|
| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
USE YOUR SMARTS WHEN VOTING FOR SCHOOL BOARD
FLINT JOURNAL COLUMN
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, April 15, 2007
By Kelly Flynn
JOURNAL COLUMNIST
If caring about kids were the only criteria, then pretty much anyone could serve on a school board. After all, there aren't many people who don't care about kids. It's wired into our DNA to look out for the well-being of the little ones.
So when you vote for a school board member on May 8 (and you will vote, won't you?), don't make your decision based on who makes the most ardent speech about caring for kids. Take that as a given and look at what they know, and what they can do.
Because they need to bring some skills to the table. I'm fed up with school board members - and yes, administrators, too - who hide their lack of skill behind a lot of big talk about their dedication to kids. Big talk doesn't balance the budget. Big talk doesn't solve personnel issues. Big talk doesn't make sound decisions about building improvement. Big talk is just a cover for a lack of ability.
Caring about kids does not equal a well-rounded curriculum, fair and effective discipline, or good communication with parents.
So, what skills should school board members have? Well, for starters, they need to be smart. Intelligence cannot be underestimated in the quest for an effective school board member. Smart people can think on their feet and see the big picture. Good old-fashioned common sense is vital, too. You also want a creative thinker with strong problem-solving skills. Most importantly, though, a school board member must be able to work well with others. A candidate who uses the post as a bully-pulpit is a waste of your money.
Granted, school board members don't need to be experts on everything. That's what administrators and principals are for. With talented people in place a board can rely on their expertise. But they have to be knowledgeable enough to hire the right people, and put them in the right positions.
Leadership. It's the difference between a district that runs like a well-oiled machine, and one that blunders along putting out fires. And I'll bet you can name exactly which districts are which.
After 20 years in public education I know this: The minute someone tells you that they "want what's best for kids," you need to listen very carefully to the next thing out of their mouths. Because those five words are almost always used to deflect attention away from something else.
Be wary of the person who repeatedly reassures you of their motives. People who really care about kids rarely say so. They don't need to blather endlessly about their commitment to children. They're too busy living it.
Don't be snowed by a nice personality, or passionate, evangelical testimonials about caring for kids.
It's just not enough.
By Kelly Flynn, Journal Columnist |
|
|
Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:52 pm |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
AMEN
AMEN
AMEN
AMEN
unfortunately, as much as those are the important criteria in a candidate, it takes some of those same criterita in the electorate [the VOTERS] to recognize them.
that is why the weak-minded, distracted, lazy and ill-informed vote for candidates that don't have intelligence, common-sense, problem-solving, ability et al; because they themselves don't have those abilities; they don't recognize their importance or which candidates posess them. So they get tricked into voting for the person of the "right" skin color, or the slick-talking, the earnest ones or the bullies.
So its up to clear thinking, reflective people to GO VOTE. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Sun Apr 15, 2007 5:03 pm |
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
The last few paragraphs of "It's a Flat World, After All" by Thomas L. Friedman.
New York Times, April 3, 2005
…….When it comes to responding to the challenges of the (global economy), there is no help line we can call. We have to dig into ourselves. We in America have all the basic economic and educational tools to do that. But we have not been improving those tools as much as we should. That is why we are in what Shirley Ann Jackson, the 2004 president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, calls a ''quiet crisis'' -- one that is slowly eating away at America's scientific and engineering base.
''If left unchecked,'' said Jackson, the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in physics from M.I.T., ''this could challenge our pre-eminence and capacity to innovate.'' And it is our ability to constantly innovate new products, services and companies that has been the source of America's horn of plenty and steadily widening middle class for the last two centuries. This quiet crisis is a product of three gaps now plaguing American society. The first is an ''ambition gap.'' Compared with the young, energetic Indians and Chinese, too many Americans have gotten too lazy. As David Rothkopf, a former official in the Clinton Commerce Department, puts it, ''The real entitlement we need to get rid of is our sense of entitlement.'' Second, we have a serious numbers gap building. We are not producing enough engineers and scientists. We used to make up for that by importing them from India and China, but in a flat world, where people can now stay home and compete with us, and in a post-9/11 world, where we are insanely keeping out many of the first-round intellectual draft choices in the world for exaggerated security reasons, we can no longer cover the gap. That's a key reason companies are looking abroad. The numbers are not here. And finally we are developing an education gap. Here is the dirty little secret that no C.E.O. wants to tell you: they are not just outsourcing to save on salary. They are doing it because they can often get better-skilled and more productive people than their American workers.
These are some of the reasons that Bill Gates, the Microsoft chairman, warned the governors' conference in a Feb. 26 speech that American high-school education is ''obsolete.'' As Gates put it: ''When I compare our high schools to what I see when I'm traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. In math and science, our fourth graders are among the top students in the world. By eighth grade, they're in the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations. . . . The percentage of a population with a college degree is important, but so are sheer numbers. In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor's degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering. In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind.''
We need to get going immediately. It takes 15 years to train a good engineer, because, ladies and gentlemen, this really is rocket science. So parents, throw away the Game Boy, turn off the television and get your kids to work. There is no sugar-coating this: in a flat world, every individual is going to have to run a little faster if he or she wants to advance his or her standard of living. When I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, ''Tom, finish your dinner -- people in China are starving.'' But after sailing to the edges of the flat world for a year, I am now telling my own daughters, ''Girls, finish your homework -- people in China and India are starving for your jobs.''
I repeat, this is not a test. This is the beginning of a crisis that won't remain quiet for long. And as the Stanford economist Paul Romer so rightly says, ''A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.''
Thomas L. Friedman is the author of ''The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,'' to be published this week by Farrar, Straus & Giroux and from which this article is adapted. His column appears on the Op-Ed page of The Times
, |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:17 am |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
Right On!
Biggie9
Engineer |
|
|
|
Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:35 am |
|
|
Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
|
Thats Great! Good work to all who were involved, and good work to all the people running. I am a true believer that we need choices in every election! Its great to see so many people wanting to make a positive change!
|
_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
|
|
Mon Apr 16, 2007 1:02 pm |
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
USE YOUR SMARTS WHEN VOTING FOR SCHOOL BOARD
FLINT JOURNAL COLUMN
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Sunday, April 15, 2007
By Kelly Flynn
JOURNAL COLUMNIST
If caring about kids were the only criteria, then pretty much anyone could serve on a school board. After all, there aren't many people who don't care about kids. It's wired into our DNA to look out for the well-being of the little ones.
So when you vote for a school board member on May 8 (and you will vote, won't you?), don't make your decision based on who makes the most ardent speech about caring for kids. Take that as a given and look at what they know, and what they can do.
Because they need to bring some skills to the table. I'm fed up with school board members - and yes, administrators, too - who hide their lack of skill behind a lot of big talk about their dedication to kids. Big talk doesn't balance the budget. Big talk doesn't solve personnel issues. Big talk doesn't make sound decisions about building improvement. Big talk is just a cover for a lack of ability.
Caring about kids does not equal a well-rounded curriculum, fair and effective discipline, or good communication with parents.
So, what skills should school board members have? Well, for starters, they need to be smart. Intelligence cannot be underestimated in the quest for an effective school board member. Smart people can think on their feet and see the big picture. Good old-fashioned common sense is vital, too. You also want a creative thinker with strong problem-solving skills. Most importantly, though, a school board member must be able to work well with others. A candidate who uses the post as a bully-pulpit is a waste of your money.
Granted, school board members don't need to be experts on everything. That's what administrators and principals are for. With talented people in place a board can rely on their expertise. But they have to be knowledgeable enough to hire the right people, and put them in the right positions.
Leadership. It's the difference between a district that runs like a well-oiled machine, and one that blunders along putting out fires. And I'll bet you can name exactly which districts are which.
After 20 years in public education I know this: The minute someone tells you that they "want what's best for kids," you need to listen very carefully to the next thing out of their mouths. Because those five words are almost always used to deflect attention away from something else.
Be wary of the person who repeatedly reassures you of their motives. People who really care about kids rarely say so. They don't need to blather endlessly about their commitment to children. They're too busy living it.
Don't be snowed by a nice personality, or passionate, evangelical testimonials about caring for kids.
It's just not enough.
By Kelly Flynn, Journal Columnist |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:44 pm |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
yeah, so watch what you say and how.
everyone running has a passion for the chill'uns.
big deal. just make sure they don't qualify it by saying SOME chill'uns [like black or white only].
watch out for that "black culture" crap too Doc.
teaching is teaching. the curriculum is defined, the children are all unique. a teacher knows that EACH CHILD IS UNIQUE. regardless of race, color or creed, gender et al.
thats why they teach teachers how to teach and not just someone who is a subject matter expert.
This we gotta have our teachers look like our students is a red herring. no more true than our teachers gotta behave like our students, talk like our students, dress like our students, eat like our students, listen to music like our students...they are there to teach the students. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:49 pm |
|
|
KW
F L I N T O I D
|
| I am a little confused about the same Flynn article posted on two separate days Dr. Cross. There was not any commentary with either post. What were we suppose to get from the second post? |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:38 pm |
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
I want as many voters as possible to read Kelly Flynn's op-ed. I posted this article from the Flint Journal because I thought/think it is imperative for all potential voters to read.
The "MUST READ" posting is my interpretation of what I think should be read by all potential voters. I sincerely appreciate all input and contribution to this site..........but I will continue to keep the lead post (and therefore - most read post- what I think is most crucial to the voters).
I invite you and encourage you to respond and give your opinions............all are welcome...............but every night, I will repost Ms. Flynn's article........because I think it is THAT important.
Peace
Mike |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:53 pm |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
| Instead of reposting the same article every night why not just make it a "Sticky" so it stays at the top of the board. |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:26 pm |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
00SL2 schreef:
Instead of reposting the same article every night why not just make it a "Sticky" so it stays at the top of the board.
ohhh that sounds sooo wrong.
but i sure its serious and intentional.
teach us Sat' whats a "sticky" in your parlance. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:45 pm |
|
|
terrybankert
F L I N T O I D
|
Since we are guests and not the only posters I suggest posting new material but with a link like one below.
http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/2007/04/must-read.html
I believe a Flint Journal link will only be good for a couple of weeks.
Feel free to use this or make your own.
I do not know that there are stickys to drive a post to the top. The administrator may not agree to repeated posts in fairness to others. Just my thoughts. DO what you please. We are charting new ground every day.
Nice of the journal to list your Flint Talk thread.
We all benefit from the traffic.
Thank You Steve Myers
TRB |
|
|
|
Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:51 pm |
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
TRB,
So as not to be a pest, I'll take your sound advice and post a thread instead of the entire Kelly Flynn article every day.
Indeed, I was pleasently suprised by the attention given my internet campaigning by Melissa Burden in her article.
1500 hits to my Daily Log since my postings began. There is definitely an audience here in the cyber-world. I get 20 positive responses to every 1 nasty response - I'll take those odds any day. Thanks for the invitation Terry, you were right - the waters are fine.
Peace,
Mike |
|
|
|
Wed Apr 18, 2007 8:04 am |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
Biggie, If you visit the Open Chat link you'll see Announcements and a Sticky message that stay at the top of the daily posts. Under the FAQs: "What are Sticky topics?"
"Sticky topics appear below any announcements in view forum and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements the board administrator determines what permissions are required to post sticky topics in each forum."
Polls can be conducted, too, for designated time periods. My suggestion would be to get permission from Steve (Admin--the Contact link at the bottom of this web page) to post the "Must Read" article at the top as a Sticky until the day after the School Board election. |
|
|
|
Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:18 pm |
|
|
CrossSchoolBoard
F L I N T O I D
|
|
|
Fri Apr 20, 2007 5:12 am |
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
