West Elk Proposed Additions

[Ross]

Yes I am quoting myself, only as a refresher! The School Board is apparently gathering data for some reason, but for what reason? That data is your age group, where you live with in the school district, do you have children at West Elk, whether you rent or own your property. Then they provide a warning alert (no they did not call it that but that is what it is): "The Board will not divulge personally identifiable information about any person who completes this survey." Just why do you suppose they require this disclaimer?

Remember we have Elk Konnected School Board Members? To me this whole survey stinks of Elk Konnected.

Remember how they behaved when they had control of our County Government?
They commandeered our County Web site for their own use, didn't they?
They also commandeered our County Emergency Call System as well, didn't they?

So what is the real purpose of the requested information?
Who is putting together such a database?
For what purpose?

What a ridiculous survey the School Board put together.
Are they into marketing?
Are they kin to NSA ?

Why do they think they need  personal information on this survey?

I am not about to fill out age group or the primary residence information. Will you?

Or whether I am a renter or owner, or if I have children enrolled or not attending West Elk, because this information is irrelevant to the topic. They are trying to gather information they do not need. But for what reason? Will you bow down to them? They received their list from the court house on who the voters are, I'm sure. But when they have public meeting to discuss things like this one they have scheduled, will they ask for voter identtification cards to get in. "NO". Simple isn't it?

Their letter is addressed near the top as:
                                   To:       West Elk USD#282 Registered Voters

Simply write, "Re-open the Moline Grade School" across the form.
All their needs will be full filled.

What stinks - er - smells worse me or this coniving? I just took a shower and put on clean clothes!
LOL big time.

The reason for this post is to point out another possible way of gathering data on you and your family. Does the School or the School Board need to keep a data file on you? Or is it for Elk Konnected via the Elk Konnected School Board Members?   I think we have enough From NSA spying on our every move and conversation.   But You decide for your self!

Please read the following article!

"Don't Tell Your Parents" 6th Grade Assignment at Milan Elementary, MS

While it is unclear if this is explicitly a Common Core assignment or not, a group of students today in Tupelo, MS had quite an interesting assignment. The sixth graders at Milam Elementary were given an assignment to do in class, and they were not to discuss this assignment with their parents.

Naturally, telling a group of kids between the ages of ten and eleven to not tell their parents about an assignment is probably the surest way for them to tell their parents. In fact, it is typically a way to ensure a student sneaks a copy home.

The reason why this is so concerning is that Tupelo prides itself on data driven instruction. Now, data is nice if it helps you figure out if a student needs extra help in a particular area. However, what if that effort is aimed at monitoring the political views of a student? What if there is a shift in student opinion to say, the wrong opinion on gun control or say the wrong opinion on right to life issues? Is the school collecting data toward that end to monitor the political beliefs of these young children? As you check out the school district's video on data driven instruction, ponder for a moment where does monitoring education end and monitoring indoctrination begin?

Then, consider the assignment below. According to a local clergy, this is the assignment that one of these young sixth grade children was given in class. They were told not to tell their parents about the assignment. I find that part disconcerting right there.

The next is the topic: Are you a Republican or a Democrat? I wonder what ever happened to teaching children that they were Americans? Why is there an effort to monitor political opinions so early in a child's life?

Do the parents in Tupelo, MS need to have a conversation with the school board about monitoring for indoctrination versus education? Why were the children told NOT to tell their parents about the assignment? Is this a pre-test of attitudes with another test to be given later? Is this part of the data driven education, to monitor the attitudes and beliefs of students?

While it may seem far fetched, parent political views are part of the P-20 data collected in data driven schools. Why not the child's political views?

In the era before "data driven instruction" an assignment like this might have been received differently. In light of "data driven instruction," are student opinions on this assignment part of the "data?" After similar incidents with surveys in Maryland and other places, it does prompt one to wonder if this is now part of the data.

As a side note to the teacher, she doesn't quite have Republicans corrected stated, unless one is going strictly on party platform. For example under abortion, there are quite a few Republicans pro-choice Republicans. I am not one, but I have met many who are, and I have met many Democrats who keep trying to change their party platform on the matter. Abortion is one of those issues that is difficult to draw a partisan line upon. Even so, I am rather shocked that a teacher is discussing it with ten and eleven year olds.

Further, gun control is another issue that is not strictly partisan. In the part of the world I live in, there are Democrats with a stronger commitment to the second amendment than some Republican Governors, like Chris Christie.

As far as gay marriage is concerned, this teacher has apparently not heard of Log Cabin Republicans. But what I find even more troublesome is that gay marriage is being discussed by a teacher in the classroom. I find it disturbing that a government employee, which is what a public teacher really is, is having a conversation with children of this age on this topic.

Quite frankly, wouldn't classroom time be better spent teaching something like, math, geography, science, art, or music? Maybe it is just me, but I have to wonder political affiliation of 6th graders is a priority in this country? Perhaps more of the basic and less of the politics would bring about higher test scores that these politicians seem to expect from our nation's youth.

http://freepatriot.org/2013/11/23/dont-tell-your-parents-6th-grade-assignment-at-milan-elementary-ms/

I am going to post this at: 
http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,11780.5860.html  I feel this is important enough to be discussed. Do we want our children to be used for data mining?


Be smart, be sensible, be frugal, re-open the Moline Grade School and save millions and problems solved.

Be Smart,     Be Sensible,     Be Frugal  

[Ross]

I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a Happy Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my little 60 acre retirement homestead here in Elk County.

And I am thankful for the local folks of Elk County that have helped me learn many things about farming and ranching along my way.

I am thankful for the folks that have encouraged me and argued with me on this thread.
    Why you may ask? Because none of this is taken personal, I have no animosity towards any one.  With out each of you this thread would never have happened.
                  Thank you!

I am thankful for my clean bill of health received from my doctor today.

I am thankful for the house full of company I will have tomorrow to share Thanksgiving with.

I have nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews arriving from out of town early tomorrow morning and I am very thankful for each and everyone of them.

Oh, least I forget! I am thankful to the owners of this forum for making it available for our use.

There are far too many things I am thankful for to continue.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE                                        HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE     

[sixdogsmom]

Right back atcha Ross! happy Thanksgiving to you, and all my forum friends! 

[Ross]

Yes, I know, I quoted myself from: http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/index.php/topic,11780.msg215385.html#msg215385

Why because these progressive liberals keep starting new threads about this subject, I'll leave it up to you to decide why they do that. Okay, OK!

This is what real leadership in a School Board should be concentrating on, instead of building a Grade School that is not needed. Concentrate on education and the misuse of it. This is effectively re-writing history or flat out omitting true history. Is this what we want for our children, is this what the School Board wants for our children, a lack of a full education?

It appears the Federal Government wants less then a full education for the Kids, Doesn't it?
Is this related to the critical thinking of which the School Board has made numerous remarks about, that they want to teach at West Elk?

Well is it?

Is it Possible To Teach Students The Meaning Behind President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Without Mentioning The Civil War?

Common Core Instructs Students to Learn About Gettysburg Address Without Mentioning Civil War

According to the government's new Common Core education standards, the Gettysburg Address must be taught without mentioning the Civil War and explaining why President Lincoln was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The Student Achievement Partners instructions tell teachers to, "Refrain from giving background context or substantial instructional guidance at the outset...This close reading approach forces students to rely exclusively on the text...and levels the playing field for all students as the seek to comprehend Lincoln's address."

(See a Video at:)
http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/12/01/common-core-instructs-students-learn-about-gettysburg-address-without-mentioning-civil

While the School Board is busy teaching Critical Thinking how about throwing in a little Frugality the quality of being economical with money; thriftiness.

Add to that a little bit of education in Constraint, by an act of employing some Constraint. EG,  by Practicing some Constraint now.

After all, if the School Board can not practice it how can they hope to have it taught?

 

Be smart, be sensible, be frugal, re-open the Moline Grade School and save millions and problems solved.

Be Smart,     Be Sensible,     Be Frugal