Thursday, January 11, 2007

Whoops

Okay, so I was premature. That historic hearing that I referred to earlier today didn't happen. The Bibb County Schools had to ask for a continuance because they failed to give proper notice to parents. Not the system's best moment.

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8 comments:

Vic said...

1/12/07

Amy,

Thanks for shining a light on this issue, which would have otherwise fallen through the cracks.

Will you please check into the policy of not allowing certain Bibb County students to bring their books home?

As a volunteer Mentor, the "no book policy" has made it almost impossible to carry out the primary charge of helping these kids graduate.

Thanks,
Victor Jones
Macon, Ga.

Tina said...

In the 1950s, Macon used to have one of the best school systems in the state. Today, to the best of my knowledge Bibb County High Schools do not even enter the Georgia High School Association "literary events," i.e. debate, one-act-play etc. Somebody correct me if I am wrong but I think this is because they don't want to pay extra for coaches for these events. They have created monstrous big no-name schools that are hard to discipline and lack certain humanizing elements that are essential for the teens' growth as citizens. Studies indicate low-income students, in particular, need smaller schools, more counselors, and more one-on-one attention from qualified teacher.
As for some students not being allowed to take books home, I don't know the rationale behind that but I do know that school books are very expensive and often students are careless in handling them. Vic, you might want to check into this before coming to a conclusion. In some cases, there may be a classroom set of books that is used only on-site.

Vic said...

1/12/07
Amen Tina,

When Doc Holiday was running for County Commission in 2002 he made an open forum plea to the school board to not build these giant brick and mortar, monstrosity schools.

He suggested a series of small schools interconnected by sidewalks and bike paths. He suggested this would stimulate neighborhood pride and support of Bibb County Schools.

Due to all of the federal dollars that encouraged these giant, extremely hard to discipline schools, the school board just yawned and the media gave no thought to another one of his well researched and thought out suggestions.

I'm not at the conclusion point relating to bringing school books home. And am by no means placing all the blame on the school board. I have been up close and personal in some of these homes and the parents bare a large part of the responsibility.

Then again, the parents usually work for minimum wage and THEIR Mothers were in OUR Mother's kitchens while they were growing up.


Only asking questions at this point to raise awareness and hopefully stimulate some creative problem solving in Bibb County, regarding some of the major grassroots problems we face.

Victor Jones
Macon, Georgia
http://www.macon-bibb.com/GONZO

Vic said...

Bibb AYP-Adequate Yearly Progress:

http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ayp2006/overview.asp?SchoolID=611-0000-b-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-8-0-0

Amy Morton said...

These public schools are the engine for economic development in this community, and I have always been their toughest critic and biggest cheerleader. You may both recall that I co-chaired the ELOST campaign for this phase of building and had a great committee to work with. We all have to put out shoulder to the wheel, in whatever way we can, to make these schools, our schools. We have to take ownership and the responsibility that comes with it.

Vic said...

Amen,

We had our first in a long series of dysfunctional encounters over the ELOST Referendum. Our neighborhood put out 4 dozens signs in support. I was glad to see our very own Rosa Taylor Elementary have all YYYYs and the AYP.

It's not going to be without pain or discomfort but now we gotta get to work for those less fortunate in the school system and help the "white flighters" realize that they are part of the problem.


Vic
Re: Health Care Insurance

p.s. Erick at Peach Pundit is censoring contributions to the Health Care Insurance debate under his Romney topic. Those guys need a good dose of reality from time.

I went around Erick's censorship and posted it directly on Jason Pye's site. Jason seems to worship the corporate greed model of health care.

He wasn't aware that Blue Cross Parent Wellpoint was behind Judson Hill's Senate Bill 28 but he still portends to be a Health Care Expert. I challenged him to study kff.org for a couple of years and then get back with us.

I was glad to see Congressman Jim Marshall overseeing hearings on requiring Medicare to negotiate prices with the pharmaceutical companies today.

If you'll start a topic called Health Care Watch, i'll post there instead of having to blend it all in under other topics. Thanks for bearing with me while i get up to speed on setting up a site on blogspot.

Congressman Marshall's Medicare Negotiations Link:

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider

Victor Jones
Macon, Ga
http://www.macon-bibb.com/GONZO

Tina said...

I spent 23 years in education as a counselor, English teacher, and teacher of gifted education. As you might guess, I love schools and school children and I also am of the old school in which the dictum was "The whole child goes to school."

Amy Morton said...

I know that you do, Tina.
Many who love students and schools recoil at current policy.