Why are we afraid of education? Is it because when our kids have education they become better leaders in our society? Or is it a future president might be among them that can be affiliated with one party or another? Or is it because this is America the land of the free, hence we choose to have our kids fail and lag behind industrial nations?
The overblown debate about The President of the United States speaking directly to our kids is without merits. How could anyone truly debate or form an opinion regarding words he has not spoken or even read the transcript of his speech.
After reading the speech transcript on Monday (September 07, 2009), I was truly shocked about President Obama and his choice of words, shame on you Mr. President for telling our kids that education matter and how dare he tell our kids that each and every one of them has something to offer to his country.
I have to agree with North Gibson County Superintendents (Tom Miller) not podcasting the speech; the speech is full of political agendas which I will give examples of:
1) President talks about the important of education to our kids; he must be pushing
his education policy. OR encouraging them to stay in school?
2) President talks about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain
cancer but still overcoming it and now he is going to college, this is defiantly a push
for his health care reform. OR giving example of working hard no matter what
obstacle life throws at you?
3) Let’s not forget when President mentions Jazmin Perez from Roma Texas and not
speaking English but she worked hard to get education and will be Dr. Perez. This is
for sure a push towards immigration issues OR is it another example of working
hard to reach ones goal?
To our educators who fails to see that an important figure, a person that the majority (I would hope ALL is the answer) of our children know who he is, will be speaking directly to them and gives them encouraging words about the importance of education, should take this opportunity as a positive step and build on it. We should give thanks to Tom Shelton the superintendent from Daviess County who is taken this opportunity to build lesson plans around it. Tom Shelton is a true educator in my view.
I can think of few things I can do after the speech, how about encourage our school kids to “write” (this might be a new word for few educators) about their future goals OR have an exercise of asking the class to come up with different ways they think they can improve education and make learning FUN. How about send their input to the President after a healthy debate in class regarding his speech. At minimum our educators could talk about the different branches of the government and the importance of each branch after the speech.
To quote the President: “So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?” I think these questions are for all of us not just our kids.
Let us encourage our future generation to Dream Big and Work Hard to reach their dreams and goals while we support them along the way.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
EVSC and Artificial turf; real beauty
On Aug 22, 2009 Evansville Courier & Press published an article titled: “Artificial turf; real beauty”
Link provided below:
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/21/artificial-turf-real-beauty
On June 3, 2007, Vincent Bertram (EVSC Superintendent) said his Harvard experience showed him how "education policy decisions have long-term consequences for children." Also on March 17, 2008 he said "Educating all children to high levels requires a community effort."
I fail to see how spending $800K on fake grass that last only 10 years ($80K/Year) is a step forward towards education!
While the five $1,500 scholarships recently awarded to EVSC high school graduates who are furthering their education are a great reward for those kids; we just showed them though that spending more on fake grass supersede their future.
EVSC could have spent the $80k/year wisely such as awarding a full scholarships to high school graduates who excel not only academically but in sports, what a great news article that would been seeing for example 8 of our future kids have a $10K scholarship. OR, not charging the $70/year for the new Netbooks, or hiring more teachers. Instead I read about $800K fake grass and how it will be green in October!
Well the grass will not be greener when the US slips again in ranking in science, math and reading. On August 18th, 2009 the U.S. Students' Rankings on International Assessments were released and to no surprise other countries are passing us. According to U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan :”… while other countries' students are swimming faster and farther. Our students have stagnated educationally, putting our long-term economic security at risk.” In math, our 15-year-olds' scores now lag behind those of 31countries. In science, our eighth graders' scores now lag behind their peers in eight countries that had also participated in the original assessment. In reading, five countries have improved their performance and surpassed our 4th graders.
So yes Evansville Vanderburgh SPORT Corporation, let us reward those 3 schools that are on either Academic Watch or Probation and tell our students its OK you are failing academically but we will have a green grass in October. EVCS needs a new leadership with longer term outlook that enhances our future generation and propel us to the 21st century and stop our dependence on migrating our technical expertise overseas.
Link provided below:
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/21/artificial-turf-real-beauty
On June 3, 2007, Vincent Bertram (EVSC Superintendent) said his Harvard experience showed him how "education policy decisions have long-term consequences for children." Also on March 17, 2008 he said "Educating all children to high levels requires a community effort."
I fail to see how spending $800K on fake grass that last only 10 years ($80K/Year) is a step forward towards education!
While the five $1,500 scholarships recently awarded to EVSC high school graduates who are furthering their education are a great reward for those kids; we just showed them though that spending more on fake grass supersede their future.
EVSC could have spent the $80k/year wisely such as awarding a full scholarships to high school graduates who excel not only academically but in sports, what a great news article that would been seeing for example 8 of our future kids have a $10K scholarship. OR, not charging the $70/year for the new Netbooks, or hiring more teachers. Instead I read about $800K fake grass and how it will be green in October!
Well the grass will not be greener when the US slips again in ranking in science, math and reading. On August 18th, 2009 the U.S. Students' Rankings on International Assessments were released and to no surprise other countries are passing us. According to U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan :”… while other countries' students are swimming faster and farther. Our students have stagnated educationally, putting our long-term economic security at risk.” In math, our 15-year-olds' scores now lag behind those of 31countries. In science, our eighth graders' scores now lag behind their peers in eight countries that had also participated in the original assessment. In reading, five countries have improved their performance and surpassed our 4th graders.
So yes Evansville Vanderburgh SPORT Corporation, let us reward those 3 schools that are on either Academic Watch or Probation and tell our students its OK you are failing academically but we will have a green grass in October. EVCS needs a new leadership with longer term outlook that enhances our future generation and propel us to the 21st century and stop our dependence on migrating our technical expertise overseas.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Health care issue
If a Universal Health plan is ago then it’s not a brain surgery to figure out that you only provide it for people that are ABLE to work. This is not an open bank account for lazy people out there.
How about set a limit, if someone is working to provide for their family, and they make below poverty level per their state, then they get free health care PERIOD. Now if the same person makes above poverty and his employer doesn’t provide health care coverage then he/she pay a percentage of their pay to cover cost of health plan (just like everyone else does). No longer Obama & Company raise taxes on rest of us who pay for health care thru their employer.
On another note, how do Obama & Company except for doctors to provide health care if he is driving them out of business? Only conclusion I have is Obama is being surrounded by lawyers who only care about their bottom line. If you expect doctors to take a hit on payment reduction then in return you stop those “pain/suffering” lawsuits that gets out of hand. PUT A LIMIT. You will have either doctors migrating from one State to another (just like between KY & IN, where IN has limit on malpractice lawsuit & KY doesn’t) or have less people going to medical field because it’s costly. What’s next subcontract our healthcare to India & Mexico for cheap labor?
PS. For everyone that says Universal care is “Socialist” what do you think of Social Security, Medicare & Medicate? Why those people don’t cry wolf?
How about set a limit, if someone is working to provide for their family, and they make below poverty level per their state, then they get free health care PERIOD. Now if the same person makes above poverty and his employer doesn’t provide health care coverage then he/she pay a percentage of their pay to cover cost of health plan (just like everyone else does). No longer Obama & Company raise taxes on rest of us who pay for health care thru their employer.
On another note, how do Obama & Company except for doctors to provide health care if he is driving them out of business? Only conclusion I have is Obama is being surrounded by lawyers who only care about their bottom line. If you expect doctors to take a hit on payment reduction then in return you stop those “pain/suffering” lawsuits that gets out of hand. PUT A LIMIT. You will have either doctors migrating from one State to another (just like between KY & IN, where IN has limit on malpractice lawsuit & KY doesn’t) or have less people going to medical field because it’s costly. What’s next subcontract our healthcare to India & Mexico for cheap labor?
PS. For everyone that says Universal care is “Socialist” what do you think of Social Security, Medicare & Medicate? Why those people don’t cry wolf?
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