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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Is it just my blog?

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I have the hardest time trying to keeping people on subject.  I know a lot of it has got to do with the subject matter I choose to write about. I also know that VicCad offers a lot more in variety ,when it comes to posters because I don't seem to have a problem with this personal blog.

I was really interested in how people felt about getting corporal punishment removed from our schools but the subject immediately went to parental corporal punishment. No one mentioned the 220,000 children that were admitted to the hospital because of corporal punishment in schools.  I saw where maryann said we had over 40 school districts that were still using corporal punishment.She said we had a long way to go.  I wanted to respond and ask her to look at my blog where I mentioned that we don't have to take it district by district because we could do it in one clean swoop by writing our legislators,telling them to repeal the act.  I didn't get a chance to because people were engaged in parental corporal punishment.

I'm still confused about  the reason for our engagement in Libya but so far only arlewill  has made a comment that had nothing to do with common sound bites like “tar baby, and policemen of the world” but I guess that's my fault because I titled the blog “ Mission Creep?” If I choose economics,it usually goes to left,right,liberal,conservative argument and I’d be a fool to think politics would be any different. I’m always amazed when someone excepts me to write a balanced view. If I saw a balanced view,  then I would write it that way, but I don’t have an obligation to do that, if I don't really believe it.  Sometimes, events, don't have two sides to it. One side may be blatantly wrong, of course that's never my side…:-)

Rebecca unknowingly gave me a great idea the other day on how to stay on  one of my Lenten promises of  remaining civil at VicAd and still have the ability to vent.  I will continue to use this personal blog to express my true feelings,so if you think I let someone off the hook or I was being too passive,come over here and I will tell you what I really think…I feel so much better now and  I’m ready to be a much kinder and gentler poster when I ‘m responding to posters on ViCad. It’s  going to be a long 20 plus days.

It's kinda hard picking sides between those that want the $24,000 to go to the booster club and those that agree with the school's decision. On one hand it reeks of commercialism but on the other hand schools have to find new scources of income. I wouldn't mind if it beneifited all the students like a new classroom,computers,or teaching enhancements but a booster club!....The new computers or classroom could bear the company's name but no student involement or the commercial use of school property....I don't think it has to be equally divided because each school could solicit their own sponser or do I really believe that?...I'm stuck,someone help me out.

7 comments:

Edith Ann said...

Okey-dokey, let’s talk about the $24,000.00. I absolutely believe that VISD should allow the venture. I cannot agree with the commercialism at all. As I stated on the Advocate, every school in VISD is the proud vendor of Coke products because we wanted expensive artificial turf over at Memorial Stadium. Since they couldn’t paint the field Coke red, they got to slap the Coke logo on the scoreboard that they purchased, too.

Until it was recently nixed, how many years did we have Texas Kickin’ Bullride? How many times did we see the ‘Vicitoriadoes’ doing the ad on TV?

How many cushions have you sat on at a football game that was covered by business card sized ads placed there by those advertisers?

Which business puts their name on and supplies the footballs thrown to the crowds this week?
What about the ad shot at the Dairy Queen with the cheerleaders for the big crosstown trivalry football game?

This is not plowing new ground. The precedent has been set long ago.

Did you know that you can rent space on the marquees at Stroman and Liberty Academy to advertise your event?

If I was Ron Leach, I’d be embarrassed at what I had written! Talk about lame excuses!
No, tstorm5 is wrong. This was not a good decision. And Booster clubs usually do good things with their money. They buy stuff the team needs that the district didn’t budget for. They use some of it to raise more funds.

Now some additional facts about the education budget being decided in Austin—237 first year teachers will not have their contracts renewed in Leander ISD.

There is $836,000,000.00 dollars sitting in D.C., waiting to be given to Texas if Rick Perry would just sign the agreement that the money will on be spent on education. He wants to use it to plug holes in his budget, but the Feds earmarked it for education.

I don’t think most of us understand the impact of this budget shortfall, and I would think, while a relatively small amount, $24,000.00 from Mac Haik is $24,000.00 more than they had.
Oh, and by the way, there are no plans to cut the football coached salaries from around $78,000.00 a year to somewhere what a classroom teacher makes, around $40,000.00.
Never let it be said the district does not have it priorities straight.

Mike said...

Edith Ann
It could have started as far back to when I was going to school.... I remember selling Salvo to win a free subscription to a year's supply of the Weekly Reader, or if we didn't meet the quota; we would get some trinkets for our efforts. I don't disagree that all with examples you gave.

I think it does set a precedent... It's taking commercialism to a higher level; what's next, interrupting a classroom for a commercial?

I don't like the use of a public school ground to sell automobiles. Does VISD insurance cover any mishaps of a commercial venture?

I'm not completely against the venture but I wouldn't let them use the school parking lot or allow the students to shoot commercials on school time..... In the spirit of finding other sources; if by some way I couldn't persuade them not the use the parking lot; I would make sure that the majority the students benefited because it's everyone's school parking lot...e.q. I would allow the booster club to keep about $5000 and tell them to use the money to furnish their transportation, new equipment,food and hotel expenses; allowing the school to use the new money for educational purposes....All winners :(1) VISD for taking advantage of an opportunity(2) fORD, advertisement and good will(3) Booster Club:A sense of pride for helping their school and enjoying the benefits of their newfound money.

Too bad it's a moot point...:-)

Edith Ann said...

I don't know if you have kids that went through VISD, but yes, they interrupted this classroom for a word from our sponsors. It was called Channel One and that was the bulk of first period for High School and Jr. High. I can't remember about Elem.

Again--it is crazy to think that Bob Moore is going to maintain equality with the High Schools. It an impossible task.

You and others have raised concerns that Ron Leach didn't even cite as issues. As to liability, I am quite sure Ford has that covered. And the test drives start and stop at the school. The cars leave the campus. And it would probably be on a Saturday when school is out anyway.

Personally, I rather have a couple of adults on their best behavior as targets to dodge than a couple hundred teens who left their brains in their lockers and school's out!

I don't know. The cons are just not 'con' enough for me. But on a good note, I guess--they didn't ask me!

Mike said...

Edith Ann
My children did go through VISD but chanel One was never mentioned but they probably didn't mention a lot of things..:-)

I was thinking of more of what the schools policy stipulates..e.q. Our company did not want to drug test us but their insurance company required it....I'm pretty sure the school has to have saftey standards of a normal week such as signs,exit plan,security etc...Since there wasn't a formal proposal,VISD did not get to hash out the details...I can understand VISD's concern about school property...Do we want to start this trend,one day for Ford,then Toyota,next a taco stand etc.....I think it's great that a business finds a way to help public schools and recieves a benefit in return but if I were VISD,I would try and make it on my terms first...Make it a formal pilot problem to be improved on....That's not a NO;that's a "proceed with caution..uncharted waters."

Edith Ann said...

Just trying to get you unstuck...

Subway and the Pizza place vendors in the high school cafeterias (in addition to the regular cafeteria line) when my kids were at Stroman.

(I will run out of examples eventually.)

I think they have spent too much time out in the Bay already to claim uncharted waters.

But, it's a done deal on this venture. We'll see what happens the next time an offer is made. A Super sound system for the Fine Arts Auditorium? Free Chlorine for the Natatorium? It will come up again. You can count on it.

Mike said...

Thanks Edith,I learned quite a bit with the information you provioded and you did clear the cobwebs

Edith Ann said...

8^)