No matter who wins and loses on Tuesday, a majority of the Board of Education is going to support the switch to K-8 and the construction of two new 900-student schools. That's the bottom line when you read the stories that Jackie Majerus wrote about their positions on the issues.
Those most likely to vote against the plan are Republicans Dick Prindle and Wayne Sparks and Working Families Party candidate Mary Rydingsward.
Even if all three of them win election on Tuesday, there will be six others on the school board who favor the $115 million proposal that's on the table now.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
9 comments:
So these three get my vote. Now vote for the Council candidates and the Mayoral candidate who supports stopping the plan.
It looks like it will be Ken Johnson and his Republican team.
Goodbye Democrats you are the weakest link.
It is amazing to me that in a city that is mostly opposed to this whole K-8 plan and the two giant new schools, there are 13 people running for the Board of Education and 10 of them support all this insanity.
What does it matter if we have an election if there's no way to get a majority on the board who agree with the people?
It's a good reason to have a referendum on the issues themselves. That's for sure!
Hey 11:48 PM
I love the way you used "the weakest link" I started that on another thread! I agree with you, Welcome Ken Johnson and his Republican team!!!!!
Ever stop and think that opposition to K-8 is maybe just a handful of NIMBY's, "don't spend my taxes on anything" types, and airhead political wannabees jumping on a bandwagon? Don't confuse peoples' anger over bad communication with opposition to K-8. Anyone paying attention knows we need several new elementary schools and K-8 is how to do it.
This "Bottom line" will become reality if we elect a weak, disinterested mayor and city council. Especially candidates that stand by and fail to take into consideration the entire plan and only worry about the buildings.
All that said, there is still an opportunity to change the BOE in a material enough manner that will cause them to go back to the drawing board. The key is to make sure the Doyle and O'Brien are voted off the board. With Doyle gone as Chair then there will be a necessary shake up of the board. Showing O'Brien the door will take away the veteran politician on the board who has the savvy to work the political back-rooms to get what they want vs. what the voters are willing to accept.
To the Anon trying to minimize this issue on a small group NIMBY's - Besides sounding like the BOE, you must be oblivious. Take a walk along any shopping plaza in town and just open your ears. This issue is raging hot.
to disgusted democrat:
On a previous post I indicated to you i thought(from memory) that the entire K-8 conversion would cost close to 1billion. As I indicated I didn't have the documentation in front of me. So out of curiosity I went and looked it up. I was wrong I was confusing with another school district who was undergoing a similar K-8 conversion. I apologize if I sent you out with the wrong info. I will say that it would be too expensive by any measure to accomplish a conversion such as this and must be phased in over many years. Additionally it would be impossible even if the state would agree to manage that many projects all at once. However if we keep putting it off it probably will be much more thean the current present value.
First of all, what is wrong with asking for fiscal restraint from our government?
Second of all if anyone is interested enough to read this blog and in turn partake in the dialog, that's great.
Third, did YOU ever stop to think that people are legitimately against the idea of K-8 regardless of the BOE's poor communication?
You must be a soccer mom liberal democrat. You know what is best for all of us. We have no concept of what a good educational setting is for our kids. Why would we want smaller schools? Why would we not want to spend less money? Oh yeah, we are greedy and short sighted right!
None of the opposition has put any thought into this at all. We are all only conserned about our taxes, even at the risk of our children's education.
What a bunch of crap!
I do not consider myself a NIMBY or an airhead political wannabe, and I am still opposed to the plan as it has been presented. K-8, fine, but I want smaller schools, and I can care less if they are combined. When the BOE brought this idea up, there was little opposition not only b/c of their poor communication, but also b/c most people assumed that we were talking about K-8 schools like Stafford and Westwoods, not the behemoths they are talking about now.
This is typical. Opposition to your idea means that we are uninformed and irrational.
Please vote for any challenger. I am begging!
To Chris Wilson - Thanks for the clarification. Chris, I want to make clear to you that I do not oppose improving the infrastructure of our educational system. The costs to repair the roofs at both Jennings and O'Connell alone make a great case for investing in the buildings or replacing them with new structures that are more cost efficient. I think we can all agree on that point.
Where I cannot agree is the simultaneous change to a K8 system which adds significant cost, complicates the location selection and provides no guarantees that it will make one bit of improvement in student performance. Chris, I think we can also agree that there is a sizeable body of evidence that counter argues all of the evidence that supports the K8 argument.
Since there is no verifiable right or wrong then the change is of no certain value. Unfortunately it clearly is of certain expense. Far too hogh an expense to pay for form over substance. That money should be invested in programs and the hiring of the best and brightest faculty Bristol can acquire. Not on an experiment. The current BOE's mentality that we must (partially) change to K8 come hell or high water just smacks of a lack fiscal responsibility and ”the masses are idiots" arrogance.
I appreciate you sense of urgency but we are not in a "do or die" situation. I also agree that we should not "put off." But since we know right now that the chances of ever getting to phase 2 are very slim then let’s simplify the plan and just focus on the buildings.
Chris, don't buy the hype. The need for new buildings is a fact. The change from K5 to K8 improving student performance is opinion. In tight economic times we need leadership with facts not opinions.
Good luck. You deserve a lot of credit for putting it out there and being open to debate. I'd love to see you moderate your position.
BOE can favor it all they want - if the money is not there, its not there. If voters get a chance to vote it down, they will!
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