tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post7630870051241300989..comments2023-09-29T06:32:16.005-04:00Comments on My School Committee Blog: A Solomon-like plan for AmherstCatherine A. Sandersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-33792012943496200652009-12-10T21:53:46.137-05:002009-12-10T21:53:46.137-05:00Knowing what I do about how this town still wastes...Knowing what I do about how this town still wastes money, there's no way I can imagine supporting an override. These numbers on per-pupil costs are absolutely shocking. And there are more little things than I can possibly name. (e.g.-- why are we paying for bottled water in the super's office during a fiscal crisis? Why does LSSE mail me paper catalogs multiple times a year when I haven't taken a class from them in maybe eight years? Ever hear of the web?)<br /><br />With apologies to Oscar Wilde, Amherst is a town that knows the value of everything, but the price of nothing. No way will I enable more of the same.AJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-33224511335654947992009-12-10T19:59:24.323-05:002009-12-10T19:59:24.323-05:00Rick,
I'm usually the one who's lousy on...Rick, <br /><br />I'm usually the one who's lousy on the specifics while only seeing the big picture.<br /><br />But this notion of "a grand compromise" is all big picture at a level of resolution of your favorite impressionist painter. It presupposes a lot of fallacious things: the existence of interest groups, the existence of recognized leaders for those interest groups who can deliver votes, a political process in which a sweeping compromise would be formulated and acted upon (without violating the Open Meeting Laws). <br /><br />I think that the whole editorial is bunk. It sets up phony oppositions, and it poses some dark apocalyptic future if there isn't some dramatic coming together. <br /><br />The writer is either hopelessly naive and inexperienced about Amherst politics (or Massachusetts municipal politics in general), or dreadfully cynical in regurgitating the usual tripe about the failings of the Town. <br /><br />Give me one good reason why we should pay any more mind to an anonymous voice at the Bulletin than we do anonymous posters elsewhere. <br /><br />Rich MorseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-70514434546547659862009-12-10T16:44:36.946-05:002009-12-10T16:44:36.946-05:00I like this "What's needed is a grand com...I like this <i>"What's needed is a grand compromise, in which all interest groups give up something and no one gets everything they want."</i> I've always thought that's the right way to go.Rick Hoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04347110422224233217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-555327990682185552009-12-10T15:39:29.411-05:002009-12-10T15:39:29.411-05:00Rich: You're passing your thoughts along to Ni...Rich: You're passing your thoughts along to Nick Grabbe, right? He is the Amherst reporter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-40613550063537478572009-12-10T15:20:06.535-05:002009-12-10T15:20:06.535-05:00Here's what's on my holiday wish list:
Lo...Here's what's on my holiday wish list:<br /><br />Local newspaper reporting and analysis willing to stand up to the dumbed-down demands of the journalistic marketplace, and dig into the nitty-gritty of policy throughout our municipal government. No, puff pieces on Ms. Greeney and Superintendent Rodriguez are not what I had in mind.<br /><br />In other words, the folks at the Bulletin need to look in the mirror before they tell anyone "to stand up and do the hard" anything.<br /><br />Although I might disagree with some of her decisions about where to assess blame, the mistress of this blog is regularly working harder and looking deeper than anyone at the Bulletin has done for years. But we need more reporting and more in-depth reporting from non-blog news sources. To use a tired phrase from local TV, we need "news we can use" as citizens and as voters. <br /><br />We need the reporting far more than we need the editorials, which have turned the former must-read Commentary page of the Bulletin into fish wrap. <br /><br />Rich MorseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-58927734131628291572009-12-10T12:15:07.252-05:002009-12-10T12:15:07.252-05:00Many, many parents and many students are very happ...Many, many parents and many students are very happy with the high school. This is important and should not be dismissed in any way. At the same time, the high school administration and superintendent must be open and clear about where tax money goes and why. The per pupil costs are astonishing to me. I want to know why they are so high.<br /><br />I hope that we all find out and that the administration and teachers don't retreat to a reflexive defensive position. We all want Amherst children do well and many want to understand the numbers behind our schools. These two goals are not opposed.Confused taxpayernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-33244669022194326772009-12-10T12:13:53.873-05:002009-12-10T12:13:53.873-05:00Sorry -- I just posted this piece without having t...Sorry -- I just posted this piece without having the citation! It appeared in the Amherst Bulletin today - is an editorial (I didn't write it!) -- I have now updated the post to provide the appropriate citation. I will respond to comments later today.Catherine A. Sandersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523667921190365891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-15864110689468787862009-12-10T12:07:28.377-05:002009-12-10T12:07:28.377-05:00Actually, I didn't read them, I heard about th...Actually, I didn't read them, I heard about the spending. Catherine has gathered more information and is breaking down the numbers for a later blog post.<br /><br />So, the answer is that everyone will be able to see the numbers in the next week or so on the blog.<br /><br />I think it's really important that we all know what we're spending before we make up our minds about how we'll vote on the override.Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13141742420717242724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-17954267190401498532009-12-10T11:55:10.631-05:002009-12-10T11:55:10.631-05:00Joel, Where did you see that breakdown? Is it av...Joel, Where did you see that breakdown? Is it available for anyone who wants to see it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-6859715146501203672009-12-10T11:48:21.006-05:002009-12-10T11:48:21.006-05:00I've just seen a breakdown of the spending per...I've just seen a breakdown of the spending per pupil in Amherst and what it goes to. <br /><br />We don't necessarily need an override, we need to align our spending with other districts. We are wasting millions on administrative and other costs. <br /><br />I'll happily vote for an override once our spending corresponds to districts e.g. Northampton, where there are no forced study halls in the HS.Joelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13141742420717242724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-9413163838283131312009-12-10T11:43:23.429-05:002009-12-10T11:43:23.429-05:00So don't support an override and watch the sch...So don't support an override and watch the schools sink further, watch and listen to more and more parents complain about how bad the schools are, see more and more students depart the public schools leaving the most needy and expensive students, watch your property values decline. Listen to you complain about it incessantly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-19237380642803593842009-12-10T11:17:39.609-05:002009-12-10T11:17:39.609-05:00I also will not vote for an override, under any ci...I also will not vote for an override, under any circumstances. Not until the schools get their act together.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-88622362707929670282009-12-10T11:05:31.024-05:002009-12-10T11:05:31.024-05:00Personally, I won't vote for any override, per...Personally, I won't vote for any override, period. There are three voters in my household who will all vote against it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6270815429299703055.post-34629094204915261382009-12-10T11:02:35.723-05:002009-12-10T11:02:35.723-05:00I would not be willing to vote for a $4 million ov...I would not be willing to vote for a $4 million override under any circumstances. I could be convinced to vote for $1 million override IF there really were modest reductions in salary increases, modest use of reserves, and reductions to the school budgets that largely spare the regular education budget since it has been so hard-hit (compared to SPED and ELL) in recent years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com