HISD $1.89 billion bond initiative could create tons of new jobs for Houstonians (lease, daycare)

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Truth713

Some one once said something to me that stuck..when times are bad people say we don't have the money, when times are good we say lets do it later ....Houston eco is doing well right now...we will hmm and hum till it is bad again..and they say we can,t afford it now.

Exactly,
Only time people say "we don't have the money" is when they don't want something to be done.

Have you ever heard that argument when NFL teams want to build a football stadium?
All they say is "how much money is gonna generate for everybody"

[houston-nomad]

Marksmu, do you READ before you post? Kids are having classes in STORAGE CLOSETS. We're not talking about buying teachers ipads.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Marksmu, do you READ before you post? Kids are having classes in STORAGE CLOSETS. We're not talking about buying teachers ipads.

Kids are playing musical instruments in storage closets. Big deal....that is the exception not the rule, and music, though important to some, is not that important to others, and its certainly not worth bulldozing a school so the kids can have their own practice rooms...

Its easy to spend someone elses money...and its easy to just incrementally gouge people out of their money - but Im tired of it...what are there 9 bond issues on the ballot this time? All that has to be repaid...last I checked there still was not a money tree growing cash...When the schools eliminate the waste then we can talk about new schools - as it is there is far too much waste to justify a 2 Billion dollar bond....2,000,000,000....thats not a trivial dollar amount.

I saw the news reports detailing the "problems" at many of the Houston schools and it was pathetic...it left me saying "so what"

The high school for the performing arts kids were practicing their instruments in hallways, GASP! The schools server room had condensation on its AC vent and a bucket had to be placed under the drip - and they even mentioned a leak in the roof during Ike! The Horror! A roof leak during a freaking hurricane!

The school districts spending is outrageous, and its time people stopped just saying that we have to spend more b/c its for the kids! That tired excuse does not work on me.

I grew up going to school in old schools, exposed asbestos ceilings and I got three times the education HISD is able to provide....The band practiced outside under the bleachers in the football stadium half the time, the dance squad used the hallways before/after school, the cheerleaders used the cafeteria, the drama kids practiced in the halls, etc...all the non-academic extras had to make due with the space available - we dont need high ceilings, fancy buildings, state of the art electronics, and dedicated band practice space. Those are luxuries...times are tight, its time the schools tighten their belts too.

[houston-nomad]

Times are tight for who, exactly? You? Houston is doing okay. For it to continue to do okay, it needs an educated workforce. Kids aren't going to be inspired by the academics at these schools, believe me. It's drill, drill drill to meet the required testing standards. For some kids, stuff like music is what's keeping them in school, keeping them motivated. So that they can contribute to the economy productively one day. Let the schools go to $hit and you are giving up on an entire generation.

I'm so sick of people with your attitude... "they should make do with less." About everything. Then you complain about parents who aren't good parents... maybe that's because they dropped out of school, have lousy jobs, and are never home because they're out making minimum wage. It's a cycle and you can't break it by just bitching that parents and teachers "ought" to try harder.

OK, I swear, I'm going to stop wasting my time with you now. I'm done.

[Glossa]

Amen, Marksmu. Well said.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Times are tight for who, exactly? You? Houston is doing okay. For it to continue to do okay, it needs an educated workforce. Kids aren't going to be inspired by the academics at these schools, believe me. It's drill, drill drill to meet the required testing standards. For some kids, stuff like music is what's keeping them in school, keeping them motivated. So that they can contribute to the economy productively one day. Let the schools go to $hit and you are giving up on an entire generation.

I'm so sick of people with your attitude... "they should make do with less." About everything. Then you complain about parents who aren't good parents... maybe that's because they dropped out of school, have lousy jobs, and are never home because they're out making minimum wage. It's a cycle and you can't break it by just bitching that parents and teachers "ought" to try harder.

OK, I swear, I'm going to stop wasting my time with you now. I'm done.

Those tests are pathetic. If a kid cant pass the state mandated tests he is going to be changing oil for a living regardless of whether or not he plays his trumpet in a hall or in a closet. Those tests are extremely basic.

Not having a fancy building is not letting a school go to hay in handbasket. Some of the most successful private companies have facilities far more deteriorated than these schools that HISD wants to tear down and replace with other peoples money. Facilities don't equal success.

Like it or not - its the parents job to raise a child. Very few children will be self motivated enough to do well in school without good parents behind them pushing....I have no sympathy for people who drop out of school b/c that was a choice, and it was a poor one....A new building is not going to keep a kid who wants to drop out from dropping out. A good parent will.

I have no problems with what the teachers in general are doing, but I have lots of problems with the parents of kids who are not involved. If a parent cant be involved in their kids lives enough to ensure that the kid is staying in school, then that says a lot about that person. I feel sorry for the kid, but a new building is not going to break the cycle of bad parenting.

[OducksFTW!]

Originally Posted by marksmu

Those tests are pathetic. If a kid cant pass the state mandated tests he is going to be changing oil for a living regardless of whether or not he plays his trumpet in a hall or in a closet. Those tests are extremely basic.

Not having a fancy building is not letting a school go to hay in handbasket. Some of the most successful private companies have facilities far more deteriorated than these schools that HISD wants to tear down and replace with other peoples money. Facilities don't equal success.

Like it or not - its the parents job to raise a child. Very few children will be self motivated enough to do well in school without good parents behind them pushing....I have no sympathy for people who drop out of school b/c that was a choice, and it was a poor one....A new building is not going to keep a kid who wants to drop out from dropping out. A good parent will.

I have no problems with what the teachers in general are doing, but I have lots of problems with the parents of kids who are not involved. If a parent cant be involved in their kids lives enough to ensure that the kid is staying in school, then that says a lot about that person. I feel sorry for the kid, but a new building is not going to break the cycle of bad parenting.

You mention you attended a school that had to make do with very little, and how there was far less than what these kids today are 'privaleged' to have today. I am right behind you 100%! These kids in HISD have far too much they should be happy they even have a building to go into.

Heck you're right facilities dont make anyone educated or not, that's why I say we should go back to what our forefathers did and have little school houses on the prairie! You know like the founding fathers of this great country were educated in! I mean America is what it is today because of people who came from the most basic things in life.

Running water? Electricity? Air conditioning? Heat? BAH! those are all luxuries.. look at Abe Lincoln; he was educated without all of that "fancy" stuff and look what he accomplished!!!

[CorJan]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Marksmu, do you READ before you post? Kids are having classes in STORAGE CLOSETS. We're not talking about buying teachers ipads.

PM me some information regarding this story re: public schools holding classes in storage closets. I have a direct connection to a local media personality that would give this the attention it deserves.

[jeremy2788]

The same people that say we don't have enough money to strengthen our schools are probably also the first ones to vote for billion dollar roads in the middle of nowhere.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by jeremy2788

The same people that say we don't have enough money to strengthen our schools are probably also the first ones to vote for billion dollar roads in the middle of nowhere.

I disagree with you. I think there is a very large number of folks who are pretty much fed up with all government waste.

Waste is prolific in government, and all waste needs to be weeded out. If the government could see how each penny in private/corporate America is scrutinized their heads would explode. Government has no idea what a real budget is...they spend every penny they have every year b/c if they dont, the get less next year. Its a terrible mentality.