School board candidate Jerry Ballan has an interesting take on the year-round school issue, especially the conversion of schools like the ones on the Leesville campus.
Ballan used the Iraq War to draw an analogy to the current debate about what to do with year-round schools. A short form version was used in today's North Raleigh News article to lay out the views of Ballan and Karen Simon on year-round schools.
As previously reported, Deborah Prickett, the other District 7 candidate, has called the conversions a mistake and says they should be reversed. It helps explain why she's been endorsed by the Wake Schools Community Alliance and Concerned and Committed Leesville Parents.
Ballan also thinks the conversions were a mistake. But that doesn't mean he's automatically calling for them to be reversed.
Ballan compared the situation to the Iraq War in which bad intelligence about weapons of mass destruction were used to justify American military action.
Ballan said school leaders also had bad intelligence, in this case wrong enrollment projections, to justify the expansion of the year-round program.
But like the situation in Iraq now, Ballan said the question has to be whether getting out would make things worse. He said he needs to study the issue more before saying he'd support reversing the conversions.
Simon said she doesn't have an opinion yet on the year-round issue. She said she needs to talk more with parents on both sides of the issue.
But at the same time, Simon brought up an argument that has been used by supporters to justify the conversions.
Simon says that the expansion of the year-round program has saved taxpayer dollars by reducing construction costs. She said we have to keep in mind the views of the many taxpayers who aren't parents and who don't want their taxes raised.
Comments
I Call Do Over
Fri, 07/17/2009 - 06:55 — RMC10Someone on this blog the other day said something about not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water. This year, this time round, with a new school board coming in, let's think outside the Y&R Bath box - For all the candidates out there and all the bloggers - why don't we send one or two ideas for getting out from under the year round boondoggle. Our neighbors are split between YR/TR schools, two different schools, two different tracks, now with the Wednesday's early/late/off disasters, parents don't know where/when to go. Activities (like 5th grade recognition & summer picnics and field days) were done multiple times, and days and children didn't get to be with friends. This year fewer local places are offering the YMCA programs locally in Apex, choosing to centralize their operation at the Holly Springs facility. They don't have enough budget to bring busses to a closer in pick up/drop off. Parents must try to keep working, with higher after school costs, more days to pay for.
I vote throw the baby out with the YR bathwater, surely someone of the new candidates can structure a better tiered program - even if it means a few more in each class, staggered start times, less holidays/teacher workshops/pcl days to get in the req. hours. I think many many people would change back/again for more consistency in their lives, and less time spent running back and forth to multiple locations not to mention at $300 per month for camps.
redo year round schools
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 12:12 — jerry2576When this issue is approached we schould look at all years round schools that currently do not justify based on current poplulation for convertion to traditional. Then look at the cost and compare that to the other use of the funds. Would teachers have to be put on leave, would programs have to be cut, etc. It is very easily to act on emotion., but all schools that fall under the same situation, underpopulation, a track school running on 3 tracks, the cost, and the source of funds. Children act on emotion and as adults we something join them. Gather the information and then make a decision all track schools in Wake.
Mr. Hui?
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 06:04 — AngelaWany bio or info on Mr. Ballan, other than his obscure comparision of MYR and the Iraq war? His background, other than a securities principal/certified financial planner, raising twin grandsons who are assigned to East Cary Middle School
a link with his "qualifications" such as you have included for others' runing?
Still waiting for him to set
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 06:42 — KeungHui (author)Still waiting for him to set up his web site. His wife was briefly hospitalized over the weekend, which understandably caused him to put the campaign on hold. She's ok now. He should have the site up soon.
Thanks so much!
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 06:45 — AngelaWscary stuff....good to hear she's ok though...
Prickett is the clear choice
Wed, 07/15/2009 - 08:12 — designmanWhy are Ballan and Simon even running if neither of them have a grasp of the parental concerns and are just now beginning to study the pertinent issues? What could their possible motives be? Ego? Politics? Self interests? All of the above?
It does not appear that either Ballan or Simon has ever had a discussion with a District 7 student or parent. Perhaps it is because both are relative newcomers to the area. Prickett on the other had has lived in District 7 for many years and was even a counselor at Leesville Middle School. She is fully aware of all the issues and has spoken to literally hundreds of parents in District 7. Prickett knows their concerns and understands that successful school systems MUST engage the communities and value parental input. Prickett is clearly the candidate of choice in District 7 this October ...when her opponents will still be trying to figure out what the issues are and how they feel about them.
MYR is not a new issue.
Wed, 07/15/2009 - 06:52 — CaryCurmudgeonMYR is not a new issue. Enrollment data and performance scores for all of these schools are public domain. Makes me nervous when candidates are still studying the issue at this stage of a campaign. I am sure the Leesville parents would be happy to help these two candidates fill in whatever knowledge gaps are missing.
Yes, this is one reason why WSCA is supporting Deborah Prickett. We are not looking for leaders who are going to make vague promises about studying issues, we are looking for leaders who will take action.
Yea Right
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 07:16 — supportwcpssAnd she is very good at spitting out what WSCA spoon feeds her. She has her research group (WSCA) already defined. Hopefully she will get a more well rounded education of all the issues in Wake County.
Oooo....the WSCA boogie
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 09:46 — shearertwOooo....the WSCA boogie man! Pulling the strings from behind the curtain.
Your attempt to set WSCA out as some evil organization is hilarious. You clearly don't even understand what WSCA is OR you are clearly trying to paint them as something they aren't.
The irony is that WSCA would welcome you and your thoughts at one of their meetings. I'm sure they'd gladly give you plenty of time to speak and make your case. They may disagree with you in the end, but they'd be respectful none the less. They are such a diverse group, you may even find several members that you agree with in a lot of areas.
I think its clear here who really has a spoon in their mouth. How's the applesauce?
Wow
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 13:58 — supportwcpssOpen minded and objective - Is this the attitude of all the WSCA members.
I never said evil. Simply narrow minded and ignorant with one view of the world. Since 30% of our community is F&R I assume 30% of your steering committee and 'membership' is F&R. Calling yourself diverse is laughable.
Just admit who you are and what you want and we call be above board.
Like WEP?
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 17:34 — FalcHow many of those listed in the attached links are F&R? To me the lists read like a whose who of business professionals and WCPSS top brass.
http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/about/trustees.htm
http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/about/directors.htm
Consider a little self awareness
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:09 — designmansupportwcpss,
Here is the definition of narrow-minded: lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view. If you can be honest with yourself, it should ring a bell with you as it describes you and your status quo cronies exactly.
Members of WSCA value open minds and innovative solutions based on data. They are inclusive and transparent. Being open-minded does not include doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result which has virtually become a tradition here in Wake County. When I hear you and the school board members you support talk about how to address the challenges in Wake County, we hear the same tired and failed solutions. It is time to look in a mirror and figure our whether you want to continue to be part of the problem or step up and become part of the solutiuon.
Maybe
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 17:45 — supportwcpssI should classify you as single minded instead. You a single view and pretend to speak for those of which you have no idea.
I just went to the website and am still searching for 'innovative' and well detailed plan for our schools. Still waiting...
as you are at vomiting out
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 08:37 — AngelaWas you are at vomiting out WCPSS spin.....what's the diff?
Where are your priorities?
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 13:49 — designmanSupportwcpss,
It’s remarkable; your argument is even weaker than usual. To suggest that Prickett is spoon-fed anything by anyone is laughable to anyone who knows her. She has vastly more experience in education than any candidate running for the school board and she has spoken with literally hundreds of parents in district 7. You’d be extremely hard pressed to find anyone with more command of the issues than she has. You are setting yourself up for embarrassment if you want to enter that discussion.
Since you brought it up, it occurs to me that YOU are the one being spoon-fed something …something best left in the pasture. Your blind allegiance to failed policies that continue to set Wake County back and that harm those most in need of reforms is impossible to understand.
Don’t you get it? The solutions reside in communities. Until we have parents/guardians and other community stakeholders engaged in the schools in their neighborhoods and communities, we will never attain the success needed. Wake County is failing the students most in need. Low graduation rates among minority and economically disadvantaged student populations are not acceptable and no amount of reassignments is going to fix that. It is literally an insane notion to that think that it will.
You claim to care about education in Wake County, but your positions do not reflect that devotion. It is clear that your priorities are elsewhere. It is closed-minded, status quo thinking like yours that created many of the challenges we now face in Wake County schools. YOU are part of the problem. Wouldn't you rather be part of the solution? It's coming and you will be left in the dust unless you take a stand for the change that is needed.
Wow
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 13:56 — supportwcpssA hundred parents, all at Leesville. What a open minded approach by Prickett. I believe there are more schools then Leesville in District 7. On numerous occasions people on here have complained about having an 'educator' on the school board. I guess when it's okay when it supports your personal agenda.
You seem to have all the answers but yet you don't supply a proven mechanism to deliver results. The fact you don't accept any opinion that differs from your own and have made that abundantly clear. You have no experience beyond your own community and your only single mindedness is focused on the diversity policy. And for those who claim I support the policies unchallenged, I have stated before (at nauseum) that I believe the current implementationhas some serious flaws. However, throwing it out is just wrong. The only thing your neighborhood schools support is the wealthier wysteria lane neighborhoods in Western Wake County.
As user1234 said, where are the low income families telling is what they need and want? I guarantee it won't be neighborhood schools with 90% F&R. I've seen that environment up close.
Interesting...
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:25 — designmanWow, it is funny to read posts that people write when they obviously are upset. It gives a little glimpse into their character. Thanks for the insight.
I find it very odd, and mildly amusing, that you feel it inappropriate for an experienced educator to sit on a board of education. You might find that position to be a tough sell to the voting public who I believe will clearly see the value of that experience and awareness.
Umm...
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 16:22 — Bob_SconceThink supportwcpss was just saying what somebody else thought and wasn't endorsing that.
Personally, I have no issue with educators being on the board as long as they don't drink the administration's kool-aid. In any industry, there's a strong desire to be accepted and respected by your peers, and that desire can be very difficult to overcome. Nobody wants to be ostricized at the cocktail parties.
This is why the front-page stories on the NYT are so dangerous -- they make it that much harder to abandon a failing policy which has, nonetheless, received positive recognition. It's also why Wake County adopts all sorts of new ivory-tower ideas -- the diversity policy, year-round schools, "professional learning communities," etc....
On the other hand, an educator will hopefully know when Del Burns, Ed.D., is pulling a fast one. Goattee might recognize that, but she's drunk the kool-aid, so she doesn't care.
.
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:27 — designman.
As far as I know, I'm the
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:04 — gwaihirAs far as I know, I'm the only one who has said "Not another educator" or variations thereof. Maybe others have too, I don't know - haven't noticed. But speaking for myself, my first reaction to Prickett was "Not another educator".
I remain convinced that the WCPSS school board needs another educator like it needs a hole in the head.
I don't support Prickett. She may say all the right things, but so did the last educator, Goettee.
In general, in my opinion, I think many public school educators are poorly educated and unable to think critically. True that generalities are always false, and true that there may well be supremely well-educated and intelligent public school educators out there. However, my own experience with the ones I've encountered does not fill me with confidence. I hope I'm wrong about Prickett, and she turns out to be good (if she wins) but for now I'm very skeptical.
?????
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 17:42 — supportwcpss"In general, in my opinion, I think many public school educators are poorly educated and unable to think critically."
Tell me you didn't honestly just say that? What an idiot.
Wow! I Agree Again!
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 17:50 — JanisTangoOMG...I'm agreeing with supporwcpss again!
I can't believe someone would call educators poorly educated. Teaching is one of the few professions where you have constant continuing education to further your career!
Like my girlfriend who taught for many years said...it's amazing how some people who went to school think they know all the nuances of being a teacher! She always wanted those people to spend a week in her class so the could see the things she had to deal with! I'm constantly reminded what teachers have to do I'm volunteering in my kid's class! I personally doubt I could do the job most them are required to do day in and day out!
Uh...
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 20:42 — Bob_SconceTo the extent that by "professional," you're referring to the traditional licensed "professions," I think all of them have continuing education requirements: doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, pharmacists, architects, surveyors, etc....
In any case, I think the real question is how well they are educated outside of specific teaching abilities. I'm thinking knowledge of economics, law, management, etc.... That's why we should be pushing to get business people, who have that sort of broad knowledge and experience, on the board. Now, some educators may have that experience anyway, but it likely didn't come from their degrees or from their continuing education.
Well, what would you call
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 18:15 — gwaihirWell, what would you call the public school educator who told my daughter that the Pilgrims ate the Indians at the first Thanksgiving? Or the one who couldn't tell her where pi came from but said it didn't matter because all she needed to know was the value of pi? I call that poorly educated, personally.
I believe teachers should major in the subjects that they teach, not in education. That might help.
And I did say in my post that generalities are always false, and that there may well be some marvellous public school educators out there. So there's a caveat.
The marvellous public school educators just aren't the ones I've come into contact with. Fair or not, people do form impressions about a profession based on their encounters with the representatives of that profession.
There Are Idiots In All Professions!
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 21:06 — JanisTangoI agree there are bad teachers, but to make the kind of comment you made is far off base. There is not a profession that I know of that doesn't have idiots! Some of the most educated people can be idiots! They exist everywhere! I found your comment insulting....
"In general, in my opinion, I think many public school educators are poorly educated and unable to think critically."
The term MANY according to the dictionary means 'being of a large but indefinite number'. To me you are saying most teachers are poorly educated. You are way off base. I've been around educators my entire life and the people I've met are intelligent, interesting and well versed in many subjects. I do agree there are bad ones, but the word MANY is extreme!
Endearing vituperations
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 08:04 — Dadof3In that same lovable way Statler and Waldorf threw out their meaningless but adorable vituperations, we can count on you, too. Like Archie Bunker, too, for that matter. It is adorable in its raging impotence.
However, this is easy to follow:
WSCA is nothing more than an amalgam of highly-motivated parents who want to meaningfully improve Wake County Schools. If listening to, and incorporating feedback from WSCA is what you call "spitting out" we learn two things:
1) Your contempt for Wake County parents.
2) How you define listening, assessing our concerns, and making decisions based on this consideration.
You know, had WCPSS had been less strident in its boorish insistence on the mess we're in, and worked WITH the parents as opposed to working with business and social theorists, we'd all have better schools, better community support for public education and, by the way, a little more free time right now for all.
Clarification
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 13:39 — supportwcpssOnly contempt for a few self-righteous 'I want my way' parents.
Unfortunately, your definition of listening is to give you what you want.
Out of couriousity, is that you Brent? He is another blogger in our area who enjoys using big words because it makes him believe he is smarter then others.
"Out of couriousity, is
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:02 — CaryCurmudgeon"Out of couriousity, is that you Brent? He is another blogger in our
area who enjoys using big words because it makes him believe he is
smarter then others."
I'm pretty sure Dadof3 is not Brent (Brent does not have 3 children). Pretty tacky of you to attack Brent when he isn't even posting here.
Dessert is patriotic
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 14:50 — Dadof3You shouldn't be so defensive and quick to assign a strawman where it doesn't apply.
I've made it clear here repeatedly I don't expect to get "my way." Most the of WSCA parents I know are heavily involved in their schools, and are not the my-way-or-the-highway types; you can't be if you volunteer frequently, could you? I know and respect that public schools, for countless reasons, have a very difficult walk to walk; of course I get that. It shouldn't be like this, however.
Actually, my name is Earl; there was a semi-popular tv series made after my life. You remember, the lovable near-do-well; always in trouble? Anyhow, I "enjoy" using big words in the same way I love big meals; as I love both the English language -- and my wife's cooking. Besides, if I were smarter, I wouldn't be in the pickle I'm in. My, ahem, sesquipedaliac reflex (hah! look it up; don't be lazy -- dictionaries are AWESOME) is more of a personal curse than a show-boat thing.
Again, I do love the irony of your calling me on my use of words on an education blog. One shouldn't be ashamed of erudition, no?
.
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 08:22 — designman.
She has a child in MYR, do
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 07:30 — CaryCurmudgeonShe has a child in MYR, do you?
Support is the type
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 15:38 — g88ky07who likes government doing the thinking for her. And from the way she thinks, I'd say that's a good thing! Enjoy that split schedule, I know you do!
Yes
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 13:34 — supportwcpssI have a child in Year Round and one in MTRAD (Mandatory Traditional).
was your year round was
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 16:36 — AngelaWwas your year round was optional?
and what grade is your MTRAD?
Depends
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 17:50 — supportwcpssNot to split hairs but given my preference I never labeled my YR as either mandatory or optional. But technically I was one of the schools who was converted.
My MTRAD is in 8th grade.
Glad it is working out for
Thu, 07/16/2009 - 21:14 — CaryCurmudgeonGlad it is working out for you, unfortunately it does not work out as well for many others.
at the risk of sounding
Wed, 07/15/2009 - 06:48 — AngelaWat the risk of sounding redundant, there IS NO SAVINGS to MYR if the schools are NOT FULLY UTILIZED....most of the 22 converted MYR's (including the newly converted Leesville Middle) ARE NOT FULLY UTILIZED, do the math (not Trailblazers either) there is NO savings to taxpayers....matter of fact with the forced conversion of Leesville Middle in the face of this "economic hurricane" and loss of teachers, supplies, etc...it is a crime to taxpayers and more especially the families of WCPSS.