Here is the strongest argument of all on why a 9.5 mil continuous levy would be devasting on our community.

It was an article in the Recourd Courier called "High jobless rate the new normal? Employment market may be weak for years".

I suggest everyone read it.

It is outlining our future.

I don't think I could have said it any better.

Those of you in a cushy job but start to sit up strait. Your company may be next!

Martin Fleming

There is a lecture delivered by Jeb Bush on our education system in this post. Although you should read this whole page (I know most think I post long opinions, but I have nothing on these guys), in order to comprehend what is being said.

http://www.varpartners.net/%3fpage_id=101

They are confirmining what I have been saying all along. The true question is why hasn't our district been working towards this?

Is what our district doing truly for the children or is it for the financial success of those teaching our children?

You decide.

Martin Fleming

Thank you Stryker.

That's what makes us such a great nation.

I too argree that we can all agree to disagree.

If I have ever offended you in any way, I wish for you to know that it was not my intention.

By posting our opinions it enables us all to see things many different ways. My eyes too have been opened even further than what they were when I first started posting on this web site and the The Gateway News web site.

I am worried that we are short changing our children by not getting all of them computers especially when I know many families cannot really afford them. This is a problem that puts many children at a disadvantage over their peers.

I really wish I could personally afford to get everyone of them a computer to use as their own. As I come across used computers that are still functional, I repair them, redo them and provide them at no cost to others who can use them. Usually it is a senior citizen who gets them for I am not aware of what children do not have them.
I have given away many computers.

Many more people should be putting in their 2 cents and maybe someday we will either come to a compromise or reach a viable solution to our problems.

It is a heavy task to be an educator and it is even a heavy task to be a school board member but they should not shoulder the burden without at least listening or considering ideas that are presented to them.

The more we see and hear, the more we learn and the better the solution.

Good Luck in your school district and I sure hope things will begin to improve for all.

Martin Fleming

Martin and all,

My two cents:

I think we can all agree to disagree. But, Martin has made some good points here too. It seems when it comes to spending money the schools (no matter who they are) are living on the old days, where money was abundant. It is not so now, with all the funding being cut by government. I know that I don't have all the answers but, it is sure nice to see and hear somebody is thinking. I may not agree with all of it but, it is refreshing to see people on here are voicing their opinions and trying to see the big picture. I hope your school district parents help get on the ball soon...

Good luck

JMB9039,

I've only been in the computer industry for the past 35 years. I've owned my own business for the past 21 years as a computer consultant and technician.

I guess you're right. I must be ignorant and need a lot more time before I guess I'll see the whole picture.

Sorry to see you go. It was a good experience for me communicating with someone who has so little time in the real world and lack of vision.

You were a good example of the frustration that is out there.

You approached it from a different perspective that might have helped. Thanks for the input.

Martin Fleming

I just can't take it anymore. Your ignorance is killing me. Done.

I have recommended that administration take a 15 to 20 percent pay cut and only teachers with 10 years or more to take a 10% pay cut.

If we computerized our district, meaning getting a netbook or notebook into every hand of every student, then programs can be installed that would relieve the teacher of having to do lesson plans over and over again, it would allow a teacher to see immediate results of testing in the classroom giving the teacher the ability to reinforce those areas where the students fell short, it would provide reports to the state in a matter of minutes rather than spend long hours on them, it would get more of the students attention, provide updating of information for the "books" would be on the computer and directly tied to the publisher to provide those updates, eliminate the storing, repairing and replacing of books, eliminate lost books, eliminate graffiti in the books and a much, much more.

Our district uses block scheduling and they don't have 7 periods in the day. We have 160 teachers and from what I gather at our district, the classes average around 25 students which means we have 71 teachers just sitting around twiddling their thumbs at times through out the day.

Teachers receive supplemental contracts that pay additional money for additional work they do. Our teachers get additional money if they have more students in their room that what their contract allows.

Teachers in our district will receive all the respect they deserve when our district reaches Excellent with Distinction.

I agree with you that administrators are just waiting for retirement also. When teachers and administrators entertain this type of thought, then it would behoove not only the students of the district but the taxpayers that they get out of education.

Teachers are not the only ones who sacrifice. The taxpayers and homeowners sacrifice just as much if not more.

We all have a job to do with education not just the teachers. The community, the taxpayers, the homeowners all have to play a role in education. We all need to get involved in many different ways if our nation is going to thrive.

We need to shrug off the old way of teaching and bring the true digital age to the students. Industry and the real world is there, but our education system is still bent on teaching students to be farmers and blue collar workers.

Farming and Blue collar jobs are fading fast in our country and it is time the old ways of teaching and educating did the same. It is long overdue.

Martin Fleming

Why should the teachers take the pay cut? I work with several highschool teachers, most of which teach all 7 periods (yep, no lunch or prep period to speak of). Exaclty how much more do they need to do until they get some respect? They have to continue their education in the summers and/or teach summer school. Most of them spend nights and weekends grading or doing lesson plans or calling parents. Why do you rarely (if ever) ask for the administrators to take a pay cut?

you are right that some teacher are just waiting until retirement, but then again, there are a lot of administrators that do the same. Just consider who you are picking on. Teachers sacrifice a lot, and I don't think we can honestly ask them to sacrifice more.

If we cannot reduce the number of teachers then we should ask them to take a reduction in pay to help get us through this economic recession.

It is something that is begin done across the whole U.S. in school districts.

Medina has 64% going to salary and benefits. The district has set their funds at 80% or more, it not a guideline set by the state. This is just what districts have calculated that the public will "Tolerate" as quoted by our last superintendant.

We cannot support the current numbers that we have in our district and many other districts cannot. Proof is in the numbers of teachers being laid off or terminated in other districts across our nation.

The projected income revenue and projected expenses where 6% above the previous 2007-2008 levels which should have given us enough money to accommodate the promises made by the district.

However, uncontrolled spending went 1.7 million over what the forecasted revenues said we were going to get.

This has hurt our district immensley and someone should be held accountable other than the taxpayers of our district.

We have some excellent teachers in this district and I just can't stand seeing them not have the equipment, tools and materials they need to teach effectively.

If we trim down our salaries and benefits, no matter how we do it, we would be able to afford everything our teachers and students need to succeed.

I don't want us to lose those teachers who have the desire and passion to teach. However, I believe there are teachers in our district who are just riding along and in the interim holding our district back from what it could be.

I would like to see all students have the same opportunity as the next. It takes some students longer than others to grasp the learning process and we need to make sure that when they awaken to learning that they have a solid foundation of the basics to make it an easier transition for them.

All taxpayers in our district need to get more involved in what is happening in our distric and become more aware of the spending. The Board at this point do not show a true concern for their community when they ask for such a high mil of 9.5.

Continuing levies do not have an expiration date. That is why they are continuing.

Visit http://www.whizzards.net/levies to see what levies are currently active and when they expire in our district. The school district sent me this information.

Martin Fleming

knowledgeispower,

our teachers are not the lowest paid.

They fall into the medium range of pay.

There are that make more and there are those that make less. our district does fall in the medium. This was stated by Mr Puster two years ago.

Martin Fleming