If you
vote on Tuesday, and I hope you do, there are three ballot issues that will need your attention, two in regards to the
Park Hill School District:
- "Shall the Park Hill School District of Platte County, Missouri be authorized to increase its adjusted operating tax levy 32 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation, and to use such funds for instructional technology programs and improvements (including the Future Learner Project, "FLIP"), safety programs and improvements, and the operation of its schools"
Today's Star editorial page recommends a "Yes" vote,
I am voting "No" (funny how the Star and I never seem to be on the same page). Here is why I am voting "No". (a quick aside, part of the reason we moved "up north" from KCMO in 1999 was the prospect of having our kids attend KC School District...NOT...or enroll in private schools. Park Hill seemed to be a better solution...and it has been) I was asked to be a parent member of an advisory technology for PH School District two years ago. We were reviewing a five year plan which included the possibility of providing computers to every student in the district, the so called 1 to 1 option. There was a fair amount of excitement about the idea...during the discussion I asked the question...What if a child goes home with a computer and they do not have access to the internet? There are a fair number of students who come from low income families where the No Net situation occurs...a problem. We also discussed the massive challenge of IT support for the thousands (there are
10,288 students in the district) of potential computers...no solution other than
$$$. Finally, there is no evidence that 1 to 1 will boost the district performance on standardized tests, as a matter of fact a recent Star article quoted an educator who cited statistics showing countries that performed better regarding tests without 1 to 1. I think the levy proposal is expensive without providing evidence of the benefit.
No.
The second related issue is the election/re-election of School Board members. You have three votes to split among Lee, Scott, Bolin, Klein and Blackburn.
Bolin and Lee are incumbents. I am voting for
Blackburn, he is the only one that seems to question the levy issue, the Board needs a new face with questions. I am not going to use my other two votes.
3 comments:
Park Hill is getting too big for its britches, the tax payers need to give them a love tap to bring them down to earth.
For your info:
Who are Citizens for the Park Hill Levy? 2 administrators for the District, board members Newberger, Fane, Pepper, Wurst and Bolin, and two IT companies presumably who will benefit from a levy victory...hardly a grass roots movement. They have spent over $2,000 for their support of the levy including the two mailings you have already received.
Who is behind the 'vote no' campaign? Hopefully a permanent group
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