Continued response to the May 5th article. Part 5

Once again, I come with responses to articles from the Springfield News-Sun concerning the Northeastern Local School District. These responses are from the article dated Friday, May 5, 2010 by Kermit Rowe, titled "Northeastern to seek voter approval for $58.9 million for new schools". Unlike previous comments and questions, I will respond to those that are legitimate and not redundant.

This series of comments appeared after my first 4 parts of responses.

As always, I am speaking on my behalf, not the board's. I recommend that the reader validate my statements so as to ascertain that I am responding with the truth.



"OH BOY, NOW THIS IS GETTING NUTS. NORTHEASTERN VOTERS JUST GOT STUCK WITH A $100 INCRESS ON OUR TAXES FOR THE LIBARY. NOW WE GET TO PAY ANOTHER $500 PER YEAR FOR THE SCHOOL. THAT MAKES THIS YEAR A WINNER WITH $600 PER YEAR ON HOME OWNER TAXES FOR OUR AREA.

CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE.
LARRY
10:48 AM, 5/8/2010"


LARRY: Thank you for your comment. You state the cost of the Library is $100 a year for the residents of Northeastern. The facts are that the cost is based on your property valuation, not a flat fee. If your property is valued at $100,000 the cost for new schools will be $240 a year. Please get your facts straight before making statements.



"The kids aren't in class in the middle of july. How are the classrooms "sweltering?" I graduated not too long ago and never remember it being unbearable. We are so spoiled. It's not about wanting better education for our kids, it's about the richies keeping up with the jones's. Fix what needs to be fixed and put the money where it IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED this time.I really don't think having both highschools in one is a good idea anyways. Can you imagine the rednecks against the preppies? lol
NO!
11:26 AM, 5/8/2010"


NO!: thank you for your comment. Who said students were "sweltering" in the middle of July? Did you attend our schools in the middle of July? I'm confused on the "richies keeping up with the Jones" statement. Also, please explain at the next board meeting how you feel the money is SUPPOSED TO BE USED. I really interested in your views. Finally, there is no plan to put both high schools into one. It is quite obvious that you are getting your information from misinformed sources.



"No- Aren't both high schools air conditioned? Maybe that is why you don't remember being miserable. The elementary/middle schools aren't!Students today start the school year in mid-August and from then until October the classrooms can get unbearable in the afternoons. In winter the rooms are usually too cold due to drafty windows and old heating systems.Then there is the cost of replacing old plumbing and leaking roofs.IMO putting huge amounts of money into these buildings is a waste.
For new schools
1:46 PM, 5/8/2010"


For new schools: thank you for your comment. Kenton Ridge is air conditioned except for the gymnasium. Northeastern has air conditioning in the gymnasium but not in the classrooms (unless a teacher brings their own air conditioner in. And only then it must be approved for safety reasons.) None of our other buildings are air conditioned. Thank you for your support.



"LMAO. Are you telling me that a new school that costs 58 million dollars will give my child a better education? I thought it was an educated teacher. Boy do I feel SILLY! I didn't know fresh paint and more bathrooms could teach my student so much! Maybe we should update what we have now. Not bull doze and rebuild. If you had some repairs needed in your home, Would you bulldoze or repair? Think about it, it makes sense.
NO
2:46 PM, 5/8/2010"


NO: Again, I ask you to please get the facts on the issue. The $58 million dollars will pay for 4 new buildings and the renovation and redesign of Kenton Ridge. Not a bad deal now that you have the facts. That's about $12 million per building. In the end we will have educational facilities totaling $98 million dollars and it only costs us $240 a year. In your home you wouldn't have 700 kids flushing toilets, opening doors, walking through you home every day, and other wear and tear for the past 50 or 60 years.



"No no no,
I appreciate your enthusiasm, but would hope you could use it to help convince the state legislature to change how schools are funded.
VOTE YES!
JC
2:53 PM, 5/8/2010"



JC: thank you for this comment...and the other responses you've provided. I also thank you for coming to board meetings, asking questions, researching the facts yourself and determining the truth. Shortly, I will be starting another movement to get people to start discussing school funding with the same "excitement" they have toward our legislators as they have toward board members.



"I am a teacher in the NE district. I agree that having a new building will not make me a better teacher or make my students smarter. However, maybe I wouldn't have moldy ceiling tiles that smell bad and and cause allergies in my students and myself to flare up every Monday morning. Maybe we would have one than one sink in the girls restroom working. Maybe I would have more than 2 outlets in my classroom and not have extension cords strewn all over the room. Please come and visit our schools!!
teacher
3:09 PM, 5/8/2010"


teacher: thank you for your comment. But wouldn't a new building with the technology enhance your ability to teach better? I agree with the health and safety issues you mentioned, but with better tools, you can be more challenging to children. I do want to thank you for the work you are doing in educating children.



"Easy fix, Stop open enrollment. That might reduce the number of students at NE. And "if" this thing would pass, are the teachers going to get raises or pay cuts? Is it really about the kids or the staff and faculty? As in the teacher's comment, it was all about her. As like the rest of the comments on this page! (my allergies, I smell moldy ceilings)
NO
3:32 PM, 5/8/2010"


NO: again, sir or madam, you are making this too easy for me. Again, get your facts together on Open Enrollment. I will be doing an article on Open Enrollment in my blog soon. If you are truly interested in the facts, you will get them from my blog or simply asking a question. I will be more than happy to explain. Then you can determine if I'm correct or not. There is no "easy fix" to the problems we face in funding our schools. If there was, it would have been done 16 years ago when the DeRolph decision was first made public. As to the "raises" or "pay cuts", you should know the difference between a bond issue, PI levy and Operating Levy. In case you don't: a bond issue can only be used for new construction and nothing else (check it out), a Permanent Improvement (PI) levy can only be used for maintenance and equipment with life expectancy of 5 years or more (check it out), finally, an Operating Levy can only be used for salaries and operating the buildings such as utilities and other expenses (check it out). This is a bond issue and cannot be used for raises or maintenance or anything except new buildings.



"No one answered my question about all the raises and benefits the teachers and board members are going to get. BS! I get a pay cut, My insurance premiums go up, Vacation gets cut, and these teachers get all the benefits and sit in the hilton I would be paying for. NO WAY! VOTE NO!
NO
4:04 PM, 5/8/2010"


NO: here's your answer........see above! There is no money in this bond issue for raises or benefits! Board members receive $125 per month which is paid at the end of the year. As a board member, I received a check at the end of the year. My W-2 from the district shows I made $1625.00, of which Federal and State taxes, Social Security Tax and Medicare Tax were withheld, leaving a net total of 1316.51. That's my pay for being on the Board of Education. Calculate the hours a board member puts into the job, meetings, travel, time away from their family and see what value it has. Sorry you feel the way you do about education.



"I don't know what raises 4 teachers "NO" is referring to....The teachers are NOT getting a raise! This is the 3rd or 4th consecutive year that teachers in NELSD have not received a raise! I know as a teacher in the district I could go to Dublin City and make $10,000 a year more than what I make teaching in NELSD! If the issue doesn't pass, I'll be applying to a district where the community and parents actually RESPECT teachers & value the work we do.
NE Teacher
4:35 PM, 5/8/2010"


NE Teacher: thank you very much for your comment. Your comment is very true and needed to be stated. I hope NO understands this coming from you and not me.




"I don't believe that for a minute. There isn't an old beater car in the parking lot. Your not hurting for money, not in the least! And as for the hard work, I think having students come from study hall to grade your papers is giving you a break. As having kids wash your chalk boards and students clean their own desks, help the janitors with cleaning the lunchroom, and also help the cooks in the cafeteria. I love it when my kids tell me they had 20 extra minutes in class to do their homework.
NO
5:14 PM, 5/8/2010"


NO: You really have no clue about schools and are making comments and accusations that are truly unfounded. While you are making these false statements, you are inciting others to your rhetoric, and on the other hand, there are those in our district who are embarrassed that uninformed people are allowed to make public comments that are blatant falsehoods.



"I am a woman, and I'm not lazy. I work every month of the year. I don't get to go on vacations in the summer, and I don't understand where your job is so much harder than mine. I will vote no, everytime, because this district is a JOKE! The money is never spent the way it is supposed to be and that has been proven so many times before. The teachers are pediphiles, and I have little respect for most of them. Klop was dating his wife while she was still in high school for God's sake. VOTE NO!
NO
7:54 PM, 5/8/2010"


NO: no one has implied that you are lazy and don't work. There are many teachers that do not go on vacations in the summer. They spend their summer going after their Master's Degrees that are required to maintain their teaching certificate. Many work in summer educational programs in the county, many get part time jobs. Administrators seldom get more than a week vacation and they work year around. I personally think this district is anything but a JOKE. It is a great educational system that requires people to support it, but more importantly, it requires people to question the way it is run and then help to make it right. What is a JOKE is "classifying" our teachers as pedophiles. You know that is not correct. Sounds like you are getting a little upset because your arguments are being challenged by facts.