One of the breakthroughs for education in RI last year included opening the door to other charter schools and a representative of the KIPP schools come to the State House commenting on those opportunities. But reading the following gives one something to watch out for as we move forward. Exchanging one badly run organization (because of union shackles) for another is no solution. Lets hope KIPP can keep them out.
KIPP. Knowledge is indeed power, but the push by a few teachers to organize this model school seems to have been discounted until it was too late. Now KIPP is fighting back, and the union effort may end up in arbitration if not accepted by Thursday. What KIPP needs to do is remind its teachers and families that its success with students – the point of it all – is accomplished by individual teachers executing a unique program, and not the result of union rules.
Chariho School Parents' Forum 
Watching the School Committee meeting. The meeting started off with the School Committee sealing everything is sight. No open negotiations. No transparency.
A man from Richmond spoke during public forum. He had a soft spoken approach so the idiots on the School Committee probably didn’t get his point, not that they care, but I believe he was chastising them for their refusal to make the negotiation process more transparent to taxpayers. I could be wrong, but it struck that this was his message. If so, good for him. I’m sure it had no impact on the School Committee, but it’s nice to see someone speak up.
Fat Andy might be the biggest moron I’ve ever heard utter a word. He taught math and he can’t even say algebra. He’s campaigning against testing. He claims the math test isn’t fair because the students are asked question on subject matter they weren’t taught. Well duh, teach them what they need to know Fat Andy. How about that for a novel concept?
The whole thing is one huge excuse fest. Fat Andy keep referencing our performance against the total state. Apparently Chariho students compare favorably when we throw the cities into the mix. I wonder why Fat Andy stops at the Rhode Island border? Why not compare ourselves globally? Sickens me to see these clowns try and defend the indefensible. These are children’s futures they’ve been throwing away. How many have been lost already?
To Booby Petit’s credit, he did emphasize the urgency of fixing the problems. Unfortunately he’s too dense to grasp the fact that the culprit is wearing Mr. Ricci’s clothes. These scores are a direct result of constructivist math brought to us courtesy of Mr. Ricci and friends. Math scores suck because Chariho, and probably most schools in Rhode Island, switched to constructivist math. This isn’t complicated, but they claim to “looking into it” for two years.
I’m still watching so I may have more observational commentary coming.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 12:33 am |
Tragically a teacher, maybe the head of High School math, understands the math problem, but instead of suggesting the Elementary Schools change back to “traditional math” (her words), she said the High School has to adjust to the constructivist math (my words) being taught in Elementary School. She understands the problem but her solution is a** backwards. What is wrong with these people?
Mr. Ricci blames the students saying they don’t take the testing seriously enough. Did they take the test seriously in previous years? Billy-boob join Mr. Ricci’s bandwagon and blames the students too. Do the adults pay any attention? Math college professors around the country have complained they are dealing with college students coming out of U.S. High Schools who can’t do math. The people not being serious are the excuse-makers at Chariho, not the students.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 12:47 am |
Thank you Mrs. Carney…”track back 7 or 8 years ago when they implemented a new math program”. The chickens have come home to roost.
Mrs. Carney says not to blame the teachers. I agree to the extent that constuctivist math curriculum was forced upon them, but the teachers have some blame because they had to know the tragedy which was occurring in front of their eyes and yet it took people like Mrs. Buck to get anyone to pay attention.
Teachers should be front and center battling against constructivist math, and they are not. They are to blame for their lack of public outrage. It should not have taken this long to fix the problem, and because they are trying to cover their tracks, we still don’t know if the new math curriculum solves the problem.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 12:54 am |
Ooops, Mrs. Serra opened her mouth and end all doubt about her stupidity. She is “happy with everything” but the math scores and writing scores. She wants to move on, and not dwell on the failing education. I’m betting she wants to get to the important stuff like commending some group or other for a successful bake sale. After all, if the School Committee can’t issue proclamations, what’s the point?
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 12:58 am |
Priceless…Fat Andy was ranting on about how well Classical does teaching students. He said, “It’s like a private school”.
David may want to speak to him because Fat Andy apparently agrees with those of us who think private school do a better job teaching than government schools. Maybe Fat Andy has done the research and will share? After all it is not like him to blabber on without any facts to back him up.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 1:04 am |
The test score conversation abruptly ended in hilarious fashion. Fat Andy went on a tirade about illegal aliens and High School dropouts. You have to hear it to believe it. He upset the School Committee so much that they practically threw the Assistant Superintendent from the podium. I think I saw a hook come out and grab her by the neck. Curiousity killed the cat, and Fat Andy’s ranting killed the School Committee’s curiousity.
I suspect there won’t be much more discussion about Chariho’s inability to teach our children until next year’s pathetic test scores are released. This is funny stuff. Oh, and about 20 minutes into the meeting Billy-boob was speaking and suddenly stopped, saying he didn’t want to go on because it was getting dark outside. I’m thinking he’s afraid of the dark? You can’t make this stuff up.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 1:17 am |
Classical HS students have to gain admission via a competitive test, so you have a higher-than-usual level of motivation among children and teachers. In that way it’s certainly more like a private school. Teaching motivated kids with motivated parents is, I expect, preferred for teachers.
I’ve known plenty of kids who have gone both public-to-private and private-to-public. The range of expereiences is huge in all areas — social and extracurricular as well as academic.
My recommendation for those who believe private school to be so superior is to try one out.
Comment by david — February 14, 2009 @ 8:57 am |
I meant to say higher than usual motivation among children and *parents*.
Sorry for the typo.
Comment by david — February 14, 2009 @ 9:54 am |
Many of us would love for our children to try one out. If only the government would cooperate.
In light of Fat Andy’s comments, comparing Classical with its high standards to private school, his attitude clearly indicates a belief that private schools provide superior education. Who are we to question Fat Andy’s wisdom?
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 9:59 am |
I graduated from Classical. Trust me, Chariho is no Classical.
Comment by ARRRR — February 14, 2009 @ 1:28 pm |
Oh…and they don’t have a 17million dollar track or new lockers either. I can’t imagine how they manage to teach without a spanking new track.
Comment by ARRRR — February 14, 2009 @ 1:31 pm |
CR, the whole country is entrenched into this constructivist math program. It will be hard to move people away from it when there are some people within the system that feel strongly about the value of such a program.
It is up to the parents to join forces and demand change here. If we don’t and if it is as you say that the teachers lack the courage to stand up for this change, then we are the only stumbling blocks to this. We can make change. After all, these are our kids that are being exposed to this crap. We are ultimately responsible.
Personally, I agree that there are elements of problem solving that are more prevalent within the constructivist math approach that are of value, but steering away from the basic algorithms like TERC did is where it went wrong. Steering away from the drill and kill approach to teaching math facts is another.
In and by itself, rote learning is foolish, but the problem is that discovery learning whereby the teacher is only a facilitator, just sitting back and letting the kids make connections (ie. discovering) is where things have gone. This may work in seventh grade science, but it is not wise in third grade where the child should learn all of his/her math facts through rote.
Rote has been abandoned because it is boring. Well, I say too bad.
Speaking for myself, I memorized my multiplication math facts in third grade at Hope Valley school. I would ask the teachers now, from 4th to 12th grade, what percentage of children can get a 90% or better on a timed multiplication test.
Everything is processing and critical thinking skills. These are important, but certain things need to be mastered before these things become the sole approach. Rote has value.
Having been exposed to teaching courses, for example, I took an Educational Psychology course at URI, one of the things we discussed is the overreliance upon one way or the other. The point was that all forms have relevance.
You would think that when America moved away from phonetics to whole language, we would have learned our lesson. In fact, we didn’t. Thus, we have constructivist math. In the meanwhile, our children continue to suffer from the lack of courage by all.
Curriculum is not totally to blame, but it is a place to start. Philosophies will have to be changed, as well. I could go on, but I will spare you today.
Have a nice day, and Happy Valentine’s Day to all.
Comment by Lois Buck — February 14, 2009 @ 4:05 pm |
As a point, some people would be unhappy that I did not vote for any part of the Campus 2010 Bond.
I am happy that the school committee has made every effort to minimize our tax increases, BUT I read today that 25% was cut for capital improvements from the budget. If this is correct, do you see where we are going tritowns? If this is true, we have not learned our lesson yet.
In 10 years or more we will be back down the bond bandwagon trying to raise capital for infrastructure and other assets.
It is just an observation, but the math doesn’t seem to add up, as we know that the capital improvements do not represent 25% of a normal budget.
What effect does this have on the 5 year capital improvement list? Does anyone know?
Comment by Lois Buck — February 14, 2009 @ 4:19 pm |
Not to diminish your intellect Mrs. Buck, but how is it possible for you to have such a thorough understanding of the problems with forgoing rote learning at the early ages, but the so-called experts have to research math curriculum for years while students continue to be improperly taught math? They still haven’t gotten it right when “right” is right in front of their eyes.
I read somewhere that constructivist math is all about ideology. Girls and minorities were not generally scoring as well on math testing as boys, and the leftists couldn’t stomach the thought (everyone’s equal don’t you know) so they developed a math curriculum designed to work best for the “victims”. Funny thing is they reached their objective. Now everyone scores low on math testing. Brilliant strategy…nobody’s different.
I suspect the academic theorists are fighting tooth and nail behind the scenes to keep constructivism is place. We do know it was initially introduced to government schools with math junkets and freebies for administrators and teachers who led the efforts to bring constructivst math to a school near you. Once the advocates were trained and in place, the rest was easy.
If we lived in a just society the media would be investigating the whole thing. Administrators and teachers involved in the scam would be fired. Instead, they remain in leadership making excuses and trying to modify constructivism but not get rid of it. One more reason school choice must come to pass if our society is to survive. Even if constructivism goes the way of the dinosaur these people will try something else which will harm our children. It is their nature. Only by empowering parents with choice can children truly be protected from the ideologically driven beauracrats.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 7:29 pm |
If you believe in the power of free markets there is no debate about the superiority of private school education. Who in their right mind would choose to pay thousands of dollars to have their kids educated at a private school if kids could get the same quality education at a public school? Perhaps there may be a few environmental whackos or those of similar stripes who would choose schools with values based criteria, but they would be few and far between. No way does this explain the existence of most private schools. Private schools can only exist if they do a better job than free (yes, I know they aren’t really free) public schools.
Simply put if you could shop at Walmart for free, why would you choose Nordstroms at great expense?
Comment by Free Marketer — February 14, 2009 @ 8:17 pm |
I knew I was missing something and the free market concept is it.
We’re told that children from “advantaged” homes are better students because their parents are often better educated and higher wage earners. This being the case, are we to believe these parents are dumb enough to pay to have their children educated in private schools when the outcomes are no better than government schools? Of course not.
Free markets always reward the best value…with value being determined by the optimum combination of cost and quality. Since private schools require spending above and beyond what parents already pay in taxes, then as a believer in the inevitable outcome of free markets, there is no other conclusion to reach other than private schools offer better education than government schools. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t exist.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 14, 2009 @ 10:31 pm |
Andy was the Math Department head. Do you think he is going to throw himself under the bus or fire himself?
Comment by rico — February 14, 2009 @ 10:41 pm |
Yes, school choice for my kids to. Thanks Mr. Felkner for trying to look out for all of us.
Comment by rico — February 14, 2009 @ 10:43 pm |
In post 15 above, the writer says, “Simply put if you could shop at Walmart for free, why would you choose Nordstroms at great expense?”
Well, if a shopper wanted something that could be purchased at Nordstroms that can’t be found at Walmart, that’s one reason. Some private school parents want the moral basis of Catholicism or Quaker thought. Some want their kids kept away from “bad influences”. Some want the connections that come from mingling with the elite. Some want to ensure that things viewed as “extra” in public schools, like the arts, are maintained from clumsy budget cutting.
Not all of these are good reasons, and none of these relate to the academic performance of the private school.
It’s very interesting to me that such an avowed group of free market advocates are agitating for government intervention in the free market (via a voucher program), which they must realize will affect and perhaps corrupt the very market forces they honor.
Comment by david — February 14, 2009 @ 11:01 pm |
The government is already involved in the free market system. I didn’t choose for them to intervene, but they do. There is no way they’ll remove themselves from education, so the best we can hope for is an opening up of the system to greater competition. Private schools which want to remain out of public financing will not be forced into it by vouchers or any other school choice plan. There are colleges who opt out and the same would be true with school choice.
As to all the reasons people choose private school, academic superiority is clearly among them, and most likely the primary reason. Noting that some parents choose private for other reasons does not mitigate the fact that parents are paying for private school when they can get government schools for free. Free market logic tells me this is because private schools are better than public schools, just as with any business which is successful because it is better than its competition. Unlike business though, private schools compete against free government schools. They survive even with an extremely unlevel competitive field. Quite amazing if you think about it.
I wonder if Fat Andy ran the math department when constructivist curriculum was foisted upon our children? This would explain why he is so hysterical when the subject of testing comes up. Although I would never discount the reality that his anger could be just because he’s a complete idiot.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 15, 2009 @ 1:23 am |
I guess I am a bit dense, but instead of doing “studies” “trials”, graphing of students, etc why don’t we just say…”Gee those schools have students who can read and write…what are THEY teaching”?
Corporations, and any large company will usually try to mimic the sucessful strategy of others, so why don’t the educators do the same for our kids?
If CHARIHO emailed the 10 BEST schools in the US and asked what curriculum and study aids they used, and how they implement them, I’ll bet we would have an answer within a month or two, at no cost. (I am also sure their ratio is NOT
10 students per teacher, either)
Makes sense to me, but is this is too easy??
Comment by Dorothy — February 15, 2009 @ 10:56 am |
Your point is excellent Dorothy, and the fact they don’t simply do what you advise is one more example of why we know government schools are more interested in adults than children. If they truly cared about the students, they would look to successful schools’ curriculum.
By the way, not sure if Dorothy is Dorothy Gardiner? I didn’t comment fully on the meeting. Besides voting to keep the public in the dark about contracts, and the excuse parade over test scores, there were other heated discussions.
Billy-boob went on the attack against some unidentified person from Hope Valley saying this person was stirring up trouble…or something to that effect…over the 1904 building. I assume his criticism was directed at Mrs. Gardiner or Mrs. Ure. Ms. Carney pointed out problems with the 1904 lease agreement, but the School Committee wasn’t interested.
Mr. Vecchio tried to postpone a vote on an administrator’s contract…I think it was a vice principal…but he was summarily shut down.
Because the cameraman did mostly close-ups and Ms. Eaves didn’t voice the vote count, I couldn’t tell who voted for or against what.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 15, 2009 @ 1:17 pm |
I am dorothy Gardiner, but probably NOT the “unidentified person”. Besides, I do not understand how ONE person could affect Bill Day that much! I don’t know who “she needs to get a life” is, as Bill Day did not name anyone. Perhaps one of Andys illegals?
Also, how can we expect any of our children to respect laws and property if the school committee flaunts their disrespect? Good grief, the group that allowed CHARIHO to “give back” the 1904 building should have followed up once they took on the building and threw us under the bus and assured:
that insurance was in place.
That the building was in the condition it was in when leased
That the furniture was back
That all repairs needed were completed and approved by the committee that engineered this deal.
That all the locks were changed.
That the building was secure and alarmed for fire, at least
That the only time CHARIHO would enter the building would be under supervision, and any changes to the building would be reviewed prior to those changes.
I could go on and on, but it is of no use. I do hope that the building is saved, and used. However, with the temperature flucuations, the leaks, and the problems that currently exist, (the flooding from the water line and that effect on the boiler electrical components), I fear the building may not survive.
Comment by Dorothy — February 15, 2009 @ 8:37 pm |
Please help me understand why the residents of Hopkinton put so much emphasis on the 1904 building. It seems to me that it’s an outdated building to even be considered for use as a school any longer. To try and modernize the building wouldn’t it be throwing good money away that could be used for better purposes?
Comment by CharihoParent — February 15, 2009 @ 9:25 pm |
The building recieved a strong review as structuraly sound from Kastle Boos. I was impressed with the building and hope we can use it again. Ricci tried to say it would be over $3mm but I don’t believe that estimate and when asked I never recieved anything to back it up.
Comment by Bill Felkner — February 15, 2009 @ 10:03 pm |
The 1904 building is one more example of Ricci’s irresponsible administration. Chariho received a furnished building in working order. They returned an emptied building in disrepair. If a tenant did what Chariho did they’d lose their security deposit and they’d likely be sued. To add insult to injury, a few years later Chariho has us voting millions in bonds to expand infrastructure.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 15, 2009 @ 10:37 pm |
I’ve posted on here before about a coworker of mine who lives in CT, and went to his school and told the teacher his kids will not be participating in the “new math” cirriculum. The parent taught his kids the necessary math skills and the teacher had to deal with it. Has any parents of children in the Chariho system tried this? He met very little resistance from the teachers on this issue.
Comment by RS — February 15, 2009 @ 11:22 pm |
A couple of SC meeting ago, they had a presentation on the K-8 math pilot (Charlestown School) and the full roll out this year … is this the chagne from “new math” or a different version of “new math”?
Comment by Gene Daniell — February 16, 2009 @ 1:30 pm |
Who knows Gene? They don’t even acknowledge the type of new math they’ve been using. While we refer to constructivist math here, I’ve never heard anyone associated with the Chariho status quo use the term. They name textbooks, but not the overall theory of contructivism. When they make a change they reference the brand name rather the ideological philosophy behind the textbook. The students need constructivist math to be gone. Who knows if the recent changes bring us back to traditional math or if it is more of the same. As usual Chariho isn’t talking.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 16, 2009 @ 2:43 pm |
CharihoParent:
WHY do I believe that the 1904 building should be saved? OUR elementary school children have suffered the use of portable classrooms for MORE THEN 20 years! Again and again, I hear about the new portable classrooms being used for the RYSE building, but those have been in use for only a few years, and for a much older group of children.
In Hope Valley, these young children are required to go outside to trek to the main building in all kinds of weather to use the bathrooms. Think of THAT! Tiny children expected to suffered the discomfort of all weather in order to use a bathroom! Between Ashaway and Hope Valley, FIVE “Portable classrooms” are in use. For Elementary students! All of this happening while CHARIHO used and abused the 1904 building. No maintenance, furniture moved out, gross negligence in upkeep, and you expect me to just sit and accept that behavior? If you rented or leased property with the expectation and expected lease requirements of upkeep, I doubt that you would accept that building back in the condition it was in.
For much les then the reported 3 million dollars, we could have TWELVE bright and airy, large classrooms for our children. Right now, there is a committee working to revive the 1904 building, and I do hope that they have called the insurance company to get the water damage repaired, and are working to keep what has been returned to us in at least usable condition so that the building can be renovated in the future.
Comment by Dorothy — February 16, 2009 @ 4:55 pm |
The State House was built in 1904, maybe we should scrap it also.
Comment by RS — February 16, 2009 @ 5:15 pm |
I’d be happy if we could scrap the politicians inside the state house.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 16, 2009 @ 9:24 pm |
Comment Number #10 and #11. ARRRR?
Take a deep breathe, my friend. Chariho wasn’t in the 1970’s nor is it now Classical.
If that makes you feel better, then you can feel better. If I go back up and re read $17 million dollar track (???), is that what I read, I ran on a dirt/’cinder’ track (74-77) and when I left school I had two records on that track, I already know what your going to say BIG DEAL. Your Correct its not a BIG DEAL. What is a big deal is,where in your God’s green earth does $17 million come from for a track. The three best tracks in the state of Rhode Island are Brown University which the RIIL outdoor state championships, North Kingstown High School where may division, performance and class championships (under the leadership and greatness of their athletic director Keith Kenyon) are held and Westerly, RI. Keith Kenyon should be on a much higher level as he is a person that gets it done. If you have an argument or want to argue proposed versus actual dollars Westerly to my understanding was to be a mind numbing $200,000 and came in closer to 250,000 if not 400,000. That is a major over run at its highest. I will try and re check those numbers.
Chariho at $17,000,000 (Million) for a track??. Are you on the school committee trying to set a new ‘level of maintenance.’?
Whoever you are, your half right in that Chariho isn’t classical. Your half wrong in $17 million for a track!!!. I’m all for the undersanding of the lack of openess of chariho which is often opined and has been for at least twenty years, the lack of transperency but I had to recheck this blog issue three times as I could get my hands around what you just said.
You should be embarrassed. I’m embarrassed for you, I don’t care where your from (tri town) that is a totally irresponsible statement/’reporting’. Please speak of what you ‘may’ know not some lightening bolt of madness.
Be Well Tri Town Voters
If $17 Million is available for a track lets put it in Trust for all Sports and name it the Richard Bennett Track and William Haberek Field.
Wow that blog was a stunner.
Comment by James Hirst — February 18, 2009 @ 5:45 pm |
Please people, get the facts right before saying something. No where, absolutely, postively, no where does it say anything about $17 million for the track. Here’s what it says:
A N A C T
(I) AUTHORIZING THE CHARIHO REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FINANCE THE
CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, IMPROVEMENT, DEMOLITION, ALTERATION,
REPAIR, ADDITIONS, PAVING, LANDSCAPING, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF
THE CHARIHO HIGH SCHOOL AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SWITCH ROAD
CAMPUS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A MAINTENANCE FACILITY, TRACK,
PARKING AND UTILITY AND SECURITY UPGRADES BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT
MORE THAN $17,847,000 BONDS AND/OR NOTES THEREFOR AND (II) PROVIDING
THAT THE PRINCIPAL OF, REDEMPTION PREMIUM AND INTEREST ON BONDS AND
NOTES ISSUED FOR THE PROJECT WILL BE BORNE BY THE MEMBER TOWNS IN
EQUAL SHARES, WITH EACH TOWN PAYING ONE-THIRD OF THE COSTS AND
SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF STATE SCHOOL HOUSING AID.
So as you see, the $17 million includes all the renovations, not just the track!
The breakdown has the track replacement at $400,000.
You can see it all here:
Click to access campus_2010_project_budget.pdf
Comment by CharihoParent — February 18, 2009 @ 8:32 pm |
I think you call the track statement hyberbole.
I’m all for running, and have a vague recollection of Mr. James Hirst’s running excellence. Mrs. Capalbo nailed it when she noted that a track wouldn’t last the life of the bond. You simply do not take out a loan for something which won’t last the life of the loan. This is bad business and bad economics.
Regardless of whether Chariho needs a track or not, it should not have been part of a long term bond. Water under the bridge as Chariho successfully re-voted themselves the bond including the track, but Mrs. Capalbo’s point is still valid. If the tri-towns ever come to their senses they’d be well advised to not issue bonds for anything with a shorter life span than the bond itself. I doubt the tri-towns will ever come to their senses, so I guess we’ll see more such nonsense in the future. As Mr. James Hirst has documented, history has a way of repeating itself when it comes to Chariho.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 18, 2009 @ 10:44 pm |
I knew either you or RS would run to the defense of a stupid statement. If Chariho did it as part of the annual budget many still would not be happy. If Chariho took out at short term loan many still would not be happy. To put it bluntly, no matter what Chariho does, you, RS, SBH, JH, BC, DG and Company would find something to complain about! That is the “resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” that I speak about.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 19, 2009 @ 5:37 am |
You’ll be happy to know I’m putting your “stupid statement” in the hyperbole classification as well. You are correct in asserting I wouldn’t be happy if Chariho put some of the bond elements into the annual budget. With declining enrollment and existing infrastructure available, we certainly didn’t need expansion. I haven’t reviewed the bond in a while, but I’m recollect there are a number of other elements which are totally unnecessary and a foolish use of other people’s money.
Regardless, we got it. You won and the other Chariho sycophants won. Our children and the community loss. Enjoy your victory.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 19, 2009 @ 9:33 am |
GONG GONG GONG!
Comment by RS — February 19, 2009 @ 2:02 pm |
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
Comment by RS — February 19, 2009 @ 2:02 pm |
Ther you go MR. Criticism!
Comment by RS — February 19, 2009 @ 2:22 pm |
From one that criticizes others so well. Brilliant, just brilliant.
Again I’ll say to you, RS, it’s funny how you don’t like being critized yet will crtitize everyone who does not 100% agree with you. I’m glad I don’t like in your house, I could not take the constant grumpiness that you excude.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 19, 2009 @ 2:57 pm |
I guess you have the inability to respect a person and disagree with their viewpoint. I am critical of the flaws of Chariho, not people(you do plenty of that for all of us) because how do you fix the flaws if you fail to bring them up and be critical of them? I do understand how critical analysis and analytical skills might elude those without the ability to apply logical thinking to gathering and analyzing information.
Being a christian, I’ll always welcome you into my home.
Comment by RS — February 19, 2009 @ 5:19 pm |
Hey, I’m the grumpy one…or maybe I’m the meanie…I always get that confused 😉
Comment by Curious Resident — February 19, 2009 @ 8:53 pm |
RS, you continue to amaze me with your statements. You respect person who disagrees with you? You’ve failed to show that on this blog many times. Thanks, I need the laugh.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 19, 2009 @ 9:11 pm |
If it makes you feel any better, when people are wrong as often as Chariho sycophants, I don’t respect them. RS is much more Christian than me. I would invite them over for coffee, but only if they agree to be hooked up to a lie detector.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 19, 2009 @ 10:09 pm |
Laugh away my friend, glad I could give you a gift this evening.
Your welcome.
Comment by RS — February 19, 2009 @ 10:21 pm |
Comment # 33. Notice I threw in lockers too in my original comment. I’m sure the bond is going for other trivial things (landscaping,furniture, parking lots- Thanks Charihoparent-I didn’t have that bond memorized) besides lockers and tracks. In this economy, do we need these things at all when 70% of the 11th graders can’t score proficient on the NECAP? My Classical point was that they are a poor inner city school, with not enough books to go around. Some have made the point that we can’t educate students when the bathrooms need a fresh coat of paint etc. Walking through CHARIHO I am amazed by how nice and modern the school looks compared to a Providence public school that gets higher scores. I was also cross referencing Andy’s comparison of Classical to CHARIHO. Sorry you had to read my comment 3 times. I didn’t re-read it, as I’m busy working to pay my astronomical taxes.
Comment by ARRRR — February 21, 2009 @ 11:10 am |
Be careful ARRRR, you’re bringing up the word proficient which will lead to “are we getting our money’s worth for our childrens education”. Some do not like to talk about such things, better keep the topic on track fields lockers, etc, we know these items are the real reason why Chariho is a substandard, below par educational facility.
Comment by RS — February 21, 2009 @ 11:59 am |
I forgot to mention that I would not be put off at all if the bond was going towards a roof that doesn’t leak or clean water. These should be priorities. It probably is hard to learn with the drip drip of water dropping into one of Ashaway’s many buckets.
Comment by ARRRR — February 21, 2009 @ 12:15 pm |
I’m still trying to figure out what kind of people fail to do the required maintenance on structures they own. I guess if you have the inability to properly budget, or if you have the inability to follow a budget then some categories get neglected. I don’t see any neglect in the salaries and benefits of the Chariho administration, imagine if the contracts said no monetary benefit until the facilities are in “proper” condition.
I surmise we might see a different defenition of proper and would the facilities would somehow magically become ok.
Comment by RS — February 21, 2009 @ 12:59 pm |
Technically Chariho does not own any of the elementary schools, the individual towns own the buildings and rent them to Chariho for the sum of $1 per year. Maybe that’s why the likes of Andy P. and Bill Day didn’t want to put any money into the elementary schools. Besides, if money went to the maintenance of the schools it would probably have an affect on Andy P. retirement from the school system and Bill Day’s family members that work for the school district.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 21, 2009 @ 1:58 pm |
Sometimes CharihoParent gets it right.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 21, 2009 @ 3:06 pm |
http://www.providenceschools.org/hs/classical/admissions.html
Gee, why does Classical HS have better test scores? Because they select their students and can boot out kids who don’t keep up!
I think many school districts have underfunded maintenance because of too generous teacher contracts. This is a budgetary problem Chariho can begin to correct this year.
Comment by david — February 21, 2009 @ 5:56 pm |
They can but will they? Their track record is rather dismal on it considering how high compensation is now. Also, it isn’t just the teacher contracts that are generous but also the support staff contracts and administrative contracts.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 21, 2009 @ 6:52 pm |
When Mr. Felkner participated in the internet show he noted teachers receive in excess of 10% raises for the first ten years of their employment. How can this be tolerated by anyone? No merit, simply being in the job qualifies a teacher for a 10% raise. They hide the raises by calling them steps. Chariho isn’t very good at educating students, but boy, they’ve really got scamming taxpayers down to a science.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 21, 2009 @ 7:40 pm |
They can and do kick students who don’t study out. There really isn’t any comparison. I don’t think there is another school system in the country that divides their high schools like Providence. My point was that bushes and lockers don’t teach advanced math. We need good,proven, basic math programs taught by capable teachers at the lower levels and more advanced placement classes for top high school students. Dave, I hope Chariho does start to solve some of their budgetary problems. I really do.
Comment by ARRRR — February 22, 2009 @ 12:06 am |
Re #47,
Here is what you said ARRRR:
“…they don’t have a 17million dollar track or new lockers either”
Now isn’t that implying that the track is $17 million?
What I do find rather ironic is that James Hirst also attempted to correct ARRRR in post #33 but that was let go, it wasn’t hyperbole when he made the correction.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 23, 2009 @ 8:29 am |
Little picture…….beat a comment about 17 mil track to death.
Big picture……….FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY AT CHARIHO WHICH PRECIPITATED ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT BONDS FOR EVERYDAY MAINTENANCE.
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 9:09 am |
Ah yes, RS show his Christian soul once again.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 23, 2009 @ 9:24 am |
Ah yes, CP shows his critical nature once again.
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 10:06 am |
Not Christian to deny Chariho its rightful bounty don’t you know. “For the kids”.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 23, 2009 @ 10:23 am |
I have sinned again. If I could only be as perfect as Chariho and its supporters and do no wrong.
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 10:44 am |
One again, RS, thanks for the laugh. OK for you to be critical but may I be damned for being critical as well. Double standards or is it that it all depends on who or what is being critized?
CR, if that statement was directed towads me, once again, you’re darn wrong. Good try though.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 23, 2009 @ 10:49 am |
Your welcome CP! Glad I could help your disposition….even if for a short time. Now back to deflecting the real issues and problems with dead horses.
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 11:13 am |
My comments are always, and only, directed at those who find them to be applicable. You decide, not me.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 23, 2009 @ 12:42 pm |
Of course it was a hyperbole. Not to be taken literally. The point? Nothing in the bond helps educate. Look at what Hope High School has done with restructuring and accountablity.
http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/content/se_educationwatch22_02-22-09_S7DC92D_v8.263fd91.html
Comment by ARRRR — February 23, 2009 @ 3:43 pm |
What in any school facilities bond ever goes directly to help educate? People complain about facilities being let go and to some degree I agree with them on that point but we do have to get facilities in shape and then hold Chariho’s (the SC and the Administration’s) feet to the fire to not let them get into this kind of condition again. What Hope High School did was a change of mentality, something Chariho sorely needs to have happen as well. As long as this school committee, with a few exceptions, and administration continues to ignore what’s really going on around them and proclaim 30% proficiency is something to write home about, our kids are in trouble. Get back the basics, the reading, writing, arithmetic that was used for so long and has a proven track record of success.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 23, 2009 @ 4:20 pm |
So true.
Comment by ARRRR — February 23, 2009 @ 5:43 pm |
Unfortunately we refuse to hold Chariho’s feet to the fire. Instead, we reward their budgetary mismanagement and educational failures time-after-time. The bond capitulation is just the latest in a history of the tri-towns accepting incompetence. I’m sure the teachers’ upcoming contract will be more of the same as our School Committee once again hides behind sealed minutes.
The bond is fait accompli, so let’s not pretend we’ll now be holding Chariho accountable. We never have, and we likely never will. When someone like Mr. Felkner comes along with the promise of finally moving us in the right direction, he is attacked for not “getting along”.
With Richmond playing the starring role, we have proven to be a community of fools. It will take a lot more than a few words to convince me anything has changed this time.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 23, 2009 @ 6:46 pm |
I think that fire is a Bic lighter….
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 8:25 pm |
To throw the blame all on one community is a farce. From a Richmond resident’s point of view, it’s the other communities that play the fools. Charlestown from it’s failed attempts at withdrawal to it’s stubborn refusal to approach the table when it comes to some means of tax equalization. Hopkinton for it’s refusal to let get of the 1904 building, some people in Richmond feel that it’s a waste of time trying to do anything with building. So, you see, it’s a matter of where your perspective is as to who the fools are.
When you say “we”, that includes yourself. Again, just a few people can’t lead the fight alone, the taxpaying/voting citizens have to be made aware which, short of blairing it out on the streets of our communities, the majority of taxpayers just go around blindly and never pay attention to any issues. Rhode Island voter apathy? Maybe.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 23, 2009 @ 9:12 pm |
Unlike Richmond fretting about a building of no concern to them, Hopkinton has been dealing with Richmond’s refusal to ever find Chariho spending they didn’t like. No one has been able to cite even one instance when Richmond voters rejected a Chariho bond or budget. All these years of a perfection at Chariho. Maybe Richmond is so pleased to have the Chariho campus within their boundaries they think they are actually getting something for all the money wasted there.
I don’t blame Richmond alone. Hopkinton did eventually agree to the re-voted bond…we have our fair share of fools, but we’re around 50/50 while Richmond fools are the solid majority. Charlestown has very few fools. Those geniuses pulled off the best scam seen in these parts in years. They not only kept the idiots in Richmond in their corner, they managed to scrounge up a slight majority in Hopkinton. Not sure how they did it, but I can’t help but admire how they pulled it off. They’ve secured themselves 20 more years of Richmond and Hopkinton servitude.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 23, 2009 @ 9:43 pm |
…….unless we can get school choice, then the only servants will be those who choose to be pawns of Chariho and passengers on the great trainwreck.
Comment by RS — February 23, 2009 @ 10:31 pm |
Yes, school choice is the ultimate solution, but easier said than done. We all know, or know of, people who choose non-government schools for their own children, but can’t stand the notion of other people’s children being afforded the same opportunity. This isn’t just a battle against government employees.
No one wants school choice more than me, and I think it will happen someday or are educational standards will continue to lag substantially behind the rest of the world, but the forces against school choice come from many angles. It’s not just the teachers and their unions. A battle worth fighting, but as we’ve seen our community is very tolerant of Chariho’s failure to adequately educate…I’m not sure what it will take to get enough support for school choice. I’m glad Mr. Felkner is leading the way. I’m not sure if it can be done.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 23, 2009 @ 11:04 pm |
Using incompetence(SC) to weed out incompetence(failures of Chariho admin) is a daunting task.
Comment by RS — February 24, 2009 @ 12:05 am |
CR,
If Chariho had the expense of the 1904 building, it isn’t a building that is of no concern to any of the other towns. The taxpayers of the other towns would then be helping to fund the costs of it. Rather parochial in your thinking, aren’t you? Again, who the fools are is all a matter of your own perspective. I’ve heard Hopkinton residents refered to more than once as “nothing but a bunch of fools”, the ironic part is, it’s not only Richmond taxpayers saying it.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 5:38 am |
Hmmmmmm… from East Greenwich:
The council also okayed a final $5.8 million budget for the expansion and improvement of the high school athletic field, including a new track, two new baseball fields, a new softball field, and three new fields for soccer, field hockey and lacrosse.
http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/02/council-gives-g.html#450195
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 5:42 am |
More proof of the foolishness of Richmond. They’d rather pay $1,000,000 to add 4 classrooms in Richmond rather than spend $2,000,000 to maintain 12 classrooms in Ashaway. Must be that constructivist math taking root.
As for East Greenwich, you state they are paying for the atheletic facilities with their “final budget”. Atheletic facilities should be paid for as part of a budget, not a 20 year bond. Even if they did choose to use 20 year bonds to pay for a track that would last 10 years, at least they aren’t dragging neighboring towns into their folly.
You can cite me all kind of examples of Rhode Islanders acting and voting like morons. If it gives you comfort to think Richmond is not alone, go for it. Richmond may have more nimrods per capita, but they are not alone. We don’t disagree on this point.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 10:43 am |
I’ll help you out. EG real estate listing, plenty of room for those wishing to spend money on facilities.
http://www.newenglandmoves.com/real_estate/Rhode_Island/Kent/East_Greenwich.htm
Comment by RS — February 24, 2009 @ 10:57 am |
RE: 78
Actually, if the 1904 committee has applied (or is applying) for stimulus funding, we would be able to get the 1904 building refurbished with that money. Recall, the stimulus funding is mostly to upgrade and refurbish schools, NOT to build NEW buildings. Seems like a good way to at least get some of the money we will all have to pay for this gigantic package! AND get a refurbished school also!
Comment by Dorothy — February 24, 2009 @ 11:58 am |
Have you discussed this with anyone on the Town Council Mrs. Gardiner? Since the 1904 building isn’t currently in use, maybe it wouldn’t qualify as a suitable for the latest government wasting of our money?
From my perspective, the approval of the re-voted bond locks 5th and 6th graders into the current Middle School configuration. I’m not sure what else the 1904 building could be used for if not for bringing elementary aged children back to Elementary Schools?
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 12:21 pm |
CR, I believe you’re missing my point, where you think Richmond taxpayers are nothing by fools some taxpayers in your own community and the other two communities think the vocal group heard from Hopkinton are nothing but fools as well. Again, a matter of perspective. You love calling others morons but perhaps others think the same way towards the vocal group and I’m still not convinced you hold the majority edge in Hopkinton because when voters show up in the larger numbers, the vocal group loses. The loudest, most vocal groups usually garner the most attention but that doesn’t always mean that they are of the majority opinion or of the correct opinion. Mind you now, I’m not saying that they are totally incorrect, there are issues that agree with you and others on.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 1:07 pm |
Benjamin Franklin once said: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool then to speak out and remove all doubt.”
Comment by RS — February 24, 2009 @ 1:15 pm |
I don’t have a Fool-O-Meter so obviously it is a matter of opinion. Clearly Hopkinton is split somewhere around 50/50 on matters of supporting the Chariho status quo.
I think it is a sure sign of idiocy to support an educational system which costs a small fortune and delivers terrible outcomes. Others may disagree. They might even give Mr. Ricci votes of confidence. Apparently the vast majority in Richmond do disagree and never fail to give Chariho whatever they demand. This is why I think Richmond is loaded with morons.
My insults are based on behavior, not IQ tests. I’m sure Mr. Oppenheimer and other Richmond politicians would score above moron on an IQ test. It just doesn’t translate well when it comes to Chariho issues.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 1:43 pm |
Hi all,
I was on the ad hoc group looking into options for bringing fifth and sixth grade students back to elementary. Our group looked into the 1904 bldg. for this purpose. Before the bond vote I said there was no point to the ad hoc group if the bond got okayed by Hopkinton. Sure enough the bond went through so I see no reason to continue the group. Others may want to but I’m not wasting my time when Hopkinton decided to keep the young kids in middle school with the vote for the bond (my opinion). I’m not sure what group Dorothy is talking about but if she means the ad hoc group I was on she may want to check with Lois or Barbara to see if the group still exists. Maybe there is another group I don’t know about?
Comment by Jim L. — February 24, 2009 @ 2:25 pm |
Dorothy,
Could you please show me where is says in the stimulus funding that it “is mostly to upgrade and refurbish schools”. Is that a federal, state or local mandate? I don’t recall seeing that wording anywhere. It has been my understanding that the state has determined where any of the stimulus monies are going at this point in time.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 2:43 pm |
CR, I’m glad you are finally undertanding that who the fools are is a matter of opinion. Perhaps what you think and/or perceive is not 100% accurate, just like what the so called “fools” think and/perceive is not 100% acurate either. Should Ricci have gotten that vote of confidence, not in my opinion. But then again, politicians tend to stick their nose in where it doesn’t belong.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 2:46 pm |
I never had any other understanding. I do have confidence in my approach to evaluating the foolishness of others. I’ve seen no legitimate excuse for Richmond’s historical record of never rejecting any amount of Chariho spending, so I am confident in my assessment of the substantial Richmond majority.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 2:52 pm |
The 1904 building has limited use if not used as a school. With its proximity to Ashaway Elementary School I doubt there are many other uses for the building other than as a school. Even if the Federal government’s wasting of other people’s money is applied to the 1904 building, what would be the point if there are no students to put into it?
Of course, if Hopkinton politicians see the light and figure out a way to give parents choice, then maybe the 1904 building will have an opportunity to be revived. I’d love to see a non-government school take over the building and offer Hopkinton children a chance for a decent education. If Hopkinton agreed to lease the building to Chariho for $1 per year, than any other school should be able to lease if for $0.50.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 2:59 pm |
CR, and I’m sure others have confidence in their approach in evaluating the foolishness of the vocal group in Hopkinton. There’s a saying that I’ve heard before, “Be careful who you are pointing your finger at because there is 3 fingers pointing back yourself.”
Comment by CharihoParent — February 24, 2009 @ 3:37 pm |
Great, and what is your criteria? Oh, and I am rubber you are glue…
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 3:59 pm |
Here you all go! A few links regarding “Stimulus Money for Schools”
http://www.edutopia.org/economic-stimulus-education-school-funding
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/31/politics/main4694555.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4694555
http://www.ricentral.com/content/view/150841/239/
http://www.kwgn.com/pages/yourturn_landing/?Obama-pledges-schools-upgrade-in-stimulu=1&blockID=174235&feedID=23
And that’s all I have to say about the 1904 school…
Comment by Dorothy — February 24, 2009 @ 6:14 pm |
Is there a group tasked with options for the 1904 building now the Ad Hoc Committee for 5th and 6th grade is seemingly defunct? If there isn’t anyone exploring options for the 1904 building, all the taxpayer money available for wasting in the world won’t help the 1904 building.
Can a non-government school qualify for our money? Can a non-government school take over the 1904 building? If not, what can be done with the 1904 building?
Mrs. Gardiner has nothing left to say about it, but the questions still remain. Sure seems like a valuable building to have lying around not being used.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 7:12 pm |
Read through the articles linked by Mrs. Gardiner. A common complaint about Obama’s socialist schemes is a lack of details. The plan to waste our money on schools is no different. Lots of money, very few details. I did see a plea following one article from a private vocational school, but no idea whether the private school (which seems to be post-secondary) is eligible for any of our money.
The Chariho Times did report the wish list for the three towns and Chariho. Not surprisingly Mr. Ricci is proposing a new RYSE building. RYSE seems like a perfect use for wasting our money so I’m sure Obama’s plan for expanding government will fit nicely with Mr. Ricci’s plan for expanding RYSE.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 7:31 pm |
Moving a private or charter school into the 1904 building is probably possible. SK now leases the closed South Road school to a private school, for instance.
I have never been in the 1904 building and don’t know how long it’s been vacant, but…
One issue would be fire codes; public school can get away with special deals (like Richmond elementary, whose sprinkler systema and use of basement classrooms is not in accordance with code) but almost certainly private or new schools could not.
Another issue would be deconflicting space issues with Ashaway school. For that reason alone, I would expect the town to seek a decent amount of rent money and maintenance effort from the new school, since the shared property would be hard-hit by the influx of students.
Finally, Ashaway is kinda remote. There’s a reason that there are few private schools in our corner of the state, and the climate for charter schools is still difficult.
Good luck, though…
Comment by david — February 24, 2009 @ 8:35 pm |
….assuming the country isn’t bankrupt first!
We don’t really need an educational system anymore, just teach the kids how to spend and run a printing press for the unlimited supply of money.
Comment by RS — February 24, 2009 @ 8:54 pm |
If Hopkinton implemented a choice program I would expect a good amount of parents to want out of Chariho’s failing system. We already know Ashaway can’t support a private school under the current government school monopoly because one would already be there if the demand was present. That’s how free markets work.
With school choice the parents looking to protect their young children from Middle School is one group ready-made for the 1904 building.
David is probably right about the code issues, but with school choice, Hopkinton would experience a financial boon which would make lease payments for the 1904 building look like a pittance. I don’t know what, if anything, would need to be shared with Ashaway Elementary.
Since any possibility for 1904’s survival as a school depends on school choice, it’s possible even with choice the 1904 building won’t be viable. In a free market their may be more profitable locations for private schools.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 24, 2009 @ 9:07 pm |
Ref #91, CR, are you that thick headed? It’s not a “I’m rubber and you’re glue” mentality, unless you’re that childish. What I’m trying to get across to you is who the fools are is a matter of opinion. What’s the expression, “Man in glass house shouldn’t throw stones”?
For Dorothy,
I’ve read through those articles, I might have misunderstood your meaning of “mostly” please clarify. My questions to you is, are you saying most of the stimulus money is targeted for school repairs and upgrades or are you saying that most of the money that is targeted for repairs is for school repairs and upgrades.
Another question for you as well, since $17 billion is supposedly targeted for school repairs, techonology upgrades and support for homeless students across this country, how much do you think will end up in Rhode Island (I’m sure the amount is not divided by 50), then once that amount gets to Rhode Island, how much do you think the legislature will dole out to the communities (again, I’m sure that’s not divided by 39) then from there how much do you think will end up in Washington County?
The share of the pie that anyone is this area will see is very small. Besides, it is my understanding that the state is really looking to dole out to projects that are already in an advanced stage of planning not something that has to be started from square one or two. Let’s be reasonable in our expectations on what this stimulus package will provide.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 5:31 am |
CR, Ref $97, financial boon? Where? How? I’m waiting anxiously to here this exaggeration.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 5:33 am |
I find it rather ironic that one of the greatest detractors to improving facilities referenced an article that states what I know some people in this area feel is one of the things needed to help improve the education of our kids. Please read the CBS news article very carefully for it states the following:
“There’s widespread agreement, however, that improving classrooms helps student performance. Studies in Houston, New York City and North Dakota have made a link between classroom conditions and performance; in the New York study, researchers found kids in crowded classrooms scored lower in math and reading.”
That is something I’ve been saying all along and perhaps why the bond was approved overwhelming by a majority of the voters of the district not once but twice. Some people do realize that one of the things you need is modern, upgraded facilities to educate our children. Now to get people to realize that we need a much stronger school committee that is willing to fight for the taxpayers and buck the administration when it comes to contracts and clear the cloud of suspicion that hovers over it.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 5:45 am |
OBAMA: “In this budget, we will end education programs that don’t work and end direct payments to large agribusinesses that don’t need them. We’ll eliminate the no-bid contracts that have wasted billions in Iraq, and reform our defense budget so that we’re not paying for Cold War-era weapons systems we don’t use. We will root out the waste, fraud and abuse in our Medicare program that doesn’t make our seniors any healthier, and we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.”
THE FACTS: First, his budget does not accomplish any of that. It only proposes those steps. That’s all a president can do, because control over spending rests with Congress. Obama’s proposals here are a wish list and some items, including corporate tax increases and cuts in agricultural aid, will be a tough sale in Congress.
Second, waste, fraud and abuse are routinely targeted by presidents who later find that the savings realized seldom amount to significant sums. Programs that a president might consider wasteful have staunch defenders in Congress who have fought off similar efforts in the past.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29377101/
Read very carfully, “proposes these steps”, that’s all the man so many hail as the one who well rescue this country can do. He can only propose. Congress enacts and does the spending and as seen, it’s not going to be an easy sell to congress. Much like our own state, so many blame the governor for the problems but it’s not really him, it’s the legislature that enacts and spends. It’s the legislature that protect the unions, it’s the legislature that courts business as we saw with the CVS fiasco, the Beacon Mutual fiasco, the list goes on and on.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 7:57 am |
Another little article that’s rather interesting:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28883740/
This is in regards to one of President Obama’s campaign promises in regards to childhood education:
While he’s opposed to vouchers to help parents pay for private schools, Obama advocates creating a new array of public schools for families to chose from. He’s proposed that the government spend more than $400 million a year on charter schools.
Following through: In his inaugural address, he pledged to “transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.”
Obama faced some controversy for choosing to enroll his two daughters at an exclusive and pricey Washington, D.C., private school.
On Feb. 17, the president signed a $787 billion economic stimulus plan into law.
Included in that recovery package is $44.5 billion in aid to local school districts to prevent layoffs and cutbacks, $25.2 billion to school districts to fund special education and the No Child Left Behind law for students in K-12, and $2 billion for Head Start.
— End of article —
I don’t see much of anything mentinoned in regards to facility repairs and upgrades. One has to wonder how much is still in there since most, if not all, of the articles previously presented by another poster were prior to passage of the economic stimulus package.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 8:09 am |
My bad…I forgot about my Richmond friends. “I am rubber you are glue…” was my humorous response to the three fingers pointing silliness. Not so funny when it has to be explained, but I’m sure most everyone understood the joke the first time.
The financial boon occurs when Hopkinton pays $10,000 per student or less versus the $14,000 per now being wasted by Chariho.
As for spending $17,000,000 in hopes it will translate into better educational outcomes, I’m guessing the “studies” were conducted by groups with a vested interest in the end results. Richmondites are probably easily “fooled” by such feel-good baloney. One-room school houses crammed with students at numerous grade levels produced better students than the Taj Mahal schools of today. Then again, I’m sure the track, bleachers, and new lockers will overcome the tragedy of constructivist math. How could it not since there are studies saying it is true. No reason to use common sense when the government school establishment has a study.
Obama plan to waste our money will not work. Spending our money like drunken sailors is how we got in this economic mess in the first place. Spending more of our money to solve the problem could only make sense if you lost your mind.
The solution to our economic decline rests with allowing the people to keep more of the money they earn. Sending money to Washington, D.C. only to have them return a miniscule percentage back to us is a fool’s game. I’m sure it is popular in Richmond and many other communities where citizens are clueless.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 10:48 am |
REF 100.
Is this study about crowded classroom or condition of facilities, theres is a big difference. I would like to see the actual report before placing a few lines from it as proof.
Hod does RI classroom size compare to the subject schools, and were they hand picked or was the study random…..????
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 11:23 am |
CR, letting the people keep more of their money has been tried, Bush cut taxes and we’re still in this economic decline. So that’s not working, either. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of Obama but there’s a lot more complexity to the current economic woes than a simple “allowing the people to keep more of the money they earn.”
What’s the census of school students from Hopkinton? At best 10% may take advantage of school choice. Where’s the great financial boon in that? So the money in taxes goes from the school district to the town, don’t see much of a boon there. What you state is way too simple and just doesn’t work that easily.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 11:32 am |
Bush didn’t cut taxes. Taxing is the job of the legislative branch. Funny, but CP pointed out the roles of the Executive branch versus the Legislative branch only a few posts ago…he must have forgotten.
Unfortunately, as some tax cuts were being implemented, our legislators were in the process of enacting the largest social program in the history of the U.S. In addition, legislators began pressuring financial institutions to loan money to high-rish borrowers creating the housing bubble. The legislators also used our money to prop up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac…the agencies which allowed the lending institutions to defer risk. POP went the housing market.
The tax cuts did keep us from going under right after 9/11. The economy only soured in the last couple of years as the government’s spending excesses overcame the the benefits of the tax cuts.
In the last fifty years significant tax reductions have been tried only twice. JFK did it. Ronald Reagan did it. In both instances our economy boomed when the earners were allowed to keep and spend more of their own money rather than trust it in the hands of government beauracrats. I’ll never understand how any American can trust politicians more than their neighbors.
Using CP’s projection…which I think is low, but will use it anyway…if 10% of Hopkinton’s estimated 1200 students choose another school besides Chariho, and assuming a $4,000 saving, then this would mean Hopkinton would pocket nearly $500,000. I guess it is a matter of perspective if you think $500,000 is chump change.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 12:10 pm |
You’ll never convince a big government, tax and spender that any other action is viable.
Your time is better spent banging you head against the wall, your headache will arrive more expeditiously.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 12:44 pm |
Are these the conditions that inhibit learning at Chariho??
I haven’t seen this when I’m at the campus, if you have lets tell where, I would really like to know if this is what we are facing.
Click to access minding-bldgs.pdf
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 12:45 pm |
WE are deflecting the issue once again.
The question is: “Do parents have a right to spend their tax dollars where they choose for their childs education?”
The answer is a simple yes they do, or no they don’t……the mechanics of achieving this is open for discussion, and a blog will never solve the issue.
Once again, a big government, tax and spender will never agree we have a right to oversee our childrens education, but they will cry at the top of their lungs about how involved we should be and it’s the parents fault when the educational system is failing.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 12:50 pm |
RS, how “Christian” to place labels and judge the position of others when you know jack… about them. I’m far from any advocate of big govern met. I hate many of the things taxes go for, especially social “feel good” programs. One section that I would dearly love to see eliminated from every town or city budget is the freebie give aways to every agency that comes looking for money.
CR, I stand corrected, Bush didn’t make the tax cuts, the legislature did, it was only “proposed” by Bush, my blunder on that statement. To answer the deeper question, I certainly do believe that parents have that right to spend their dollars, tax dollars or out of pocket dollars, where ever they want for their child’s education. That being said, do you think that’s going to happen anytime soon given current economic uncertainties, given the union stranglehold in this state, given the corrupt state government that we have? What would it take for union reps to go up to the state capital and come up with some stupid legislation that interferes with “school choice” and/or “school vouchers” as it is currently envisioned?
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 1:08 pm |
I never thought about the connection between those who blame parents while at the same time tying the hands of parents with government school monopolies…excellent point.
I do think RS’ question is a little off as most of us will need to spend more than our own tax dollars to educate our children. We do depend on the taxes of others. Since the community has decided to fund education as a societal necessity, why not allow parents to determine the educational fate of their children? Once again it comes down to whom you trust more…politicians or your neighbors?
Yes, the tax and spenders are hopeless. Socialism, and the more extreme communism, has been tried the world over with terrible consequences…most often deadly consequences. The thought of everyone having the exact same wealth is so appealing that despite the fact it defies human nature and cannot work, the ideology survives and depending on the stupidity of the society, takes root.
Sadly, socialism has taken root right here in our own country. My prayer is that the Obama experiment wakes up enough people that we once again realize the greatness of free market capitalism. While I know Obama is a disaster waiting to happen, I am actually hopeful because the march toward socialism was underway even before Obama…with Obama having us march double time, perhaps we can get this over with in a shorter amount of time and get back to what made this country great in the first place.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 1:14 pm |
I didn’t see RS identify anyone specifically as a tax and spender. In my mind his statement holds true of anyone supporting higher taxes and more spending as a solution to the economic downturn. The taxing and spending is what got us into this mess. If taxing and spending really worked, why not double taxes and spend even trillions more?
If a trillion is good, imagine how great the economy would be doing if we spent $10,000,000,000,000…why not, $10,000,000,000,000,000? Even the taxers and spenders know it doesn’t improve the economy, but it sure gives them more political power if they have our money to spend. They pull it off with promises and we have enough people dumb enough to fall for it.
CP is right about school choice being a very difficult battle, especially here in Rhode Island. I think it is a fight worth having since it solves so many problems. Rather than every community having to restrain every school’s spending, competition takes care of it for us. Rather than every community trying to elect School Committee members who will put educating the children before employing their relatives, competition takes care of it for us. There are very few education problems which won’t be resolved with the implementation of choice. Instead of fighting an unending number of skirmishes, maybe the arduous fight for school choice is the easier one after all?
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 1:27 pm |
Thanks for the “Christianity” lessons, but I got that department covered.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 2:25 pm |
I searched and could not find where being a christian means you give up your rights to participate in our government, actually its quite the oppostite, our government was founded on christian principles. Sorry guess you’ll just have to continue to be critical of me.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 2:27 pm |
Did I say anything about giving up rights to participte in government? No, I did not. I called on your judgement of others and how Unchristian that is especially when you don’t even know them.
Matt. 7:1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
CR, of course you wouldn’t see anything wrong, I wouldn’t expect anything less coming from you.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 2:54 pm |
I beg to differ with you, RS, on whether our country was founded on Christian principles or not:
The Constitution forms a secular document, and nowhere does it appeal to God, Christianity, Jesus, or any supreme being. The U.S. government derives from people (not God), as it clearly states in the preamble: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union….” The omission of God in the Constitution did not come out of forgetfulness, but rather out of the Founding Fathers purposeful intentions to keep government separate from religion.
http://nobeliefs.com/Tripoli.htm
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 3:02 pm |
Try reading the Fedralist papers…..
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:04 pm |
A bill adding more layers of school government is scheduled to be heard on Smith Hill today.
Click to access H5333.pdf
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:05 pm |
Another one for you, RS:
when it came time to frame the Constitution, the founders began with words that made it clear the former colonies were rejecting the idea that government was ordained by God:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. (emphasis added)
American democracy starts with the presumption that the authority of the government comes not from God but from the consent of the governed, in other words, from “We the people.”
http://www.fundamentalistsrepent.com/constitution.html
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 3:05 pm |
REF 115: Your using the word “judge” as a noun to make your critical silly point, when in fact the correct usage here would be as a verb. You do like to argue, glad I don’t live in your house.
I think I have the civics lessons covered as well, but thank you for you input. When I do need information I will look you up as you know it all.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:11 pm |
One last one for you, RS… Maybe now you’ll drop your pretense of our government being based on Christian principles:
In 1797 our government concluded a “Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli, or Barbary,” now known simply as the Treaty of Tripoli. Article 11 of the treaty contains these words:
As the Government of the United States…is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion–as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musselmen–and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050221/allen
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 3:12 pm |
OK YOU WIN, YOUR RIGHT, EVERYBODY ELSE IS WRONG.
Happy now. I said it, you know all and everybody else is too dumb to argue with you.
I will go write RS is a foolish idiot on the chalkboard
For the rest of you who do care, a reading of the federalist papers will show the truth about what guided our founders in their everyday life and the importance of those principles in writing the constitution.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:26 pm |
….and as with most topics, we could go back and forth and on and on..
http://www.citizensforaconstitutionalrepublic.com/The_Federalist_Papers_The_Key%20_to_Restoring_Our_Constitutional%20_Republic.html
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:31 pm |
A quote from the primary author of the Constitution:
James Madison
1825 – letter to Frederick Beasley
“The belief in a God All Powerful wise and good, is so essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man, that arguments which enforce it cannot be drawn from too many sources nor adapted with too much solicitude to the different characters and capacities impressed with it.”
Reference: Writings of Madison, Hunt, ed., vol. 9 (230)
I guess his authorship of the Constitution was not guided by his beliefs……right.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 3:48 pm |
Our Constitution makes no mention whatever of God. The omission was too obvious to have been anything but deliberate, in spite of Alexander Hamilton’s flippant responses when asked about it: According to one account, he said that the new nation was not in need of “foreign aid”; according to another, he simply said “we forgot.” But as Hamilton’s biographer Ron Chernow points out, Hamilton never forgot anything important.
In the eighty-five essays that make up The Federalist, God is mentioned only twice (both times by Madison, who uses the word, as Gore Vidal has remarked, in the “only Heaven knows” sense). In the Declaration of Independence, He gets two brief nods: a reference to “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God,” and the famous line about men being “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” More blatant official references to a deity date from long after the founding period: “In God We Trust” did not appear on our coinage until the Civil War, and “under God” was introduced into the Pledge of Allegiance during the McCarthy hysteria in 1954 [see Elisabeth Sifton, “The Battle Over the Pledge,” April 5, 2004].
So much for the Federalist Papers… Revisionist history teacher, fundamentalist or religious zealot?
Mind you now, RS, I’m also a Christian but I do now where to draw the line in proclaiming that our country was founded on Christian principles. It’s a farce of statement when so much has been written on how it wasn’t. It’s the religious fundamentalist that want to change history and make it appear that our constitution was based on religious idiology.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 4:04 pm |
You seem stuck on the reference to GOD when I stated the beliefs of the authors were christian, I did not say the Constitution was based on GOD, but christianity. There is more than enough evidence to justify the authors were christians(3 are undocumented), and if you think the authors are capable of writing the Constitution while puuting aside their beliefs or not allowing their upbringing, their way of life and these christianity to influence their writings, then so be it. I do not believe the authors wrote the Constitution in a “religious vacuum”, but allowed for the religious freedoms we enjoy by not imposing a religion and allowing for the non belief in religion, hence the freedom.
The founders of the Constitution based their lives on their religion(christianity)and this fact is proven over and over throughout printed history.
If you truely believe a person could author the document irregardless of their beliefs(without prejudice), then would you not have to afford me the same courtesy by saying anything I posted is not required to meet your the “christianity test”. Since you expect I should only write from a christian standpoint, then you must also hold the founders to the same test since they are professed believers.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 4:45 pm |
It’s not a matter of right or wrong, it’s a matter of truth or fiction. As with much on this blog, there is often a lot that is exaggerated, especially what is true. Articles thrown out about the stimulus package that are mostly from before anything was passed, try to hold them up as what is the fact is just on example. Trying to say that our Constitution is based on religion is another exaggeration, it simply isn’t so because when you read the constitution God is not mentioned at all. Here’s link to the full text, search for the word “God” it isn’t in there! The only time religion is mentioned is in the 1st Amendment which well all know what that says and is totally misintepreted by our courts.
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 4:55 pm |
Yeh, I know what you mean, you’ve said plenty of unsustaintiated ramblings on this blog, and behind the shield of an alias as well. Easy to be flippant when their is no accountability.
Settled then, you have your beliefs and others have theirs. To each his own.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 5:21 pm |
Oh yeah, the above was written in my non religous vacuum.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 5:22 pm |
Silly to think our country wasn’t founded on Christian principles. It is like saying School Committee members with families and friends making a living slopping from the Chariho trough aren’t influenced by these connections.
You can claim you are able to remove your personal convictions from your thought process, but who would really believes it other than perhaps a fool.
As for the truthfulness of what is discussed on this blog, you are all prone to errors from time-to-time, but, unlike Chariho sycohphants, we are here in the public domain discussing the issues. We offer our opinions and don’t run away if challenged. We might even concede mistakes once and a while…not me, but the rest of you.
Does it strike anyone as curious that the Chariho sycophants, and most local politicians for that matter, keep their communications within the controlled environment of meetings or personal correspondence? I believe they hide because they are unable to support many of their positions without lying as a strategy…as an opposed to a mistake. Mistakes or lies made here lead to quick correction or derision. Different game with free flowing communication, and other than Booby-Petit, who eventually ran away after telling a plethora of lies, and CP, who sometimes shows reason, the rest hide. Oops, my apologies to Mr. Felkner who never shies away from offering his truthful opinon.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 6:34 pm |
RS, your comment in #128 is typical of someone who can’t discuss a point rationally and with facts. You’re running on religious emotions when you try to proclaim that the US Constitution is based on religious beliefs or principles when the facts are that it isn’t.
“In God We Trust” was first minted on our currency during the Civil War.
“In God We Trust” was first declared as our national motto on July 30, 1956.
“Under God” was added to The Pledge of Allegiance on June 14, 1954.
Facts are facts. Is the “Magna Carter” based on religious beliefs or principles?
The United States Constitution was partly based on common law stretching back to the Magna Carta of 1215.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 6:35 pm |
Behind the sheild of an alias? What’s RS besides an alias? What’s Curious Resident besides an alias? What was Real Question besides an alias? Funny the double standards you hold on to.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 6:49 pm |
CR, you’re comparing rotten tomatoes with oranges when you try to compare the SC and the US Constitution.
Where did I say I separate my personal convictions, I said I know where to draw the line, does that mean parts of convictions come from my own personal biases, of course it does, there’s no way anyone can totally separate them. The difference is I won’t become a religious fundamentalist and try to proclaim that the US Constitution is based on any religion. It’s been clearly shown that our forefathers have tried to steer clear of it. If you read the US Constitution it’s clear that it is a framework on how we will be governed and the very first amendment declares the separation of the government FROM religion, not the inclusion of it.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 7:44 pm |
WOW, you brought up motto’s and slogans I never even mentioned, more deflecting of the issue?
Bottom line for me is this, and I base this from my experience traveling the world and associating with people from every continent and form of government on the planet.
The founding fathers risked personal fortunes, freedom, and their very lives to bring about the forming of a new nation free from oppression. What they asked for in return was nothing more than for these freedoms to be protected and cherished. They had nothing to gain from these actions and everything to lose. This sounds pretty darned christianly to me. Willing to give all for everybody and ask nothing or gain nothing in return.
Like I said, you have your beliefs and I have mine.
Some people never seen a bond they wouldn’t vote for, a tax hike they didn’t like, a police force they thought was too big, a government program they didn’t love, and a failing school system they wouldn’t defend. Like many people, my beliefs are contrary to these yet many people think this is the gospel and will always believe that anything else is sacrilegious.
…..and by the way, RS are my initials. I’ve never said otherwise, and many here know my name, as its been mentioned here before. I guess you were too busy criticizing and not reading.
Just as I posted earlier about an education bill being heard on Smith Hill today went by the wayside. Guess my religious beliefs are a better topic than our childrens education. All children all the time….right.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 8:18 pm |
I’m not comparing, I’m saying actually what you admit to…can separate yourself from your personal circumstances.
Christianity is not a religion.
The Constitution says nothing about the separation of government from religion. Here’s what it actually says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
The Constitution strives to protect religion from government, not government from religion. Separation of church from state was made up from whole cloth. The language is so simple I can only assume people purposely choose to distort the intent.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 8:19 pm |
Both of you provide so much laughter to my and my family. You twist turn and distort, do the two step fancy dance.
CR, where in the world did I say that Christianity is a religion? Separation of Church and State. Separation of State and church. What the heck is the difference? The point being, the church, ANY church, is a different entity. Are we to say that Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Buddist or another faith or set of beliefs has no basis is the some of the basic tenents of the US Constitution? Geesh, come on, folks, don’t put something into the US Constitution that isn’t there.
RS, many, not all know your name. Sorry, but I don’t live in Hopkinton so I know very few of the players. Hate to tell you this but there are people in both Charlestown and Richmond that do know my name and who I am. Oh well, guess I’m not hiding all that much.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 9:40 pm |
By the way, I could give you any number of names, you wouldn’t know the difference anyway if it was the right name or wrong name.
John Smith, Harry Taylor, Frank Carlisle, take your pick. None is the correct one so what does it matter?
Comment by CharihoParent — February 25, 2009 @ 9:43 pm |
Glad you enjoyed the dance and got some chuckles out of it, happy we could be of help to relieve some of your angst and criticism….even if for just one post. The dance that a failed Chariho system has done on your children isn’t that funny though, but like you said “what does it matter.”
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 10:01 pm |
Looks like House Bill 5333 was held for further study…..so a bigger school administration empire will have to wait.
Comment by RS — February 25, 2009 @ 10:53 pm |
CP wrote – “I won’t become a religious fundamentalist and try to proclaim that the US Constitution is based on any religion.” Since the only thing being discussed was the Christian influence on the Constitution, then I can’t imagine what CP was referring to if not Christianity as a religion. I accept his clarification.
It matters greatly whether the Constitution protects religion from government or government from religion. They are not the same thing. I can see why some would be confused with many judges ignoring or misrepresenting the Constitution. Government is not to impose a religion on the people, but there is nothing which should stop people from bringing their religion to the government. There is no Constitutional requirement for government to reject religion. In fact the government shouldn’t be doing anything which prohibits the free exercise of religion.
Good luck if you are a government worker and bring a cross to hang in your office. Or a student praising Jesus for academic success. This is especially true of Christians as other religions have had success in imposing their religious rituals and speeches on government.
By the way, CP’s family may want to invest in a TV. If they think we’re funny here, they should try a sitcom. I recommend they start with Leave It To Beaver and work their way up…or maybe that’s down. Oh, and I know a little about both RS and CP, but since I respect anonymity and judge each by what they bring rather than who they are, I don’t give it much thought. I’m glad for anyone who participates…named or unnamed.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 25, 2009 @ 11:40 pm |
House Bill 5333 can be read here: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText09/HouseText09/H5333.pdf
I tried to access through OSPRI’s Transparency Train, but it didn’t come up. I found it going through Kids Count. Not sure if there is a problem with your search engine Mr. Felkner?
If passed, 5333 establishes county superintendents. It doesn’t get rid of any school employees such as school superintendents. If this is the first step in improving efficiencies, well, it’s about what I’d expect from the Rhode Island educational establishment. More high paid employees is the answer to our problems.
Does anyone in the Chariho area believe consolidating school districts will save money or improve outcomes? We can relate as Chariho took over town Elementary Schools 20 years ago with the promise of reduced costs. Since then we’ve had unjustifiable increases in administrators and other employees as educational outcomes have spiralled downward.
Glad to hear 5333 didn’t make it out of committee. Here’s to a quick death.
Comment by Curious Resident — February 26, 2009 @ 12:02 am |
All factors of ones life; environmental, religous(or lack thereof), political, upbringing, social status, economic, etc, etc, affect the views one has on any subject they discuss. To suggest otherwise is baseless and would only be said through anonymity because the statement is so absurd.
You hit the nail squarely on the head with my point of christian influence, nowhere did I ever use the word Constitution or GOD, I simply made the inference of the moral character of our founding fathers and how this is potrayed through their speeches and writings. If one thinks they can completely isolate their principles while writing the Constitution, then thats a stretch I just don’t follow.
But hey, it’s just my week to be CP’s boyfriend, he’s gotten off the Hirst brothers wagon at least.
Comment by RS — February 26, 2009 @ 12:10 am |
According to Ann Coulter Obama’s wasting of our money cannot be used for private schools.
“Consequently, no Democrat since Jimmy Carter has been stupid enough to send his own children to a public school.
And yet the stimulus bill expressly prohibits money earmarked for “education” to be spent on financial aid at private or parochial schools. Private schools might use it for some nefarious purpose like actually teaching their students, rather than indoctrinating them in anti-American propaganda.”
http://www.anncoulter.com/
Comment by Curious Resident — February 26, 2009 @ 12:38 am |
RS,
Glad to see that you finally got it! Yes, there elements of moral character in it and it’s not based solely with Christian beliefs. Don’t all of the other faiths of the world hold fast to MORAL beliefs? Of course they do, so that say it holds to Christian beliefs is ludicrous.
Comment by CharihoParent — February 26, 2009 @ 5:50 am |
CR, What about the two paragraphs just prior to that line, extremely revealing, isn’t it as towhat trough they (Democrats) are feeding at?
“As with the Clintons, Obama so earnestly believes in public school education that he sends his girls to … an expensive private school. He demands that taxpayers support the very public schoolteachers he won’t trust with his own children.
It is one thing to tell voters that school choice is wrong, because, you know, the public schools won’t get better unless Americans sacrifice their children to the teachers’ union’s maw. But it is quite another for Democrats to feed their own kids to the union incinerator.”
Comment by CharihoParent — February 26, 2009 @ 5:58 am |
Yes CP other faiths hold to moral beliefs as well, but the forms of government do not, and do not protect your beliefs as our Constitution does, i.e China.
PS my knowledge of the workings of these countries is first hand, not from the media, etc. I visit them on a monthly basis.
Don’t worry about me getting IT, I got it long ago with you….remember you’re my Hero, I idolize you, you’re the greatest.
Comment by RS — February 26, 2009 @ 10:16 am |
DID I MENTION CP WAS MY HERO!
Comment by RS — February 26, 2009 @ 10:17 am |