JCPSdad is right. Every organization I have ever belonged to has offered people the chance to get involved. And the people who say "What can I do?" are the ones who get things done, and have the opportunity to help the group achieve their goals, objectives and mission. Those are the people asked to take on positions of responsibility, and those are the people that take the initiative to give input (in person, not on a keyboard). Those are the people that make proposals, and invest the energy into seeing the proposals are seriously considered, and perhaps eventually implemented.
Dave, I think it is a fantasy for people to think their concerns expressed here are making a positive difference. Because we do not have to give our identities, we can say things we would not say if we admitted who we are. If anyone in a position of power reads this forum, they have to wade through so much foolishness, that it is really not worth their effort to spend time here trying to understand what the public wants. And other people that read our comments are not changing their opinions based on what we post. Intelligent people who are involved and in a position to get things done will use more reliable measurements of public opinion than any blog or forum.
The people who really make a difference are the ones that are actively participating. They sit in meetings and work with others on projects. They don't get everything they want, They have to give up some of the things they want, but they also accomplish some of the things they want.
I do hope that you will write a letter to the editor about your concerns. I reallly believe it would get to more people. This is a good time to make sure that as the school board re-groups, they discuss concerns about the school system. Personnally I would welcome hearing a discussion about many of the points you made in previous posts on other articles.
And just for the record, I am as disgusted with FOX "News" as I am with the liberal networks. As a matter of fact I dislike the liberal version of FOX so much that I don't even know or care what network it is.
Talking heads on Fox "News" like to accuse people who don't agree with them of drinking the koolaide. It discourages true debate. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they can't think for themselves.
I saw on the news tonight that Ortmeyer plans to work with the school board. I think he needs to put together a committee of people that opposed this issue to work to pass the funding needed to improve our schools. And you need to be on that committee.
JClifer you posted numerous times that you wanted 2 schools. But now you say "I cannot support bad ideas." So do you want 2 schools or not? Is it a bad idea just when someone says be part of the solution and not part of the problem? Sounds like an excuse to me. Hey, if you don't want to help then so be it.
A lot of people like to complain, and don't want to help make things better.
Connor thanks for your help.Whenever I read your comments (which I don't usually do) I walk away all the more convinced that the opposite position is the right one. I am disappointed that you failed to mention the feminist nazis that constrol the education system. I did get that right didn't I? They are feminist nazis, or is it ultra liberal feminist socialists? I get those dang feminist nut cases all confused.
Call them and tell them you want to participate. Quit making excuses. Get involved. Stop constantly complaining and start working with other people, even people you don't think you agree with, to develop a viable solution.
JClifer, you and I argue a lot on here. But you are apparently an intelligent man, you read a lot, you are informed. You have good writing skills. Use your talents and abilities to build something, rather than constantly tearing things down. I'm very serious and sincere. Call the school board and volunteer to help with the next proposal.
JCLifer, the next meeting of the Jefferson City School Board is Mon. 4/8/13 at 6:00 pm at the Board of Education. Their phone number is 659-3000. Contact them and ask to present your idea to them at the next school board meeting.
If you are not willing to do that much, then don't expect anyone to take your suggestions seriously. You and your friends can keep defeating proposals. We all expect that. You and others like you will eventually get the people working to make this town better fed up and give up. Good job on accomplishing what you are working for, it's happening.
But when you get on this forum and whine about how bad it is here, just remember, you helped make it this way.
Robhunter, above you said, "..lets build a second High School, plan it with room for expansion, and fix the High School we have now!" Please call the school administration tomorrow and volunteer to participate in the plans for the next ballot initiative. Instead of constantly finding fault with what others have worked long and hard to present, you need to be sitting in the committee meetings, doing research, visiting other communities to observe their schools, writing reports, reaching consensus with others on the best approach.
Rob, you seem like an ok guy, really, i think you are one of the more positive people on this forum. I encourage you to call the school board and volunteer to work to develop the next plan to present to the voters. I challenge you to be part of the solution. You got what you wanted yesterday. Now roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Put some blood, sweat and tears into improving education in this town.
On the topic of teachers:There's not a a lot of teachers that get 3 months off in the summer. And like a previous poster stated, teachers work very long hours. They put in much more than an 8 hour day. When school dismisses they still have hours of work to do. Grading their students' work consumes their evenings and weekends. They also have to have class plans prepared, and that's not a walk in the park.
Now on the topic that this article is about, I supported the ballot issues and wanted them to pass. I am convinced that when voters see what 2 schools will cost, they will again refuse to pass that. I was at a meeting with people from Columbia today, and they could not believe that Jefferson City voters think 2 schools will cost less.
I'm seeing a lot of people very happy the school ballot issues were defeated yesterday. Everyone of you needs to call the school administration tomorrow and volunteer to serve on the committee that works to pass the next ballot issue to fund 2 high schools. I expect to see everyone of you at the next school board meeting, and I expect to see everyone of you working to improve education in this community by being part of the process rather than heckl.ing on the sidelines.
The lack of information that previous posters have exhibited in above comments is appalling. Here's an example from billlewis: "I think the school board members were re-elected bacause voters lacked a knowledge of the names on the ballot. Next election we need an awareness campaign about incumbents so we can vote them out." For anyone not to know which candidates supported this issue is inexcusable.
I'm sure the school board will welcome your help. The gentlemen in the photo above in this article should be first in line, volunteering to help pass a ballot issue to fund 2 high schools. They led the charge to defeat this issue, let them invest their energy in passing the necessary ballot issues to improve the education of kids in this community.
Mr. Ortmeyer, you think, "the people of the school district want a second school option," then work on the campaign to make it happen. Instead of making education ballot issues fail, work to pass them. I will be watching for your name in the News Tribune articles reporting on what is being done to get voters to pass the necessary ballot issues to fund 2 schools.
JClifer and friends, when the school board puts forward a new ballot issue to fund 2 high schools, and the cost is higher than the issue you just defeated, we are all expecting you guys to be at the front of the pack supporting the issue.
Oh, and if there will be 2100 kids in 10th, 11th and 12th grades if we end up with 2 high schools, that means well over 1000 per school if you add the 9th graders. So much for small learning environments.
I'm really looking forward to the next ballot issue, when all the people on this forum that ranted against this proposal, get on this forum again to rant against the school board, superintendent and others for what it's going to cost to fund 2 schools. It's going to be quite entertaining. Gives me something to look forward to.
billlewis I strongly disagree. The goal of the school board is to provide the best quality education at the most reasonable cost to the community. Their goal is not to provide the cheapest educational system. They definitely need to focus on making our schools efficient, cost effective and not waste money. But educating our youth is their priority. If you want to form a group "with the sole purpose of reducing expenses and creating cost saving measures" fine, but don't pretend that providing educaiton is any part of your mission. Decreasing your tax liability is your mission, and that's all.
The plan we will vote on tomorrow was developed by a large group of people who worked years on developing a plan to improve our system in a cost efficient manner. The two school option will be much more expensive. So if your only concern is money, voting against this option doesn't make sense. If you want to provide a high quality school system, at a reasonable cost, voting for this option does make sense.
The article states the tax liability on a $150,000 will increase about $157 a year. Our housing costs are much more reasonable in this community than other places. A $150,000 home in Jefferson City would cost over $200,000 if not much much more in other places. If you live in a $150,000 home in Jefferson City, you are living in a nice home. If paying $157 a year more in property taxes ($.43/day) is a burden you can't handle, then the problem is not the tax rate.
There's a lot of concern about how young people don't want to live here. They graduate and leave and don't want to move back. The attitude that our school board should work to have the lowest tax liability for taxpayers is an illustration of what makes Jeff City unappealing to young people. It gives the impression that we are a bunch of stingy old people who only care about our tax bill, and don't care about others having a decent education.
JClifer, I doubt if Jeff City has a higher percentage of students in home schooling or private schools. Parents who decide to send they children to private school or home school have the right to do that. But it doesn't relieve this community from the responsibility to provide other students a quality education.
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sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
JCPSdad is right. Every organization I have ever belonged to has offered people the chance to get involved. And the people who say "What can I do?" are the ones who get things done, and have the opportunity to help the group achieve their goals, objectives and mission. Those are the people asked to take on positions of responsibility, and those are the people that take the initiative to give input (in person, not on a keyboard). Those are the people that make proposals, and invest the energy into seeing the proposals are seriously considered, and perhaps eventually implemented.
Dave, I think it is a fantasy for people to think their concerns expressed here are making a positive difference. Because we do not have to give our identities, we can say things we would not say if we admitted who we are. If anyone in a position of power reads this forum, they have to wade through so much foolishness, that it is really not worth their effort to spend time here trying to understand what the public wants. And other people that read our comments are not changing their opinions based on what we post. Intelligent people who are involved and in a position to get things done will use more reliable measurements of public opinion than any blog or forum.
The people who really make a difference are the ones that are actively participating. They sit in meetings and work with others on projects. They don't get everything they want, They have to give up some of the things they want, but they also accomplish some of the things they want.
I do hope that you will write a letter to the editor about your concerns. I reallly believe it would get to more people. This is a good time to make sure that as the school board re-groups, they discuss concerns about the school system. Personnally I would welcome hearing a discussion about many of the points you made in previous posts on other articles.
And just for the record, I am as disgusted with FOX "News" as I am with the liberal networks. As a matter of fact I dislike the liberal version of FOX so much that I don't even know or care what network it is.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Cole County election results
Cole County election results
Talking heads on Fox "News" like to accuse people who don't agree with them of drinking the koolaide. It discourages true debate. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they can't think for themselves.
I saw on the news tonight that Ortmeyer plans to work with the school board. I think he needs to put together a committee of people that opposed this issue to work to pass the funding needed to improve our schools. And you need to be on that committee.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
JClifer you posted numerous times that you wanted 2 schools. But now you say "I cannot support bad ideas." So do you want 2 schools or not? Is it a bad idea just when someone says be part of the solution and not part of the problem? Sounds like an excuse to me. Hey, if you don't want to help then so be it.
A lot of people like to complain, and don't want to help make things better.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Connor thanks for your help.Whenever I read your comments (which I don't usually do) I walk away all the more convinced that the opposite position is the right one. I am disappointed that you failed to mention the feminist nazis that constrol the education system. I did get that right didn't I? They are feminist nazis, or is it ultra liberal feminist socialists? I get those dang feminist nut cases all confused.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Cole County election results
Cole County election results
Call them and tell them you want to participate. Quit making excuses. Get involved. Stop constantly complaining and start working with other people, even people you don't think you agree with, to develop a viable solution.
JClifer, you and I argue a lot on here. But you are apparently an intelligent man, you read a lot, you are informed. You have good writing skills. Use your talents and abilities to build something, rather than constantly tearing things down. I'm very serious and sincere. Call the school board and volunteer to help with the next proposal.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
JCLifer, the next meeting of the Jefferson City School Board is Mon. 4/8/13 at 6:00 pm at the Board of Education. Their phone number is 659-3000. Contact them and ask to present your idea to them at the next school board meeting.
If you are not willing to do that much, then don't expect anyone to take your suggestions seriously. You and your friends can keep defeating proposals. We all expect that. You and others like you will eventually get the people working to make this town better fed up and give up. Good job on accomplishing what you are working for, it's happening.
But when you get on this forum and whine about how bad it is here, just remember, you helped make it this way.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Cole County election results
Cole County election results
Robhunter, above you said, "..lets build a second High School, plan it with room for expansion, and fix the High School we have now!" Please call the school administration tomorrow and volunteer to participate in the plans for the next ballot initiative. Instead of constantly finding fault with what others have worked long and hard to present, you need to be sitting in the committee meetings, doing research, visiting other communities to observe their schools, writing reports, reaching consensus with others on the best approach.
Rob, you seem like an ok guy, really, i think you are one of the more positive people on this forum. I encourage you to call the school board and volunteer to work to develop the next plan to present to the voters. I challenge you to be part of the solution. You got what you wanted yesterday. Now roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Put some blood, sweat and tears into improving education in this town.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
Voters defeat both Jefferson City school issues
On the topic of teachers:There's not a a lot of teachers that get 3 months off in the summer. And like a previous poster stated, teachers work very long hours. They put in much more than an 8 hour day. When school dismisses they still have hours of work to do. Grading their students' work consumes their evenings and weekends. They also have to have class plans prepared, and that's not a walk in the park.
Now on the topic that this article is about, I supported the ballot issues and wanted them to pass. I am convinced that when voters see what 2 schools will cost, they will again refuse to pass that. I was at a meeting with people from Columbia today, and they could not believe that Jefferson City voters think 2 schools will cost less.
I'm seeing a lot of people very happy the school ballot issues were defeated yesterday. Everyone of you needs to call the school administration tomorrow and volunteer to serve on the committee that works to pass the next ballot issue to fund 2 high schools. I expect to see everyone of you at the next school board meeting, and I expect to see everyone of you working to improve education in this community by being part of the process rather than heckl.ing on the sidelines.
The lack of information that previous posters have exhibited in above comments is appalling. Here's an example from billlewis: "I think the school board members were re-elected bacause voters lacked a knowledge of the names on the ballot. Next election we need an awareness campaign about incumbents so we can vote them out." For anyone not to know which candidates supported this issue is inexcusable.
I'm sure the school board will welcome your help. The gentlemen in the photo above in this article should be first in line, volunteering to help pass a ballot issue to fund 2 high schools. They led the charge to defeat this issue, let them invest their energy in passing the necessary ballot issues to improve the education of kids in this community.
Mr. Ortmeyer, you think, "the people of the school district want a second school option," then work on the campaign to make it happen. Instead of making education ballot issues fail, work to pass them. I will be watching for your name in the News Tribune articles reporting on what is being done to get voters to pass the necessary ballot issues to fund 2 schools.
sancho 1 month, 2 weeks ago on Cole County election results
Cole County election results
Recyclefree, I agree with you.
JClifer and friends, when the school board puts forward a new ballot issue to fund 2 high schools, and the cost is higher than the issue you just defeated, we are all expecting you guys to be at the front of the pack supporting the issue.
Oh, and if there will be 2100 kids in 10th, 11th and 12th grades if we end up with 2 high schools, that means well over 1000 per school if you add the 9th graders. So much for small learning environments.
I'm really looking forward to the next ballot issue, when all the people on this forum that ranted against this proposal, get on this forum again to rant against the school board, superintendent and others for what it's going to cost to fund 2 schools. It's going to be quite entertaining. Gives me something to look forward to.
sancho 1 month, 3 weeks ago on Will new high school plan pass or fail?
Will new high school plan pass or fail?
billlewis I strongly disagree. The goal of the school board is to provide the best quality education at the most reasonable cost to the community. Their goal is not to provide the cheapest educational system. They definitely need to focus on making our schools efficient, cost effective and not waste money. But educating our youth is their priority. If you want to form a group "with the sole purpose of reducing expenses and creating cost saving measures" fine, but don't pretend that providing educaiton is any part of your mission. Decreasing your tax liability is your mission, and that's all.
The plan we will vote on tomorrow was developed by a large group of people who worked years on developing a plan to improve our system in a cost efficient manner. The two school option will be much more expensive. So if your only concern is money, voting against this option doesn't make sense. If you want to provide a high quality school system, at a reasonable cost, voting for this option does make sense.
The article states the tax liability on a $150,000 will increase about $157 a year. Our housing costs are much more reasonable in this community than other places. A $150,000 home in Jefferson City would cost over $200,000 if not much much more in other places. If you live in a $150,000 home in Jefferson City, you are living in a nice home. If paying $157 a year more in property taxes ($.43/day) is a burden you can't handle, then the problem is not the tax rate.
There's a lot of concern about how young people don't want to live here. They graduate and leave and don't want to move back. The attitude that our school board should work to have the lowest tax liability for taxpayers is an illustration of what makes Jeff City unappealing to young people. It gives the impression that we are a bunch of stingy old people who only care about our tax bill, and don't care about others having a decent education.
JClifer, I doubt if Jeff City has a higher percentage of students in home schooling or private schools. Parents who decide to send they children to private school or home school have the right to do that. But it doesn't relieve this community from the responsibility to provide other students a quality education.