Our state legislature is in session at the moment. So far, it is too early to get a real sense of what stupidity will distract the legislators from their chore there. But I did read one article about a proposed "Sex Ed Bill for Parents".
Utah's public schools have a fine line to toe when it comes to sex education or any kind. As it is now, the instant a student is in a junior health class or high school human biology or even anatomy class a note is sent home that demands the parent(s) sign for permission to include the student in the discussion where body parts, organs or biological systems are discussed. This is the "opt-in" system of parental permission.
That means that if no note comes back, the student is not allowed to sit in on the class, its discussion or any information that will be covered in the class during this portion. Crazy, I know. But the hyper-active parents who still believe that their little precious ones will only learn what they are taught in Family Home Evening about human sexuality really believe that their kids don't talk to the friend, search the internet or read the bathroom walls of the junior high. The "opt-in" system is a compromise for them.
With that kind of parental responsibility then for the parents to be the primary teachers of this sort of knowledge, the legislature in their wisdom has proposed a bill that will require parents to take an online course about how to teach human sexuality to their students. The problem I see with this is two fold. One, how many of these parents who are terrified their children might learn about human sexuality in class will actually want to search online resources for the information--proven, scientific and correct--to use at home? I am guessing not many. These are the same kind of families that are worried that they could accidentally use the internet for homework research and pull up pornography. In their homes! Overworried and undereducated parents have this issue, at least in my mind.
Two, the resources that will be provided online are already available to parents locally at their neighborhood school--junior highs and high schools make the same resources available to parents any time they want to check them out for more information to help them supplement or teach directly rather than let them in the class that will be doing the same thing. How many of them have ever been checked out by parents with the system we have in place now? None. Zero. Nada. To my understanding, and the 13 years I have volunteered in the public schools, I have yet to hear of any parents coming to use the resources already available in their neighborhood.
What makes the Legislature think that this new "rule" will help these poor kids ever understand anything they might have to learn from their friends, the bathroom walls or--heaven forbid--on their own the hard way? These law makers need to do a little work in the public schools to see what is already happening and let go of the very small, but very vocal, minority of parents that want to keep their heads in the sand. Those who believe that if they shelter their little darlings they will be safer than if we give them knowledge. Ralph Waldo Emerson said " Knowledge is the antidote to fear." Maybe we ought to start subscribing that kind of thinking with our children. Give them correct knowledge and then infuse it with the principles and values we have as a family. That is the best hope our kids have to navigate this disturbed and wicked world.
And that kind of balanced thinking will never come from the legislature. Not that this is a surprise.
Showing posts with label legislature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legislature. Show all posts
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
When WIll It END?!?
This is WRONG! And it makes me mad!
All Quail Run cares about is getting funding ... note that students have
to be enrolled through October 5, 2012 to redeem their rewards. If you
weren't aware, schools receieve their funding for the year based on
children enrolled on October 1st. Public Schools have to take
children regardless of when they enroll, so any parent not happy with
Quail Run on October 5th will be able to come back to their neighborhood
public school and be educated all year for free. They money will stay
at Quail Run! This is totally unethical to be advertising they need to
stay through October 5th and shows the need to pass legislation
regarding funding. I'm not saying charter schools are bad, but I'm
saying if you start the year there, you should have to commit and stay
there the whole school year or let the money follow the student back to
their neighborhood school.
Quail Run is a local Charter School. Now a charter school, for those who may not be familiar, is a school which is funded almost identically to our neighborhood public school by our state legislature.
According to our school district leadership "The WPU (weighted pupil unit--the amount of money per student allotted to each public school to educate that student) is the same statewide for
any student who has membership for 180 days of school. Where it gets a
little tricky is that charter schools have worked it out so that for
charter elementary students the WPU is .90, for grades 7-8 the WPU is
.99, and for high school the WPU is 1.2. Obviously they did this because
of the added cost it is to run a high school with the different
programs, etc.
"Membership reports are taken on October 1 - funding
goes wherever the student is on October 1. If a student transfers to a
public school from a charter school after October 1 - all of the money
stays at the charter school. Obviously - if a student moves to a charter
school from a public school after October 1, all of the money stays at
the public school."
The fact that this school is advertising a bunch of "swag" for any student who enrolls long enough to be counted as theirs by the legislature for funding purposes is WRONG. It is unethical and is not the way these charter schools were meant to be part of our "school choice".
I would love to scream about this. But I don't have the energy anymore. It feels like we have been beating our heads against the wall since they came into being.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Keeping Promises, Or Not
In the great state of Utah, there has been a wonderful program for our kids in the high schools. A terribly arduous program of concurrent enrollment give the kids an opportunity to earn their associates degree while they finished their high school diploma. If the student does this, the state offers a "New Century Scholarship" which will then pay 75% of the student's remaining two years of tuition at any state college or university.
This is a lot of work to earn. The Girl is just setting out on this path. She is entering 9th grade and is registered for AP Geography (which will earn college credits when she passes the AP test), among other honors and college prep classes. As she enters High School (that is next year yet, as we have a three year HS here) she will continue to challenge herself with more AP classes and earning college credit. She willb e working toward the associates degree and diploma simultaneously.
This sounds so idyllic, doesn't it? Students working really hard and earning extra credit and then they are rewarded with continuing education and tuition money from a grateful and admiring state. Right?
Yeah. Not so much at the moment.
Just weeks before these kids, who just graduated this spring, are headed to their first semester of college courses they are notified that their scholarship was no longer worth 75% of their tuition, but rather instead only 40% this year and it will go to 25% next year. The economy is tough all around, you know?
How can our state legislators live with themselves when they make idiotic moves like this?! Many of these kids were denied other scholarships because they had "earned " 75% tuition from this program. Two weeks before school begins it is too late to apply for other scholarships. It is too late to get a great summer job and earn the additional money needed to pay tuition. The kids are even way behind in the line for grant money or financial aid in terms of loans.
There was a wonderful civic dialog on this topic this week on our local daytime talk radio. The host called this situation "unconscionable". And the point was made by many callers that if they needed to cut the funding, that is understandable--but you can't yank the funding two weeks before these kids start school. The kids that are knee deep in this need more warning than that.
As a parent of a new upstart in the program I feel the conundrum. This is a rigorous program. Is it going to be worth it for The Girl to work THAT hard for something that may or may not be there as promised for her? Will she miss out of the fun of high school if she is working for a scholarship that won't be there anymore? Is the extra work worth it even without a scholarship?
Some things ought to be crystal clear; You know, black and white, no gray center. Keeping promises to our kids ought to be one of those things. Too bad the legislature doesn't see that yet. Here's to still hoping.
This is a lot of work to earn. The Girl is just setting out on this path. She is entering 9th grade and is registered for AP Geography (which will earn college credits when she passes the AP test), among other honors and college prep classes. As she enters High School (that is next year yet, as we have a three year HS here) she will continue to challenge herself with more AP classes and earning college credit. She willb e working toward the associates degree and diploma simultaneously.
This sounds so idyllic, doesn't it? Students working really hard and earning extra credit and then they are rewarded with continuing education and tuition money from a grateful and admiring state. Right?
Yeah. Not so much at the moment.
Just weeks before these kids, who just graduated this spring, are headed to their first semester of college courses they are notified that their scholarship was no longer worth 75% of their tuition, but rather instead only 40% this year and it will go to 25% next year. The economy is tough all around, you know?
How can our state legislators live with themselves when they make idiotic moves like this?! Many of these kids were denied other scholarships because they had "earned " 75% tuition from this program. Two weeks before school begins it is too late to apply for other scholarships. It is too late to get a great summer job and earn the additional money needed to pay tuition. The kids are even way behind in the line for grant money or financial aid in terms of loans.
There was a wonderful civic dialog on this topic this week on our local daytime talk radio. The host called this situation "unconscionable". And the point was made by many callers that if they needed to cut the funding, that is understandable--but you can't yank the funding two weeks before these kids start school. The kids that are knee deep in this need more warning than that.
As a parent of a new upstart in the program I feel the conundrum. This is a rigorous program. Is it going to be worth it for The Girl to work THAT hard for something that may or may not be there as promised for her? Will she miss out of the fun of high school if she is working for a scholarship that won't be there anymore? Is the extra work worth it even without a scholarship?
Some things ought to be crystal clear; You know, black and white, no gray center. Keeping promises to our kids ought to be one of those things. Too bad the legislature doesn't see that yet. Here's to still hoping.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Prepare Yourselves--This Will Take a While
I decided what I wanted to write about this morning as I sat in a Regional PTA meeting yesterday morning. I do try to avoid most political items of late, my dear readers, as I know it is not everyone's cup of tea. But this issue is so asinine I must write about it, just to vent my own frustrations.
On Wednesday this week, a little bill called Senate Bill (SB) 199 made it's way out of the little committee that reviewed it (and passed it by a 5-1 vote, by the way) and now becomes a measure to which the entire senate must attend before a vote.
SB 199, at the onset, was announced to be a bill for equality of access for parent groups in our public schools. That is funny, as I have never seen anyone "carded" at the door of any school I have visited. If anything, all parent groups seem to be pleading with parents to be more involved. But apparently, Senator Curt Bramble of Provo seemed to think that wasn't enough.
The final three lines of this bill are the pointed, upsetting bits. In essence, it says that no Utah public school shall have any association with any parent group that charges dues. (Is it any wonder that this guy was one of the proponents of school vouchers a few years ago when I was pulling my hair out about that stupidity?) Now, he is coming about to attack the PTA--specifically this time-- from the back door too. Dues, seemingly, would be the problem.
Paul Rolly, a reporter and columnist from the SL Tribune wrote a great blog point on this. I'd like to share it with you:
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Utah: 'We're Number One'
"Utah already is on the weird-state map for its unusual liquor law, and state Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, won distinction a couple of months ago as Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" on MSNBC's "Countdown."
"But Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, might single handedly surpass all that.
"If Bramble's SB199 is passed into law this year, Utah will be the only state in the nation that prohibits the PTA from participating in school activities.
"A spokesman for the national PTA office in Chicago said no other state has a provision that comes close to the Utah proposal, and to his knowledge, there has never been such a law targeting the PTA in that manner.
"Bramble's bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. It would ban schools from allowing organizations that collect dues to participate in activities at the school. The PTA, because of its national affiliation, requires $5 a year in dues from members.
"The proposed legislation appears to be an act of vindictiveness on Bramble's part. His Democratic opponent for the Senate last year is the president of the Provo District PTA. And the organization helped get the voucher bill passed by the 2007 Legislature repealed in a referendum vote.
"Plus, most of those who testified in favor of the bill at the committee hearing were members of the coalition that pushed vouchers through the Legislature in the first place. Representatives of Parents for Choice in Education, the Sutherland Institute, the Eagle Forum and the Charter Schools Association all spoke in favor of the bill.
"And the committee itself is stacked with the most vehement supporters of vouchers in the Senate, including Bramble, Howard Stephenson, R-Draper and Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.
"I just can't wait to see what award awaits Utah after word of this legislation gets around.
"Cheers,
"Paul Rolly"
Now, at the moment I don't really care what we "look" like to other states--we pretty much have to get over ourselves on that one--but this was the most ridiculous waste of time I think I have seen at the legislature since the pointless discussion a few years ago over the State's official junk food.
I wrote to my senator, Senator John Valentine, the first time while this bill was in committee. I wrote again yesterday when I heard it had passed from committee and was awaiting a senate-wide vote. Would you like to see my letter? Thanks, you guys are so gracious...
February 19, 2009
Senator Valentine—
I understand that SB199 has passed out of committee and is on its way to a senate vote.
PLEASE, I urge you to oppose this legislation as it is going to do exactly opposite of what it appears to encourage if it passes. The way the bill is written does not grant equal access. Indeed it will exclude a large group of interested and concerned parents, simply because they are members of a national organization that requires payment of dues.
70 % of Utah schools currently have an established local PTA organization working within them. Parents wishing to volunteer and work within a given school need not be members of PTA at these schools to participate.
PTA Membership does require a membership dues payment, but volunteers at a school have no requirement for membership to participate.
As a long time PTA member, I am grateful for the benefits that come to my family and my local schools because of my paid membership each year. There are programs my children love and enjoy participating in that are direct PTA programs. They are not accessible if we do not have PTA in our schools. As a member, I know my voice counts in what the entire organization does to fulfill its mission to advocate for all children.
As a PTA volunteer, I am grateful for the leadership and localized training that comes with my PTA membership. I have learned much as far as the organization and administration of our city, local schools, local districts and the reach the legislature has over our schools statewide. PTA is a source of information and a resource I do not receive any other place. And I know the information I receive through PTA is always structured to benefit children.
Please do not allow the Senate, or Utah legislature in general, to set policy for an independent organization. If this bill passes, it would seem likely that it will also affect not only PTAs across the state, but also athletic and parent booster clubs for all sorts of groups in our schools. There will be many, many unintended consequences if this bill passes. That would be more than just unfortunate. It would be devastating.
Again, please vote NO on SB 199 when it comes to a vote. Equal Access is already established by Federal mandates. Please let’s keep ALL interested parent groups welcome in our Utah schools; that should include the very active PTAs in our schools too.
Yesterday I received an email response (It was certainly generically generated, but I don't care. At least I know he heard from me) that gently affirmed his stand with me on this one.
WHY, with everything else this part-time, lay-legislature has to do in this session, under these economic stresses, WHY would this even be worth their time or paper to write it on? It is called personal agenda, my friends. The government is crawling--not with the RIGHT people to represent us, but with persuasive people who got where they are because they convinced the people who voted for them that they were right and now they are out to forward their personal agendas.
Remember when 'AGENDA' meant a plan to follow for a structured meeting? It certainly has other definitions now, doesn't it?
I'm not quite ready to say rigth her and now that Sen. Bramble is the Grand PoohBah of a conspiracy group out to end the PTA in Utah. But the thought has crossed my mind.
If you see the stupidity of this bill, please write an email and shoot it off to your state senator today. Let them know what a waste of their time this bill is, and how damaging it's effects will be to our schools and our kids. Go to www.utahsenate.org to find your district and your senator. The appropriate email address should be listed there too.
So much for the promise Lincoln gave us of a 'government for the people and by the people', huh? Stayed tuned! I'll be sure to report back what I hear about SB 199 as it comes along. And THANKS, as always, for letting me vent. Good thing I slept on this one, or my blog would suddenly be rated "M" for strong language.
On Wednesday this week, a little bill called Senate Bill (SB) 199 made it's way out of the little committee that reviewed it (and passed it by a 5-1 vote, by the way) and now becomes a measure to which the entire senate must attend before a vote.
SB 199, at the onset, was announced to be a bill for equality of access for parent groups in our public schools. That is funny, as I have never seen anyone "carded" at the door of any school I have visited. If anything, all parent groups seem to be pleading with parents to be more involved. But apparently, Senator Curt Bramble of Provo seemed to think that wasn't enough.
The final three lines of this bill are the pointed, upsetting bits. In essence, it says that no Utah public school shall have any association with any parent group that charges dues. (Is it any wonder that this guy was one of the proponents of school vouchers a few years ago when I was pulling my hair out about that stupidity?) Now, he is coming about to attack the PTA--specifically this time-- from the back door too. Dues, seemingly, would be the problem.
Paul Rolly, a reporter and columnist from the SL Tribune wrote a great blog point on this. I'd like to share it with you:
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Utah: 'We're Number One'
"Utah already is on the weird-state map for its unusual liquor law, and state Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, won distinction a couple of months ago as Keith Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World" on MSNBC's "Countdown."
"But Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, might single handedly surpass all that.
"If Bramble's SB199 is passed into law this year, Utah will be the only state in the nation that prohibits the PTA from participating in school activities.
"A spokesman for the national PTA office in Chicago said no other state has a provision that comes close to the Utah proposal, and to his knowledge, there has never been such a law targeting the PTA in that manner.
"Bramble's bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. It would ban schools from allowing organizations that collect dues to participate in activities at the school. The PTA, because of its national affiliation, requires $5 a year in dues from members.
"The proposed legislation appears to be an act of vindictiveness on Bramble's part. His Democratic opponent for the Senate last year is the president of the Provo District PTA. And the organization helped get the voucher bill passed by the 2007 Legislature repealed in a referendum vote.
"Plus, most of those who testified in favor of the bill at the committee hearing were members of the coalition that pushed vouchers through the Legislature in the first place. Representatives of Parents for Choice in Education, the Sutherland Institute, the Eagle Forum and the Charter Schools Association all spoke in favor of the bill.
"And the committee itself is stacked with the most vehement supporters of vouchers in the Senate, including Bramble, Howard Stephenson, R-Draper and Margaret Dayton, R-Orem.
"I just can't wait to see what award awaits Utah after word of this legislation gets around.
"Cheers,
"Paul Rolly"
Now, at the moment I don't really care what we "look" like to other states--we pretty much have to get over ourselves on that one--but this was the most ridiculous waste of time I think I have seen at the legislature since the pointless discussion a few years ago over the State's official junk food.
I wrote to my senator, Senator John Valentine, the first time while this bill was in committee. I wrote again yesterday when I heard it had passed from committee and was awaiting a senate-wide vote. Would you like to see my letter? Thanks, you guys are so gracious...
February 19, 2009
Senator Valentine—
I understand that SB199 has passed out of committee and is on its way to a senate vote.
PLEASE, I urge you to oppose this legislation as it is going to do exactly opposite of what it appears to encourage if it passes. The way the bill is written does not grant equal access. Indeed it will exclude a large group of interested and concerned parents, simply because they are members of a national organization that requires payment of dues.
70 % of Utah schools currently have an established local PTA organization working within them. Parents wishing to volunteer and work within a given school need not be members of PTA at these schools to participate.
PTA Membership does require a membership dues payment, but volunteers at a school have no requirement for membership to participate.
As a long time PTA member, I am grateful for the benefits that come to my family and my local schools because of my paid membership each year. There are programs my children love and enjoy participating in that are direct PTA programs. They are not accessible if we do not have PTA in our schools. As a member, I know my voice counts in what the entire organization does to fulfill its mission to advocate for all children.
As a PTA volunteer, I am grateful for the leadership and localized training that comes with my PTA membership. I have learned much as far as the organization and administration of our city, local schools, local districts and the reach the legislature has over our schools statewide. PTA is a source of information and a resource I do not receive any other place. And I know the information I receive through PTA is always structured to benefit children.
Please do not allow the Senate, or Utah legislature in general, to set policy for an independent organization. If this bill passes, it would seem likely that it will also affect not only PTAs across the state, but also athletic and parent booster clubs for all sorts of groups in our schools. There will be many, many unintended consequences if this bill passes. That would be more than just unfortunate. It would be devastating.
Again, please vote NO on SB 199 when it comes to a vote. Equal Access is already established by Federal mandates. Please let’s keep ALL interested parent groups welcome in our Utah schools; that should include the very active PTAs in our schools too.
Yesterday I received an email response (It was certainly generically generated, but I don't care. At least I know he heard from me) that gently affirmed his stand with me on this one.
WHY, with everything else this part-time, lay-legislature has to do in this session, under these economic stresses, WHY would this even be worth their time or paper to write it on? It is called personal agenda, my friends. The government is crawling--not with the RIGHT people to represent us, but with persuasive people who got where they are because they convinced the people who voted for them that they were right and now they are out to forward their personal agendas.
Remember when 'AGENDA' meant a plan to follow for a structured meeting? It certainly has other definitions now, doesn't it?
I'm not quite ready to say rigth her and now that Sen. Bramble is the Grand PoohBah of a conspiracy group out to end the PTA in Utah. But the thought has crossed my mind.
If you see the stupidity of this bill, please write an email and shoot it off to your state senator today. Let them know what a waste of their time this bill is, and how damaging it's effects will be to our schools and our kids. Go to www.utahsenate.org to find your district and your senator. The appropriate email address should be listed there too.
So much for the promise Lincoln gave us of a 'government for the people and by the people', huh? Stayed tuned! I'll be sure to report back what I hear about SB 199 as it comes along. And THANKS, as always, for letting me vent. Good thing I slept on this one, or my blog would suddenly be rated "M" for strong language.
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