Got a spare $128 million Racine? I didn't think so. But that is not stopping Racine Unified from asking, in the form of three separate referenda questions on the spring ballot.
Just say no. Anyone with half a clue knows that Racine Unified is likely the biggest obstacle to the fortunes of the Racine area. Over the years I have had countless conversations with folks considering a move to the Racine area. Not one of those persons ever put Racine Unified in the positive column. Anyone moving to Racine does so despite Racine Unified. It is time we frankly recognize this fact.
So why not pump money into Unified and make it a great school system? Well, if you have been paying attention, that is what we have been doing for the last 30 years. Per pupil spending has been increasing above and beyond the rate of inflation, yet the product is worsening. If money were the solution, we would have a first class education system in Racine and indeed, throughout the nation. We don't. The system is broken.
We have an expensive education system that serves to protect said system from meaningful reform and or competition. More money for Unified simply delays the inevitable day of reckoning.
Education reform will not come from within the public education system. Quite the opposite. It will come from people like you who demand better use of your taxes. The first step is rejecting the status quo which is quite obviously not working.
Voting no is one small step toward freeing Racine area children from the vice grip of failure that is Racine Unified.
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24 comments:
Spot on.
I would love to vote yes, if the money were going to be used to create and support RUSD charter schools.
Wouldn't that be novel - charter schools licensed by RUSD. How's that for a dream act!
And more taxes to replace expiring stimulus money is laughable.
Just say NO!
What you wrote here is true far beyond Racine, and far beyond Wisconsin.
what is this "day of reckoning" you speak about?
Anon, in my view the RUSD product is in steady decline while the cost is steadily rising. At some point the public will recognize this fact in sufficient numbers to overcome that most formidable of obstacles to real education reform, that is, the teachers union. That day can not come soon enough for me, or indeed, this country.
so you feel that the biggest problem with rusd is the teacher's union?
What I wrote, and am sticking with, is that the teachers union is the biggest obstacle to real reform. The Democratic party, which gets its marching orders from the union, is a close second.
reform of any kind on any issue always takes a long time. So in the meantime, how do we improve academic performance?
Denis, your blaming of a union, (teachers in this case) is a simple profession of Con faith.
Wisconsin consistently ranks among the top states in education. How do explain the good learning that goes on all across Wisconsin in districts with unions?
Why is it that the only schools/districts in WI where the students consistently struggle to learn places like Milwaukee, Racine and Beloit? Are the unions in these places different some how, or could it be some other factor causing this anomaly?
Anon, your house is on fire and the fire department has not arrived. What do you do in the meantime?
As for me, I get out and if I find that my water buckets actually contain gasoline, I stop throwing it on the fire. If some kids are in the house, I don't wait for reform. I take them to a safer place.
Sean, I believe we have already had this conversation. Milwaukee, Racine etc... are places where liberalism has dominated for a longer period of time, thus there are additional problems of family breakdown, crime etc... that exacerbate the problems in the school system. The public school system in other areas is also underperforming relative to past performance and relative to our international competition.
An unsubstantiated article of faith defended with yet another unsubstantiated, ill conceived and ill defined article of faith.
But we're making progress! You've admitted that it's not the schools or the unions that are the problem and have instead identified "liberalism" as the root cause leading to the social ills you identified as the impediments to learning in these "places".
Please identify the specific proproperties of "liberalism" that you claim have been in effect longer in these places and how they have led to the social ills you've (properly, I believe) identified as the culprits in producing under performing student populations.
sean is doing a good job by himself...i'm just listening.
But denis to your point of ..."If some kids are in the house, I don't wait for reform. I take them to a safer place.." What happens to the rest of the kids in the house since only a few privileged can be saved?
Do they just wait to die because no one feels they're important enough to be saved?
anon - to your comment about the "privileged children" - what on earth? Which children would that be? What parent wouldn't lay down their life to ensure every one of their children has been moved from a burning building?
Ahhh...but then maybe we have actually touched on the root of the problem - think about it.
alot of these parents aren't in this burning building, therefore these kids have to fend for themselves, while others receive the help they need to get out.
Point is their maybe a use for choice schools, private schools, etc..but no matter how much you try to escape their will always be a need and use for public schooling because for these kids, their is simply no other option.
Anon 3:08, ten kids are in a burning house but only three can be saved. Do you save them or not? If we are going to milk the burning house analogy, RUSD will propose a referendum to pay for shiny new bars for the doors.
Denis, Now that we've reached common ground and we've ackowledged that it's social ills and not the public schools or the unions that are to blame, please don't dodge my queation, answer it: Please identify the specific proproperties of "liberalism" that you claim have been in effect longer in these places (Racine, Milwaukee, Beloit) and how they have led to the social ills you've (properly, I believe) identified as the culprits in producing under performing student populations.
Show us that your ideology is based on consideration and rational thought rather than doctranaire orthodoxy.
Reveal the thought behind your pronouncements. Or cast them away once and for all.
Recently I had to hear - once again - from a teacher that many of the buildings are old and falling down, and Janes is what, 130 years old. How many teachers' contracts have been negotiated since these buildings "became outdated" and "started falling down"? I think at least one or two contracts have been negotiated since Janes turned fifty. But this is the perfect scam - whine about the condition of the buildings and say it's for the children, get people to vote for $$$ referendums (BTW, having teachers and staff vote in these referendums, which have a direct bearing on their paychecks, is an incredibly unethical conflict of interest), get more money, pay teachers and get new offices for admins, maybe fix a building or two with pocket change but DON'T fix too much - you'll need lots of broken down buildings to justify the next referendum!
sean, I have looked over this thread and have yet to locate the comment where Denis finds blameless schools or the teachers union. Could you point the quote out or is this one of those projection things you have become locally famous for?
RUSD is like an empty coal mine - every year we pay more and more to have coal dumped back into the mine for the children, and by the time the admins, teachers and staff get their cut, the children are told there isn't nearly enough to keep them warm. Rinse and repeat.
Only more money will solve the problems, but the problem is actually that of the parents and community - so give us more money.
Denis?
It looks like little Seany Cranley has been posting quite a bit. Note to Seany: after you post, please turn on the fan and close the door -
Denis.
Sean, Nemo is correct as usual. I do not hold teachers unions blameless for the sorry state of affairs in education. Rather, they are able to maximize their damage wherever they have support from a misinformed community. If I were a cynic I might even conclude that they purposefully fail to educate students so that their more important ( to them) political and financial agenda remains unchallenged by their former students.
Denis, you said "Milwaukee, Racine etc... are places where liberalism has dominated for a longer period of time, thus there are additional problems of family breakdown, crime etc... that exacerbate the problems in the school system."
You've identified correctly that there are social ills in these poor inner city areas that contribute to the problem of concentrations of under-performing students.
I'm thoroughly convinced that you simply spouted GOP dogma when blamed the longer operation of "liberalism" in these areas and that you can't respond in a thoughtful way, with facts to the question that you've avoided thus far. But I'll ask it again anyway, you know, for purposes of documentation.
Can you please identify the specific proproperties of "liberalism" that you claim have been in effect longer in these places and how they have led to the social ills you've (properly, I believe) identified as the culprits in producing under performing student populations?
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