Executives from JPMorgan Chase Bank have admitted the bank has cheated thousands of American servicemen serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by overcharging them on mortgages in violation of the law. The executives also admitted to illegally foreclosing on servicemen's homes. The executives have offered the effected servicemen a settlement totalling $2 million.
I want to urge all veterans, active servicemen and veterans organizations to boycott JPMorgan Chase. Take your money away from these greedy bankers and invest it in a bank that supports our troops.
I also want to urge the Justice Dept. to take legal action against the executives responsible for swindling thousands of men and women serving in combat. While the second largest bank in America will undoubtedly employ an army of lawyers and lobbyists to avoid the punishment they so richly deserve, the working people of America can send them a message by takingtheir hard-earned dollars elsewhere.
Don't support a bank that steals from our troops. Boycott JPMorgan Chase!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
GOOGLE SUCKS GOOGLE IS EVIL GO BING!!!!!
The wise guys at Google have taken down the ads from this blog so this blog is going elsewhere. I learned of their decision last week but received only the vaguest of explanations as to why. Basically there answer was "Because we said so...."
I'm not going to put up with this sort of attitude and nether should use. Tell Google to shove it and use Bing instead. It's just as reliable. Maybe even more reliable. And unlike the goons at Google, Bing has no interest in taking over the world.
Google SUCKS!!!
I'm not going to put up with this sort of attitude and nether should use. Tell Google to shove it and use Bing instead. It's just as reliable. Maybe even more reliable. And unlike the goons at Google, Bing has no interest in taking over the world.
Google SUCKS!!!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
27 Months and Counting
I took a test online today proporting to predict how long I can expect to live. I answered a couple dozen questions about my habits, my health and my family history. When I finished it, I hit send and quickly learned that, according to the program's formula, I can expect to die of cancer in April, 2013. They even included a little cartoon character with a large bump on his forehead. The character looked nothing like me, he was nearly bald, but I do have a small lump of some sort in the exact same location on the right side of my forehead.
I don't normally take tests like this online. I don't put much stock in them. But reading that I have 27 months, more or less, left to live certainly got my attention. I suppose I should go consult with someone who attended medical school instead of wasting my time with online tests. If I had health insurance, I certainly would. If I could afford to pay a doctor out of pocket, I would. But right now, it's all I can do to keep the lights on and eat regularly. A doctor's visit is a luxury I can't afford these days and I know I'm not alone on that count.
The test didn't specify what sort of cancer I can expect to kill me. It didn't even mention the lump on the cartoon character's head. If it predicted lung cancer, I could understand. I did admit to smoking for the last 40 years. But that lump on the head seemed like a message too strange to ignore.
Sometime in the next few weeks, I will consult with a doctor. After all, if I am dying in 2013, there doesn't seem to be any reason to try to save what little money I do have. I realize that a lot of folks wouldn't want to know if they were dying, but I'm not one of those folks. I'd consider it a great gift to find out I was dying two years in advance. I just hope the test results aren't overly optimistic.
There was a time when I would have freaked out at the idea of dying in 2013, but that time has passed. If the computer is right, I'll make the best of whatever time I have left.
In December, 2005 my wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion, we took a trip to Hot Springs, Ark. It was a trip I had planned years before that was cancelled by the death of my first child in 1993.
On the ride over to Hot Springs, we talked about our years together. It hadn't always been easy. There were plenty of tough times, plenty of fights and foolish quarrels in 25 years, but things were good in the last days of 2005. We talked about the houses we'd lived in, the road that had taken us from Asheville to Hilton Head, back to Asheville and later, to the wilderness that was Madison County. We talked about all the twists and turns on the road that brought us to Memphis. And we had a good long laugh when we realized how little we had planned for any of the many changes we'd seen in 25 years.
At one point, I took her hand and told her that if it all ended tomorrow, I would be a happy man. I told her I'd had a full life, full of both joy and sadness. I told her that if it ended tomorrow, I would never feel I'd been cheated by life. And I thanked her for being a part of my life. She told me she felt the same way and patted my hand and smiled that smile that only I got to see.
We both knew we had reached a turning point in our lives, in our marriage. We knew that our firstborn would be getting married in 2006. We knew, too, that our baby girl would finish high school and start college in 2006. I was looking forward to an empty nest, probably much more than Cheryl was.
But we never quite made it. We were together when Amy graduated and somehow were made it through our older daughter's wedding. But within a few months of the wedding, we found out that Cheryl was dying from liver failure. There was hope for a transplant, a miracle, but the prognosis was not good. Sort of like the one I received from the computer today.
Cheryl was the strongest woman I have ever met. She fought the disease bravely and endured months of chemotherapy without complaint, without pain-killers of any kind. She wanted to live and never gave up the fight.
I'm not that strong. I won't tolerate much pain by sheer will power. And I won't fight. After seeing what she went through with chemo, I want no part of it. I won't suffer that kind of pain just to extend my life a few months, or even a few years.
Cheryl had a will to live that I just can't summon. That conversation we had on the way to Hot Springs has played over in my head many, many times in the last few years. My opinion has not changed in the least. If it all comes to an end in April, 2013, you'll hear no complaints from me. I've had a full life and certainly haven't been cheated.
In my nearly 59 years, I've seen as much of the world as anyone could ask for. I've lived in big cities, and small towns, in suburbs and way out in the country. I've lived in the north and the south and even in Germany. I've lived in the mountains and on the shore and it's all been a great adventure. I've been in love many times, always with great women. I married two of them and raised three children I'm very proud of. I've also buried my parents, my brother and my Cheryl.
If the computer is right, I'll go without complaint because it's my time.
I don't normally take tests like this online. I don't put much stock in them. But reading that I have 27 months, more or less, left to live certainly got my attention. I suppose I should go consult with someone who attended medical school instead of wasting my time with online tests. If I had health insurance, I certainly would. If I could afford to pay a doctor out of pocket, I would. But right now, it's all I can do to keep the lights on and eat regularly. A doctor's visit is a luxury I can't afford these days and I know I'm not alone on that count.
The test didn't specify what sort of cancer I can expect to kill me. It didn't even mention the lump on the cartoon character's head. If it predicted lung cancer, I could understand. I did admit to smoking for the last 40 years. But that lump on the head seemed like a message too strange to ignore.
Sometime in the next few weeks, I will consult with a doctor. After all, if I am dying in 2013, there doesn't seem to be any reason to try to save what little money I do have. I realize that a lot of folks wouldn't want to know if they were dying, but I'm not one of those folks. I'd consider it a great gift to find out I was dying two years in advance. I just hope the test results aren't overly optimistic.
There was a time when I would have freaked out at the idea of dying in 2013, but that time has passed. If the computer is right, I'll make the best of whatever time I have left.
In December, 2005 my wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. To mark the occasion, we took a trip to Hot Springs, Ark. It was a trip I had planned years before that was cancelled by the death of my first child in 1993.
On the ride over to Hot Springs, we talked about our years together. It hadn't always been easy. There were plenty of tough times, plenty of fights and foolish quarrels in 25 years, but things were good in the last days of 2005. We talked about the houses we'd lived in, the road that had taken us from Asheville to Hilton Head, back to Asheville and later, to the wilderness that was Madison County. We talked about all the twists and turns on the road that brought us to Memphis. And we had a good long laugh when we realized how little we had planned for any of the many changes we'd seen in 25 years.
At one point, I took her hand and told her that if it all ended tomorrow, I would be a happy man. I told her I'd had a full life, full of both joy and sadness. I told her that if it ended tomorrow, I would never feel I'd been cheated by life. And I thanked her for being a part of my life. She told me she felt the same way and patted my hand and smiled that smile that only I got to see.
We both knew we had reached a turning point in our lives, in our marriage. We knew that our firstborn would be getting married in 2006. We knew, too, that our baby girl would finish high school and start college in 2006. I was looking forward to an empty nest, probably much more than Cheryl was.
But we never quite made it. We were together when Amy graduated and somehow were made it through our older daughter's wedding. But within a few months of the wedding, we found out that Cheryl was dying from liver failure. There was hope for a transplant, a miracle, but the prognosis was not good. Sort of like the one I received from the computer today.
Cheryl was the strongest woman I have ever met. She fought the disease bravely and endured months of chemotherapy without complaint, without pain-killers of any kind. She wanted to live and never gave up the fight.
I'm not that strong. I won't tolerate much pain by sheer will power. And I won't fight. After seeing what she went through with chemo, I want no part of it. I won't suffer that kind of pain just to extend my life a few months, or even a few years.
Cheryl had a will to live that I just can't summon. That conversation we had on the way to Hot Springs has played over in my head many, many times in the last few years. My opinion has not changed in the least. If it all comes to an end in April, 2013, you'll hear no complaints from me. I've had a full life and certainly haven't been cheated.
In my nearly 59 years, I've seen as much of the world as anyone could ask for. I've lived in big cities, and small towns, in suburbs and way out in the country. I've lived in the north and the south and even in Germany. I've lived in the mountains and on the shore and it's all been a great adventure. I've been in love many times, always with great women. I married two of them and raised three children I'm very proud of. I've also buried my parents, my brother and my Cheryl.
If the computer is right, I'll go without complaint because it's my time.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Memphis Surrenders
It appears likely that the voters of Memphis will have the opportunity to disband their failed school system. After weeks of legal wrangling and political posturing, it appears that the Shelby County Election Commission will set a date for a public referendum within the next 60 days. If approved by a majority of city voters, the Memphis City Schools system will cease to exist at some point in the near future.
Less than two months before the proposed referendum, the public hasn't heard answers to a number of key questions. I haven't seen the language on the referendum question yet, but it certainly won't spell out all the many details that will come with surrendering the city school charter.
We do know that if MCS is disbanded, the Shelby County Board of Education will assume the responsibility for educating Memphis children. We don't know when the MCS would cease to exist. I assume that they will continue to operate city schools through the end of the current school year, but I don't know that for a fact. Would the Shelby County Board of Education operate city schools starting in July, 2011 or at a later date? I don't know and neither do the people who will be asked to vote in less than two months.
If MCS is disbanded, the county school population will go from the current 45,000 students to about 150,000 overnight.
I assume that city-owned schools would be turned over to the Shelby County Board of Education, but I don't know that is a fact and neither do the people who will vote on the referendum. Would the city turn over all current MCS property to Shelby County? Would Memphis expect to be compensated for the city school properties? I don't know and neither do the voters.
How long would the currently elected Shelby County school board be in control of the former MCS? When would the county school board be expanded to include Memphis residents? I don't know and neither do the voters.
IF Memphis voters agree to surrender control of their schools and IF the current Shelby County school board remains in control, there is a wonderful opportunity to overhaul a decayed urban school system that has failed miserably.
IF the MCS no longer exists, it stands to reason that all MCS employees will be terminated. Current MCS employees have no standing in the county school system. They would have to re-apply for positions within the city through the county. This will allow county school leaders to remove much of the dead wood within the MCS system. While there are undoubtedly many good teachers in the current MCS, it is abundantly clear too that there are many teachers and administrators who are unfit to educate our children. If we are going to get serious about providing Memphis children with a quality education, these unqualified teachers and administrators have to go and be replaced by qualified educators.
We don't need teachers and principals from schools with dismal test scores, high dropout rates and soaring teen pregnancies. These people have already demonstrated beyond any doubt that they are not up to the monumental task of educating poor, inner city children and teenagers.
If Memphis voters are to gain anything from surrendering control of their schools, we will have to insist that MCS test scores and other measures of student achievement rise to meet Shelby County levels. The fear in the suburbs is that combing the two systems will result in lowering standards in Shelby County schools. If that fear is realized, there will be no winners in this battle.
If disbanding MCS is to be a success, Memphis voters have to understand that the current status quo is unacceptable. We must hire professional educators, not politicians with their eyes on higher office, to operate our schools.
If they disband the city school system only to elect the same failed leadership to an expanded county school board, we will have accomplished nothing.
Less than two months before the proposed referendum, the public hasn't heard answers to a number of key questions. I haven't seen the language on the referendum question yet, but it certainly won't spell out all the many details that will come with surrendering the city school charter.
We do know that if MCS is disbanded, the Shelby County Board of Education will assume the responsibility for educating Memphis children. We don't know when the MCS would cease to exist. I assume that they will continue to operate city schools through the end of the current school year, but I don't know that for a fact. Would the Shelby County Board of Education operate city schools starting in July, 2011 or at a later date? I don't know and neither do the people who will be asked to vote in less than two months.
If MCS is disbanded, the county school population will go from the current 45,000 students to about 150,000 overnight.
I assume that city-owned schools would be turned over to the Shelby County Board of Education, but I don't know that is a fact and neither do the people who will vote on the referendum. Would the city turn over all current MCS property to Shelby County? Would Memphis expect to be compensated for the city school properties? I don't know and neither do the voters.
How long would the currently elected Shelby County school board be in control of the former MCS? When would the county school board be expanded to include Memphis residents? I don't know and neither do the voters.
IF Memphis voters agree to surrender control of their schools and IF the current Shelby County school board remains in control, there is a wonderful opportunity to overhaul a decayed urban school system that has failed miserably.
IF the MCS no longer exists, it stands to reason that all MCS employees will be terminated. Current MCS employees have no standing in the county school system. They would have to re-apply for positions within the city through the county. This will allow county school leaders to remove much of the dead wood within the MCS system. While there are undoubtedly many good teachers in the current MCS, it is abundantly clear too that there are many teachers and administrators who are unfit to educate our children. If we are going to get serious about providing Memphis children with a quality education, these unqualified teachers and administrators have to go and be replaced by qualified educators.
We don't need teachers and principals from schools with dismal test scores, high dropout rates and soaring teen pregnancies. These people have already demonstrated beyond any doubt that they are not up to the monumental task of educating poor, inner city children and teenagers.
If Memphis voters are to gain anything from surrendering control of their schools, we will have to insist that MCS test scores and other measures of student achievement rise to meet Shelby County levels. The fear in the suburbs is that combing the two systems will result in lowering standards in Shelby County schools. If that fear is realized, there will be no winners in this battle.
If disbanding MCS is to be a success, Memphis voters have to understand that the current status quo is unacceptable. We must hire professional educators, not politicians with their eyes on higher office, to operate our schools.
If they disband the city school system only to elect the same failed leadership to an expanded county school board, we will have accomplished nothing.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Memphis School Questions Far From Answered
A small army of elected officials, lawyers and others have all addressed the questions surrounding the proposed surrender of the Memphis schools charter, but after weeks of public pronouncements on what the proposal would or would not do, John Q. Public is still in the dark.
That is not to suggest that John Q. hasn't already made up his mind. Just that John and other voters still don't have the information needed to make an informed choice.
Part of the blame for this confusion can be placed at the feet of the school officials who started it in the first place. City school officials accuse county school officials of trying to lock out city school students. County officials warn of massive layoffs and school closures should the referendum proceed. State election officials say the City Council must approve the referendum. City Councilmen say they don't have to do any such thing. Others jump in with a petition and lawsuit seeking the referendum. While all this is going on, city and county school officials try to hammer out an agreement to postpone the referendum.
And still, despite television and newspaper reports on the ongoing drama, no one seems to know the answers to some important questions. We still don't know if the referendum will be held in February or early March, or sometime in 2012. We still don't know if and when a new countywide school board would be created, elected and seated. We don't know if Memphis officials would have to continue to provide financial suppport to county-operated schools. We don't know who would head the greatly expanded county school district. We don't know if city teachers would be employed by the new county school district or whether the new system would adopt the old Memphis curriculum or the one used by the old county school district.
No one seems to have the answers to questions like these. Perhaps, in part, because the news media in Memphis have decided where they stand and don't want to confuse the issue with inconvenient facts.
At a time when the course of public education is to be decided, TV news breathlessly informs viewers that 20% of the Frayer HS female population is either pregnant or recently had a baby. With a straight face, a reporter looks into the camera and asks what has caused this problem. What has been a Memphis problem will become a countywide problem in a few short months if the city school system is disbanded.
I've already written that consolidating the city and county schools will be difficult and expensive. There will be no cost savings from consolidation. Instead, there will inevitably be more administrators and fewer schools. More costs and less tax revenue. In the long run, it is probably a good move for both the city and county. But in the short term, there will be confusion, political power struggles, waste, fraud and inefficiency. The students caught in the middle of this storm will be impacted throughout their lives. But eventually, consolidating the school systems will reinforce the idea that Memphis and Shelby County are one community - a large inner city and small suburban towns together in one county.
I just hope that all the important questions are answered before John Q. goes to the polls. Just so he'll know exactly what he's voting for when asked to determine the fate of Memphis city schools.
That is not to suggest that John Q. hasn't already made up his mind. Just that John and other voters still don't have the information needed to make an informed choice.
Part of the blame for this confusion can be placed at the feet of the school officials who started it in the first place. City school officials accuse county school officials of trying to lock out city school students. County officials warn of massive layoffs and school closures should the referendum proceed. State election officials say the City Council must approve the referendum. City Councilmen say they don't have to do any such thing. Others jump in with a petition and lawsuit seeking the referendum. While all this is going on, city and county school officials try to hammer out an agreement to postpone the referendum.
And still, despite television and newspaper reports on the ongoing drama, no one seems to know the answers to some important questions. We still don't know if the referendum will be held in February or early March, or sometime in 2012. We still don't know if and when a new countywide school board would be created, elected and seated. We don't know if Memphis officials would have to continue to provide financial suppport to county-operated schools. We don't know who would head the greatly expanded county school district. We don't know if city teachers would be employed by the new county school district or whether the new system would adopt the old Memphis curriculum or the one used by the old county school district.
No one seems to have the answers to questions like these. Perhaps, in part, because the news media in Memphis have decided where they stand and don't want to confuse the issue with inconvenient facts.
At a time when the course of public education is to be decided, TV news breathlessly informs viewers that 20% of the Frayer HS female population is either pregnant or recently had a baby. With a straight face, a reporter looks into the camera and asks what has caused this problem. What has been a Memphis problem will become a countywide problem in a few short months if the city school system is disbanded.
I've already written that consolidating the city and county schools will be difficult and expensive. There will be no cost savings from consolidation. Instead, there will inevitably be more administrators and fewer schools. More costs and less tax revenue. In the long run, it is probably a good move for both the city and county. But in the short term, there will be confusion, political power struggles, waste, fraud and inefficiency. The students caught in the middle of this storm will be impacted throughout their lives. But eventually, consolidating the school systems will reinforce the idea that Memphis and Shelby County are one community - a large inner city and small suburban towns together in one county.
I just hope that all the important questions are answered before John Q. goes to the polls. Just so he'll know exactly what he's voting for when asked to determine the fate of Memphis city schools.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Down but not quite out
A friend suggested I attend a support group for the unemployed, so I figured what the hell. It's not like I had a lot to do Friday afternoon at 1:30. Not like I had a job to go to. Why not? Maybe I'll learn about something. Maybe someone knows about where they're hiring. Maybe they'll have sandwiches and coffee.
My biggest reservation is the location - Bellevue Baptist, the biggest church west of St. Peter's. Are we gonna pray for jobs? I've tried it many Sundays without results. What the hell? It's a better excuse to get out than going to the grocery store. A five-minute drive. Hang a left just past the crucifxes and park.
I arrived just in time to find one of the last empty seats. I shared a table with three men and three women. All of us were in some stage of middle age, somewhere between 48 and 64. Too young to retire and too old to be useful in today's job market. My table in the back was all white, but the room was surprisingly diverse given the location. There were two black women, two Mexican women and an Indian man in the group of about 24.
The moderator was a nice man. He opened with a brief devitional and quickly got down to business. On each table, there was a handout. 20 pages of e-mail and sugestions for job seekers.
The moderator handed out a list of some 120 interview questions and we wet over possible responses, good and bad. Just like I used to do with the kids at Remington. I've taught this class. I know the answers. I only want to answer one question - does anyone know about a job?
The group was called something like "Career Transitions" but most of the folks were still hoping to do something like what they've done their whole adult life. I've already set my sights far lower. I suspect that most of these folks haven't been unemployed long.
I sat next to one guy who was obviously going through the anger stages of unemployment. He complained about the questions interviewers pose, over and over. He resented having to audition for a position he felt his background made him deserving. He probably had to interview with youngsters who could see his contempt.
While I understand his frustrations, I'm long past that stage. After years of being the boss, I welcome the opportunity to take orders from someone else.
There was some discussion about dressing up one's resume and profile. The moderator advised against being dishonest, as well he should. A battered victim of the job market advised putting a positive spin of things and reminded us that an interview is a sales call. You only get the job if the interviewer buys what you're selling.
My biggest reservation is the location - Bellevue Baptist, the biggest church west of St. Peter's. Are we gonna pray for jobs? I've tried it many Sundays without results. What the hell? It's a better excuse to get out than going to the grocery store. A five-minute drive. Hang a left just past the crucifxes and park.
I arrived just in time to find one of the last empty seats. I shared a table with three men and three women. All of us were in some stage of middle age, somewhere between 48 and 64. Too young to retire and too old to be useful in today's job market. My table in the back was all white, but the room was surprisingly diverse given the location. There were two black women, two Mexican women and an Indian man in the group of about 24.
The moderator was a nice man. He opened with a brief devitional and quickly got down to business. On each table, there was a handout. 20 pages of e-mail and sugestions for job seekers.
The moderator handed out a list of some 120 interview questions and we wet over possible responses, good and bad. Just like I used to do with the kids at Remington. I've taught this class. I know the answers. I only want to answer one question - does anyone know about a job?
The group was called something like "Career Transitions" but most of the folks were still hoping to do something like what they've done their whole adult life. I've already set my sights far lower. I suspect that most of these folks haven't been unemployed long.
I sat next to one guy who was obviously going through the anger stages of unemployment. He complained about the questions interviewers pose, over and over. He resented having to audition for a position he felt his background made him deserving. He probably had to interview with youngsters who could see his contempt.
While I understand his frustrations, I'm long past that stage. After years of being the boss, I welcome the opportunity to take orders from someone else.
There was some discussion about dressing up one's resume and profile. The moderator advised against being dishonest, as well he should. A battered victim of the job market advised putting a positive spin of things and reminded us that an interview is a sales call. You only get the job if the interviewer buys what you're selling.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
School Merger Could Mean Short-Term Pain, Long Term Gains for All
The people of Memphis may or may not decide to disband their public school system in a few weeks. Although there are still a number of questions to be answered, it looks like the city will hold a referendum on the question sometime in February.
The city of Memphis has operated a city school system for more than 100 years. Students who live outside the city limits attend schools operated by Shelby County. The city system has three times the number of students as the county schools. The city system is funded by Shelby County as well as the Memphis City Council.
Later today, the county election commission will answer some questions relating to the referendum. One of the key questions is whether or not county residents living outside the city will be allowed to vote. This is a key question. Voters in the county recently overwhelmingly defeated a referendum on consolidating Memphis and Shelby County government. The same proposal was narrowly approved by Memphis voters.
If only Memphis voters are allowed to take part in the referendum, it will very likely pass. Supporters of the charter surrender maintain that city property taxes would decline if the city school system is disbanded. But county residents, who would see taxes increase, are likely to vote against a consolidated school system. They will vote against consolidation in order to avoid higher taxes, certainly, but the county residents have a more powerful incentive to reject consolidation.
The city school system is a dismal failure. Led by overpaid, ineffective administrators, the system is bloated with ineffective teachers and administrators. Test scores are abysmal and waste and corruption are rampant. County residents fear that merging the two systems would lower standards in county schools, not raise them throughout the countywide system. It's a legitimate fear, given Memphis schools' long record of failure.
The county election commission also must set a date for the referendum. The timing of the election will also be significant. The referendum could be held as soon as Feb. 8 even though many important questions have yet to be answered. Among the questions that have not been answered:
When would the charter surrender take effect? Immediately after the referendum is certified? At the end of the school year? In 2012? No one knows.
Who would operate the consolidated school system? The current county school board, or a new board that would also include Memphis residents? When would the new board take control? How would the new district lines be drawn. No one knows yet.
How will the two systems be merged? They have different rules, different books and different curriculum? How are the systems to be merged? What about employees of the disbanded Memphis system? Will the consolidated system be required to retain former city employees?
If this important referendum proceeds as scheduled, voters will be expected to make a monumental decision without knowing many key facts.
I suspect that merging the county and city school systems would be a benefit to all of Shelby County in the long run. But the long run in this case could extend to 20 years, an entire generation. In the short term, the transition will be costly and painful. If I'm correct, the question is - will voters opt for accepting short term pain in hopes of seeing a long term improvement in their schools.
Stay tuned....
By
The city of Memphis has operated a city school system for more than 100 years. Students who live outside the city limits attend schools operated by Shelby County. The city system has three times the number of students as the county schools. The city system is funded by Shelby County as well as the Memphis City Council.
Later today, the county election commission will answer some questions relating to the referendum. One of the key questions is whether or not county residents living outside the city will be allowed to vote. This is a key question. Voters in the county recently overwhelmingly defeated a referendum on consolidating Memphis and Shelby County government. The same proposal was narrowly approved by Memphis voters.
If only Memphis voters are allowed to take part in the referendum, it will very likely pass. Supporters of the charter surrender maintain that city property taxes would decline if the city school system is disbanded. But county residents, who would see taxes increase, are likely to vote against a consolidated school system. They will vote against consolidation in order to avoid higher taxes, certainly, but the county residents have a more powerful incentive to reject consolidation.
The city school system is a dismal failure. Led by overpaid, ineffective administrators, the system is bloated with ineffective teachers and administrators. Test scores are abysmal and waste and corruption are rampant. County residents fear that merging the two systems would lower standards in county schools, not raise them throughout the countywide system. It's a legitimate fear, given Memphis schools' long record of failure.
The county election commission also must set a date for the referendum. The timing of the election will also be significant. The referendum could be held as soon as Feb. 8 even though many important questions have yet to be answered. Among the questions that have not been answered:
When would the charter surrender take effect? Immediately after the referendum is certified? At the end of the school year? In 2012? No one knows.
Who would operate the consolidated school system? The current county school board, or a new board that would also include Memphis residents? When would the new board take control? How would the new district lines be drawn. No one knows yet.
How will the two systems be merged? They have different rules, different books and different curriculum? How are the systems to be merged? What about employees of the disbanded Memphis system? Will the consolidated system be required to retain former city employees?
If this important referendum proceeds as scheduled, voters will be expected to make a monumental decision without knowing many key facts.
I suspect that merging the county and city school systems would be a benefit to all of Shelby County in the long run. But the long run in this case could extend to 20 years, an entire generation. In the short term, the transition will be costly and painful. If I'm correct, the question is - will voters opt for accepting short term pain in hopes of seeing a long term improvement in their schools.
Stay tuned....
By
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)