I've posted something similar to this in a different thread. Just thought I'd share my unlucky situation with the community, in a spot that is more likely to be seen:
I used to live in Hamilton, OH. Great schools(even Bush came to give us money or something), although there is quite a division of wealthiness(generally, West side was wealthier than East side).
Then In June, I moved to Trenton, OH.
Where I'm going to be going now, I doubt they'll have any good classes at all. Edgewood High School is like the poorest school in the US. =(
Note: Not the Edgewood in WI
What's worse, the school is in a fairly wealthy area. Just all them wealthy folk are greedy, and vote "NO!" on each levy so they don't have to pay extra taxes.
Compare:
Where I am going:
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/oh/2037/
http://www.edgewoodschools.com/schools/ehs/EHS_index.cfm
Where I would be going:
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/oh/896/
http://www.hamiltonhigh.net/
Anyways, Hamilton High has grades 10-12, with 2,000+ students and a great Job Development Center. They also have great sports teams, and the like. Also, there are only 88% of the students that are "white"
Edgewood High has grades 9-12, with less than 1,000 students. Very poor, so I doubt that there are any good career oriented programs. Our August 2nd levy barely passed, giving us sports. The August 3rd levy failed, so we have the state's minimum requirement for buses. 99% of the students are "white"
Now, I am white, so why bring up the percentage? I have many african-american friends back in hamilton(and asian, also), and I think that Edgewood will be very dull in this respect. I've heard that everyone acts tough, but can't back it up. Back in Hamilton, that couldn't cut it- so they better not mess with me!
Anyways, as with other posts in this off-topic forum,
Just thought you should know.
Hiead
ID:186209
 Aug 6 2005, 11:17 pm (Edited on Aug 7 2005, 12:45 am)
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Tax levies won't automatically make better schools, but that doesn't mean that tax monies don't enter the picture at all. Just like any other investment, it all depends on how the investment is managed.
The government, it is to be noted, doesn't exactly have the world's greatest track record for investment management, but there is still a danger of under-funded schools. It's true that throwing money at an average-mediocre school usually won't turn it into a good one, but taking money away definitely isn't going to help any! | |
Vito Stolidus wrote:
Noone wants to pay more taxes. you woudn't believe how much is spent on schools already. If you know Detroit, you should know that more money won't make a better school. The Detroit schools get too much money already, and are still failing. It won't make the school perfect, but it's what pays for things like teachers that know the material, classroom resources, and additional classes. As it is now, the school is very broke. They just barely passed a levy to be able to continue having sports. When your high school has no sports, and it's a public school, that's pretty bad. The fact that it has less than 1,000 students probably hurts, as well, because they can't get so much out of school fees and overpriced lunches Hiead | |
Hiead wrote:
.....Edgewood High... Very poor, so I doubt that there are any good career oriented programs..... Indeed, there are no computer programming classes available. I read through the "Registration Guide," and under the "Technology" courses, guess what I found? Woodworking. Only woodworking. Science courses include a few classes I can familiarize with- Biology, Physics, etc., as well as some that are completely foreign, such as Agricultural Science. I'm such a city boy, I suppose. Hiead | |
Actually, it having less students could eb a benefit:
less students=smaller classes=more one-on-one help. The low budget is what causes a lot of problems. If the school ahd a lot of money and small classes, it could be a pretty good school (if the school spent their money wisely) | |
My city has the school taxes really high and the schools still suck. They're building a new Jr. High and tearing down the two perfectly good ones for no reason. It's going to be one of the biggest Jr. High's in the US, but there's no need for it.
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My school's not even on that website so ha! =P
~Kujila | |
Jamesburrow wrote:
Actually, it having less students could eb a benefit: In this case it's more like: less students=smaller income-from-fees=less skilled instructors=poor one-on-one help&& =less good classes + a low budget on top of everything. Really sucks. Hiead | |
Muwahaha, I'd love to send hate mail to all the teachers of my high school leaving a misc name, Anonymous.
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You don't KNOW how much federal money is spent on each and every shool district in the nation. The problem is there's a lot of overhead in all the Shool district's offices, board, etc. In my opinion, the government should break up school districts entirely and divide the money among the individual schools, so the money-grubbing politicians at the board can't get their hands on it. I suspect they are like senators: Use taxpayer money for purposes benifitting them not the taxpayers, and get reelected through taxpayer-funded Pork projects.
This is the part you may need to re-read: Every school district is given too much money and most squander it on useless classes, programs, etc, that don't benefit the students significantly. Some districts then ask for more money from the parents of the kids, when they don't deserve it and they know it. When you go to school next month, look on your schedule for useless classes that will not help the students in any way, shape, or form. Examples include: - Health classes. Health is a useless class that teaches the students nothing they don't already know. Believe me, I have taken it. - Poetry class. Just plain useless. - Something called "Fitness for life." It's a series of random games you play, which does include both active sports, board games, and everything in between, or so I'm told by my friend who had that last year. and anything else like that. I'd say ome sports are too, primarily because sports are my #3 enemy. (Don't ask about 1 or 2) Don't take offense at that if you are the kind of persn who likes sports. This is why your new shool is failing. To re-iterate an earlier post: In my opinion, all schools should be private to create a free market and stop the moneygrubbing nonsense at the board office. --Vito | |
Eh, you sure your new community isn't actually more wealthy than your old one? Because, the reduced or free lunch in your new one is more than 1/3 of your old. Ironic, no? =P
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Vito Stolidus wrote:
When you go to school next month, look on your schedule for useless classes that will not help the students in any way, shape, or form. Apparently you mean "look for classes that I don't like." Virtually every math class I've ever taken has been mind-numbingly boring because the amount of time wasted outweighed the amount of actual learning by a factor of 10. The daily math classes I took were certainly less productive than the once-a-week health class I took, so clearly schools shouldn't bother teaching math classes as they're an utter waste of time. [EDIT] Admittedly, the "fitness for life" one sounds rather questionable. I think PE tends to get a bum rap and I think physical activities are more important than most people give them credit, but even so I'm not really sure where the boardgames come in. The good news is that at least they can't possibly waste much more time than most classes do. | |
Well, I said as long as the budget was sued reasonably >_>
You know, for knowledgable teachers and technology and clubs and sports. | |
No, look for those classes with 55 year old evil, ugly teachers and a curriculum that is indistinguishable from a 5th grade one or from a curriculum the students would design if they could. I like the idea of Fitness For life: I'm taking it in the fall. Health should be called "A review of elementary school" as far as I'm concerned. Any class where you can pass the exam before you take the class is insane. Personally, I think teaching 10th graders about the food pyramids after 10 years of being taught about the food pyramids is a waste of money. Every school has budget problems, my cooking class in 9th grade had to stop cooking due to budget loss.
I think that I should be able to go through my district like Death incarnate, pointing to those programs and classes that are a waste of money and personnel with a budget-cutting finger. That would solve our budget troubles. --Vito | |
The teachers in the current school, for the most part, are pretty good and pretty cool. But there's no need for the new school. Plus, the two schools have a pretty big rivavlry, so that means a lot of fights. And the one school is still going to act as two: two football teams, two bands, etc. It's stupid.
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Vito Stolidus wrote:
- Health classes. Health is a useless class that teaches the students nothing they don't already know. Believe me, I have taken it.So have I. It actually does teach some useful information. I only stayed with it for a few weeks before dropping it, but I learned some useful information. Then again, our health class focused on diseases and stuff, while I've heard of others thst basically just tell you to eat right and excersize. - Poetry class. Just plain useless.Not to everyone. Some people like to write poetry and they love the fact that they have the option of taking classes for it. - Something called "Fitness for life." It's a series of random games you play, which does include both active sports, board games, and everything in between, or so I'm told by my friend who had that last year.So its sorta P.E. with other things thrown in? It keeps kids fit while they have fun. It doesn't sound too useless to me. and anything else like that. I'd say ome sports are too, primarily because sports are my #3 enemy. (Don't ask about 1 or 2) Don't take offense at that if you are the kind of persn who likes sports.With all the sports scholarsjips available, you actually think that sports are useless? Everyone of the classes you listed DO have a point. | |
these are my schools
The school you are going to has higher test scores. Our school has a greater racial variaty, and it appears the parents take more interest in my school, but in the end its the education (testscores) that matter. Hmmmm.....Even though the students at your school may be smarter, I prefer my school. | |
Vito Stolidus wrote:
No, look for those classes with 55 year old evil, ugly teachers and a curriculum that is indistinguishable from a 5th grade one or from a curriculum the students would design if they could. Those are individual classes though, not subjects. The fact that you got stuck with a health class that had a poor teacher and curriculum doesn't mean all health classes should be abolished. I dunno about you, but my health class was something more along the lines of "preview for high school anatomy and physiology." Similarly, I don't know if you had a bad poetry class or if you just have a beef with the idea of a poetry class, but it's a subject of great importance to anyone who wants to be a writer (not just a poet, either--any writer. Sports journalists can benefit from poetry classes). | |
Leftley wrote:
Similarly, I don't know if you had a bad poetry class or if you just have a beef with the idea of a poetry class, but it's a subject of great importance to anyone who wants to be a writer (not just a poet, either--any writer. Sports journalists can benefit from poetry classes).Right, I don't like poetry much, but I will agree my writing could eb improved by taking a poetry class. | |
Another example is the Washington DC schools. They have the most teachers, most money, and best technology, and they're horrible. My point is: Tax levies won't make bettere schools. I really don't know what will, besides making them all private schools. (I know that would be too expensive to be realistic, but it solves the "bad schools" problem.)
--Vito