The Master Plan Facilities Committee proved once again to be nothing more than a joke by recommending closure of both Meagher and Sophie Finn schools.
For a brief period the committee was expanded to about 50 people and I was asked to be a member. I agreed with the understanding that the committee would consider ALL options. This turned out to be a false promise from the School Board.
Almost from the moment the "expanded" committee began, the School Board interfered and limited discussion. I and another member proposed considering a proposal to remove the 9th grade from the High School and return the 6th grade to elementary schools. The savings to the taxpayers would have been significant. I even produced studies proving that 6th graders did best in elementary schools.
The School Board refused to even consider the idea. Thereafter, a directive was issued to the "expanded" committee informing them they could not even consider any proposals other than closing a school or converting to a ridiculous format whereby kids would go through K-2 and then go to another building for 3-5.
I said publicly that the committee was a joke and that the Board had already made up its mind. Now, they have proven this to be so. Rather than continue to allow people such as myself to speak out at the meetings, the Board cut down the "expanded" committee to only those people the Board trusted to do as they were told. People like myself who disagreed were shown the door.
Once again, it is the City of Kingston that gets the shaft. Two of the city schools are to be closed and our kids sent throughout the county by bus.
I am urging city residents to rise up in protest against the School Board. The School Board elections are coming in May. Let's make a concerted effort to get out and vote the incumbents out of office. We can only replace 4 this year, but can get 3 more next year out of office and take control of the School Board. Then, we will have the votes to reopen Meagher and Sophie Finn Schools. Perhaps then we can finally see a School Board that listens to the public and does right by our city.
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11 comments:
It worked in Egypt, why cant we all protest on Crown street until we exile that ass Gretzinger and his overpaid under achieving team?
Ill stand with ya Rich as this BOE has raised my taxes and made such a debacle out of KCS I had to send my child to private school...
Only in Kingston could these failures result in $100k + jobs for such bafoons
Before we close any schools, let's realign the grades back to K through 6 for elementary school, 7 to 9 for middle school and 10 to 12for high school. Why? Because a majority of taxpayers and parents want that. Do you want to prove it? During this May's school election, let's vote on whether to close 2 schools or do the above realignment. This sounds reasonable. Doesn't it? This is what the Kingston School voters want. Let's vote
here here!
Surprising that you still have not figured out that the board is going to make this decision wholly on it's own and the committees are just cover. The facility committee is as powerless as the expanded committee. The votes belong to the board members and they will cast them as they see fit. At this point, there is minimal if any support for closing two schools. Chances are there will be no vote before June and by then, who knows where the votes will be.
Also, FYI, there are four seats open in May not three.
10:22,
I noticed the error and changed it. There are 4 seats because of the recently filled vacancy.
Let's spend money on busing (bus companies and monitors)urban students who currently walk to school. This will add at least 1 hour to each student's school day each and every day. What would you expect from the team that paid for swamp land.
When is someone going to fight the unions and stop the madness at the city and schools?
Is everyone single person invoolved crooked?
8:19
Are you kidding??? You have no clue about the current bussing. Do you know that kids who go to Crosby and live behind the school take the bus around the corner. Thats right! They live on the other side of the ball fields....striaght across them! It takes more time to get on and off the bus than it would to walk home! It is not like when we were kids!
Any decision on closing a school or two should wait until after the election and the budget vote. The way the numbers look, a no vote on the budget will result in an austerity budget that will likely lead to a budget which is larger than the budget that will be proposed by the district. ironic that the community may be looking at voting yes on the budget in order to save money. Just shows how stupid this process really is.
Vote no, and the increase under austerity will be around 11% without any discretion regarding maintenance, repairs, extra curricular or community use of buildings after hours. Vote yes on the budget and the levy increase will likely be somewhere under ten percent but still far too much.
In any event, any decision regarding the elementary schools should wait until the district knows whether they will have the discretionary authority to spend the money to implement whatever plan they wish to pursue.
Why not try to convince Mr. Mitchell to run for school board along with yourself. It may be an election you could win and Mr. Mitchell will be putting his time to good use.
Rich
A new poll that you need to run
Who is the most ineffective at his job?
Sottile
Hein
Gretzinger
How is it that all three of these men fail at thier jobs, but keep getting re-elected
Who is UC and Kingston is voting for these people?
And why?
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