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Archive for the tag “teachers”

04 Jun 2015
14 Comments

SENIOR CITIZENS BEWARE – PART TWO

Well it took me nearly four years and over 800 articles to successfully stir up a hornets nest. The “Senior Citizens Beware” article I posted recently, sharing the actual experience of a man in Arizona, finally stirred up some Liberals. The recap of his encounter with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or as it is better known, “Obamacare” flushed out some rather radical feedback. Next let me thank everyone that took the time to at least comment, both pro and con as feedback is always a sign that someone at least read your work. I have recapped some of the negative comments I received;

  1. Blatant Liar
  2. George Bush created the problem with “Medical Observations” not Obamacare.
  3. The problem with non-payment for “Medical Observations” has nothing to do with the ACA.
  4. My article is “Completely Inaccurate”
  5. I am a “hypocrite”.

You are free to read every word except #5 if you go to the published article on WordPress. I always approve every comment I receive if the language is civil, even the ones questioning my creditability and/or my sanity. The “hypocrite” accusation came by E mail from one of my golfing friends who said Lyndon Johnson was the creator of Medicare and my being on Medicare and criticizing it was dishonest.

This week I listened to President Obama stand with a straight face on TV and make the following statements;

  1. Our economy is the best shape it has ever been.
  2. Unemployment is not a problem anymore.
  3. I have elevated the respect for America worldwide as when I was elected it lower than China or Russia.

I feel sure my Progressive-Liberal critics and the entire national media would argue and complain about my wording. As usual they will all ignore Obama’s “blatant lies”. If the word “liar” had a picture beside it in a dictionary to describe what a liar looks like it would be President Obama. History will record that Obama was the most successful “Con Man” that ever lived on Earth. No one ever has or ever will be able to divide free people and destroy a nation faster than he has. He has surpassed Hitler in the speed of destroying a nation.

Let me share some facts for anyone who reads my articles, especially the ones who do not know me or my creditability. I volunteered to serve in the US Navy at 17. I spent 32 years in senior management positions for two fortune 500 companies. I started nine different businesses in three countries. I passed the Mensa Exam at the 99th percentile and was honored to be a member of Mensa and Intertel. I worked or visited in 32 countries and 49 states. I wrote a “Standard” for the American Petroleum Institute as an individual instead of by committee. I trained over 30,000 individuals in nine different countries in multiple subjects. I passed the Professional Engineering exam without a technical Degree. I received a Master’s Degree in Management with a GPA of 3.92 without an undergraduate degree. I chaired a National ASME Committee on Offshore oil and Gas Safety Valves for several years. I designed a Quality Management Systems for over 200 companies worldwide. I doubt that some of my own family know all of this.

My parents and God gave me a mind and I choose to fill and use it. I am one of very few people who actually achieved the self-satisfaction of meeting or exceeding every goal I ever set for myself. I am married to my second wife for over 54 years. I currently have 43 kids, grandkids and great grandkids, including spouses. Five are doctors, three are lawyers, several hold technical degrees or serve in management positions or business owners, one is a CPA and four are teachers or education specialists. One is also a member of Mensa and Intertel and passed the exam at 14. They range in age from one to sixty-six and I love them all.

I am fortunate to have many close friends who share their knowledge and correspondence with me that I selectively publish to share knowledge or create articles that are obviously ultraconservative as advertised by the title of my WordPress Blog. I usually try to identify my sources and I don’t or ever will question their honesty or ethics. If you disagree with my articles I always encourage and approve all comments.

Let me summarize the reason I published this article. If my writing annoys, upsets, causes you to suffer in any way, I did not make you read it. Maybe you should “STOP READING MY WORK!”

Until Obama, Hillary or other Progressive-Liberal nut cases get the first Amendment to the Constitution repealed I will write whatever I choose, whenever I choose as long as my two fingers can type. Learning requires full knowledge of a subject and I read more Liberal drivel than you would ever believe. I write to keep my old mind active and there are no charges to read my work. Like subsistence Obama provides for over 40 million lazy Americans it is free. If my writing makes you mad like it does to one of my daughters and two granddaughters, so be it.

For anyone who takes the time to read this and is older than 85, I honor you with my respect. For those younger my first wish is for you to be fortunate enough to live this long. My second wish is that you will share your knowledge and experiences with others.

Writing this article made me feel real good about the life I have lived and I hope it makes at least one other freedom loving American smile. Smiling is a way to make others smile, try it yourself. 

C Brewer   “Super Senior”

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05 Sep 2014
2 Comments

WOW – A REAL BRAVE AMERICAN!

NEW HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL!!

My friend, Dr. Peter Forrest sent me this article that I have decided to post on this blog as it will reach far more people than on my E address list. It is a crying shame that we have 535 Congress persons, none of whom, have the gonads to stand up and say these words or even share this with their own voters. I feel sure that this Principal will be fired as soon as the ACLU or the Colorado Democrats find a dupe to file suit. It would not surprise me to see Obama and Eric Holder charge him with racism.

I feel sure that one, or more, of my progressive readers will find some way to debunk this message and I really don’t care if it is fabricated. Someday enough Americans with a backbone will have the will to stop this destruction of our Republic and a President who ignores the laws and our Constitution. I just hope I live long enough to watch. If you hate America’s freedoms so much, just erase this and remove your name from following this blog.

C Brewer

Listen to the young people, F-this, F-that, nary anyone will step up and correct them- even with wife and kids in tow!

FINALLY – – Someone in the teaching profession had the courage to set the standards so badly needed NOW.

We watched high school Principal Dennis Prager of Colorado, along with Sara Palin and Tom Brokaw on TV a couple of weeks ago….what a dynamic, down to earth speaker. Even though Palin and Brokaw were also guest speakers they did little but nod and agree with him. This is the guy that should be running for President in 2016

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.

By Dennis Prager .

To the students and faculty of our high school: I am your new principal, and honored to be so.

There is no greater calling than to teach young people. I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country. 

First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity — your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.

This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values — E pluribus Unum, “from many, one.” And this school will be guided by America’s values.

This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness. Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism — an unhealthy preoccupation with the self — while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.

Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America’s citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market.

We will learn other languages here — it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English — but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.

Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning’s elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.

Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school’s property — whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can’t speak without using the f -word, you can’t speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as “Nigger,” even when used by one black student to address another black, or “bitch,” even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.

Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way — the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago — by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue… There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately fortunate — to be alive and to be an American.

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.

Thanks again Peter

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02 Sep 2014

TEXAS SCHOOLS – PART ONE!

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DESTRUCTION.

Reading the Beaumont Enterprise yesterday an “Opinion” column, which is normally slanted so far left I just ignore it, a headline caught my interest. “Texas must study how others fund schools.” The first sentence really grabbed my attention, “The one piece of good news in last week’s ruling by a judge who declared the state’s public school finance system unconstitutional was that his ruling doesn’t take effect until next July.” Shades of common sense still escape our legal system as all decisions are now 100% politically driven. Our finance system for our schools has been unconstitutional for twenty years at least. Our entire state education system was high jacked by the Legislature a long time ago. This is a leadership problem and in Texas it is controlled by the Republicans instead of our national education disaster that is mismanaged by the Democrats. 

When I went to Texas schools, the teachers were not required to pay for liability insurance to protect them from lawyer inspired frivolous law suits. Parents were required to discipline their children, not the teacher. Teachers did not have to learn martial arts to protect themselves from both the students and parents. Educators developed and approved textbooks, not politicians. I was given a chance to learn and my parents were responsible to motivate me to succeed. Failure was a biGGer problem when I got home than it was at school.

Watching one of the finest education programs in America being destroyed by politics is one of the saddest things I have watched in my 84 years. I am so old I only went to eleven years of education and graduated high school at sixteen. I finally finished my education with a Master’s Degree at forty seven. Now it takes fourteen years of education to graduate high school and today most who do graduate are qualified to possibly have an eighth grade education, when compared to what I was so fortunate to receive. Most, not all, graduate from college today with an education equal to what I received in high school. My teachers spent 100% of their time teaching and every student was given an equal chance to learn. Teachers taught their subjects and it was my responsibility to learn. Teachers were not evaluated on how many students passed some standardized tests that were developed in England, authorized by elected politically motivated and seldom qualified ego driven individuals swayed by narrow focused feelings rather than facts.

If that is not bad enough the money provided is by politically driven lawyers who are elected to serve in a State Legislature that is a part time job. The only reason most even want to be elected is an ego trip and a way to sell their professional services to the public when they are not in session.

Now schools “have” to take children who are so disabled physically and mentally they have zero chances to ever contribute to society. Making the schools provide what is nothing more than healthcare or baby-sitting is a tragedy. Having to hire full time nurse’s for some should not be intertwined or funded with education money. This actually penalizes those students that have no disability other than being a little slower to comprehend. I have witnessed children locally that can’t even feed themselves being cared for by a nurse one on one every day.

All afflicted children need care including some who even have a remote chance to actually learn something. We had this when I was a student but it was done in a separate facility, not in the normal schools. Making these children attend normal schools is a significant drain on the education money that is politically provided and is grossly unfair for the teachers and those children who actually have to struggle to understand.

“Part Two”, will address;

1. The failure of our politicians to provide adequate funding for our Texas schools that is readily available now.

2. Why the elected leaders are more concerned about getting elected and re-elected than they are about the children.

3. Why do the religious hypocrites fight to refuse providing the readily available funding that we watch go to the states of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana. Arkansas will likely join the others to suck up the money Texans pay for recreation that the Baptist’s can enjoy where they are  not recognized. The price we pay for cowardice?

C Brewer

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27 Jan 2014
1 Comment

STATES RIGHTS – WHERE WOULD WANT TO LIVE?

ILLIONIS – “A State with No Republicans!”

See if this makes you makes you want to move there?

Interesting facts about Illinois. There are more people on welfare in Illinois than there are people working. Chicago has the highest wages for teachers than anywhere else in the U.S. averaging $110,000/year. Teacher pensions average 80-90% of their income.

Wow, are Illinois and Chicago great or what? Be sure to read till the end. I’ve never heard it explained better. Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago? Body count: In the last six months, 292 were killed (murdered) in Chicago. 221 Americans were killed in Iraq, and Chicago has one of the strictest gun laws in the entire US.

Here’s the Chicago chain of command: President: Barack Hussein Obama · Senator: Dick Durbin · House Representative: Jesse Jackson Jr. (recently resigned). Governor: Pat Quinn · House leader: Mike Madigan · Atty. Gen.: Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike) · Mayor: Rahm Emanuel. The leadership in Illinois – 100% Democrats.

Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago. Of course, they’re all blaming each other. Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any! · Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country. Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any!

State pension fund $78 Billion in debt, worst in country. Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any!

Cook County (Chicago) sales tax 10.25% highest in country. Can’t blame Republicans; there aren’t any!

This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois. And he is now fixing American politics for us?

George Ryan used to be Governor, he is in prison.

He was replaced by Rob Blagojevich who is, that’s right, also in prison.

And Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned, that’s right, he and his wife both are in prison.

If he defended the Constitution, as he swore he would, instead of trashing it like he has and our existing laws were enforced Obama would be in a federal “Pokey” now.

The Land of Lincoln, where our Governors and Representatives make our license plates. What?

As long as they keep providing entitlements to the population of Chicago, nothing is going to change, except the state will go broke before the country does.

“OR”

OKLAHOMA – Where freedom loving Americas still understand “Common Sense” and will probably soon have plenty of new residents!

Oklahoma is the only state that Obama did not win even one county in the last election… While everyone is focusing on Arizona’s new law, look what Oklahoma has been doing!!!

Oklahoma recently passed, 37 to 9 an amendment to place the Ten Commandments on the front entrance to the state capitol. The feds in D.C., along with the ACLU, said it would be a mistake. Hey this is a conservative state, based on Christian values… HB 1330

Guess what… Oklahoma did it anyway.

Oklahoma recently passed a law in the state to incarcerate all illegal immigrants, and ship them back to where they came from unless they want to get a green card and become an American citizen. They all scattered. HB 1804. This was against the advice of the Federal Government, and the ACLU, they said it would be a mistake.

Guess what… Oklahoma did it anyway.

Recently Oklahoma passed a law to include DNA samples from any and all illegal’s to the Oklahoma database, for criminal investigative purposes. Pelosi said it was unconstitutional SB 1102

Guess what… Oklahoma did it anyway.

Several weeks ago, they passed a law, declaring Oklahoma as a Sovereign state, not under the Federal Government directives. Joining Texas, Montana and Utah as the only states to do so.

More states are likely to follow: Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Carolina’s, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi and Florida. Save your confederate money, it appears the South is about to rise up once again. HJR 1003

The federal Government has made bold steps to take away our guns.

Oklahoma, a week ago, passed a law confirming people in this state have the right to bear arms and transport them in their vehicles. I’m sure that was a setback for the criminals The Liberals didn’t like it — But….

Guess what… Oklahoma did it anyway.

Oklahoma has voted and passed a law that ALL drivers’ license exams will be printed in English, and only English, and no other language. They have been called racist for doing this, but the fact is that ALL of the road signs are in English only. If you want to drive in Oklahoma, you must read and write English. Really simple.

By the way, the Liberals don’t like any of this either

Guess what… who cares… Oklahoma is doing it anyway.

If you like it, pass it on, if you don’t then delete it… Thanks

Guess what: the people I’m sending this to, will send it on. Well, at least the ones who love and believe in freedom will.

ANON

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06 Dec 2013

TEXAS EDUCATION IS SHAMEFUL!

I tire of reading how our Governor, Rick Perry, our Legislature and George Bush, our immediate past President of the United States, praise our state and how great we educate our children. Statistics don’t lie, just politicians. If it were not bad enough we have recently slashed our spending by significant amounts.

Lack of leadership ignores the loss of a huge source of income that would improve our educational system. Lack of political courage prevents the people of Texas the opportunity to even vote on a common sense solution.

We have a lottery. We have horse and dog racing. We even have one casino the state has tried to shut down owned by the Indians. They did close the Indian casino near Livingston and put the Coushatta tribe back into a worse than poverty existence.

People will gamble and it is a legislative action and/or a voter decision to permit legalized casino gambling in a state. Unless you are blind, legally incompetent or a member of the Texas Legislature you know that you can visit casinos in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana as most are positioned on or near the Texas border. If you have visited any of these locations and you are not legally blind or a member of the Texas Legislature, 90% of the cars will have Texas license plates. 

I will not or have not ever supported any candidate for a state elected position that will not allow the people of Texas to at least vote to allow casino gambling. This is not a moral issue, it is just plain old common sense.

Let me share some facts to support my concern for Texas educational improvement and how our tax losses have likely helped our surrounding states.

Ask.com reports that Texas ranks 50th and in last place on the percentage of people 25 years old that have a high school or a higher diploma. We proudly come in last with 79.9%.

The latest National Education Association (NEA) in 2010 ranked Texas 50th and in last place. The NEA report for 2011 of state spending per pupil has Texas ranked at 41st with $8611. New Mexico came in 35th at $9070 and Louisiana came in 23rd at $10,723.

I could bore you with several pages of similar statistics but I found one that seems to be the most significant measure of educational success I could locate. This is the actual scores of all students in the state who took the SAT exam. I found this information on Yahoo Voices should you desire to verify my source.    

The SAT scores are in four categories as follow;

1. Critical Reading, Texas average was 486 and was 46th in ranking by state. The national average score was 610. Oklahoma came in 11th, Louisiana 18th and New Mexico 21st.

2. Math, Texas average was 506 and was 38th in ranking by state. The national average score was 615. Oklahoma came in 13th, Louisiana 17th and New Mexico 21st.

3. Writing, Texas average was 475 and was 47th in ranking by state. The national average score was 588. Oklahoma came in 14th, Louisiana 16th and New Mexico 21st.  

4 Total score, Texas average was 1467 and was 45th in ranking by state. The national average score was 1509. Oklahoma came in 12th, Louisiana 18th, New Mexico 21st.

It appears to me that there are several conclusions that are evident based on these statistics;

a. Texas revenue has possibly helped the school systems in the surrounding states.

b. Surrounding states have better educational systems.

c. Surrounding states have better Legislatures.

d. Texas priorities are misguided.

In my opinion Texas leaders are focused on forcing teachers to teach students on how to pass tests that are not used in other states rather than educating them. We have spent hundreds of millions with foreign companies who have developed tests and measure the results and blame the teachers for dismal results.

Our educational system in Texas is broken, leaderless and not focused on letting our teachers educate our children like they did when I went to school. We need to better train and pay our teachers, legalize casino gambling and dedicate every penny to improving our children’s education.

C Brewer

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27 Oct 2013
1 Comment

TEXAS POLITICIANS LOVE DONATIONS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS!

TEXAS POLITICIANS LOVE DONATIONS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS!

We have been fighting in Austin for several years over the lack of funds to improve education. The colleges demand more revenue to hire more professors to reward them with tenure. The professors demand that we better educate the children before they are admitted to higher learning. In the past two years we have eliminated the number of teachers by slashing the revenue to the local school districts.

Anyone with a scintilla of common sense can understand that slashing the funds for the local school districts will not possibly improve what the children can learn. Most school districts can’t increase taxes as they controlled by State Laws passed by the Legislature. The colleges admit that the children are ill-prepared for higher education, indicates senseless educational decisions are obvious and factual.

The largest growth in educational spending for pre-college students over the past few years is in state level administration and services. The local school districts must use standardized curriculum, illogical standardized testing developed and administered by a foreign company and use full time state advisors and monitors to ask for help. We have made huge increases in funds to measure the level of knowledge of the students but instead of helping teachers teach, they are blamed for the children not improving.

This is exactly like our federal government who hire more people to regulate every facet of our lives then blame others when problems like Obamacare are screwed up.

Education in Texas is shamefully inadequate and our Governor and Legislature have no conception of how to correct the inequities. They have the same re-election disease we watch 24/7 in the media. So far the majority in power has been afraid to use the usual political solution for lack of funding, raise taxes. They know it will likely cost them the next election. The democrats always want more taxes but in Texas they are re-elected regardless of anything as they win automatically with the help of the Justice Department, minorities with their hand out and the local cemetery for enough names to win. Eric Holder is the only thing they need at this time.

The sad thing is our Texas leaders in power can get enough political donations to stay in power from Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico for denying Texans the right to vote for casino gambling. The real losers in Texas are the children.

We Texans have a lottery, racing, bingo and more illegal gaming at local levels than anyone will admit. It is hard to find a truck stop and in many cases convenience stores in rural areas that do not have semi-hidden slot machines that are called other names. All of this produces taxes.

Americans have gambled all of my life. I am old enough to remember when illegal gambling was openly available in Texas and actually produced tax revenue. I watched as a boy in Corsicana Texas when gambling was stopped and hundreds of slot machines were destroyed by inmates with sledge hammers at the county jail. My best friend’s dad was Sheriff and we helped pick up the pennies, nickels and dimes as the machines were destroyed.

Today casino gambling is legal in the United States and this past weekend I spent two days at a Shreveport casino that pays taxes to the State of Louisiana and the Federal Government. My oldest son met me there and told me that he was going to what will shortly be the largest casino in America next Saturday in Oklahoma. I have been to New Mexico several times to enjoy casino gaming. I live only four miles from the central Louisiana border and I have access to some nine casinos from Shreveport to Lake Charles. Does anyone wonder why 90% of the Louisiana casinos are along the Sabine River near the Texas borders? Same for how near the Oklahoma casinos are near the Red River.

I truly believe that we should respect the will of the majority when things like gambling, drinking and other vices are involved. If the majority of Texans vote to prohibit gambling, drinking and prostitution, the will of the people should be honored. Old age and the gout has eliminated my casual desire for a gin and tonic. I never believed in, had a need for or a desire for a prostitute.

Old age provides me with time and I do enjoy moderate gambling. We help local groups like the Catholic Church, DAV, VFW and American Legion (I’m a member) by playing bingo. Another sad fact is every one of the ones where we play are also in Louisiana.

I recently received a request to donate money for Greg Abbott who is running for Governor of Texas. For educations sake we are finally not faced with four more years of Rick Perry. I have only donated and voted for one Governor in the past several years, Kinky Friedman, who promised to let the people vote for casino Gambling. I advised Mr. Abbott that my donation was contingent on his vow to let the people decide this issue. I have not received or expected to get an answer.

I wish we could allow children to vote as they are penalized from learning at their potential because our politicians are hypocrites and refuse to consider additional funding to assure them a brighter future.

What really scares me is when Congress votes to nationalize all casinos and collect all of the tax money. They can then increase and expand welfare money to the majority of those who we play bingo with and see as the majority at most casinos.

Dumb down most of the children so they can be puppets instead of leaders, seems to be the objective of all politicians at all levels and bi-partisan.

Well, I suppose the politicians have earned our thanks for helping better educate some children. The inequity is that those children live in Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Would you call this “Common Sense”? Sadly, except for teachers and local administrators, no one seems to care.

C Brewer     

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20 Dec 2012

EDUCATION TEXAS-ANOTHER TESTING PROGRAM FAILURE!

When will educators and politicians admit that every child is not equipped to be a doctor, lawyer or rocket scientists? Likely never, as we will now look for a new magic test that will also fail. We need occupational education for those children that will be welders, technicians, salesperson, beauty operators, etc. Although some programs exist, they are funded by outside donations except our prison system schools. If we train some of these young people, trades they may not have to go to prison to get qualified? If interested, I posted other articles about this subject during the same time frame. You can find these by searching my site.

Except for some minor changes in the first paragraph this article was posted some 19 months ago on May 22,2011.

The new STAAR testing program will be just another untested wild goose chase. After wasting millions on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) testing program, some Texas school districts have captured the costs for TAKS. Based on the factual costs the STAAR program will double the costs of TAKS. Taxpayers will face increased waste of state funds and no improved knowledge for the majority of students.

An article by Hawley Kappes in The Daily News on May 15 revealed some significant facts I wish to share. Teachers now have to teach to pass a test or face possible discipline. With all of the 1265 Texas school districts facing budget cuts, the Clear Creek ISD decided to review all expenditures including the TAKS costs.

The review revealed that $1.3 million costs associated with TAKS, which includes paying substitute teachers who support administering the test, tutoring for students who need additional help and supplies — including sharpened pencils, highlighters, dictionaries and graphing calculators.

This included the salaries of testing coordinators at each high school and deans of instruction at all campuses that ensure teachers are following curriculum guidelines.

Texas provides no funding to cover these costs.

Clear Creek ISD did not capture all cost because some testing aspects were difficult to quantify. Assistant principals at elementary and intermediate schools are responsible for implementing state assessments on their campuses, and it was difficult to assign a dollar amount for the time associated with that work.

The Dickinson ISD reported that the TAKS costs of about $430,000 this year. This includes the salaries of the district’s director of assessment, evaluation and compliance and the testing coordinator at Dickinson High School, plus 30 percent of the salary for an assistant principal at each campus.

The district spends $50,000 a year on extra tutoring for students who need it.

Testing protocol has strict rules that govern the handling of test materials from the time school districts receive the packets until the items are shipped off after testing is finished. Staff members spend time counting test booklets, ensuring no seals have been prematurely broken, keeping the tests locked after hours and training for hypothetical situations that could occur in the testing environment.

Substitutes are needed on testing days to monitor bathrooms and hallways and watch over students if a teacher needs to step out of the classroom. Counselors and testing coordinators spend time identifying if certain students require special test environments, including linguistically assisted testing, which requires a teacher to read questions for students. Most preparation for assessments happens after hours during nights and weekends.

Goodbye TAKS, Hello STAAR

Next year, the state will implement a new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, which will replace the TAKS as a measure of student performance.

Changes include a four-hour limit on testing periods, expanded accommodations for students with dyslexia and makeup days for all tests. Legislators in Austin still are hashing out details of the STAAR, but the tests will include 12 end-of-course assessments mandated by Senate Bill 1031 in 2007 and new assessments for grades three through eight as required by House Bill 3 in 2009.

STAAR is more individualized to what classes a high school student is taking that year. A student’s course load, instead of his grade level, will determine which tests he will take. The test will measure more of the thinking involved and ability to do more processing of information and divergent thinking.

School district officials are grappling with the increased test days the new state assessment will require. Total testing days will increase from 25 under TAKS to 45 under STAAR.

Freshmen this year were tested for reading and math, but next year will take assessments in English, math, social studies and science. Major curriculum revisions will finish this summer to adjust for the more specialized end-of-course exams. New textbooks also will be necessary for school districts.

Some think it would be better to test students in alternating grades or perhaps staggering subjects for different grades at the elementary level. The amount of testing that’s going to happen is encroaching so much on teachers instruction time with students they do not have time to go that deep into curriculum before the test comes.

A Breakdown of Clear Creek ISD’s TAKS Costs were; High school testing coordinator salaries — $216,310; Deans of instruction — $357,066; Substitutes to help administer the tests — $120,000; Target assistance tutoring — $500,000; Graphing calculators — $83,468; Supplies — $25,000 Dictionaries — $1,600.

STAAR is also unfunded, untested and with budget cuts another method for the state to intensify teacher responsibilities to approach the level of “Kamikaze Pilots.” No wonder Texas has some 60 vacancies for K-12 Superintendents. I recommend that many more update their resumes or look into retirement packages.

The Texas Education Agency and the legislature do not have a clue on the damage and waste they have enacted by law. If someone would capture the costs for all 1265 Texas school districts, it might attract attention for the voters to care? The largest Texas school district, Windom, is exempted from TAKS and STAAR as it covers the Texas prison system.   CB

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15 Oct 2011
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HOW OBAMA WON THE ELECTION

  ONE OF THE BEST EXPLANATIONS OF WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTIONFrom a teacher in the Nashville area:The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year…

The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest.

I decided we would have an election for a class president.

We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.

To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members.

We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.

We got many nominations and from those,

Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

The class had done a great job in their selections.

Both candidates were good kids.

I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support.

I had never seen Olivia’s mother.

The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.

Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better Place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Next it was Olivia’s turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, “If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream.

“She sat down.

The class went wild. “Yes! Yes! We want ice cream.” She surely would say more. She did not have to.

A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn’t sure. But no one pursued that question.

They took her at her word.

Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it…She didn’t know. The class really didn’t care. All they were thinking about was ice cream…Jamie was forgotten… Olivia won by a landslide.

Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 51.4 % of the people reacted like nine year olds.

They want ice cream.

The other 48.6% percent know they’re going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.” This is the ice cream Obama promised us!

Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone that they have not first taken away from someone else.

Did you vote for the ice cream?

THAT, MY FRIEND, IS HOW OBAMA GOT ELECTED.

Thanks Dr. Forrest for this simple explanation!
Posted by cb75948 in misc and tagged , , , , , , ,
28 Sep 2011
4 Comments

COMMON SENSE OBITUARY-MAY IT ARISE AGAIN SOMEDAY!

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: – Knowing when to come in out of the rain; – Why the early bird gets the worm; … – Life isn’t always fair; – And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don’t spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge. His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 step brothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and I’m A Victim Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, do nothing.

anon

Posted by cb75948 in misc and tagged , , , , , , ,
22 Sep 2011

EDUCATION UNIONS- WISCONSIN LEGAL ROBBERY.

 

Remember the violent and disgusting demonstrations over Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker doing away with the collective bargaining for teachers’ unions?  The results are in. If this sort of legal robbery of the taxpayers in most states can’t be stopped education is doomed. The unions have destroyed the manufacturing industry with greed, now the teachers union greed will eventually make you send your kids to another country to get a decent education. People wake up and stop this madness.  CB 
 
Some school districts went from a $400,000 deficit to a $1,500,000 surplus as a result.  Why? 

It seems that the insurance company that provided all the “so-called benefits” to the teachers was an insurance company owned and operated by the teacher’s union.  Since they were guaranteed to get the insurance business from the teachers, and the State had to pay for it and not the teachers, they were increasing the annual costs every single year to become the most expensive insurance company in the state.
 
Then the insurance company was donating millions and millions of dollars to their favorite (democrat) politicians, who when they got elected, guaranteed to keep funding the unions’ outrageous costs.
 
In other words, the insurance company was a “pass through” for Wisconsin taxpayer money directly to the democratic politicians who kept the whole scandal going.

Nice racket, and this is the racket that is going on in every single State that allows collective bargaining.  No wonder the States are taking it away.
 
Now that the State of Wisconsin is free to put the insurance contract out for bid, and lo and behold, they have saved so much money it has turned deficits into surplus amounts.  As a result, none of the teachers had to be laid off, everyone got a raise, etc., etc., and the taxpayers of Wisconsin don’t have to pay more taxes to fund the union’s political ambitions.
 
Here is the article:
 
http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/2011/07/wisconsin-schools-buck-union-cut-health-costs

Thanks Ray

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