Monday, January 29, 2007

Board in favor of referendum

There was a meeting tonight with administration, a few community members and 6 board members present.
In short, Board member McCue and Barriero were the only ones that took the community input into consideration and suggested asking for 55c instead of 85c increase, to show they listening to the community .

When all was said and done Roberts and Augustine made the recommendation to ask for 85c. The board majority agreed to 75c.

As Dan Barriero suggested, without asking for a lower amount, it is as if all the forums and comments by the public were for nothing, if they come back and ask for the same amount that was rejected in November.

Obviously, that is exactly what their agenda was, so much for transparency. I am sure we all saw that one coming. Maybe not head on, but with a little "side stepping" as it was described in the Beacon.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

These guys just don't get it. If they could think out of the box alittle maybe something could get done. There is a good letter to the editor in the Beacon today from someone on the west side that stated some good facts for both districts.

Anonymous said...

The letter today was perfect. I think both sides of Aurora are feeling the pain and it is time we all put an end to it.
It is time for all of us to let the districts know how we feel and put our two cents in on how our money is being spent. That said, we need to voice our opinion to our state representatives and tell them to improve our current system of financing our school system.
Just my thoughts!

Anonymous said...

Know that Dan is know going with the flow. He had my vote until now. How can I get a sign for no for the referendum? It is time for all this nonsense to end. I live on $1500.00 a month and cannot afford this, even tho I would be willing to vote for a tax increase if it would go for the children, but it does not. Understand that there are ones who are meeting to help with this issue. Where would I go to to give my input on this? I would be willing to get a sign for no to the referendum if you tell me how. Also, I willing to pay for the sign out of my own pocket if the cost is not to high.

Blog admin said...

I had signs made last time and paid for them out of my pocket. Those who wanted them, gave me back my investment of approx. $10.00 per sign. We are meeting to discuss the signs and other ways of educating people on all the facts of this referendum that are not being told.

You may call me at 740-2390, and we can talk more one on one about your input and involvement.
Thanks for commenting.

Anonymous said...

Are there any campaign buttons planned for the School Board challengers? I would gladly buy & wear them, since I work at 2 large churches in the district and lots of people would see them!

Anonymous said...

Went to the web site to vote yes www.yes131.org. Cannot state anything in this website to ask questions like on this website. To me that website is like a bull with female appendages.This website is just like the forums, a waste of my time as the scool board is going to do what it wants without even taking into consideration what suggestions anyone wants to give. I don't like talking to brick walls.

Blog admin said...

Just FYI. Campaign signs for the "vote no" community are in the works.

Those of us organizing efforts of campaigning and educating people on the referendum live in this district and have little funds to finance this campaign, so with that said, I ask that those community members who wish to purchase a sign for $10.00 call, blog or email me.

630-740-2390 or EA131VoteNo@aol.com

I have returned to work full time and I attend as many community & 131 meetings as my schedule will allow.

Please do not consider my lack posting as a sign of unconcern.

Till later

~Rayanne

Anonymous said...

If anyone knows of someone that makes buttons, please let me know. My budget is VERY SMALL but I would like to invest in some form of advertising. We are also looking for business partners in our VOTE NO campaign for those interested. You can reach me at 898-0858 or post thru this blog.
Thanks for all your support!

Anonymous said...

SUPPORT THE STUDENS BY VOTING YES!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Support the families of 131 and VOTE NO!

Anonymous said...

Support the already overpaid D131 administration by voting yes!

Anonymous said...

To annon at 2/10/07 @ 2:31PM
I am willing to hear why you think anyone should vote yes for this referendum. I am against it but am open to hear what you have to say. Please post your reasons so I can consider them.

Anonymous said...

just starting reading this blog and agree with the above posting. I want to hear every ones point of view on this subject.

Anonymous said...

Since this blog is supposed to be "neutral" if you would like to support our students ... Visit

www.yes131.org

Blog admin said...

This blog is intended to be open to all sides of any issues.

The yes131 website is very nice and user friendly. What is sad that something like it, could not have been created a long time ago for daily posting of activities and events within 131. The district website is far from being useful for the parents/ community.

I am an equal opportunity critic, and will say it is not just this website, but the board, Dr. Roberts and others who have shamelessly garnered support and donations from local folks. Yet have neglected the people who are the ones most affected by their works.

Their efforts are being disguised as being "for the "kids." When in fact they have put conditions on their solicitations. A burden of tax hikes affecting those same childrens parents and grandparents.

I cannot understand why wasn't this "coming together" for the sake of the kids done with as much enthusiasm when it came to improving the district report card and improving the AYP scores (Adequate Yearly Progress) at our schools.

Could yes131 explain this to me? Where were you a year or two ago with your pep rally "for the kids?"

The message I am hearing from 131 is "show me the money!"

I say -no more money.
I want to see AYP in the 131 budget.

Anonymous said...

The last time I checked all of the elementary schools had made AYP. Yes there is still work to be done at all levels, particularly at the secondary level. That being said it appears that some people want results before they provide support when in fact it is that very support that is part of the equation for success.
If D131 was a high taxing district what they are asking for would be one thing but they have been making progress despite the fact that they are asking less from local taxpayers than any other district in the area.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry, but I do not feel more money equates with better education.

It is at the same level of logic that all kids coming from homes with less income will not do as well as others with more money.

I, for one, do not believe that to be true. I do agree that "in fact it is that very support that is part of the equation for success."
This being at home, school, city and state.

I do realize the elementary schools had made AYP. The district keep s pumping it like it is the best success story coming from the district. When, isn't it true, they just barely made the grade. We are not doing GREAT but rather just not failing. I don't mean to minimize the success, but this success has been touted beyond it's worth.

Anonymous said...

I took a look at the pro-referendum website, and didn't see any opportunity to state my opinions for or against the tax hike. Even a "Guestbook" would have been nice! Seems to be the typical mode of operation for this district: either you agree with us (and give more $), or you'll be ignored.

And why all the secrecy on the D131 website? Whenever I click on "District News" or "Recent Press Releases", I get a message that I have attempted to access a restricted area. Well, I suggest that we "restrict" the School Board from mismanaging any more of our money, until we feel we've been given the information and respect we deserve!

Anonymous said...

To annon 2/1107 @ 6:26PM
I have visited this website more than once and there is no place to ask questions like on this blog and Openlineblog.com I have questions that I would like answered, such as why we, the taxpayers, have not been told, or just not understood by almost every taxpayer and especially the seniors that this tax is progressive and not just a one time deal. I do not like the fact that an e-mail has to be sent. I, for one do not like the answer Brandy got when she e-mailed Dr.Roberts with her article that was in the Beacon. I wouid like to see concrete answers and not feel like I am just being given a pat on the head.

Anonymous said...

If the referendum was to benefit the majority of white kids, everyone would be for it, however, the majority of students in Dist. 131 are Latino, so no one is going to vote to educate these kids.

Don't blame the kids for the sins of their parents. They have the right to be educated. Obviously you don't care about education.

Keep it up with your closed-mindness--No wonder why that side of Aurora is the laughing stock of everyone (the racist ones I am referring too)

At least in my school district (Indian Prarie #204), the citizens care about their kids

Blog admin said...

My, oh, my 2:21, you know not of what you speak.

East Aurora has been a melting pot for generations. The town has gone through many tansformations of segregated neighborhoods that have eventually blended together.

So it will do again, as years pass, with the 1st generation of new immigrants, we see now.

Certain folks outside District 131 perceive themselves to be an elite group looking down at the under privileged East Aurora. Or as board member Russ P. calls us-"bottom feeders."

How closed minded can you be to make such a derogatory comment as:

"Don't blame the kids for the sins of their parents."

Do you feel it was sin for these children to be born Latino?

Who is it that is laughing and at what are they laughing?

Come to East Aurora high school sometime. It is really not as bad as you believe it to be.

There is a world of diversity outside 204 and inside 131. You would be amazed at the solidarity among the students and their families of all shades of black, brown and white.

Your chant is not a new one. "Caring about the kids" can be heard statewide. In reality, money is not going to make it better for the kids until the focus of where/ how to the distribute the money changes.

Blog admin said...

Anonymous said...
BEWARE: To those of you depending on
http://www.yes131.org/ to inform you of what the referendum is all about.
They would like people to believe taxes are not going up every year, only if your assessment warrants it. NOT TRUE! read carefully, and ask specifically. How many years will my taxes increase due to the referendum. The example they gave at the referendum meetings was Approx. $250./year on a $100,000.00 house meaning $1000.00 total after all is said and done.

They want seniors to believe it won't affect them. A few it may not, but the majority of seniors-it will!

Rhetoric is what some people would call this, me....I call it BULL!

Vote with caution, be informed, educate yourself. ~RC

Anonymous said...

I don't look down upon 131, however, what I was reading, everyone was blaming the illegals for not voting for the referendum.


I mean you can tell the difference between an area that cares for education and an area that does not. Why do the kids in 131 have to suffer? Why can't 131 be up to par with 204 or neighboring districts? We just passed a big referendum in our district.

Anonymous said...

To my previous post @ 4:52 a.m., I live in Aurora's portion of 204 and we are more diverse than the Naperville portion of 204. Believe me, the so called napervillians look down upon our school, WV. So I know what diversity is.....I come from a Mexican family

Anonymous said...

To annon 2/15/07 @ 4:52AM
To the best of my knowledge the illegals are not being blamed for not voting for the referendum. Illegals are not registered voters and therefore cannot vote. The reason we do not want the referendum to pass is that the school board in D131 mismanages money and does NOT use it for the children as it should be used. WE are all for educating the children, not for making administrators richer, spending $7,000.00 for landscaping the service center, bad land deals, not getting a donation that is due D131 and many other reasons. Also, the school board is not being above board about how this referendum works.

Anonymous said...

To annon 2/15/07AM
Sorry, I forgot to tell you that nobody should look down upon anyone else. We are all Gods children. I personally don't care what nationality anyone is, heck anyone could come from Mars for all I care! Anyone or anyplace that looks down on anyone is the ones with the problem! Hold you head high!

Anonymous said...

To the WV student, welcome. Thank you for taking an interest.
I am against the way this distrist has used our money not who it is used on. I feel this district takes advantage of the "under educated" or those who do not understand our country by manipulating them and making promises they don't intend to keep. After all what are they going to do?
I am not saying that we don't need more money and some should probably come from the community but I'm not about to support ANY referendum without some reform. That will not improve anything for anyone.
Again, thanks for your interest and I hope you will investigate further. Rely on more that just a couple sources and keep asking questions. That is a healthy habit for everyone!

Anonymous said...

To February 15, 2007 5:57 PM

I am concerned about the Children of Aurora as a whole, especially 131.

After reading and research, why doesn't 131 have even bus service what gives?

What is the problem? Why is it hard to pass a referendum. Doesn't anyone care? The test scores are bad, realtors are steering people away from this district. Something needs to be done.

I know a few students who attend EA, and they are much more polite than some of the students I encounter at WV. They don't have a chip on their shoulders. They don't act like the world owes them anything. Kinda like when I grew up on the South Side of Chicago.
They deserve a better education.

Anonymous said...

I live in D131 and I can tell you I get postcards in the mail every week from a realitor and it usually is in Spanish. As far as bussing you need to do some research and you can find out about why we don't have it. Now lets compare these districts.

Median Income
204 130,997
203 132,144
131 60,833

Economically Disadvantaged

204 4.1
203 1.8
131 57.9

English Language Leaners

204 3.6
203 1.8
131 34.4

Yes, we want to help our kids but we want to make sure it is going to the kids and we don't have as much money as others to give so we want to make sure our money goes to the children and not some administrator retirement.

Anonymous said...

I would think the residents would want to support busing....

Chicago has a higher %age of lower income citizens and they have busing and other things...

Please note: My income is no where near the Median income for 204, but I would support what it takes to help the kids out for a better future, i.e bussing, after-school programs. It seems like you guys are a little stubborn

Anonymous said...

The Value of a Good School
Why your district matters, even if you don't have kids
By Jon Ann Steinmetz, Yahoo! Real Estate Editor
February 2, 2007
Any parent knows that school districts are important when buying a house, but even buyers who don't have kids should be aware of the effect that schools have on a property's purchase price and resale value.

In its 2006 survey of homebuyers and sellers, the National Association of Realtors found that 27 percent of buyers cited the quality of the school district as a factor influencing their choice of neighborhood, said Walter Molony, spokesman for the association. Another 19 percent cited convenience to schools as an influence.

For those with kids, the benefits of highly rated schools are obvious. For those without, the decision is more nuanced, said Sandy Kasik, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in San Jose, Calif. - one of the nation's most expensive housing markets.

"Someone without kids could be better assured of maintaining or increasing the value of their home if it is located in a better school district," she said. "However, they would likely be able to get more home for their money in a lesser school district. So it basically comes down to what is more important to the individual couple - lifestyle or money."

There's no hard data on how much a good school district might add to the price of a home, Molony said, but anecdotally, it can be significant.

Kasik gives an example of two houses of roughly the same size - about 1,250 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms - built by the same builder at about the same time in San Jose and neighboring Los Gatos, an upscale town that's highly desirable because of its schools. The houses sold nine months apart: the one in San Jose went for $720,000; while the one in Los Gatos fetched $845,000.

In the Midwest, Realtor Pam Sison estimates home prices in Bath, Ohio, run about 2 percent to 5 percent higher than those nearby in Cuyahoga Falls.

Coldwell Banker agent Chris Conklin, also in San Jose, is currently working with a couple on the school district dilemma. They have no children, and no plans for children, but have their hearts set on a house in Cupertino - home of Apple Inc., Hewlett-Packard, and schools with a national reputation for excellence.

"I've been trying to get them to look elsewhere, pointing out that they would be paying a premium for a school district they won't be using," Conklin said. How much of a premium? One house they made an offer on ended up with 24 bids, and sold for $110,000 over the asking price.

"My clients say, well, we don't want to use the schools, but it helps for resale," Conklin said. "We are still looking!"

That kind of foresight could very well pay off, said Molony of the National Association of Realtors. "If you're in a situation where all things are equal, the house in the better school district might be easier to sell," he said. "It'd be a selling point, in other words."

Anonymous said...

Researcher zaps school lobby’s money myth
By Krista Kafer

While both untrue, myths and lies are not the same. A lie is meant to deceive, usually to gain an advantage that the truth would not likely yield. A myth, to borrow from Merriam-Webster, is “a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone…” But these guileless origins notwithstanding, myths can be as destructive as lies — particularly when it comes to public policy.

When faced with emotionally charged issues like education, distinguishing between myth and fact can be difficult. Such a tangle of myths has grown up around public education that few know the facts.

Jay P. Greene, University of Arkansas professor and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, recently published a book Education Myths : What Special-Interest Groups Want You to Believe About Our Schools and Why it Isn’t So. The book debunks 18 popular myths about spending, class size reduction, testing and accountability, college access, school choice, and other policies.

The Money Myth, as Jay calls it, asserts that public schools are underfunded and would improve if the taxpayer would simply pay up. This is not true. Statistics show funding for public schooling has increased substantially. Spending on the nation’s public schools doubled from $4,479 per pupil in 1971 to $8,922 in 2002 in inflation-adjusted dollars. The nation currently spends roughly $500 billion a year. This is more than we spend on defense.

Despite the high level of funding, achievement among high school seniors on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (a national test given to a representative sample of students across the country) in math and reading is about the same as it was in the early 1970’s. In 1971, 17-year-olds scored 285 on the reading test. In 2004, they scored 285. In 1973, 17-year-olds scored 304 in math. In 2004, their score was only three points higher. It is not surprising that a recent meta-analysis found that 129 of 163 studies showed no statistically significant relationship between spending and achievement.

Boo-ya!

Anonymous said...

There is a relationship between parental involvement and student achievement AND activities (Band, Art, Sports, Clubs) and student achievement. So show up to your kids wrestling meet and band concert and PAY UP so that these things can be around next year.

Anonymous said...

So how does bussing help with the education? Yes, we do need more parents to get involved and that means learning English while they are in grade school.

Anonymous said...

Bussing helps with getting the kids out of the building. No Child Left behind has stated that kids learn better when they are out of the classroom. Right now for one bus for a field trip it would cost the school $400. If we had a deal with a bus company that cost would be a lot lower.

Also, many of the kids don't make it to school on time because they don't wake up or can't get a ride because their parents don't care. A bus system would help get the kids to school in time for first period. Some kids walk into school 5th period and say, "I'm not late, I just got here."

D131 needs busses and find arts, clubs, and sports. Pay the school.

Anonymous said...

If the parents don't get there kids up how is having a bus help? When I take my kids to school I see many parents taking the kids to school. If these kids are coming in late it is the responseablity of the school to get in touch with the parents and make them if they still don't the school is suppose to get ahold of the truancy officer and then it can be a legal matter. There are many cases out their where parents have went to court because of this. Schools are not the childrens babysitters or parents it is not the job of the schools to take care of this.
By the way when the state first did bussing this district went all the way to the Supreme Court not to have bussing. The reason bussing start was to segregate the schools not to make sure the kids got there on time.

Anonymous said...

So because it started by way of segregation it cannot have another purpose now? You are a stupid person. There are over 500 kids tardy to school every day. The school cannot keep up with the problems we have now and you want to add more to their plate with calling all of the parents. We would need to hire more people and you all would have a fit about that. THIS DISTRICT NEEDS TO WAKE UP. Busses are not an evil tool for segregation anymore but rather a tool to get somebody somewhere. There were stupid people back when bussing was supposed to start stopping it from happening and now there are even dumber people stopping it again.

Busses would free up the congestion before and after school on the streets. It would save parents the hassle of getting their kids to school and probably save some of them gas money. There would be fewer kids late to school and there would be less mindless paperwork for the deans to handle and they cold work with the bigger problems of discipline.

Reform before the referendum – a bus or two would be a good place to start.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that somebody would argue that bussing is a bad idea. Even if it does not fix avery student from being late, it would help a lot of students get to school on time. It is obvious that the pros outweigh the cons here.

Anonymous said...

8:47

So anyone who has an opinion different from yours is stupid, dumb or dumber huh? What is it that makes your reasoning so perfect?

Anonymous said...

We must be talking about the middle schools or high school levels. I'm not saying bussing isn't a good idea but it's not so kids can be to school on time. They could move kids around to different schools to help with AYP. I went to East side schools and we made it to school on time. Yes, we walked and we did live about a mile away from the high school. By that time my parents made me responsable enough to get up in the morning and get ready for school and make it on time. These kids need to wake up and grow up because when the get out in the real world you don't have parents to blame when your late for work. I have talked to people who have bussing in their cities. For the grade schools you have to live a mile away from the school to be bussed. I don't know about now but when we went to school the city busses had routes that kids could take to make it to school. Don't kids that take the bus have to get up a little early to catch it. As far as the paper work for late kids they need to turn them in and make the parents responsable to get their kids to school on time the school districts are not the parents and it's time we stopped being them.

Anonymous said...

What makes my reasoning so perfect is that it is logical. Bus a kid to school, and he will be there on time. PROBLEM SOLVED.

Anonymous said...

If they cann't get up to walk to school they won't get up to take a bus. Bussing wasn't but in place to get a school on time. If kids aren't getting to school on time the parents need to be contacted and made accountable. Bussing can be used in many ways but not to get kids to school on time. This is about the referendum and this school district doesn't want bussing they need to educate the students not be babysitters. Why do we want people on welfare and public housing be accountable and not the parents of this school district. I think we have more problems than this. Whay makes you think if they cann't get up to walk to school they will get up to take a bus? Make the parent accountable there are ways to do that and maybe some of them will leave town and let the kids that walk or parents take them to school learn.

Anonymous said...

It is the parents job to make sure a child is up to go to school and get there on time no matter how the child gets to school. It the child is not waiting at the bus stop or at her or his home when the bus driver gets there, what is the driver supposed to do? Should the driver go to the students home and sign "Time to get up, time to get up and go to schooll", then wait while this student gets ready and make all the rest late? Let us be realistic and make parents do their job and not the teachers and other ones do it for them.

Anonymous said...

Ok, you are all perfect. Screw the district. Who the hell needs busses; it just works for Naperville 203, Indian Prairie 204, Oswego 308, Elmhurst 205, Downers Grove, Batavia, Plainfield and any other district you can think of. No, you are right, East Aurora is perfect just the way it is. Let’s not go on field trips. Just tell the kids to sit in a room and read about how great a piece of music is and not see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play. They can look at a picture of a painting instead of seeing it first hand in Chicago. They can read the script of a play instead of seeing professionals perform it live.

Here is the next comment from another poster:
No, East Aurora is not perfect the way it is. We need REFORM before REFFERENDUM. GET RID OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. DOWN WITH ADMINISTRATORS. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Fixing some little problems, might help the big ones.

Anonymous said...

Yes, going to plays and seeing the orchestra is a good thing. Children from 131 has been doing that but it was when they paid for the buses to take them. In fact when my children where going to East High they did go to those things in the late 80's and 90's and we paid for them to take the busses, I don't think it is the tax payers responsablity to pay for those things those are extra's.

Anonymous said...

To annon 2/18/07 @ 5:44AM
Just what is your posting trying to say? The things you are stating would not be covered by the bussing issue. These things are called field trips, not getting a student to school. Again, what is your posting stating? You sound like one of the yes people. D131 does need reform and not a referendum until the school board makes theirself accountable. What happened to the 20 million that was in reserve? My guess is that this is where all those big pay hikes came from for the administration, not for the teachers. Do you have 20 million to blow to your advantage? I sure do not nor does D131, which once again, is 58% povery level. How can you ask for the referendum from taxpayers that don't make much, but yet still can survive and not at what the administrators make in D131? Heck, maybe all the poverty ones should move to D204 and let them deal with what is going on here.

churchmusician said...

I have a question about the upcoming School Board election:

Do we have to vote for 4 candidates, or can we just vote for 1, 2, or 3 (the challengers)? For example, if I voted for just 1, would she get all 4 of my votes?

It seems to me that it would make a big difference in the outcome of the election if we didn't HAVE to vote for someone we didn't support just because they're "the lesser of two evils".

Anonymous said...

All this talk about bussing and I don't believe that most of the school board dosen't want bussing away.

Anonymous said...

To churchmusician,
If you only vote for one, that person does not get all 4 votes. You do not need to vote for 3 more if you don't want to. It just means that the other ones running for school board do not get a vote at all. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Students on the eastside are still taking trips.

What happened to the "good ol' days" when a kid was afraid to be tardy or absent excessively for fear of their parents paying the price for allowing their child to be 'delinquent.'
We don't need more buses, the city has many going by the students houses everyday.
We need the laws that are in place to be enforced.

Fix the systems, be it law or be it student accounting at the school. Follow through and follow up and put the burden out of the school and into the hands of the courts, all chronic disiplinary problems.

Less paperwork, less deans, budget cut! (without cutting programs:)

Anonymous said...

Amen! Feb. 10 5:24.

Anonymous said...

That should say Amen to Feb. 19 at 5:24.

Anonymous said...

Maybe if the district cut out the practice of allowing certain classes to be taught in other languages than english, money would be saved from buying teaching materials written in two different languages. Last time i checked i was in AMERICA and we spoke english.

Anonymous said...

And that is illegal for the school district to ignore an entire population of students. Wheather or not the students themselves are illegal. It is the schools responsibility to teach every student. If the school ignores the Spanish then the district would be meeting AYP even less than it already does.

Anonymous said...

Here is some insight on bussing and the mind set from our administration that needs to change.
Up until about 5 years ago, our state would have covered the cost of adding bussing to our district. The govenor's at the time felt it was a necessity for ALL districts to have bussing and would have covered the start up costs. OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAD THIS INFORMATION AND DID NOTHING WITH IT. They didn't put in a referendum for bussing. They didn't send home information with the students that this was available to us and maybe we should consider it. NOTHING. How did I learn about this? Last time we had a referendum for bussing (3 years ago maybe) I asked a lot of questions and started to annoy the person speaking. He got a little flustered and told me that if we were more involved or our board more pro active, we could have had the start up costs covered but WE dropped the ball. Guess who that speaker was at the time? Our famous Russell P who considers all eastsiders "bottomfeeders" and "irresponsible".
Yes we have been negligent in the past. We have not been as involved as we should be. But we elected people to represent our best interests. To help guide us and inform us of whats out there. Instead they have taken advangage of the situation. We, as members of the community myself included, hold responsibility for the situation we are in but we cannot put our heads in the sand and hide. There is not better time than the present to get involved and say it is time for a change. We deserve better than this. Come on guys there are area's much worse off than we are. We can change this. It's not just about the money. What good does it do to throw more money to people that feel they can do whateve they please. They don't owe this community anything. When is the last time you saw a board member, or spoken to one? I have attended many band concerts, sporting events, plays, classroom activites, volunteered for many events, ROTC functions, etc and rarely see one let alone speak to one. I never spoke with a board member until I went up and asked a question. Why don't we have a venue to contact them? Why isn't there an email address just to the board in general? Why is the only form of contact thru a board meeting? How can they possibly know what the "community" wants if they don't communicate with us? I have never seen a crystal ball on that table.
Get better about asking questions. Email Jerome Roberts at jroberts@d131.org. He is responsible for getting our questions to the board. Ask him why they are shutting down the National Honors Society next year. I am sure that is a big drain on the budget. Why aren't they given the option to have the members pay a fee like others schools do? Why does it have to be like Alice in Wonderland. OFF WITH THE PROGRAMS!
Why not off with administrators! We could eliminate EVERY SINGLE CLUB in every level and still not save as much money as ONE ADMINISTRATIOR!!!!!!!
Get involved. Ask questions. Most of all LISTEN, then speak.

Anonymous said...

in regards to national honor society at the high school level, one of the more pointless activities at EA that I was ever involved with. It served no real purpose