The Federal government claims, “The Student Success Act (H.R. 5) will restore local control, support effective teachers, reduce the federal footprint, and empower parents.”

A summary of the bill states H.R. 5 will:

1. “dramatically reduce(s) the federal role in education by returning authority for measuring student performance and turning around low performing schools to states and local officials.”

2. “Instead of Washington bureaucrats making decisions, the legislation will allow superintendents, school leaders, and local officials to make funding decisions based on what they know will help improve student learning.”

3. “maintain(s) separate funding streams for the Migrant Education, Neglected and Delinquent, English Language Acquisition, Rural Education, and Indian Education programs, but merges them into Title I of the law.”

and

4. “the bill supports the development and implementation of state and locally driven teacher evaluation systems that provide states and school districts the tools necessary to measure an educator’s influence on student achievement.”

Republican Tod Rokita says, “Many Hoosiers will also be pleased to know that the Student Success Act prohibits the Secretary of Education from coercing states into adopting Common Core, again returning accountability and standards to state and local school districts, where it belongs.”

While this deregulation seems like a good idea, leaving an issue as important as education to the 50 individual states given the current data on the transience of the American family, is an irresponsible response to a very complex problem that can only be solved by uniting educational efforts with a Constitutional amendment making the provision of an excellent, child centered, free and public education a guaranteed right of every child in America.

As well, the adoption of this Bill comes only after Federal Common Core Standards have been created and forced upon states and will continue to drive the teaching and evaluation process of most inner city, high poverty, districts as they scramble to access Federal entitlement dollars while wading through mounds of State regulations handed down by corporate influence.

We cannot allow our elected officials, at the Federal, State, or local level to wash their hands of our children’s educational future.

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Commissioner Mary Adams has called for a committee of individuals who are interested in developing guidelines for complying with the common core curriculum handed down by the Federal government.

And, while it is prudent to take steps necessary to secure the Federal funding necessary to maintain our current funding, it is not wise to continue to spend time and money in support of a system of education that has proven, year after year, to fail to provide an excellent education to all of America’s children.

There have always been standards of performance for students and teachers and like the Common Core those standards are lax in their “rigor” and unmeasurable except for a “norm referenced” group of individuals.

The expectation for the Common Core curriculum is that it will be used to assess students and teachers on their educational progress and teaching abilities. It will do neither.

In order to assess students properly, Common Core standards cannot be “student will” statements. If levels of ability are preset for students, their true gifts and talents will never be recognized as relevant to the norm.

Instead, Common Core standards, that align with the developmental learning abilities of all children should read, “Student is able to”.

In order to properly assess teacher’s instructional capabilities, there should be included in the Common Core, “teacher will” statements.

For example, “Teacher will, in accordance with the developmental learning ability of the student, observe, note, and construct lessons that specifically address the multiple intelligences of the students enrolled in their classes.”

We cannot continue to capitulate to the small battles and expect to win the war to change the current system of education from one that dehumanizes our children to a system of education that inspires the creativity, ingenuity, individuality, and spirituality of our children.

Commissioner Adams is, understandably, working within the system to open the doors of education to the community however, upon entering we must not accept what is before us but work diligently to change what has been forced upon us.

Our children are not “common”.

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Thursday, July 26, 2013, at the monthly business meeting of the Board of Education, Commissioners will vote on Resolution No 2013-14: which calls for the Superintendent to enter into an agreement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that will allow the foundation to:

“serve as the District’s Technical Assistance Partner, deliver tools, training, benchmarking and guidance, provide the framework for analysis, leadership, change management as well as execution and monitoring of Operating Budgets for 2014-2015 and future years, with the goal to improve efficiency and effectiveness of budgeting processes and the alignment of resources to implement the District’s instructional priorities based on a consideration of value versus cost, for the period August 1, 2013, or as soon thereafter as the Agreement is fully executed, through October 31, 2014, for a sum not to exceed Three Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars (360,000.00), funded by the Office of the Superintendent and/or the School District Management Efficiency Grant, through the Office of the Superintendent, contingent upon grant funding and budget appropriations and contingent upon the form and terms of the Agreement having been approved by Counsel to the District.”

In layman’s terms, the Commissioners of the Board of Education are considering entering into an agreement with the Gates Foundation to receive $1.2 million dollars, $360,000.00 of which the district has to put up first, to learn how to manage the fiscal responsibilities of the district.

While it is evident that the current sitting Board is lacking in the knowledge and understanding necessary to successfully manage their fiscal responsibilities, spending $360,000.00 to “function as a testing ground” is irresponsible.

By adopting this resolution, the Board will be handing over the “Operation” of the district to an entity that cares nothing about the children the district is charged with educating.

Their goal “the alignment of resources . . . based on a consideration of value versus cost“.

The goal of education is to provide children with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a successful citizen of the United States and the world, not the alignment of resources.

Stop the sale of our children’s educational future. Speak out against the adoption of this resolution.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!

Responsibilities of the Board
The Rochester Board of Education is a seven-member board elected by the citizens of Rochester to direct and oversee the operations of the school district. Board Commissioners serve four-year terms. Among the responsibilities of the Board of Education are the following:
•Setting the strategic direction of the District through policy development and adoption.
•Appointing the Superintendent of Schools.
•Promoting an alliance of teachers, administrators, students, parents, citizens, government, and community resources.
•Working to secure adequate resources for maximizing student learning.
•Ensuring the wise use of community educational assets and resources.
•Serving on Board committees addressing the areas of Board Governance & Development, Audit, Community and Intergovernmental Relations, Finance & Resource
Allocation, Policy Development & Review, and Excellence in Student Achievement.
•Representing the best interests of the citizens of Rochester through effective leadership.

Board Commissioners serve as liaisons to specific schools. Board liaisons visit their assigned schools periodically and serve as advocates to the full Board on behalf of those schools.

Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent over the last twelve years hiring, firing, retiring, rehiring, removing, and approving superintendents that have done little more than usurp parent and community authority in our district through the inefficient and ineffective leadership of the Board of Commissioners.

School Board Commissioners have failed to diligently follow Board policy concerning their own positions and have shown little to no integrity in holding either the Superintendent or Central Office administration to the efficient and effective performance of their duties.

Managing a school district is not a popularity contest, it is a position of great responsibility and challenges.

Reading Board Policy 2160 - Code of Ethics, it is evident that the Board, the Superintendent, and district administrators have fallen short of meeting 2160 requirements.

It is the responsibility of citizens to know and understand the expectations of the individual they are voting into office and whether or not the incumbents have been diligently fulfilling the duties of the office to which they were elected.

Holding public office means earning the public’s trust.

Our children deserve their best.

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The RCSD Board of Education approved more than $2 million dollars, approximately $350,000 per week, in salary, for professional development for teachers and summer school salaries.

This is nothing new. Each year millions of dollars are spent from the General Fund to offset the failure our children experience during the regular 180 day school year.

The approval of this spending by the Board goes largely without review or accountability and is seen as a “necessary evil” of the system.

Proponents of the corporate system of education would have tax payers believe that summer school is necessary in order to give students extra time to comprehend, learn, and succeed educationally when, in fact, six weeks of summer school does little to enhance the learning capabilities or opportunities for struggling students.

What summer school does do effectively is employ adults while depleting the coffers of the district so that they can show we need even more money to educate our children.

Unfortunately, no one asks the question, “What is done in six weeks that was not done in 180 days that leads to the educational success of students enrolled in summer school?

As well, are teachers who are attending professional development opportunities over the summer going to be held accountable for implementing those strategies and for providing “turn key” opportunities in their building?

Why are teams being paid to create Common Core aligned lessons when teachers should be creating lessons according to the needs of their students?

Are teachers being “in-serviced” regarding the “Master Schedule” that they are to follow?

Who will be responsible for making sure that every elementary teacher is teaching the same thing at the same time every day?

Will teachers who are attending professional development on the Montessori method be exempt from adhering to the master schedule?

It will not be long before our children will return to the chaos that is driving our district.

Our children deserve educational leaders who know, understand, and are willing to enact policies that are beneficial to their learning and will lead to their educational success.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!

“I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots.” Albert Einstein

The advent of the television brought the world into a comprehensible size and people began to realize that human suffering extended beyond our own backyards.

Being able to witness the death and destruction caused by war changed people’s attitudes towards the political defense of a country and the mindset of American’s shifted towards peace.

Computers, having the potential to bring humanity even closer towards the peace of understanding, instead, created a communication divide tantamount to the Tower of Babel.

What we don’t know is that poverty, race, class, are all symptoms of hate and the lack of interpersonal communication perpetuates that hate which not only insures corporate profits but secures the position of the wealthy at the top of the social pyramid.

Currently, the majority of relationships in education are adversarial. Because of the extreme amount of failure experienced by certain “subgroups” of children, those who profit from hate and discontent are able to keep the stakeholders in education, parents, teachers, students, administrators, and community members at odds with each other by maintaining an attitude of blame through the lack of communication.

And, since everyone is at fault and no one wants to assume responsibility, those, whose only interest is profit, continue to reap the benefits of a field laying fallow until the demand for nourishment raises the price and profit of the owners of the land and seed.

When we begin to educate children properly, teaching them how powerful they are, causing them to understand that their spirit, their will, their humanity, are more important than what they wear, or drive, or own, then we will see success in education and we will begin to evolve as a species.

Our children don’t know how powerful they are because, as adults, we have yet to realize how powerful we are, individually, but most especially, collectively.

Once adults realize their power we can pass that knowledge along to our children.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!

Last night’s School Board candidate forum provided a wealth of information to the community concerning the position, views, and concerns of both the community and the candidates.

The budget, curriculum, and institutionalized racism were addressed. The issue of safety in schools was touched upon however time constraints made it impossible to address that issue in depth.

Candidate Liz Hallmark made a very important comment about institutionalized racism that may not have resonated throughout the attendees or candidate participants. Miss Hallmark stated that racism negatively affects White children as well.

It is common for people to think that the racism, classism, sexism, and whatever other type of “ism” exists is experienced by certain groups of people and only those groups are affected by it.

The “isms” of our world come from the hate in our world and hate is not confined by color, money, sex, or religion. Hate is all encompassing and negatively affects everyone espousing to it and exposed to it.

Many candidates agreed that professional development and hiring a more diverse teaching staff will work to eliminate the racism that is inherent in education but it will not.

The hatred of “isms’ is so pervasive in our lives that most of us don’t realize how engrained our disdain for others is within us.

The only way to irradiate hate is to teach love. A child centered education teaches our children to love and respect themselves and to have love and respect for others.

The realization that we are all gifted and talented in some way and that our gifts and talents can work together to make this world a better place in which to live will cause mankind to evolve to a higher plane of existence bringing us closer to the utopian world philosophers, scholars, and political leaders of the past foretold.

While several of the candidates agreed that it is necessary to change the system of education, there are still those who believe it can be fixed.

Our children deserve a “New and Improved” system of education that is founded with love.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!

According to Forbes Magazine, the top ten qualities of any leader are:

1. Honesty – Be honest in your dealings with men.
2. Ability to delegate – Trust
3. Communication – Listening and speaking to others
4. Sense of Humor – Laugh at yourself, laugh with others
5. Confidence – Believe in yourself and others will believe in you
6. Commitment – Passion
7. Positive Attitude – Yes we can
8. Creativity – Imagination
9. Intuition – Spiritual guidance
10. Ability to Inspire – Passion

The lowest voter turnout in any election occurs during local elections when it is most important for citizens to not only be aware of the issues, but be cognizant of the position of the individuals running for office, on those issues.

As the race for Mayor, City Council, School Board Commissioner and other local leadership positions in and around Rochester and Monroe County begins, forums and debates between and among the candidates for these positions will be taking place in various settings at various times.

It is important that the citizens of Rochester attend these forums in order to gain insight into the people they will ultimately elect to lead their local government.

In attending the various introductory sessions and listening to the speakers, voters must be aware of and look for the leadership qualities listed above in the words and deeds of the candidates running for office.

There are eleven candidates running for School Board Commissioner, three incumbents and eight hopefuls. The Democratic primary will lighten the field somewhat, however there will definitely be more candidates than positions to be filled.

All of the candidates will have a vision of what best to do for the district. What is important to remember, though running for the position of School Board Commissioner, we are voting into office, three individuals who we are asking to make important decisions regarding our children’s educational future.

The dialogue must be about our children, not buildings or budgets or testing. Our education leaders must be willing to make tough decisions that will benefit our children, not “the bottom line.”

Attend the forums, listen carefully, choose wisely, our children deserve our best leaders.

Join the Movement to Save our Children!

Concupiscence: Strong desire.

Regardless of the particular line of business in which one is engaged, the strong desire is to make a profit.

How can it be otherwise in education?

Removing corporate dollars from education is necessary not because corporations are inherently evil but because their goal, profit, conflicts with the goal of education, to create a more enlightened and loving human being.

Since there is nothing new under the sun, it is not news that corporations, whose business it is to create educational materials must insure profits by updating their product. Updating the information in a book is only necessary every generation and is rarely done that often. Books can be used again and again so there is no resale value there. Consumable items such as workbooks have all but been eliminated from the classroom since their cost made them expendable and replaceable with loose leaf paper, binders, and composition books, all inexpensive items whose cost can be assumed by the home.

In the past, student acumen was tested by the teacher. Teacher’s knew what they taught and knew how to create tests that challenged their student’s acquisition of information. There was a mid-term exam that everyone took before the winter break and a final exam in June. Students knew by the last week of school whether they passed the test and were going on to the next grade or not. Assessment was individual and personal.

As corporations reached out to the leaders in education to fill their need for workers, it became clear that the rationale for education had to change. Standardized testing created a whole new funding stream in education as the goal of education more closely aligned with the corporate goal, “the bottom line”.

The corporate take-over of education is not surprising, it is logical. There is no overhead since public dollars fund education and success depends on the failure to produce a viable product for society while insuring an easily controlled workforce for corporations.

Corporations are fulfilling their strong desire.

Our children’s excellent education must become our concupiscence.

Join the Movement to Save Our Children!