Clay County Superintendent of Schools Election

I would like to know what you think of the two amendments for the State Constitution we'll be voting on in Nov.  #5 & #9 on the ballot.  I'm still trying to weed through them and understand what in blue blazes they're trying to do.  What's your take on them?

Glad to see you have joined the blog. Reading you sounds like me - funny how that is. Talk with you later.

Marsha, don't forget about amendment 7.

Steven Richards, Candidate for Superintendent of Schools

OK guys! You two need to get together and meld yourselves into one candidate.

You make it a tough choice. I've talked with both of you and I like your ideas. I heard talk of a VoTech school which I think would be a great investment in our children's future.

Not everyone is going to go to college and I think we do a grave injustice to those that want and need to learn a life skill that can serve them well into the future. I think that would do a lot to cut into that 25% that drop out.

I think it would also do a lot to increase our availability of 'skilled' workers for the industry we are trying to bring in. Skilled doesn't just mean a degree. It also means people that can actually do a job. Mechanics, welders, etc are not the knuckle draggers that many people think they are.

These are highly trained and skilled workers that we could be turning out of our schools.

Mike Heemer

Pat,

One more welcome to the blogohood from Uncle Rich.  Relax, enjoy & dive into the fray.

Mike, You hit upon a great point.  I seem to remember reading or hearing some years back that a college education is not for everyone for whatever reasons.  Yes, of course it is desireable, but some kids just are not geared for it.  Add to that the # of people who have, in what I can only call, natural talents, in things like mechanics, carpentry & a host of other fields who would be, in effect, held back because they might not get a chance to develop those talents.  It's an area that needs to be explored more.

Rich K

I agree with Pat's ideas about the FCAT.  My kids have always performed very well on the tests.  Last year the school nurse called me to pick up a sick child.  On the car ride home my son told me he was so nervous about taking the FCAT and the pressure put on him by his teachers and he threw up from the stress!

I am so tired of FCAT. Thank goodness one of my children has now graduated. I have one more to help through the stress of this test. My oldest suffers from migraines. They were always more active during FCAT than any other time during the school year. My youngest has actually been physicall ill during this time because of all the hype from the teachers during FCAT. It is ridiculous.  And I can't even begin to tell you how many times we've had numerous projects due the last nine weeks of school (after FCAT) because it seems the entire school year is taught in one nine week period. Both of my boys have never had any problems with FCAT and both have attended A schools but it is still sad to see them stressed during that time frame.

I too, detest FCATS.  Realistically though, isn't getting rid of them rather like trying to put the IRS out of business with the Fair Tax Plan? 

Anyone have a plan for doing away with them?

I believe we can still use the test to determine how our schools are doing but we DO NOT need to make it a life and death situation for a student. The same info can be taught by the teachers and the students can take the test just tone it down a bit so the students are not freaked out by it. The good students are going to try their best to do well on the test. The not so good students could care less how they do. Why are we punishing the good students by making them ill? And how can these students actually focus on this test with so much stress involved? I'm not saying make the kids think it is not a big deal but don't scare them out of their minds with how important it is. There has to be a happy median somewhere.

FCAT fulfills the need to test schools as a means of financial reward.  The FCAT bureaucracy takes into account available state funds, an individual school or district's success as measured by the test, and Lord knows what else in making the determination to spread out the state's public education funds.  It places a variety of factors in priority, then spits out a check.

And, since it's essential a chase for money, FCAT assumes an unnatural priority that stresses out everyone but the paper-pushers in Tallahassee.

FCAT, which could stand for Forget Children and Teachers, can be eliminated or refined to a proper priority in public education much easier than changing the IRS.  But it won't happen as long as elected officials believe the education dollar is more important than the education.

Michael S. Mann

michaelsmann@comcast.net

Marsha, I will be looking more into those amendments and be getting back with you soon, I promise.  (Do I sound like a politician yet?)  Thanks for all the welcomes, especially from Steve, my Independent opponent whom I hope to face in November.  If anyone is interested, you can compare our websites or attend forums to hear us speak, but after about 20 so far, I can tell you that Steve and I are on virtually the same page about most subjects.  As teachers, we have an front line view of what is really going on in the schools today.  More to follow, and thanks again.  I will be at the Duke's BBQ and would be glad to meet you all.  Please introduce yourself to me, probably the only bald guy wearing a ball cap and jeans and a Pat Thurman for Superintendent button on.