Finance Committee Meeting -- Proposed Budget

[Tim OBrien]

Jeanette,

Thanks for the link to that interesting book.  I will add it to the reading list. 

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Education-Bringing-Americas-Schools/dp/0307405389#_

Regards,
Tim

[Chuck Welsh]

The "lie" that Murray exposes is not one that originated with educators; rather it is an outcome of the politics associated with the "accountability" movement. Anyone who has experience standing in the front of the classroom will tell you that Murray's conclusions are self-evident--kids learn in different ways and develop intellectually at a different rate.

Despite his progressivism in other areas, even President Obama misses the boat on this one. But, at least he uses the carrot rather than the stick as a motivator.

The No Child Left Behind law is a disaster for education. It gets everything wrong about how kids learn and how we should assess them. If we know, through research, that there are "multiple intelligences," and we strive to "differentiate" instruction, why would we tolerate an assessment system that is harshly "one size fits all?" One of the top five people I have ever known could barely write his own name, but he could build a house from the hole in the ground to the last coat of paint on the woodwork. I worked for him when I was going to college and what I learned was at least as significant as that which I had to know in order to get my degree.

If you don't have the Man's boot heel on your throat for the entire summer, you might also consider reading Berliner and Biddle's The Manufactured Crisis. I would post the link, but am a newbie here and need to master some skills. This book is somewhat dated in that the bogeyman is from Japan and not China, but it makes a very good case for where we began to go wrong with the "longer, more, harder" movement.

I also recommend anything by Alfie Kohn--he will rock your world!

[Tim OBrien]

Thanks Chuck, I will... and welcome to the boards! 

[Phil_Sanfilippo]

Chuck,
         I also welcome you. If you have some time join us for coffee Friday and share your thoughts.
                      Phil

[Jeanette_Smith]

Welcome Chuck! Here's the link for the book you suggested:

http://www.amazon.com/Manufactured-Crisis-Attack-Americas-Schools/dp/0201441969#_

I started reading the introduction online. The introduction peaked my interest so I'll be looking at the library for the book.

[Chuck Welsh]

Thanks, Jeanette. If you have trouble finding the book, let me know. I'm sure I have a dog-eared copy or two laying around.

[Gene_Tanala]

For your information:
And this man is set to make 300,000; a driver; and a 1000 a month for housing. Jersey City has 42 schools with 30 failing under the NCLB act. Also be reminded of the 29 asst superintendents the district has. 

I hate to be redundant, but here in Howell there is 1 superintendent and three asst's, no failing schools. 


Prince Charlie's Leadership Breaks Jersey City Schools
by: Thurman Hart
Sun May 14, 2006 at 12:42:35 PM EDT

 
Cross-posted from NJ Tammany.


From the Jersey Journal editorial page:


Just a glimpse of some expenses incurred by Charles T. Epps Jr. on a nine-day London trip in summer 2004 makes him a poster child for those who say that giving additional state aid to for poorer school districts is a waste.
First of all, I have to wonder exactly what a trip to London has to do with running the Jersey City schools.  The British educational system isn't even remotely similar to ours.  See, they teach kids to read and write and use reasoning skills.
 
Thurman Hart :: Prince Charlie's Leadership Breaks Jersey City Schools
Epps made the trip, with an associate, to speak at the Oxford Roundtable, a leadership meeting for educators. The superintendent spent $500 on a one-night stay at a luxury hotel and $470 for an apartment he stayed at another night, according to vouchers. He spent $400 on chauffeured limousine service and $260 for a car hire service. Then there was that dinner at London's historic Rules Restaurant, where the check included $160 for two ribs of beef dinners and $25 for two bowls of asparagus soup.
Ah, well, of course, he should go to Oxford.  What a complete waste of time!  Epps should go no further than the nearest non-Abbott district so he could learn how to get the state off of the schools' back.  Of course, he doesn't want to do that because then he'd be out of a do-nothing job.  With travel benefits.


Epps has not returned telephone calls for comment - as usual. The state assemblyman for the 31st District/superintendent of schools did talk to a radio reporter and said he should have reconsidered some of the expenses. All this is coming from someone who went to a leadership conference.
A more truthful statement should be "Epps has not yet pulled his head far enough out of his posterior to speak the truth.  He has made no offer to repay his illegal, immoral, and unethical theft of public funds."

Epps wouldn't know leadership if it slapped him in the testicles.


London was not the only trip by school officials. There was a 2003 jaunt to San Francisco by Epps, an Orlando, Fla., a trip by six school employees in 2003, an 11-employee visit to Phoenix, Ariz., and even a March 2004 trip to a Teaneck conference that required overnight lodging, although it was only 12 miles from Jersey City.
Hey, I know traffic between JC and Teaneck can be a problem.  So go have another $160 beef dinner.  Who the Hell wants to take an overnight trip to Teaneck anyway?


The state, which pays these expenses, and the local school board members, who do not ask questions, are as much to blame as Epps. The district cannot afford these junkets and the state should stop them.
Right.  But the buck stops with the Prince hired to do a peasant's job.  Epps is 100% responsible for his actions.  The lack of oversight is a completely separate issue that should be taken up at the polls.  The de facto theft of public funds by using expense accounts and paid trips for what is clearly not official business should be prosecuted with extreme prejudice.  It's far beyond time for Jersey City to stop playing patty-cakes with criminals who violate the public trust.
 
Tags: Charles T. Epps, asshat, Livin' Large on the Public Dime, (All Tags) 
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Gene Tanala
Taxpayer

[Tim OBrien]

Gene,
How many students does the Jersey City district have? 
Tim O.

[Tim OBrien]

Anyway, the only thing I hate is mediocrity but it appears I am in the minority.

KB

Kathy,
I dislike mediocrity when I am paying for excellence.    
The primary difference between the public sector and the private sector is the absence of choice.  Private sector competition fuels innovation and the pursuit of excellence.   It is not the fault of the public sector employee.  Many still strive for excellence in their careers.   Sadly, the system in the public sector is not set up to encourage the pursuit of excellence.
Tim O.

[Gene_Tanala]

Hey Tim:

They have approximately 23,000 students.

Gene

[Gene_Tanala]

FYI

As Mr. Nicastro pointed out I was mistaken on the salaries of superintendents salaries, but  not this one:

I guess I was so consumed in the district where I work  As yo know the Dr. Epps earns over a quarter million dollars:, with incentives!

Gene
 

[Gene_Tanala]

Fogot the newspaper report:

Members of the Jersey City Board of Education said last night they plan to move ahead with plans to extend the contract of Superintendent of Schools Charles T. Epps Jr. for another two years, as reported by The Jersey Journal's Melissa Hayes in today's editions.

In doing so, the board rebuffed state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, who encouraged some board members last week to engage in a nationwide search before signing Epps up for another two years after his current contract ends next June.

State Sen. Sandra Cunningham, state Assemblyman Charles Mainor and Freeholder Jeff Dublin all urged board members to stick with the vote they took in June to extend the contract with Epps.

[Pat Garaffa]

"They have approximately 23,000 students."

U.S. General Stanley McChrystal slept in a 120 degree tent, ate crap food and commanded 110,000 soldiers.  And he made less than this guy! 

[Gene_Tanala]

Pat:

It might not belong in this thread, but page A10...............6 paragraphs on the Afgan war........The month of July 2010, the most casuties in ten years......go figure

Gne

[Jody_Branin]

Anyone who has experience standing in the front of the classroom will tell you that Murray's conclusions are self-evident--kids learn in different ways and develop intellectually at a different rate.

The No Child Left Behind law is a disaster for education. It gets everything wrong about how kids learn and how we should assess them. If we know, through research, that there are "multiple intelligences," and we strive to "differentiate" instruction, why would we tolerate an assessment system that is harshly "one size fits all?"

Amen and Amen!
The importance of the State Testing has also become a MONSTER in my opinion.  I confess to not know the percentage of $$ that result from a School doing well but 4 months of preparation?  And the stress that goes along with it?  My child was literally wringing his hands with anxiety over it!  

Here is a picture of the amount of paper resulting from this test prep: