Thursday, July 8, 2010

New Britain Democrats, Republicans Spar Over School Spending - Courant.com

KEN BYRON
Posted by Frank Smith at 8.7.10

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

To Joshua Scherer:

Kids are not leaving because of a lack of marketing. They are leaving the district because it is seen as failing and poorly run. Get back to basics; teach reading, writing and math well and make sure the BOE hold administrators accountable. Serve your customers (parents and children) and they will be loyal to you.

July 8, 2010 at 7:23 AM
Anonymous said...

You can spend a billion dollars on education in New Britain and test scores would probably remain the same. New Britain should have a mandatory head start and school readiness program for parents. Vast numbers of students at every grade level arrive ill-prepared to learn and the problem is persistent. Those families that respect education and the learning process see great success with their children in New Britain. These same like minded parents also examine alternative schooling at the middle school level because of the added social problems that arise at puberty. It's difficult to remain focused at Slade, Roosevelt and Pulaski middle schools when the same ill-prepared students become teenagers.

It's hard to really address the root of the problem when honesty isn't politically correct. Last year, on the first day of school, I complimented a little girl on her outfit and was asking her about
her first day of kindergarten, her response was, "I hate my teacher, shut-up"! Her mother never corrected her! At that moment with a five year old child starting her first day of school, you haven't a chance at success.

We can do more with less. This huge argument over money with the democrats is totally, politically motivated.

Sure, give them the 1.5 million dollars but set-up a program on respect, manners, love of country and the priviledge to be educated here in the United States of America.

July 8, 2010 at 7:44 AM
Anonymous said...

Yes, get back to basics; teach reading, writing and math well, in English.

July 8, 2010 at 7:50 AM
Anonymous said...

Frank:
Thanks for including this report from the Courant. It simply shows what others had already predicted; this was no open forum that focus on concerns of the general poulation of New Britain, it was an opportunity to showcase the usual participants in a partisan "battle", Democrats vs. Republicans. Most of this article showcased comments from the usual politicos.
There was former BOE Chair Peter Kochol (Dem) yelling at Dwight Blint (GOP), "...you're full of baloney..." Bob Sanchez (D), substitute member (he can't run for office) and Vice Chair of the BOE, and of course, Council Majority leader Sherwood (D) spewing his usual nonsense.
Although this session was billed as an "Open Dialogue" , the Courant got it correct, it was little more than another, sparring session between Dems and GOP accomplishing nothing.
The Herald had an article on this session also but the highlights were, getting Kochol's first name wrong and reporting that NB's land area has 17sq. miles instead of 13.4.

July 8, 2010 at 8:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Although this was billed as an open forum; it was not. It started with a small union rally across the street. At the beginning of the meeting, the Democrats made it clear that their goal was to strategize how to get the $1.5 million added back to the budget. It was not to discuss state funding and how our Democratically-controlled state legislature had let us down in terms of inadequate funding or over-burdensome unfunded mandates. They did not want to talk about improved oversight, wasteful spending, why the money was cut or how to improve efficiency or accountability in New Britain schools. The majority of the attendees in the room were Democratic partisans and union representatives who simply wanted to figure out how to maintain the status quo. In that regard, the meeting was a disappointment.

However, it would not be fair to describe this encounter as a “battle.” Other than a few pejorative remarks by the Democratic Town Committee chair and Peter Kochol’s outburst, the members of the Democratic Town Committee and the Democratic Council members who attended were generally cordial to the Republicans and we showed them the same respect as their invited quests.

July 8, 2010 at 9:05 AM
Anonymous said...

The Democrats would have you believe, like with all issues, that if you throw more money at it, the students get a better education, but all evidence is actually the reverse. Some of the poorest school systems in the country are performing the best, and some of the richest have the lowest test scores.

All that happens if you give them more money, is that union teachers get fatter and nothing else changes.

July 8, 2010 at 1:40 PM
NB Parent said...

Rather than leave New Britain because of the alleged poor quality of the public school system, consider enrolling the children in private/parochial schools. They have a higher quality of education.

July 9, 2010 at 9:06 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Web Tracking
Online Florist