Woodstock CT Café

I attended the graduation day Commencement Ceremony at Woodstock Academy last Sunday. Because of the rain, the ceremony was held in the auditorium. I sat in the stands along with 500 to 600 other parents and relatives with a tear in my eye as I studied the 245 graduating seniors in front of me. It’s hard to imagine what thoughts were on the minds of these seniors because I can’t remember what was on my mind during this same occasion some 40 years ago. In my case all that I can remember was that it was a beautiful sunny day in June and I was surrounded by my best friends as I listened to the Valedictorian and the Salutatorian give their addresses. I can only conclude that this calm picture probably reflects my disposition at the time. I had a summer job as a lifeguard at a local beach and I was to be off to college in the fall – so everything was settled. But, unlike my closest friends, I had no clue about a career at the time.

I have a much more detailed picture of my graduation day from college four years later. I listened to a presidential candidate give the Commencement address, received my diploma, handed my diploma to my mother and grandfather, hopped in my Healey, and headed back home without delay. I had fifteen days to sell my car, and prepare myself for a summer on my own in Europe. I had no itinerary or companion which, I learned, was the best way to do this. This summer in Europe was the last time I could be carefree (and I was tacitly aware of this), because I had decided where I wanted to head. I had committed myself to four-plus years of graduate school and this turned out to be the right move for me in retrospect. I earned my Post Hole Digger degree and embarked on a serious and productive career that was, at least, very satisfying to me personally. Read the rest of this entry »

Duh!

We have a nasty situation in Woodstock as you all know. There have been many false accusations about the Woodstock Public School system (WPS). If the dastards that are spewing this information actually were dealing with truths then everyone would listen. Unfortunately, there is so much lying going on I’m sure there is a lot of confusion in Woodstock about what the truth actually is. I guess this is what tabloid news is all about.

In the past all of the dys-information has been coming from the CPS’ers. It’s most disturbing that we now are seeing this kind of crap from other sources. The common denominator among these muckrakers is they like to hear themselves rant. Read the rest of this entry »

…this reality was not of the superintendent’s creation…

Some members of this community seem to be able to find fault with the local ‘Bucket Brigade’ and their annual attempt to extinguish the reoccurring budget fires. Mind you, there is no shortage of hecklers in the crowd, willing to throw barbed innuendos and caustic criticisms, but nary a drop of water, directly at those who, in harried and pressured situation, fight valiantly to extinguish the eternal flames of fiscal conflagration.

Once again, at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, several criticisms and outright challenges to the superintendent’s ability and honor were catapulted to the forefront of not only the discussion, but also the citizen’s commentary. While criticism should be a welcomed and instructional tool of analysis, it can also be the bloody cudgel of those who would find victory in the diversion of administrative energies toward battle with an irritating and troublesome mosquito.

To those who feel compelled to question the motivation, rectitude and competence of our superintendent, I would ask that we all consider for a moment our own expectations. As the height of the flames of our annual fire dance increase, do we really expect a bucket brigade to be able to effectively quench the blaze? Read the rest of this entry »

Citizens React to Ms. Wholean’s Column in the Villager on June 16th

“…we could survive by raiding the cornfields and slaughtering the cows?”

From ‘Reader’ : What is with our First Selectwoman? What kind of an article was that? What’s her point?

From ‘Citizen with Child’ : Ms. Wholean, I’m sure you are for the most part right in saying “our farmers love farming.â€? All of us who have gardens share some of this “love” also. But, the weather is a variable every day, week, month and year – haven’t you noticed? Furthermore, the developers love developing and the builders love building. So, we help them too by looking the other way while Woodstock space is being exploited. I’m sure that the farmers also love the Woodstock Fair – especially for their subsidies – and they love their Town and state for reduced taxation under PA-490. I bet our teachers love teaching, also, including those that had to be let go because of your greedy Town-operating budget. And, you’re right about “food (being) a requirement for living.â€? Even amoebas and fruit flies need food. So, you are definitely right in making that statement. Read the rest of this entry »

The scuttlebut around Woodstock is that the Villager is mis-quoting Woodstock citizens (like on the front page yesterday) and perporting to quote citizens who were never interviewed.

“Save the newspaper, we’re out of toilet paper!�

In Mr. Bird’s weekly “opinion” editorial in the Villager (“The Bird’s Nest”, Friday, June 16th) he attacks the so-called “liberalsâ€? whomever they might be. When I forced myself to read his column, at first, I thought that I was reading a script for Monty Python.

Let me digress… I would like to say that Chuck Edenburn and Blaine Moffa have improved in their coverage and writing about the goings on in Woodstock. They are young and enthusiastic reporters who are embarking on respectable careers in journalism, and I congratulate them for striving to improve their skills. I can only assume that when they leave the Villager offices after work, the first thing they must have to do is take a shower.

Mr. Bird, the Editor, builds his case against liberals by attempting to define who “liberals� are in a rather curious way. From his own words, a liberal is anyone who calls President Bush a disparaging ‘name’ or gives Bush a low ranking as a president. If this is true then 60-70% of Americans must be liberals. Liberals are anyone who makes “not-so-flattering� statements about Bush. Liberals are anyone who “lobs incendiary verbal volleys� but are “thin-skinned when any are returned.� “Loose-lipped liberals are the worst,� he states. He suggests that when the “shoe is on the other foot� (Bird’s statements are always riddled with trite clichés, like the title of his editorial, “What’s good for the goose…�), liberals “tend to curl up in a ball, suckle their thumbs, and cry for mommy.�

Mr. Bird further proceeds to build his credibility by aligning himself with Ann Coulter, an extreme right-wing conservative columnist, writer, talk-show host, and commentator ad nausea. Read the rest of this entry »

Articles can be submitted to the Cafe by emailing the article to woodstock @woodstockCTCafe.com or just submit the article as a comment. Admin

“I don’t hear anyone…saying that we need to write the schools a blank check. “

Please don’t vest too much in CPS looking out for any of the rest of us. I won’t give their opinions a second thought until they start broadening the focus to include all of the tax dollars we spend. Don’t buy their single focus on the education budget while there is no mention of the general government budget,… and the Board of Finance is given a free skate!

I don’t hear anyone on this site, or anywhere else, saying that we need to write the schools a blank check. The argument is not that we should throw money at the schools and not have a care as to what is done with those funds. But we have just laid off five teachers. We lay off the non-tenured teachers first, the ones that are usually youngest, the most energetic, the most dynamic and the ones that, in bringing new blood into our system, encourage creativity and, often, infectiously inspire those around them – staff and students alike.

We do have problems with our heating system and ventilation too. Any surprise? In these aging facilities we probably could use one hell of an upgrade. If we can’t even afford to pay for teachers, how the hell do you think we’d get that kind of trivial thing passed by the voters??? I’m not an advocate of going completely ergonomic to ‘enhance’ the learning environment, but I think a decent temperature range and good, breathable air should be no-brainer. Read the rest of this entry »

Take a look at Norwich Free Academy’s web site. This site is clearly there to inform students and parents. Woodstock Academy could learn a lesson from NFA. Compare the WA web site with the NFA web site.

“The haranges of detractors of the school system, the anti-educationalists, who view the school system in the same light as garbage pick-up, road maintenance, etc., are definitely diminishing the potential of the kids of Woodstock. “

To begin the process of budget cuts, 5 teachers have been let go for the next school year.

“…inadequate funding of the Woodstock education system will ultimately impact…students at the Academy and also their achievements later in their professional lives…�

According to the College Board, the SAT now does not measure any innate learning ability (e.g. IQ). Wayne Camara, Director of the Office of research at the College Board states that the SAT measures “developed reasoning,” which he describes as the skills that students develop not only in school but also outside of school.

However Stanford University psychologist, Claude Steele, has pointed out that the test is influenced by intercultural differences and has been found to measure only about 18 percent of the things that it takes to do well in school, and thus the test is not a very good predictor of how a student will do in college. Read the rest of this entry »

From the Norwich Bull, 6/23/06, regarding the school budget debate in Brooklyn: “Superintendent Louise Berry defended the budget, and said the school budget has increased according to the town’s population growth. She also said federal and state mandated programs for special education are increasingly expensive, and state funding has declined.

‘I recognize it’s a burden, but I also recognize we have state and federal obligations to educate our children,’ Berry said. ‘We cannot provide the programs we are providing to your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors’ children with any less money.’ ”

Oops!

“…illumination could be the only reason…increasing numbers keep coming back to the Café.â€?

I have been asking myself the question, “What would have happened if the Café had not come to Woodstock?� Has the Café just created a battlefield for the insurrection, the Al Qaeda of Woodstock, or the leadership clique that has run City Hall for decades? Then, is anything accomplished as a result of the dialogue at this site?

The Café readership has grown dramatically over the last six months from 20-30 regular readers to an estimated 300+ readers. The Café now sees routine visitors from many businesses in Eastern Connecticut, all area newspapers including the Boston Globe, State politicians, State government departments from both Massachusetts and Connecticut, contractors that do business in Woodstock, state and local law firms, occasional visitors from other States who the Café believes are Woodstockians on business and vacation trips (because they enter the site multiple times and spend time reading), Woodstock servers, and enumerable visitors through SNET, AOL, Charter and other servers.

Speaking for myself, I would not have the depth of understanding of the political and governmental activities and issues in Woodstock, if I had not read all of the articles and comments at the Café. Armed with this information, I can now read the Villager, the Norwich Bull, and listen to local politicos with validated skepticism. It’s unfortunate that a vast majority of Woodstock residents get virtually all of their information about Woodstock’s political and governmental activities from these poorly informed and biased sources that operate to achieve their own agendas.

What is the agenda of the Café then? The agenda can only be ‘the dissemination of information by Café participants’. There have been over 44,000 page turns and over 850 comments from a vast minority of actual visitors. Café’s only regret is that more Woodstockians are not contributing. Maybe some don’t contribute because they don’t access the Internet, or maybe they just don’t drink coffee or tea.

Webmasters at this site have not turned down any submitted comments or articles, excepting one scurrilous comment that won’t be explained. It’s quite a remarkable record given the crap that shows up on other more national blog sites. The Café did create the Siberian file for Mr. Wetzel’s comments but since then the Café has posted one of his statements in the form of an article “Bert and Ernie…�. The Café will not deny points of view that are contrary to others or a majority of Café participants as long as these points of view are civil and presented in a comprehensible fashion. The idea IS to point the finger, but only in fairness, honesty, and with the goal of being constructive to our society in Woodstock – however, in doing so, there will be a certain amount of impolite bluntness and criticism hopefully meant to be constructive and expose perceived failures and incompetence… sometimes attenuated with a bit of humor or parody.

Continuing on the Café agenda, we the readers/participants would like to understand other points of view and learn from them. The Café doesn’t care to have the names of the contributors – in fact, the Café prefers anonymity. Furthermore, when one makes statements here at the Café, these statements have to stand up to the scrutiny of Café readers. When speaking at this site, an author risks being exposed for providing misinformation because the author simply misunderstands the facts, or wishes to manipulate others. The Café hopes that readers will not let mis-statements or lies pass by without being SLAMMED … I mean, without being challenged. This is no site for playing nice, nice. Read the rest of this entry »

“…we can all work together to at least …”

This is a great site for all of us to vent our frustrations while at the same time have some fun. Most of the blogging that takes place here, however, contains finger pointing, some anger and a surliness that gets old from beating the same dead horse, prop 46, and its associated problems with the budget.

I’d like to address this column to everyone, especially Johnny Tlag and his McMansionites.

Mr Tlag, there is a big problem looming for our town that will, indeed, promote cookie cutter building lots with tiny houses loaded with special needs children and parents who could care less about the education budget or what their children are doing. Yes, sadly, there is that group of people, who for various unfortunate circumstances, are trapped and more than willing to bring their baggage to our doorstep. Who can blame them? I can certainly understand their plight. I was brought up in a housing project in Hartford. I know what it’s like.

I am not saying that all people in housing projects are undesireable…not by a long shot. But let’s ‘call a spade a spade’. A big influx of “affordable housing” will affect all of us bigtime in many ways. I don’t want to argue the merits of encouraging a migration of lower income people to our town, nor will I favor not encouraging it. I’m just letting you know that it could very well happen. It won’t be because of any action taken by CPS. It will happen because all of us, CPS’ers, McMansionites, and the rest have been sold out by our Planning and Zoning Commission. Read the rest of this entry »

Citizens for Even Lower Prudent Spending (CELPS & CELPS’ers)
• Elimination of salaries & fringe benefits for Selectmen – savings approx. $84,000
• No need for an Executive Assistant in the Selectmen’s office – savings approx. $50,000
• Forget the new soccer fields – savings $350,000
• Forget Dial-a-Ride – savings $20,000
• Close down the “Town Beach� – savings approx. $10,000
• Etc, etc, etc

“Keep up your current policies, Mr. Klusek, and someday your followers will ask ‘what have we done?’ ”

Towns that spend more money on education do produce better students and better test takers. Higher scores on the Ct. Mastery exams attract families looking for good schools for their children and are often touted by real estate agents. These families tend toward being professionals with higher education that contribute greatly to their communities. They invest in their children’s education, invest and support local businesses and workers, invest in the community through volunteerism, and yes, they pay more taxes. Ironically, however, these hard working successful, family loving, contributing professionals are ridiculed as “yuppies�, their houses are called “McMansions�, their pride in education labels them as “education mafia�, their investment in a community and school system earns them the title of “big spenders� and “cash cows�. We should be welcoming the likes of these professionals to our community. We should embrace and support whatever measures it takes to attract strong and successful people to our community.

Outside of good schools, these families ask little else in return and in fact have traditional, conservative values that believe in small government, low taxes, self-sufficiency, respect the land, and respect the elderly. But instead, a small cadre of locals have managed to decieve a community into believing that these heroes are villains, what is good is really bad, what is right is really wrong, and what is best for the town is destroying the town. They pander to the poor, the envious, and the needy instead of supporting the successful, the hardworking, and the educated. And ironically, it is the name callers who claim proprietorship of valuing quality of life. The one’s who pay the least in taxes, the ones who earn the least of salaries, the ones who contribute least to the community somehow deem themselves as superior.

If it wasn’t for the successful, educated, professional tax payer and investor, Woodstock would hardly be the town that those who ridicule claim to love. If it wasn’t for the generations of wealthy, educated, successful, forward thinking people that have settled and invested in Woodstock over the generations the town would not resemble what we all have come to love. Read the rest of this entry »

The Cash Cow Is On Its Way To The Slaughterhouse

Dear Realtors, Landowners, Developers & Builders,

If the current political climate in the Town of Woodstock continues, we should all expect this negative climate to have a negative impact on our property values and business financial statements.

Woodstock’s Board of Finance has consistenly failed and will likely continue to fail to address the very real needs of the Woodstock’s education system. Under the misrepresented guise of the restraints of Proposition 46, a boisterous and loud group of citizens, entrenched in falsehoods and mean-spirited behaviors, are encouraged by the absolute lack of prudent fiduciary administration by the Board of Finance to launch a continuing attack and harangue against Woodstock Public School System. Our schools – students/our children, staff and facilities – are being annually diminished in ability, resources, and readiness as a direct result.

Our property values will inevitably suffer as a direct result of our compromised school system. Because statistical proof of the erosion of the education system takes many years to surface (illustrated by the inability of our students to lead productive and continuing lives as adults), it is no longer acceptable to allow prospective buyers to invest in our community without proper advisement of this condition.

I am in the process of organizing a group Read the rest of this entry »

Neither a YES or a NO vote sits well with me.

This is the title of the ad placed in the Shoppers’ Guide that appeared in our mailboxes today, June 6th, the day before the referendum on the proposed Town budget. The CPS’ers begin with “Did you know:â€? and then proceed to list a series of accusations which are either untrue or are an attempt to mislead the reader. The punch line is the second line from the bottom of the ad “CPS needs your contributions to continue to fight for Prop 46 and keep you informed!â€? This statement is conveniently preceded by “You can’t afford not to!â€? If you’re stupid enough to agree with this cadre, the Café would like to help you contribute to their cause. Just send your money to CPS, PO Box 285, Woodstock, CT 06281.

Definition of “cadre“: A tightly knit group of zealots who are active in advancing the interests of a revolutionary party.

By the way did you know that only 12.5% of graduating seniors of the Academy scored 600 or better in Math and 21.8% scored 600 or better in Verbal on their SAT exams in 2005? Compare 12.5% & 21.8% in Woodstock with 27.4% & 23.2% at Norwich Academy, or 33.7% & 24.5% in Tolland. These and all the other statistics can be found at the State Department of Education web site. I do not attribute these poor numbers to the Academy teaching alone. The contributing Town education systems, strangled with budgetary problems, are perhaps more responsible for this relatively poor performance. Never mind what the scores are in Fairfield County or in other affluent communities, or in Towns like Putnam or Thompson, 12.5% for math is poor under any circumstance and 21.8% for verbal is below average.

If we teach our kids to think and speak like CPS’ers (read the ad, check out their website), the kids will be well-bred for da class of 2010…“I does feel dat dis honor ain’t made me a man yet. My life’s work in da agony and sweat…�

Neither a YES or a NO vote sits well with me. Yes, I will go to the polls and vote. But, I refuse to push either lever. Read the rest of this entry »

Even though the budget was approved, whatever budget it was, lets continue to build a list of facts

The Frowny signifies negative , unconstructive, or even destructive behavior from the viewpoint of the Cafe; by contrast, the Smiley signifies positive, constructive behavior.

What are the Facts?

• June 7th is the date that Woodstock citizens voted to approve or disapprove the Town budget.

• The Town budget passed 920 (YES) to 200 (NO). 8:12PM 6/7/06.

• Ms. Wholean stated in the Norwich Bull after the budget vote was in, “The people who came out today were pretty brave (because of the rain).”

• In Brooklyn 168 voters in a town meeting passed the education budget of $13.7 million and 166 voters rejected the town operating budget at 4.9 million as too high. As a consequence of these votes, the education budget slice will increase from 73.7% of the total town budget to some higher number. Brooklyn has an estimated population of 7660 (2004 est.) and Woodstock has an estimated population of 7868 (2004 est.).

• After years of budget cuts and reduction in teachers, the Putnam education budget was still rejected by Putnam voters requiring further cuts.

• According to the CT State Department of Education the 2004-2005 Woodstock education budget provided the sixth lowest spending per pupil out of 166 Connecticut Towns and Regional school districts.

• The spending per pupil by Woodstock is last by comparison with Eastford, Thompson, Killingly, Putnam, Brooklyn, Windham, Pomfret, Willington, Ashford, and Tolland.

• The tuition charged for the 2006-2007 school year by the Academy for each Woodstock High School student would rank the Academy 66th lowest out of 166 towns and regional districts based upon the tuitions paid by all Connecticut towns for the 2004-2005 school year.

• This coming school year, teachers will be laid off and all remaining Town staff will receive a raise.

• Adding the cost of 2 school buses per year (normally not in the education budget) to the education budget would only increase the cost per student by $101 per year and knock Woodstock down to 158th out of 166 in the state in spending per pupil.

• The declaration by Mr. Shultz in the Villager that “the BOE is acting illegally!� is FALSE.

• We don’t know exactly where budget cuts in the K-8 system will take place, or when.

• Proposition 46 sets Woodstock’s over-all spending cap, but it is the Board of Finance that establishes the amount of money divided up between the school system and Town Hall.

• The Board of Finance has not explained the basis for the percentage by which they divide up the money for the town operating budget and the education budget.

• Town Hall has had increases in spending last year and this year for new programs while for the past two years, the school system had to maintain only a maintenance budget without regard to rising fuel costs, unexpected student increases at the Academy, and changing contractual obligations.

• The statement in the Norwich Bulletin by Barbara Rich, Town Treasurer, ‘that the $14.1 million budget is the highest amount of funding allowable for the education budget under the town’s property tax cap, Proposition 46,’ is FALSE.

• Prop 46 says nothing about what the relative sizes of the education and the Town operating budgets should be.

• Prop 46 is irrelevant because no matter what budget is presented, the VOTERS HAVE THE LAST WORD!

• Mr. Wetzel and Mr. Shultz are in favor of Prop 46 even though they submitted the petition to repeal Prop 46.

• Woodstock citizens donate time and money to help both the Academy and K-8 school system.

• There are approximately 1500 Woodstock children and teenagers whose education is supported by the Town.

• The poverty rate in Woodstock is a low 1.9% just above Tolland and Pomfret but below Eastford, Thompson, Killingly, Putnam, Brooklyn, Windham, Willington, and Ashford which range in poverty rates from 2.8% to 12.7%.

• Everett Shephard reported on WINY that in past years when he was chairman of the Board of Finance, the education budget presented and approved was lower than the amount allowed by Prop 46.

• Mr. Wetzel’s claim that the Board of Education is suing the Academy is FALSE.

• Woodstock is the only town in Connecticut that has a proposition like Prop 46.

• In the last election, the independent candidate for First Selectman and CPS’er, Mr. Klusek, received 20% of the vote. In the last referendum to amend Prop 46, the NO votes were 70% of the total vote. In the selectman race there were 2327 votes and in this last referendum there were 2209 votes. In the final referendum on the Town budget, 1120 people voted of which 18% voted NO.

• Ms. Wholean would like to reduce property taxes for the elderly and has put $20,000 into the town operating budget to fund “Dial-a-Rideâ€?, Mr. Eaffy would like to have a Town Cop; and Ms. Very would like to hang birdfeeders at New Roxbury Village. Read the rest of this entry »

“…pictures of the dead – perhaps a coffin shot might help.”

Every Friday evening I speed home from work to clutch the latest edition of The Woodstock Villager purportedly “Serving Eastford, Pomfret and Woodstock” waiting for me in my mailbox. My heart is always racing as I unfold the news, discard the inserts, and begin to read all about the events of the past week in my town. This week we had 20 pages to digest, but there was only about 8 pages worth of ‘articles’. Of these 8, one and a third pages were consumed by the Obituaries. Yes, people die, but apparently not in Eastford, Pomfret, or Woodstock. Instead, for the prurient, one can read about who kicked the bucket in places as far off as Worcester, Mass, and Greenville, Rhode Island. I noted that the Villager makes the point of stating that there will be no charge. Just email (wbird@villagernewspapers.com ) or fax (860-928-5946) notices to Mr. Bird and he will put them in …and “photos are welcome.” I started to wonder about the authenticity of these notices, but pictures of the dead … perhaps a coffin shot might help. I’ll have to keep an eye out along the side of the road, so I can contribute to the Villager (“Here lies…”).

After taking note of the Obits, I was left with 6-plus pages of ‘interesting’ stuff. It was good to see Mike Alberts practicing his political speech on fourth graders and presenting a Memorial Day award to Paul Arvidson for 48 years of service as the Woodstock Town Constable (I wish he’d speak up at the legislature). He’s obviously thinking about the next election. I wonder what he is doing in Hartford though. We never hear about that in the Villager. Read the rest of this entry »

“It is the BOF who should be chastised…”

Quoted from the Woodstock Villager – Friday, June 2, 2006

Resident Preston Shultz, notorious for being a Citizens for Prudent Spending (CPS), was not satisfied with the decisions of the BOE.

“Basically, the BOE is acting illegally by bringing back a budget that is more than they’ve been authorized to bring back, and they’re turning around and authorizing the superintendent (Baran) to seek the intervention of the state Department of Education,� said Shultz. “By not listening to the voters and the BOF, the BOE is basically thumbing their noses at the whole town. I think they should all resign, because they’re thumbing their nose at the people who put them in office. We’re a nation of laws, and we need to set a good example for our children in that respect too.�

The recent proclamation of His Eminence, Preston Shultz, should serve as prudent instruction for all of the commoners, you and I, who surely are unable to discern for ourselves the importance of the recent actions at town meeting. Herewith, I will most humbly beg to differ with my lordship and grand wizard, His Eminence – Ignorant the First.

The Board of Education (BOE) is charged with meeting the educational interests of Woodstock’s children. According to the General Statutes of Connecticut, Volume 3, Title 10, Chapter 170, Boards of Education “Local boards of education are not agents of the towns but creatures of the state. 25 CS 305� . As creatures of the state, it is the responsibility of the BOE to determine and propose a budget that fulfills the educational needs of the students of Woodstock. As evidence of the good faith of their effort, it should be noted that the budget put forth only maintains current programs and staff with the single new addition of $14,000 for software to help train students for the CMT testing required to fulfill the No Child Left Behind federal mandate.

I have no access to the inner sanctum of decisions or conversations, but a rational person may conclude that the authorization by the BOE to have Superintendent Baran seek the intervention of the State Department of Education is not, as His Eminence proclaims, “thumbing their nose at the people”. Rather this is an attempt to leave no stone unturned in their effort to find a way to provide our children with a dependable basic education. We have been stripping the education budget, reducing staff and programs and depending on the donations. The BOE feels that we have come to the point that further reductions are harmful to the structure of our educational system and would serve to harm our children’s education. That our per pupil spending is 164/169 (or the bottom 3%) of the state and our median household income is 60/169 (or 35.5%) is illustrative of this not being a question of affordability.

I take umbrage with the slanderous accusation that the Board of Education is acting in an illegal manner. Though Ignorant the First does not quote Proposition 46, clearly this is the ordinance he is implying that the BOE is disregarding. I would ask Mr. Shultz to, perhaps in his abundant free time, re-read the sacrosanct budgetary restraint and refer me to the passage that applies to the BOE. The BOE budget could only be illegal if it exceeded the Prop 46 spending limit of $19,205,276. Their proposed budget of $14,566,120 is not in excess of that budget cap, nor anywhere close to it. Read the rest of this entry »