Comments on: Skepticism Deserved on the State of the Union http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/ Your Progressive Source for Local Opinions and Insightful Commentary Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:51:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Third Eye http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7664 Third Eye Fri, 26 Jan 2007 03:54:36 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7664 While we don't have a way to completely eliminate nuclear waste, there are ways to recycle most (90 percent) of it. France, Japan, and a load of other countries already do this. It's high time we started as well. While we don’t have a way to completely eliminate nuclear waste, there are ways to recycle most (90 percent) of it. France, Japan, and a load of other countries already do this. It’s high time we started as well.

]]> By: Christopher Thomas http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7663 Christopher Thomas Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:13:19 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7663 Jim: I totally agree with your comments regarding a separate funding pool for special ed students. Likewise, I think you're spot on with comments about the need to give schools the power to permanantly expell the most hard-core discipline problems. The best choice schools do, so why shouldn't MPS be allowed to as well. You are wrong about one small point: it isn't choice schools which cherry pick top students; it is the parents of top students who cherry-pick top schools. Either way, we need our law-makers to rip apart the whole structure of regulations regarding schools and replace only the few which make sense. Vukmir claims to be such a pro-education gal, but she has been worthless on this issue. Thanks. Jim:

I totally agree with your comments regarding a separate funding pool for special ed students. Likewise, I think you’re spot on with comments about the need to give schools the power to permanantly expell the most hard-core discipline problems. The best choice schools do, so why shouldn’t MPS be allowed to as well.

You are wrong about one small point: it isn’t choice schools which cherry pick top students; it is the parents of top students who cherry-pick top schools.

Either way, we need our law-makers to rip apart the whole structure of regulations regarding schools and replace only the few which make sense. Vukmir claims to be such a pro-education gal, but she has been worthless on this issue.

Thanks.

]]> By: Jim McGuigan http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7658 Jim McGuigan Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:06:02 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7658 Christopher, As you've read from other columns I've written about the choice program, it's not as simple as you state. If the public schools could dump their problem students and their disabled students, they would be doing much better both financially as well as academically. What the choice schools have done is take the cream off the top and now some of them, with the help of GOP activists, are pointing to what is left and questioning why, oh why, can the rest not be as good as them. MPS needs state law to be changed to expel, and not be required to readmit, students with chronic absenteeism as well as behavioral problems. After that, we need to figure out a way that children who choice schools are not required to admit, because of disability, can have funding for their special needs, drawn from a different funding pool so as to not adversely affect how children in the system overall are rated. Everybody knows that children with special needs cost more to educate. It's about time we stop penalizing public schools for doing what the choice schools refuse to do because of costs. The way the current system is, choice schools are allowed to discriminate based on whether a student is disabled or has special needs or not. There has to be a better way of rating schools than to say, "oh well", the public schools got 'em so tough. Third Eye, Yes, I'm aware of that. But at the same time, modern day power plants still have nuclear waste that must be disposed of. It's not as though we can just pretend it no longer exists. Until we have a process by which nuclear waste can truly be "disposed of" instead of just dumped in some warm, arid climate state, we haven't solved the problems associated with nuclear power. Christopher,
As you’ve read from other columns I’ve written about the choice program, it’s not as simple as you state. If the public schools could dump their problem students and their disabled students, they would be doing much better both financially as well as academically.

What the choice schools have done is take the cream off the top and now some of them, with the help of GOP activists, are pointing to what is left and questioning why, oh why, can the rest not be as good as them.

MPS needs state law to be changed to expel, and not be required to readmit, students with chronic absenteeism as well as behavioral problems.

After that, we need to figure out a way that children who choice schools are not required to admit, because of disability, can have funding for their special needs, drawn from a different funding pool so as to not adversely affect how children in the system overall are rated.

Everybody knows that children with special needs cost more to educate. It’s about time we stop penalizing public schools for doing what the choice schools refuse to do because of costs.

The way the current system is, choice schools are allowed to discriminate based on whether a student is disabled or has special needs or not. There has to be a better way of rating schools than to say, “oh well”, the public schools got ‘em so tough.

Third Eye,
Yes, I’m aware of that. But at the same time, modern day power plants still have nuclear waste that must be disposed of. It’s not as though we can just pretend it no longer exists. Until we have a process by which nuclear waste can truly be “disposed of” instead of just dumped in some warm, arid climate state, we haven’t solved the problems associated with nuclear power.

]]> By: Third Eye http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7655 Third Eye Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:04:49 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7655 Concerning the nuclear power comment, I should make you aware that Chernobyl-type accidents cannot occur in American power plants. Nuclear power is a lot safer and cleaner than most people think. Concerning the nuclear power comment, I should make you aware that Chernobyl-type accidents cannot occur in American power plants. Nuclear power is a lot safer and cleaner than most people think.

]]> By: Christopher Thomas http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7647 Christopher Thomas Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:21:31 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7647 Which would you choose for your children? The indoctrination of St Joan Antida or that of Bradley Tech? Choice money doesn't undermine public schools, it gives parents options and opportunities. Its pretty clear that districts like MPS are years away from being fixed--if they can be fixed. How many good kids do you want to subject to the crucible of low standards and lower behavioral standards when better alternatives are out there? Lets put all schools--public and choice--on a common results reporting system. Parents could then make informed choices and taxpayers could make them too. Which would you choose for your children? The indoctrination of St Joan Antida or that of Bradley Tech? Choice money doesn’t undermine public schools, it gives parents options and opportunities. Its pretty clear that districts like MPS are years away from being fixed–if they can be fixed. How many good kids do you want to subject to the crucible of low standards and lower behavioral standards when better alternatives are out there? Lets put all schools–public and choice–on a common results reporting system. Parents could then make informed choices and taxpayers could make them too.

]]> By: Bill Stocks http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7644 Bill Stocks Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:13:00 +0000 http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2007/skepticism-deserved-on-the-state-of-the-union/#comment-7644 Even Feingold seemed in great spirits......or is it an illusion............. Even Feingold seemed in great spirits……or is it an illusion………….

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