Education is #1 issue in Jacksonville, but residents will not be taxed . . .

[aaapolito]

I just don't think people get it.  The debate about education is not centered around the most important element, the CHILDREN.  Education is not about Republican/ Democrat, white or black.  It's about providing an education to the future of our country.  We are failing our children and based on the article below it does not seem as though anyone is prepared to do anything about it.  Our education system is truly one of the most embarrassing things about this country (a country that I do love). 

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-03-10/story/education-no-1-issue-jacksonville-residents-will-not-be-taxed-improve-it

I applaud those who are committed to education (i.e. KIPP Impact Jax) and who are not affraid to realize that our system is broken.  There are people out there who are trying to right the ship, but there are not enough of them.

[uptowngirl]

This may be one of the top nonsensical comments ever:

"Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals said one of his problems with polls is that parents often have favorable opinions of their children's schools but less so of the district."

Wow, just Wow. I got one of these surveys actually, and while there were some questions about the district overall- the majority of the questions were specific to my childs school. I rated it a failure across the board!

[mtraininjax]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

[uptowngirl]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

+1000

[BridgeTroll]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

+1000

But under no circumstances... test them on their knowledge.

[Doctor_K]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

+1000

But under no circumstances... test them on their knowledge.

No no no.  Test them all day long, just don't issue grades.

[cityimrov]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

Let's see, if I remember the reason we have a school board that created it way back then.  I think those arguments went like this.  

"Down with the mayoral dictatorship!  We live in a democracy!  A system which entourages people to vote for representatives to represent us.  The school board is a copy of that democracy allowing us the power to help choose the future of the school system.  Why should we abandon the principals of democracy and allow the mayor dictatorial powers to control our school system?  Why should we give up the power to choose our own school representatives?  We shouldn't let our crony and corrupt mayor and our crony and corrupt politicians control our schools!"

I think it went something like that except they were louder and had big protest signs.  

[Garden guy]

I just don't think people get it.  The debate about education is not centered around the most important element, the CHILDREN.  Education is not about Republican/ Democrat, white or black.  It's about providing an education to the future of our country.  We are failing our children and based on the article below it does not seem as though anyone is prepared to do anything about it.  Our education system is truly one of the most embarrassing things about this country (a country that I do love). 

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-03-10/story/education-no-1-issue-jacksonville-residents-will-not-be-taxed-improve-it

I applaud those who are committed to education (i.e. KIPP Impact Jax) and who are not affraid to realize that our system is broken.  There are people out there who are trying to right the ship, but there are not enough of them.

Unfortunately it is about the politics though...republicans have proven themselves time after time by the way they vote in the capitals of everystate..voting for cut after cut year after year...our state could be the leader in cuts to public education....republicans prove they dont support public education...

[BridgeTroll]

Eliminate the School Board entirely, they do not get it, never will and they are behind the times. The Principals and teachers know what the kids need. Have Audrey setup a board to work with the principals and teachers and teach the basics, reading, writing and math. Get back to the basics and get students what they need to compete in the new world.

+1000

But under no circumstances... test them on their knowledge.

No no no.  Test them all day long, just don't issue grades.

I dont know doc... Seems kind of like those kids soccer leagues where no one keeps score and we all go home "winners".

[aaapolito]

I just don't think people get it.  The debate about education is not centered around the most important element, the CHILDREN.  Education is not about Republican/ Democrat, white or black.  It's about providing an education to the future of our country.  We are failing our children and based on the article below it does not seem as though anyone is prepared to do anything about it.  Our education system is truly one of the most embarrassing things about this country (a country that I do love). 

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-03-10/story/education-no-1-issue-jacksonville-residents-will-not-be-taxed-improve-it

I applaud those who are committed to education (i.e. KIPP Impact Jax) and who are not affraid to realize that our system is broken.  There are people out there who are trying to right the ship, but there are not enough of them.

Unfortunately it is about the politics though...republicans have proven themselves time after time by the way they vote in the capitals of everystate..voting for cut after cut year after year...our state could be the leader in cuts to public education....republicans prove they dont support public education...

To be fair, neither do the democrats, as their party strongly supports the teacher's union.  The teacher's union is anti education; therefore, so are the democrats. 

Again, politics should not matter.  The children should.

[JeffreyS]

The teacher's union is anti education; therefore, so are the democrats. 

Again, politics should not matter.  The children should.

Wrong teachers care immensely and they make up the union.  Everyone who wants education to be cheap is just looking for an answer they should not be looking for.  It is not cheap and teachers do not get rich off the system.  Education is a sixty year investment in our community maybe longer if you factor what our children's life expectancy might be.  Let's not try to make a cheap education system.  Cheap doesn't sound like a great goal to me.  I want my five year old's education to be great so I have opted for a private school I admire but not everyone has that option. I do not want him growing up in an under educated metro but that may mean moving from this state I love. A state that seems to have never valued education and elected Rick Scott. (or as BT likes to remind us couldn't be bothered to keep the embarrassment out.)

[aaapolito]

The teacher's union is anti education; therefore, so are the democrats. 

Again, politics should not matter.  The children should.

Wrong teachers care immensely and they make up the union.  Everyone who wants education to be cheap is just looking for an answer they should not be looking for.  It is not cheap and teachers do not get rich off the system.  Education is a sixty year investment in our community maybe longer if you factor what our children's life expectancy might be.  Let's not try to make a cheap education system.  Cheap doesn't sound like a great goal to me.  I want my five year old's education to be great so I have opted for a private school I admire but not everyone has that option. I do not want him growing up in an under educated metro but that may mean moving from this state I love. A state that seems to have never valued education and elected Rick Scott. (or as BT likes to remind us couldn't be bothered to keep the embarrassment out.)

I should have added to my previous post that my wife is a teacher and a member of the teachers' union.  She cares about education a great deal, but even she despises the leadership of the teachers' union for making the adults the priority and not the children.

And I agree that a good education is not cheap and that we must spend more on the system.

If no one does anything, we better start building more prisons and get ready for undereducated generations to come.

[Garden guy]

The teacher's union is anti education; therefore, so are the democrats. 

Again, politics should not matter.  The children should.

Wrong teachers care immensely and they make up the union.  Everyone who wants education to be cheap is just looking for an answer they should not be looking for.  It is not cheap and teachers do not get rich off the system.  Education is a sixty year investment in our community maybe longer if you factor what our children's life expectancy might be.  Let's not try to make a cheap education system.  Cheap doesn't sound like a great goal to me.  I want my five year old's education to be great so I have opted for a private school I admire but not everyone has that option. I do not want him growing up in an under educated metro but that may mean moving from this state I love. A state that seems to have never valued education and elected Rick Scott. (or as BT likes to remind us couldn't be bothered to keep the embarrassment out.)

I should have added to my previous post that my wife is a teacher and a member of the teachers' union.  She cares about education a great deal, but even she despises the leadership of the teachers' union for making the adults the priority and not the children.

And I agree that a good education is not cheap and that we must spend more on the system.

If no one does anything, we better start building more prisons and get ready for undereducated generations to come.

You kinda really sound like a right wing republican who hates public schools....and if you think that politics don't matter...tell that to the kid that the republicans of this state have defunded the system for years....I got a great education from the public schools..back then teachers were allowed to teach...NCLB is nuts and that system is part of a big problem around the country and teachers unions are supposed to support teachers....because it's called the "teachers union"...

[uptowngirl]

If it does nothing for the children then it is non-value add. Cuts should be made to anything not classroom related- class room related cuts shoudl be the last item on the chopping block, but the riverfront property, partime workers getting funded pensions, IT web site developers, etc are still employed, still getting benefits while our children get placed in larger and larger classrooms, sports, music, and art are cut, and the worst food in the world is being shoved down their throats daily- how does this make sense?

[JeffreyS]

The union may add value if better teachers are attracted to the profession because they can earn a better living.