Sunday, February 27, 2011

Get rid of the union-led school systems which rely on unfair group rewards

Unfortunately, our very important teachers are under the thumb of "aggressive" union leaders whose #1 objective is to collect union dues and spend the dues to elect politicians favorable to the union.  Please let me convince you that this #1 priority of union leaders interferes and eventually destroys educational excellence.  The individual teachers will not stick their neck out to work with administrators to better education with this union-led system.  The solution is to get rid of the union-led system which relies on unfair "group rewards" where all teachers get the same raises and step increases.  We need a competitive educational system which encourages the public, private and parochial schools to compete for students who will pay for their schooling with government issued school vouchers.  If we had true educational competition as the colleges do, you would see a tremendous resurgence and improvement in the education of our youth.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Closing Kingston elementary school buildings is Drastic!

Closing school buildings is Drastic!


Let's do a 2-step process with a checkpoint in between!

STEP 1-- Keep elementary schools open for now. Move 6th grade back to elementary schools. Make Middle schools 7, 8, 9th grades again. Make KHS 10, 11, 12 grades again (more room in closed cafeteria).

STEP 2-- If school population decreases further, look at closing an elementary school.

This type of go-slow logic must be used to lessen the impact on our children, their neighborhoods and the fabric of our city and towns.

In May, let's let the voters decide between moving 6th grade back to elementary schools and closing 2 elementary schools. If anyone out there knows how to get this on the May ballot please let me know. You can post it here on this blog.

Kingston Politics based on popularity. Let's post the issues here on this blog.

Kingston Politics has been mostly popularity-based, especially the aldermanic and Ulster legislative races. For me, the biggest issue is finding out where aldermanic and legislative candidates stand on issues. Can we come up with 4 or 5 city issues on which we can poll and document all 2011 aldermanic, legislative and mayoral candidates?  These 5 issues need to be specific, such as No tax or fee increases for 3 years, annual property tax assessment updates as promised previously, 10 per cent reduction in police, fire, dpw, city hall  budgets.  Please help to come up with 5 issues and to conduct this poll for the education and benefit of Kingston taxpayers and voters.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Before we close Kingston Schools, Let us vote whether to realign grades.

Before we close any schools, let's realign the grades back to K through 6 for elementary school, 7 to 9 for middle school and 10 to 12 for high school.  Why?  Because a majority of taxpayers and parents want that.  Do you want to prove it?  During this May's school election, let's vote on whether to close 2 schools or do the above realignment.  This sounds reasonable.  Doesn't it?  This is what the Kingston School voters want.  Let's vote.

Monday, February 14, 2011

2 partners in the demise of our Schools in NYS

There are 2 partners in the demise of our Schools in NYS, 1) NYS laws extremely favorable to municipal and teacher's unions (Tri-borough amendment, lavish pensions, unfair arbitration process, etc.) and 2) Teacher's Unions which are continuing to demand raises and benefit swaps.  The school systems are disappearing before our eyes.  What will we be left with?  Hopefully, 1) School vouchers and 2) Individual Professional contracts for individual teachers (ie. If a teacher is good they get raises, If not, they do not get raises. We could involve the parents in the "grading" of teachers for purposes of getting individual raises.) Let's move toward excellence, getting rid of unfair group rewards for teacher's unions. 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Public Schools Need Competition -- Enter Vouchers

The public schools need competition.  If you are serious about ending the decline of public education.  Introduce competition by allowing parents to use vouchers to send their children to the school of their choice, ie) public, private, parochial, charter, etc.  These different schools would compete for students much like public and private colleges compete for students.  Competition breeds excellence.  No Competition breeds complacency and failure.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Call your reps about MOVING election of School Boards from MAY to NOV

To all Taxpayers-- We need your support on a vote that will be coming to the Albany Senate and Assembly.....Let's call all of our NYS Assemblymen and Senators to prepare them to vote in FAVOR of MOVING the election of School Board members from MAY to NOVEMBER (Election Day). To all Taxpayers..if we get this vote day changed, we will be able to elect people who are not buddies of teachers and who will be looking out for the students and the taxpayers... This is a very important NYS issue...Call your representatives!!!