Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[froot loops]

froot:
Well, some government schools haven't teached good.

Some of the charter schools have been equally as bad, but you have fattened your wallet.

[Da Geezer]

News today, owing to a source for the NYT, is that Loretta Lynch signed an order on Jan 3, 2017, to allow the NSA to share intellegence with any executive agency (state, local, federal, or FOREIGN). This circumvents the Fourth Amendment's judicial review of "probable cause" in the issuance of a warrant. Another "negative liberty" under attack by those who hate the rule of law.

[Rocky Bleier]

In 1981, wack job John Hinckley Jr. was allowed to get close enough to President Reagan to shoot him. Conveniently, that would have meant that former CIA Director George H. W. Bush would be the new president. Trump is even more hated by the intelligence services and the Deep State than was Reagan. Look for an attempt on Trump's life within the next 18 months.

[Da Geezer]

froot:

Some of the charter schools have been equally as bad, but you have fattened your wallet.

I've never taken a dime for any of my activities in the charter school area. Zero. I've "invested" money, which I'll never get back. DeVos has invested hundreds of millions of her own money without a return. You, Jeff and others who base their dislike of charter schools on "profit" are just looking for an excuse to keep the status quo in place. The only reason profit is mentioned by folks like me is to point out the vast sums of money that are totally wasted, or more accurately, funneled to the Democrat Party.

Again, the MI numbers are: 1) Charters get 63% of the "base grant" for the government school district in which they are located. 2) Charters must supply their own school buildings and other capital assets. Government schools receive a separate millage from property tax bills to fund their assets. 3) Charters serve roughly double the number of black and Hispanic youth as a percentage of their student population than government schools and 4) There is ZERO "sorting of students" who apply. All applicants have an equal chance of acceptance by lottery. The only exception is that siblings "follow" in acceptance once one applicant in a family wins the lottery.

Those are facts.

In addition, the Michigan Education Association, as part of all union contracts, requires local government school boards to buy their health, dental, and other insurances from MESSA, the MEA-owned insurance company. This is the real jackpot for the Democrat Party and for progressives. IDENTICAL insurance is available from private insurers (SET-SAG was the one I knew) at substantially reduced rates from MESSA (last I heard was roughly a $ 9,000 difference). It is this money that is funneled from the non-profit MESSA directly into political activities. All MEA statistics will be focused on union dues (roughly $ 1000) rather than on MESSA's insurance shake-down. Of course, all of these financial constructs have the sole purpose of "helping the children".

For you fellows in other states, you must be thinking "Why is MI held up as an example, pro or con? Why not my state? The answer is that the MEA (and AFT) was the first of the NEA state affiliates to apply UAW-like negotiation tactics to teacher contracts. As the teacher unions became more militant nationally, MEA leaders became the prime source of leadership in the NEA/AFT. The Forbes article, "The Michigan Mafia", gave a history of the MEA's change from a professional association into an "industrial" union in terms of tactics. Just be aware that teachers in MI make more than lawyers (of same age and experience) do. ( ok. fill in the lawyer joke here __________ )

If you want to know about Betsy DeVos, watch Joe Lieberman's introduction of her to the Senate committee. He is a board member with her at the AFC.

I will again open the floor to anyone who has an idea that would positively affect inner-city public education. Personally, I'd love to see master teachers brought in from outside of the cities for two-year terms of teaching in the inner city. Pay them double or more. Let them return to their suburban job with no loss of tenure after 2 years. The NEA/AFT absolutely oppose anything like this, because everyone knows that teachers with the same level of experience are equally gifted.

[Jeff Buchanan]

froot:

You, Jeff and others who base their dislike of charter schools on "profit" are just looking for an excuse to keep the status quo in place.

To be clear, I have stated no opinion or position on charter schools.

[entropy]

Raiders have filed paper work to move the team to Vegas

I'm not sure how Oakland would have any raiders fans after this..


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Steve Sisolak @SteveSisolak [ame="https://twitter.com/SteveSisolak/status/822127812727349248"]34m34 minutes ago[/ame]
It is official! The @RAIDERS have filed their paperwork to relocate to #LasVegas.

55 replies 1,174 retweets 494 likes

[CGVT]

I know what the term means and Franken's follow up clarified it for her. It was a question based on the No Child Left Behind act. I believe that since the law has been retired, it is less of an issue. Unfortunately, the time was up and we didn't get to hear where she stood. You would think she would have seized on the question. You don't send your kid to another school for a curriculum whose big goal is to reach proficiency. That would mean you get rid of advanced or accelerated programs and focus on programs that focus on getting the most students into the proficient category.

If you don't have a clue and can't speak intelligently to the topic, you have no business being there.

She tried to bull**** her way through the hearing and got exposed.

Unqualified. Next!

[froot loops]

If you don't have a clue and can't speak intelligently to the topic, you have no business being there.

She tried to bull**** her way through the hearing and got exposed.

Unqualified. Next!

Yep

[Wild Hoss]

I think she is perfectly qualified...not to run the DoEd, but for what Trump wants her to do.

I am kind of at the point with the DoEd that we say 'To hell with it', dissolve the thing, and let the consequences play out. If the Sun Belt states want to use episodes of The Flintstones in science class, so be it. It will be less competition for my children getting accepted into good universities when their kids bomb the ACT.

[froot loops]

That's probably a good approach.

[Da Geezer]

To be clear, I have stated no opinion or position on charter schools.

You certainly have. You said that you didn't trust folks (like myself) who are in the charter school business with teaching values (my word, not yours) to students BECAUSE we are in it for profit.

[Wild Hoss]

Raiders have filed paper work to move the team to Vegas

I'm not sure how Oakland would have any raiders fans after this..


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Steve Sisolak @SteveSisolak 34m34 minutes ago
It is official! The @RAIDERS have filed their paperwork to relocate to #LasVegas.

55 replies 1,174 retweets 494 likes

The stadium in Oakland is minuscule, and the fans aren't selling it out. They had the lowest home-game attendance in the league at 54,500, and the 3rd-lowest attendance %...with a team that was at one point 10-2.

The Chargers drew more per game. The Cardinals went 7-8-1 and drew 10,000 fans per game more.

At some point you just have to face reality, and realize that the mystique and reality of the situation simply do not mesh. If the organization was really that important and popular to Oakland, they'd have a bigger, fuller stadium. They don't, so they're going looking for one.

[Jeff Buchanan]

You certainly have. You said that you didn't trust folks (like myself) who are in the charter school business with teaching values (my word, not yours) to students BECAUSE we are in it for profit.

Don't think so but I could be wrong. No need to look it up.

My position right now is that I have no position on Charter Schools one way or the other.

I have however, since early on when I had 4 kids in school, been strongly in favor of Public Schools and doing what is required to keep them healthy.

[Da Geezer]

I am kind of at the point with the DoEd that we say 'To hell with it', dissolve the thing, and let the consequences play out. If the Sun Belt states want to use episodes of The Flintstones in science class, so be it. It will be less competition for my children getting accepted into good universities when their kids bomb the ACT.

You, froot, and I all agree. Shit sinks, cream rises. Get out of the way and let it happen. Same holds true for loaning money to students. Government should get its hands off and let today's kids work out getting an education. Other generations have done it, and I'd like to believe this generation could.

Jeff:

I have however, since early on when I had 4 kids in school, been strongly in favor of Public Schools and doing what is required to keep them healthy.

Just remember that all charter schools are public schools. This is not a public/private issue. Vouchers are the public/private issue.

[froot loops]

I was being facetious on that from Hoss, you don't agree with me thankfully.