it, that's their bottom line. Mostly I don't
>>respond to their postings, because I know they really don't care about
>>the kids in Mocow schools. As Doug Wilson once told me, "I wouldn't
>>care if every government school in Moscow closed tomorrow." But others
>>may have legitimate concerns. I tend to believe you are among that
>>group, so I am wondering what led you to believe Moscow Schools don't
>>need the money a levy would bring in. I want something more than, "cut
>>the fat," because I know there hasn't been any fat in the school district
>>budget for a long, long time. If you disagree, please be specific.
>>
>>Sue
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: kerry becker
>> To: suehovey at moscow.com ; kjajmix1 at msn.com ; deco at moscow.com ;
>> vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 8:44 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>>
>>
>> I agree. I would gladly vote for a levy whether my children were in
>> public schools or not if I thought that money was needed. I just
>> personally don't feel it is at this time.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Sue Hovey" <suehovey at moscow.com>
>> To: "kerry becker" <kerrybecker6924 at hotmail.com>, kjajmix1 at msn.com,
>> deco at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:46:48 -1000
>>
>>
>> Johnathan Kozol once shrewdly asked the question, "Why when it's
>> investment in General Motors, for instance, is it referred to as R & D,
>> but when it's funding for public schools it's "throwing money at
>> them?" Just a thought.
>>
>> I am retired living on a fixed income, and my children are no longer
>> in Moscow's schools, but when they were, someone whose children were no
>> longer there understood my children's education was also important, so
>> they voted for those levies anyway. I plan to do that for someone
>> else's children when I vote for the levy this time around.
>>
>> Sue Hovey
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: kerry becker
>> To: kjajmix1 at msn.com ; deco at moscow.com ; vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 5:46 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>>
>>
>> Keely, I currently have two kids in the public schools and I still
>> may not vote for the levy. Throwing money at the situation is always
>> the solution.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> From: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
>> To: kerrybecker6924 at hotmail.com, deco at moscow.com,
>> vision2020 at moscow.com
>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:53:34 -0800
>> >My goodness, Kerry. It's a good thing you're not prone to
>> >defensiveness.
>> >
>> >"Sane" in this context was a bit of rhetorical hyperbole;
>> contrasted
>> >to the idea of worshiping God through a hope for the destruction of
>> >public schools, it was a parallel. As in, one idea that sounds odd
>> >contrasted to another, albeit exaggerated, idea.
>> >
>> >How 'bout this: People who vote against the upcoming levy are not
>> >clinically insane.
>> >
>> >They are, however, evidently unaware of the difficulties public
>> >schools face these days -- or else they're so blinded by hate for
>> >them that they don't really care.
>> >
>> >Feel better?
>> >
>> >keely
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >From: "kerry becker" <kerrybecker6924 at hotmail.com>
>> >To: kjajmix1 at msn.com, deco at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> >Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:57:11 -0800
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >"Saner people will, we hope, study the facts and vote "yes" on the
>> >levy."
>> >
>> >
>> >Keely- Those of us who vote Against the levy are still "sane."
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >From: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
>> >To: deco at moscow.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> >Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:21:52 -0800
>> > >Thanks, Wayne, for the info you presented here. You're right, of
>> > >course, but if one's worship of God requires them to pray for the
>> > >destruction of public schools, well . . . not much is gonna
>> > >penetrate.
>> > >
>> > >Saner people will, we hope, study the facts and vote "yes" on the
>> > >levy.
>> > >
>> > >keely
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >From: "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com>
>> > >To: "Vision 2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> > >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> > >Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:10:47 -0800
>> > >
>> > >The vapid Lemon-O
>> >cites:
>> > >
>> > >"Iâ?Tve asked this rhetorical question before: why, when the
>> >number
>> > >of students are increasing, do the school districts say they need
>> > >more money; and, when the number of students are decreasing, they
>> > >say they need more money?"
>> > >
>> > >1. Inflation, which is greater for some things than others and
>> > >most likely impacts schools more than many other activities.
>> > >
>> > >2. Requirements from the unfunded/underfunded "No Child Left
>> > >Behind," a Bush program which places additional burdens on local
>> > >school districts, but either does not fund these burdens or funds
>> > >them inadequately.
>> > >
>> > >3. More and more parents are unwilling to take the time to
>> > >participate with helping their children with their education thus
>> >
>> > >slowing the rate of education and causing expense for remedial
>> > >actions.
>> > >
>> > >4. Public schools have more and more non-educational problems
>> >to
>> > >deal with, many of them wrought by inadequate/irresponsible
>> > >parenting.
>> > >
>> > >5. Etc.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Also Lemon-O, it is nice of you to pass on these nuggets of
>> > >illogical rhetoric from chicken-shit Courtney's web-blot as he
>> > >covers in fear of being found out by those he thinks he is
>> > >preventing from accessing his pathetic efforts to be almost as
>> > >vapid, and certainly at least as dishonest and hypocritical
>> as you
>> > >are.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
>> > >deco at moscow.com
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >----- Original Message -----
>> > >From: <heirdoug at netscape.net>
>> > >To:
>> ><vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> > >Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:47 PM
>> > >Subject: [Vision2020] MSD is at it again!
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > My latest installment for those under the ban!
>> > > >
>> > > > Wednesday, January 24, 2007 2:13 PM Right-Mind
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > MSD to send out newsletter to residents regarding levy
>> increase
>> > > > Iâ?Tll post a copy of this as soon as I get it.
>> > > >
>> > > > Iâ?Tve asked this rhetorical question before: why, when the
>> > >number of
>> > > > students are increasing, do the school districts say they need
>> > >more
>> > > > money; and, when the number of students are decreasing, they
>> >say
>> > >they
>> > > > need more money?
>> > > >
>> > > > Hereâ?Ts what one local blogger had to say about this:
>> > > >
>> > > > But in this case, and in this
>> >election, I think all these
>> > >standard
>> > > > issues are really beside the point. The real point in this
>> > >election is
>> > > > one of simple affordability. The major industry in town (the
>> > >University
>> > > > of Idaho) is in serious decline. Our Moscow civic leadership
>> >has
>> > >been
>> > > > busy chasing new prospective businesses out of town.
>> Within the
>> > >next
>> > > > year, a good portion of the tax base is going to move just
>> >across
>> > >the
>> > > > state line, and the businesses in the new mall there will no
>> > >doubt set
>> > > > up some blinking lights to summon Moscow shoppers over. Ross
>> > >Perot's
>> > > > famous phrase about the giant sucking sound comes to mind.
>> > > >
>> > > > Another illustration that comes to mind is the one about
>> > >champagne
>> > > > tastes and a beer budget. And
>> >you can't chase all the champagne
>> > >vendors
>> > > > out of town, and then complain about the beer. As a simple
>> >matter
>> > >of
>> > > > economics, tax support for the MSD requires a thriving tax
>> >base.
>> > >When
>> > > > you cut the latter, you cut the former. Some might want to
>> > >complain, if
>> > > > this levy goes down, that it was the nefarious work of home
>> > >schoolers,
>> > > > Christian conservatives, or what not. But this one appears to
>> >me
>> > >to
>> > > > have been done already, without any opponents of "government
>> > >schools"
>> > > > lifting a finger.
>> > > >
>> > > > No, this was done by the liberals running the Moscow show. You
>> > >can't
>> > > > take a chain saw to the orchard, and wonder resentfully the
>> > >following
>> > > > autumn about the apple shortage.
>> > > >
>> > > > As
>> >reported in today's edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
>> > > >
>> > > > The Moscow School District is moving forward with plans
>> for its
>> > >$1.97
>> > > > million supplemental levy increase, which will go before
>> voters
>> > >March
>> > > > 27.
>> > > >
>> > > > Superintendent Candis Donicht worked with the districtâ?Ts
>> >school
>> > >board
>> > > > members during their Tuesday meeting to develop a draft of an
>> > > > informational newsletter that will hit mailboxes in the coming
>> > >weeks.
>> > > >
>> > > > The newsletter will give a brief explanation of the indefinite
>> > > > supplemental levy. It also will explain how the levy increase
>> > >works,
>> > > > what it will cost taxpayers, and what it pays for within the
>> > >district.
>> > > > The newsletter also will answer other basic questions.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > Board members discussed changing the time the polls would be
>> >open
>> > >for
>> > > > the election. Board clerk Annette Erickson reported to the
>> >board
>> > >the
>> > > > effects of a 7:30 a.m. opening of the polls that had been
>> > >suggested at
>> > > > their December meeting by board member Margaret Dibble. The
>> >board
>> > > > decided to maintain its current plan to have the election from
>> >8
>> > >a.m.
>> > > > to 8 p.m. at the Exhibit Building of the Latah County
>> > >Fairgrounds.
>> > > >
>> > > > Board members also discussed how to support and offer their
>> > >assistance
>> > > > to groups of parents who want to support the levy.
>> > > >
>> > > > In other news, Donicht reported on the districtâ?Ts first
>> > >participation
>> > > > in the city of Moscowâ?Ts 18-month long-range planning
>> process.
>> >
>> > >Three
>> > > > district administrators and two board members participated
>> in a
>> > > > facilitator training session about 10 days ago. If selected by
>> > >the
>> > > > city, they will go into sections of the community to help
>> >gather
>> > >input
>> > > > from residents on issues such as neighborhoods and growth.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>>
>> > >________________________________________________________________________
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>>
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