So long to Westerville sports

[smartguy06]

While this has nothing to do with southeastern Ohio high school sports, it is still worth discussing. Check out the article in the Columbus Dispatch:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories ... fails.html

[robycop3]

Unfortunately, some people believe that the answer to all community problems is to raise taxes. And several school districts don't make much effort to conserve money; they have unnecessary frills, school buses that stop every half-block, trying to build new school houses instead of maintaining current ones.

Sadly, there are some school boards which cut programs, or threaten to, in order to try to frighten voters into passing their pet tax levies. I realize $$ don't grow on trees, but I don't see many of these "financially-strapped" districts tightening their belts to the correct notch, either.

And the state is guilty, too. There are many unnecessary state programs and bureaucracies. Plus, the state is often the enemy of the local districts with its UNFUNDED MANDATES. Such mandates would be the first thing I would outlaw if I were an elected official with the power to do so.

[GAHS83]

I have said for years that the level of education in our public schools continues to decline, but yet they keep asking for more money. More money isn't the answer. It is time to look at other solutions.

[buckcraze]

Why do our elected officials not understand what we want as citizens? The manner in which Ohio schools are funded was ruled unconstitutional in 1994. That is eighteen years ago!! Why are there still tax levies on the ballot? Why has the system not been changed when the Supreme Court ordered it, by law, to be changed? It is sad that school boards all over Ohio hold extra-curricular activities hostage in order to get uncontitutional levies passed. The portion of the bugets that make up extra-curricular activities is miniscule compared to the rest of the buget. The savings that come from cutting these programs does nothing in the grand scheme of things to save the district any signifigant amounts of money. One of the reasons is that the communities where many of our elected officials come from, our wealthier communities, have always been condsidered levy failure proof. But that is changing as well. Communities such as Hilliard, Dublin, and Westerville(by the way, for those who do not know, Westerville is where our dingdong govenor is from) were always considered levy failure proof because the communities cared so much about the school systems in their communities. Maybe, just maybe, all these JackWagons that haved lived in cthese communities and continued to ignore their jobs as elected officials will finally do what the Supreme Court told them to do eighteen years ago. Its a hope, but I doubt it!

[NYBuckeye96]

Bottom line..........if poverty stricken southeastern Ohio can field sports teams, the preppy suburban districts around Columbus can do the same......and more.

[buckcraze]

I have said for years that the level of education in our public schools continues to decline, but yet they keep asking for more money. More money isn't the answer. It is time to look at other solutions.

It does take money, and lots of it to run public school systems. But if the money is used improperly, the public school system still does not produce the publically stated purpose.

Here is my opinion, and this opinion will anger many peers and educators: Our greatest generation won World War II, built the United States into the greatest nation in modern history through institutions as industry and commerce, public education, health care, and religious practices only to see their children, the Baby Boomers, destroy it all. America has become a second rate power in the world, even though there is no other "super power" in existence(save for China in about twenty years) to challenge us. The "boomers" have been in charge of our country and its institutions for over thirty years now and everone of the previously mentioned institutions is in a shambles. A new generation of elected officials and educators needs to be instituted to replace the old guard of self-serving "boomers" who have driven this country into a deep, deep hole due to personal greed.

[pappy1]

We throw away students desks that have scratches on them and buy new ones. The reasoning is that it costs more to refinish them then to buy new ones. How about considering the desks that I used in 1947 when I started to school. They had initials carved in them from many years passed. That desk didn't keep me from learning. We had a much higher graduation rate back then.
An ex teacher friend recently told of a school district (southeastern Ohio district) that ordered tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers that wouldn't function as they were expected to. They required an expensive software upgrade and were never used, and not returned or resold.
I believe it is our responsibility to provide an excellent education for our children. We will pass school levies when we feel school adminstrators are being good stewards of the money they are getting.
I will stick up for local school districts in that state and national governments put rules and regulations on them that drive costs up. We need to remember that when we vote in state and national elections.

[WitnessProtection]

Unfortunately, some people believe that the answer to all community problems is to raise taxes. And several school districts don't make much effort to conserve money; they have unnecessary frills, school buses that stop every half-block, trying to build new school houses instead of maintaining current ones.

Sadly, there are some school boards which cut programs, or threaten to, in order to try to frighten voters into passing their pet tax levies. I realize $$ don't grow on trees, but I don't see many of these "financially-strapped" districts tightening their belts to the correct notch, either.

And the state is guilty, too. There are many unnecessary state programs and bureaucracies. Plus, the state is often the enemy of the local districts with its UNFUNDED MANDATES. Such mandates would be the first thing I would outlaw if I were an elected official with the power to do so.

I would agree on a few points. Threatening to cut sports programs, band, etc., is always a tactic that boards will use to guilt voters into supporting levies. However, I don't think that tactic will work anymore. I think the response of the voters in Westerville sends a clear message to that board and administration that they want changes. 61% against! Pretty clear.
Also, the state and feds are constantly handing down some unfunded mandate that inevitably detracts from the learning process. This may not be true in all districts, but in many cases all we are doing in our schools now is teaching kids how to take a state assessment test.
Local school districts need more control. The state and feds need to back off and let the people who really know how to educate students do their jobs.
Additionally, Ohio politicians have refused to follow the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling to fix the school funding formula. We need to hold these people responsible.

[buckcraze]

We throw away students desks that have scratches on them and buy new ones. The reasoning is that it costs more to refinish them then to buy new ones. How about considering the desks that I used in 1947 when I started to school. They had initials carved in them from many years passed. That desk didn't keep me from learning. We had a much higher graduation rate back then.
An ex teacher friend recently told of a school district (southeastern Ohio district) that ordered tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers that wouldn't function as they were expected to. They required an expensive software upgrade and were never used, and not returned or resold.
I believe it is our responsibility to provide an excellent education for our children. We will pass school levies when we feel school adminstrators are being good stewards of the money they are getting.
I will stick up for local school districts in that state and national governments put rules and regulations on them that drive costs up. We need to remember that when we vote in state and national elections.

Outstanding points pappy, and I agree with you whole heartedly. Even though I believe our system of funding is unconstitutional, I vote FOR levies in my community so that what money can be availible, is availible. I'm with ya, my desks had carvings in them as well and I received an outstanding education way back when. But I was educated by the greatest generation in America. I agree todays officials constantly misuse the funds we provide them, and it is not on extra-curricular activities.

[noreply66]

Some of those Columbus areas think two can live as cheap as one.----Heck why don't we build a third.

How many schools does Mason, Ohio have

[indianabuck]

When is the last time Nelsonville-York, Logan, or Alexander asked for money to help them out. If I remember right, it has been a long time. It seems like they have made their money stretch the best they can. Yes they have had cuts or hiring freezes at these schools, but they are not asking for more taxpayer money. They are keeping the same programs, and if you look at both Logan and Nelsonville-York, they are highly rated academically in the state. Logan is excellet and NY is effective, and was just recently excellent. Do they have the money that the Big schools have Heck no. But they do have something right going on there somewhere to be high academically and not have problems with money.

[pappy1]

indianabuck.....you seem to be in agreement with the points GAHS83 made on this thread. I think most of us are also in agreement with both of you.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

It's way past time for the tax payer to get off their butts and demand our so called elected leaders do something about things like this.

[zebra77]

Wasn't the Ohio lottery created to help fund the schools back many moons ago, or just for the state to snatch and grab as many $ as possible?

[Flatulence]

The lottery was created to add money to the educational funds, BUT the lawmakers at the time voted to cut the funds from the state and use the lottery monies to maintain the funding at the previous level. The lottery WAS to help fund new buildings and textbooks, etc. BUT those lawmakers chose to do things differently - much differently - than what it was the voters approved. And, if I am not mistaking the leader in the Ohio legislature at the time was a man from Wheelersburg.

[pappy1]

What happened with the lottery money makes me think about unintended consequences.
Because they are "unintended" half of these consequences should be negative and half should be positive.
When is the last time you heard of politicians doing something and there ended up being a positive unintended consiquence? Makes me think that most of them are not unintended at all.

[maniac66]

It's the same as everything else rob peter to pay paul.
To much money here give to this program and never look back.
Same with with other things that start out with the best of intentions but go awry with bad judgments.
The Lottery is one of those