By Grace (a sophomore at Patterson Mill High School in Bel Air).
A new class is being offered to, or should I say imposed on, 9th grade students in Harford County Public Schools. Living in a Contemporary World (LICW) is meant to ease the transition from middle to high school as well as prepare students for adult life. One would think that the latter would be a more appropriate topic for a class taken senior year as 12th graders are closer to entering the adult world. One would be right. However, the two subjects have been smashed together to create one utterly useless class.
I am entering 10th grade at Patterson Mill High School, meaning I was in LICW class last year. I had heard from some of the older students that LICW was easy but boring. Having had my fair share of “easy but boring” classes, I knew what to expect. However, the class was worse than I could have imagined, much worse.
The year began with the usual introduction to the class including course outlines and classroom rules. About a week after I had been forced to find all my classes on my own, we went on a tour of the school. This was fun in that we didn’t have to sit in class, but it was otherwise unhelpful. Next on the list was the speech about how high school means accountability, responsibility and pretty much everything else we had already heard from our other teachers. I was beginning to realize just how much time I was wasting – 85 minutes. My peers seemed to agree as they began to slack off and lose respect for our teacher who struggled to make a coherent class out of the curriculum. Occasionally, we were asked to analyze current events or draw political cartoons but these meaningful activities were so few and far between that it was hard to see the value of the class. About halfway through the year we took a test that was mandated by the school system for this class. It seemed to assess our common sense as well as knowledge of economic terms we had already learned in government class either that year or in middle school. Ranging from insultingly easy to completely irrelevant, the test was a good reflection of the course in general. Our introduction to high school had ended (roughly halfway through the year) and we began to learn about personal finances. I’m not sure about my peers, but I do not plan to buy a house or invest in the stock market anytime soon. Aside from basic information, going into depth about these subjects seemed pointless considering I am fourteen years old. Let me repeat that so everyone knows, I am fourteen years old and I do not need to learn information now that I won’t use for another 7 years.
This brings me to the career unit. For a few months, we spent our time researching careers that interest us. There is nothing wrong with exploring, but we then had to choose one career. Our guidance counselors spoke to us about career clusters and gave us packets of information. Remember the whole “I’m fourteen thing”? Well I have no idea what I want to do with my future and I do not want to be forced into a group of classes based on what I want to do at this moment. It’s good to plan ahead but I don’t even need to choose a topic to study for at least 5 years. 5 years ago, I was nine years-old. At age nine my greatest aspiration was to become a famous movie star and 5 years before that, professional princess. I’d like the creators of LICW and the career pathways program to think about what they wanted to do when they were fourteen. Torturing adolescents probably wasn’t high up on their list. This is proof that interests change over time.
I do not mean to be cruel in my assessment of the class, it is a good idea, in theory. With more planning and consideration, a class based on planning your future and living in the real world would be a great elective for older students. Unfortunately, this class which is meant to help freshman do well in high school is giving them a bad taste for the idea. I would never wish that class on anyone and I hope no one has to endure it in the future. The only thing I took away from LICW is that I now know what it feels like to be in a boredom-induced coma.
From the mouth of babes…
I think it is unfortunate that our school’s-HCPS’ leaders and administrators have forced our freshman to take this class. I have not heard anything positive about it, and given that the block schedule has already abbreviated the total time spent in each subject area, then it is truly a disappointment that our kids are losing valuable teaching time in subjects such as math, English and science. I have not heard any encouraging feedback from teachers who teach it either.
Hopefully someone will wake up and smell the coffee, and realize this is a waste of time for our students.
But then again maybe they will listen to a 14 year old who has to decide his/her career path…perhaps the school system should listen to the students in the Teacher academy/Education pathway.
Grace:
Maybe you and your classmates could send your assessment of this class to the Board of Education. They have heard from parents, teachers, counselors, and even administrators that this class is not working but they do nothing about it. I would love for students that have been subjected to this nonsense to come out and speak at a Board of Education meeting but you would have to limit your comments to 3 minutes each. Our students are subjected to this over a whole school year so it would be only fitting that the people responsible for this class have to hear a little about what it really is all about and what kids think. I don’t think they will really care because they have known for years what a waste of time this it, but at least you will have made your point(s).
Think about getting some students together to come out and let them know what they are doing to the students in Harford County!
This class has true value. It is being taught by a jock type who is far too stupid to teach normal classes. If our athletic programs are to succeed then we have to have a place to park these goons. “Living in a contemporary world” is perfect. Otherwise we have to park this type in “real classes” where the students end up being smarter and better educated than the teacher.
While I agree that the finances portion of the class doesn’t make much sense for freshman, I think it would be critical for outgoing seniors. Especially those going off to college. The marketing of credit cards on college campuses is crazy. students signing up left and right just to get the free t-shirt that comes with the $300 limit card with the $50 annual fee. That’s not a lot of room for beer, and once it’s maxed out, the over-the-limit and late finance charges start piling on…
Quite simply, LICW is a waste of time for students and professionals, who worked hard to get a bachelors degree, a masters degree and must continually update their certification. Teachers are educated and to have them teach a class such as this only makes them feel they lack value.
The worst part is that everyone knows the class is a joke!! Fluff galore!! It is time to get rid of this, rather than keeping it because it means jobs for the Social Studies department or we can’t think of another class for freshman or it fits well in the schedule. That is shear laziness, get it out of there!!
I find it funny how you teach kids how to become a millionaire when they are in ninth grade, how to work with a check, the liquidity of their stocks. It is such a joke that a 9th grader will benefit from this stuff. Let’s see, they get their money from the Bank of Mom and Dad, at least most do. It is not reality untill they have to really work hard to buy a car, pay for car insurance, etc. It just doesn’t apply to 9th graders. It would for a 11th or 12th grader.
I hope the School Board has enough balls to just say to the School system that this class must go!! When will we see things and decisions made in the true best interest of children??????????? I don’t think we ever will, I know we haven’t in the last ten years and that really saddens me. It seems it depends on people’s rep and making people look. It should simply be, does this help kids learn. I am so frustrated with decisions that the Board and Jackie (the same peson) are making lately.
Years ago when schools educated and not taught what was on the achievement tests, teachers educated students to real world scenarios and real world practical applications. Batimore County started a required specialized class as did Baltimore City close to 30 years ago around the same time that sex ed was taught and included more than the gym teacher showing a black and white film. My kids have been out of school for more than 15 years but you could see the tide changing with things like social promotions and teachers becoming robotic to the point that they taught what was on the state tests.
I have no problem with a math teacher instructing on loans and debt, balancing a check book, investments etc. It should be part of the match program in generalized or advanced mathmatics to be taken along with algebra, trig, and geometry. I have no problem with consumer ed classes as a required credit to go along with the credit for gym, art, and music just as there is nothing wrong with an english teacher instructing on resume writing, business letters, and the like before disecting Shakespere. I’m at a point now where I believe that Spanish be required. I used to believe that 4 or 5 different language options kept students interested, but in today’s world where we have to press 1 for English, then perhaps basic Spanish is a survival skill.
I suppose I offer my 2 cents in support of real life education, however, 9th grade isn’t where it’s at. This is something that should be taught through normal course of study through all 4 years of high school and if a specialized class is needed because God forbid the basic skills test answers weren’t drilled into the childrens heads enough then the specialized class should be reserved for juniors and/ or seniors when some of the life lessons with stay deep rooted. I do stand my ground that there would be no need for these kind of classes if we let our teachers educate our students and use real life situations as part of the lesson.
Part of the rationale for the block schedule was that it would make a place in students’ schedules for this course. English, math, science and social studies classes were shortened to make up the time in the school day. Even if some parts of this class have some value, it should not have supplanted core courses and should not have been a required, year long course.
The Board of Education promised they would look into this last year. Perhaps the curriculum has been changed over the summer. But as of today, the first day of school, it is still a required class for freshmen.
I would like to know if HCPS plans to offer “the princess track” in their career clusters. Sign me up!!! It would be just as useful as LICW and I know that I, too, have wanted to be a princess at some point in my lifetime.
SZQ, I heard that track was going to be a complete magnet program.
After all, the BOE likes to look after it’s own kind. You know, those that rise to great power, sitting in the castle overlooking their kingdom, all without being elected?
I kid, I kid…
All of you out there should know by now that the Board is working in their coloring books when they appear to be writing something down as you, Citizen X, goes before them for 3 minutes. They never follow-up. When was the last time you saw a board member turn to the Supt. and say “do something about this” or “fix it” or “report back on this at the next meeting”. There is no accountabiltiy. There is no responsiveness.
Elected school board is the only way our district will toe the line. As Renand stimpy comment above, the board and the supt are one in the same based on the decisions they make and don’t make. True colors.
Excellent post.
Also, the responders above have made some great points….. with the exception of the personal attack on the teacher. Our teachers, for the most part, do an awesome job; often without sincere guidance or support from the secondary education administration of HCPS. My personal experience with the overwhelming majority of the teachers and principals that I’ve dealt with has been fantastic; they deserve our respect and admiration.
But please let’s focus our attention on the real causes of the problem here:
1) The HCPS administration, who often acts self-servingly, incompetently, and disingenuously, while treating our children as lab rats.
2) A Board that does not have the strength, ability or desire to stand-up to the administration, or hold them accountable; they save their courage for when they arrogantly deride the parents and advocates whose only objective is a quality education for the students. We may never truly know the damage that has been done under the past three presidencies (and I’m afraid that its looking like the current president has decided that the easy way out is to circle the wagons rather than stand up to Ms. Haas anytime soon….. I hope I’m wrong).
3) The insiders who shamelessly and audaciously manipulate the process in order to maintain the status quo and thwart democracy, against the will of Harford Countians.
Please let us all stay involved and make sure everyone in the County knows what’s going on and who is responsible. We owe it to the kids.
Grace makes a compelling case of doing away-with or changing the LICW curriculum and some may only see therein a failure of the school administration.
The article is so clearly written, well-argued, and with enough humour and use of irony to illustrate a more important point.- Grace has demonstrated that the school system has contrubuted to the development of a bright, articulate and skillful writer. The administration and her family have every reason to be pleased and proud of this young student .
LICW is a joke. It is just further watering down of the educational system. Eighty-five minutes is longer than any class (other than a lab) should be. It is hard enough to maintain anyone’s focus (let alone a teenager) for more tha 45-55 minutes. Most of these items could easily be blended in to the existing core curriculum over the course of a high school career as appropriate.
The core should consist of math, english, science, social studies, foreign language, PE, and arts (music, art, & occupational). If these core courses are taught properly, there should be no room for a waste of time such as LICW.
The items that do not fit well with a core subject could be handled on a short term basis (one to three sessions) takeover of the non-3R’s. An example would be career or college planning in the 10th and 11th grades.
While you are at it Grace…
Could you and the other students in Patterson Mill invite the administration and Board members to come out and see how crowded the hallways are already? The high school is not even at capacity and it is obvious that there are some major design flaws with the 2nd floor and traffic flow. If they expect you to learn about planning your future and making decisions, they need to come out and start planning how to fix some of the structural design flaws in that school that are only going to get worse. I bet you none of them are even aware there is a problem… and if they do know it they will say it is just a bunch of complainers with no merit to their complaints.
You seem like a very intelligent young lady, maybe you could make a video and show the elected officials who just spent millions of dollars on a building that is huge on the outside and not functional on the inside. That actually would be a worthwhile project for the students in LICW since a lack of accountability seems to be a common theme among HCPS, and would be a way to connect the economic and governmental parts of the curriculum to a real world situation.
This is not about Living in a Contemporary World but it does have to do with the implementation of the block schedule and one of the primary justifications for its implementation.
Dave Volrath, Director of Secondary Education for HCPS, repeatedly spoke of the need for students in the county to be on the same schedule. For two years in a row, I have watched as my kids at two different high schools have had classes taught in a different block format. What is going on?? If this isn’t happening then the schools should be able to be one the schedule they want to be on like they were before. Bel Air High School, C Milton Wright, Fallston, Haford Tech and Edgewood were all on a 7 period schedule. Supposedly it was so important because we have so many students transferring but it’s different schedules all over the county. What about AP and SAT test scores – have they gotten better or worse at those schools since the implementation of this schedule?
If any parents could shed some light on this, I would appreciate it. The Board of Education should demand to know how many different block formats are being taught across the county and how many variations of schedules are now being used. How has this helped student achievement? The Board of Education gets so mad when they hear negative comments against them, but it is their job to challenge the administration and make them accountable for these type of decisions. How much money are the taxpayers of Harford County spending when they pay for the secondary schools and then when the students have to take remediation at Harford Community College? What was gained by taking HOURS away from Math, English, and Science?
Actually you read it The Dagger … a class like LICW.
An earlier question was asked if LICW curriculum was changed, it is the same thing except we teach a book called Inventing Elliot. We have got no training on it, but supposedly will get 2 hours of training on the book in Sept. That is all that was changed. It took the place of Chocolate Wars.
The question is will it be around next year?? It is vital that parents and students make it clear to the Board that LICW needs to be removed from HCPS. Go to meetings, email Board members, and speak out and let them now you displeasure as soon as possible so they can change the schedule and adjust the schedule.
The one reason we have this class this year is because it was too late to find a replacement. Remember, they dont ask what is best for kids!! That is why we must get rolling as early as possible. The Board must know how we feel so they can act and not just rubber stamp what the HCPS Administration wants. It sickens me to always see this happen and then I need to implement it.
Grace, you have spoken for students and teachers because teachers who teach LICW feel the class is a waste of time, too.
Grace,
Maybe you and your friends could suggest alternatives to LICW because schools need a course for that 8th block in the Freshman schedule.
If the block schedule is going to remain as it is, what could be done to make this time more productive for all levels of students?
On paper, the class looks terrific but, in reality, the class is meaningless. Think about it….it is a time filler!
Word Grace!! LICW was a good to period to catch up on your reading, but that’s about the extent of it. I do have to say that I, as a student of a Bel Air High School LICW class personally enjoyed the finances unit, just as information to store “in the back of your head” for future references. However, the value may have been dimmed a bit once we, time after time, studyed school maps, described to our classmate how you would, hypothetically speaking of course, go about getting from the science wing to the guidance office, and drew countless keys to where you would find various things in the school of ours, from a band-aid to a book to read. (let’s think about that one…) This was, mind you, weeks after we could navigate the school, probably in our sleep. There were bits and pieces of useful information in this class, but for the most part, they were things that you would pick up if you were anyone with a pulse living in the outside world. All I’m saying is that there were many other classes that could have better filled this time slot.
Accidently hit submit… I do give credit, however, to the teachers who had to teach the curriculum handed to them. I know that my teacher tried to make the 85 minutes every other day as interesting as possible. I do agree with those who have previously posted, the class is a bit of a time filler. Maybe, instead of taking LICW, maybe students could choose another elective, like journalism, creative writing, another art class, etc.
I wish the various PTA’s across the county would go to Board meetings and let them know that they feel that this class should be removed from the class offerings.
Great job Grace!! Would love to see the article in the Aegis so people know that students don’t care for this class either.
The first day of LICW for my daughter consisted of cutting out pictures of magazines and making letters out of them. She doesn’t care because she said it is really easy and they aren’t going to do much in that class anyway.
Great decision to make this class the launch class for career clusters and the block schedule… The school system and BOE know it’s a problem and have done nothing about it. Harford County is behind on State and National SAT scores in writing. Maybe we should start in 9th grade and see what we are doing to help students who actually want to go to college and give them more academically challenging work.
funny, my daughter did the same thing on her first day, cutting out letters from magazines. She’s in 2nd grade.
Renandstimpy, parents and teachers questioned the value of this class when it was called ‘Investigations of a Real World Problem” at Aberdeen High School. The Board at the time was responsive and demanded a real curriculum be developed.
When the class resurfaced as LICW, concerns were raised again and even the paid consultants told the Board that LICW was a problem. The Board (not including the two new members) publicly promised there would be changes. Now you are telling us that didn’t happen.
Maybe it was because the Board didn’t ask the Superintendent and her staff to make changes or their request was ignored or there was some reason the class couldn’t be improved over the summer and no one has said so publicly.
Whatever the reason, why is LICW in the schedule as a work-in- progress anyway? Serious concerns have been raised by every single stakeholder group – what does it take to get this class sidelined until it’s fixed?
When the Board was busy fighting elections, they kept saying they were already accountable for their actions. The example of LICW makes it hard to see their point.
Don’t all high school students feel that at least one of their required classes is/was a waste of time? You mention “torturing adolescents” and I had to laugh. I have a son who is the same age as you are and he wholeheartedly agrees with your assessment.
I am no fan of Harford County Public Schools or the block schedule.
I truly feel that the board and Top administration simply don’t care what is best for kids, rather they say how does it fit into the 4 period block schedule (students need 8 classes). They have been out of the classroom too long and think about self preservation rather than looking at problems with open eyes and some common sense. So, here is a conversation with the Board of Ed and Superintendent:
What will we do if we take LICW away?
We simply can’t. It must stay and I will make sure it stays.
Your right. It doesn’t matter if it lacks educational value, or isn’t in the best
interest of the kids. We can stonewall all the taxpayers.
Yea, just tell them we are working on it. They originally will forget.
How about making the kids take 12 classes a year, with one day full of LICW and
we will be among the forerunners in the nation due to all the credits the kids
earn.
Well, if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours!!
Consider it done. After all, it is about us, NOT THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
KIDS OR ANYONE ELSE.
Grace, your letter was awesome!!
Please send a letter telling the Board that we need LICW gone!!!!!!!!
Check out this site: http://www.jefflindsay.com/Block.shtml
THere is so much out there against the block schedule and what research was really shown to teachers and students about the success of the block schedule? We all got told, “The research says or the research suggests …”
Fix the schedule and get rid of LICW!!
This alarming story from the University of Virginia indicates students who have the block schedule actually do worse in college science classes than those who had a traditional schedule:
http://www.virginia.edu/insideuva/2006/08/block_scheduling.html
Very good article which only supports all the “rable rousers” who have been in opposition of the Block Schedule. The pros to the longer classes are heavily outweighed by the cons. But all falls on deaf ears w/ the good Dr. Haas and continues on. And LICW for 85 minutes, how more wasteful can that be, given the course itself is useless to 9th graders.
There is an adage that meetings should be limited to an hour or less to be productive. Why should classes be different?
Focus starts to drift, people go off on tangent, and attention spans wane. And that is for educated adults. What do you think the limits would be for teenagers that have grown up on videos and video games? Many years ago (pre-PC), classes were typically 40-50 minutes in high school and college and we thought that was long. So much for kids having it easier today.
Abandon block schedules.
I totally agree with you JJ and Carl!! The problem is that at this point, nothing will change unless there is change at the top. I truly don’t think that will occur, not with the last contract the Board signed with Dr. Haas.
She is absolutely set in a sweet deal, while the many teachers (who can’t get pay raises) are on the front line with the students every day are the reasons the children are doing well in school and on THE TESTS, which then she can take credit for.
Some of that test data and results also can be spun a certain way, don’t forget that. There truly is more to an education than just test scores, but those in Power are concerned with the test scores. They need to ask: What is best for kids.
What Is Best For Kids?”
– LICW isn’t best for kids
– Carreer clusters aren’t best for kids
– 85 minute Block Schedules are not best for kids
I urge all of you to go back and read the CSSRP report it is quite revealing.
What can be done with the LICW time slot? How about homework/study help for kids who need it and study hall for the ones who don’t?
I do not support the block schedule and I’m reluctant to try to save it in any way except that there are about 2000 kids in HCPS stuck in this class and plenty of teachers who probably wish they could do something better with everyone’s time. It’s not too late to make something useful happen this year.
– Teach as semester and pair with government.
– Teach as semester and pair with a geography class
Gotta run but will be back later
Ultimately, it is not our problem and to continue to run a class that is a waste of time simply because it takes time and effort to pull all the interested parties together and sit them down and tell them to solve this (Come up with a way to run LICW as a semester or get rid of it) is sad.
The people who are able to fix it are making some big bucks and need to get off their butts, not pass the buck.
I was present during the CSSRP review meeting and have read the report in detail and am baffled by a lack of credence given to it by the staff and BOE. The report was forced on them by people complaining and once we get a report the school system does the same thing as all reports. If there are negatives–ignore them, if there are positives–trumpet them. That’s why I found it amusing that Mr. Hess said they would be reading “kudo” letters from the public on a regular basis to show that they are doing something right. The new communication process is to “shout from the Mountaintops” that all is well with the HCPS system and the proof is the few letters they receive with positive comments. Damn, to those who would question the many ills which may be in the system. Once again, the fact that a President of HCPS is promoted because of seniorority, validates the fact that some are promoted beyond their capabilities. The many people who have spoken before me on this blog, make very valid points but I think R and S are right, nothing will change unless the “head” is cut off. There is an “elite arrogance” which emits from the top.
One other thing, I found quite amusing was Mr. Smilko’s outrage at the Gordon Street Building and how he claims “the taxpayers” can change things and still stop the project. It amazes me that “taxpayers” ask for change in the HCPS which has been confirmed and verified by the CSSRP study and it falls on deaf ears. Perhaps he should look around the room some time and take into account our outrage. Sorry to be so cynical this morning, but I haven’t had a cup of coffee yet.
Carl – BOE member John Smilko’s comments were very revealing. As you correctly noted, the Board still has not responded to a review of high school reform prompted by public outcry. Yet Mr. Smilko strongly encouraged the public to demand a review of decisions made by elected officials on the Gordon Street building, saying it was not too late for voters to have an impact.
Is it possible that some members of the BOE believe in the power of elections after all? Or do they all still believe elections are good enough for county government, but not for themselves?
Have your coffee Carl, then let me know what you think.
When I was at Back to School Night this week, we were told that social studies teachers spent the summer on this class. Is that true or not? If this class is teaching the students how to be such great high school students, shouldn’t the Juniors all be stellar? They are teaching kids about paying for college and what careers you can get into and how much money you would make and whether that career would pay your college loan. I’m not really pleased with my 14 year old being pigenholed into a career in 9th grade nor is she. Why can’t the school system develop a 1/2 year Career Development class for students who want to take it? Not only that, they don’t teach the kids about course requirements and the different majors offered in different colleges or what to do if you want to be a marketing major but can’t do accounting.
Again, we were told that the class was changed over the summer so if other teachers know otherwise, please post here. I am not impressed at all with this class and there is great overlap in what is going on in Government. Also, how many non-content teachers are still teaching this class? This was another major problem with LICW that HCPS and the BOE knows all about.
Thanks Carl: They are going to just promote positives and bury head in sand about negatives. That is why urge people to read the CSSRP report, especially about LICW. It clearly shows that students, teachers, administrators and supervisors are against this class. So if the creators and main stakeholders feel it is not worthy as a class, do something about it!!!!!!!! Come on Board of ED and Educational Leaders, be bold and take action when you mess up, it is ok as society is very forgiving when you make a mistake and correct it. I think what is needed is a letter writing campaign to the Board, E-mail campaign to Board and HCPS, and trying to get as much as possible in Aegis. That may be only way to get them to change or alter LICW.
LICW MOM: Teachers DID NOT spent the summer on this class!!!! The only change was changing the book that would be used for the Bullying Unit. Rather than using The Chocolate War, the book Inventing Eliot will be used. So, I suppose a few teachers worked on the book and the questions that will be used. That was probably a group of about 5 people, that is all. I would love to know who told you the class was changed this summer. That is so funny!!! The addition of one book, while subtracting the old one from the curriculum: I guess that can be considered a changed class.
Think: Semesterized LICW or No LICW (Spread the word, send E-mails)
The only people that really can force that issue is the Board of Ed. So let them know!!!!
I wish we could find a way to get all this information to the Aegis so that this information stayed in the minds of the citizens. No offense to the Dagger, which I think is great, but I really wish the Aegis could see what is happening post-CSSRP report: absolutely NOTHING!!!
Any ideas as to how that can happen??
I think it’s very unlikely’ any issues discussed on the dagger will be printed in the aegis.
Vet, many issues discussed here are printed in the Aegis. Some even after we have written about a subject multiple times (see the latest on Bane).
We know when they are on the site, nearly everyday, reading our stories, and it’s cool. We read theirs on wednesdays and fridays.
I’am surprised to hear that. I’am presently getting the aegis. when it’s delivered more commonly found in the ditch. soaked in water. I won’t be renewing a subscription to that paper.
R & S – There will be some kind of presenation on CSSRP at the next BOE meeting Sept. 22; no details have been posted yet. But my sources tell me a check with HCPS indicates you were right – no substantive changes were made to LICW over the summer. So yet another 2000+ students will be stuck taking this class.
This is an example of why people believe BOE members who are elected would be more likely to demand action from administrators who ignore parents, students, teachers, paid consultants and a few brave principals, not to mention common sense, all of which have been sending the same message about LICW for years.
I guess part of my point is: The CSSRP issues have just vanished, literally they are gone. They paid thousands of dollars for an outside group to do this survey and offer suggestions, yet what have they done to fix the negatives?
Just give it time and the citizens, parents, teachers will forget where we screwed up. That is the Board’s and the School System’s attitude! How sickening!! Why do people have such a short memory.
I just perused the agenda for the 9/22 BOE meeting. The CSSRP exhibit looks and reads like another “Baffle them with BS”
Well said Carl! Where were all those people who were against the schedule and the other issues? The Board wears you down, uses statistics that can say many things and before you know it, everybody buys what they are selling. It is really sad as I see many kids attitudes and motivations being negatively impacted through decisions by the Board.
Please, get rid of LICW! Make a smart decision! If nothing else, make it a semester.
Rather than, as Carl states, “Baffle them with BS”