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| Observer 11/5/09; Letters to the Editor | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 5 2009, 09:06 AM (85 Views) | |
| LPS Reformer | Nov 5 2009, 09:06 AM Post #1 |
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
  ![]](http://209.85.48.16/static/1/pip_r.png)
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Link November 5, 2009 Letters to Livonia editor Glad to live in Livonia I see that the new Michigan state budget is making deep cuts into education and Livonia leads the list of “victims” with $4.9 million in less aid to our schools. Great — just great. I am beginning to wonder if there is such a thing as “good news” for the people of Livonia. I'm not going to make a laundry list of woes in this letter — we all know the bad news. And I have suffered some of the unpleasant things that have “come with the territory.” But all of this negativity makes me wonder how our city can remain an attractive destination for young families as well as empty-nesters. I certainly believe that we have a lot to offer, with major colleges in our city, plenty of retail and food establishments, good churches, accessible roads and freeways, etc. The quality of life is excellent here. Oh, sure, we could use a few other things like more places for young children, teens and 20-somethings to “hang out,” but I still look around and like what I see. And, yes, I don't have blinders on, but I'm trying to make this a positive letter. I'll leave the negativity to someone else. Let's move forward, Livonia, and start touting the good things about living and working here. I'm glad to be part of the community, aren't you? John R. Hall Livonia No more business as usual In business and in life, the best solution isn't necessarily the most expensive one, but it's almost always the most creative one. There is going to be a lot of talk about school funding over the next few days, indeed, over the course of the remainder of this school year and well into the next one. The state is still trying to balance its budget in the midst of shrinking revenues — down 21 percent this year alone — and increased pressure on services for the expanding legions of laid-off workers and other human service obligations desperately needed during this prolonged economic malaise. Needless to say, money, or the lack thereof, is the lead story. Unfortunately, with the Legislature in full-crisis mode, education funding has become a political tool to shape tax policy and distinguish the professed priorities of some in Lansing, with both sides crying foul. As the process moves forward, it is evident that the funding of public education is a very complicated and misunderstood process. The budget veto that cut the 20(j) funds that Livonia and 50 other districts receive as a part of hold harmless millage will leave many scratching their heads, not really understanding any of it. And as if things aren't confusing enough, we are all being bombarded with partisan talking points from every special-interest group that may be affected by the loss of revenue. Make no mistake — there will be much finger pointing, hand wringing and dire predictions as to what this all means and how we got here. What there will not be is a cold, hard look in the mirror by the many people who have been in a position to change the culture that landed us in this predicament. I will not engage you in a diatribe about Proposal A or all of the formulas and minutiae of school finance. I will tell you, however, what I know to be true. That is, public education is a very expensive endeavor for all involved and the cost is rising every year. The state spends nearly $13 billion on the education of just more than 1 million K-12 students, with Detroit receiving $1 billion for its efforts. The Livonia Public Schools spends over $220 million ($160 million of which is from the general fund) to educate just over 16,000 students, with the money coming from 15 funds composed of state, federal and local dollars. This is a lot of money spent on an annual basis. As a comparison, the city of Livonia general fund budget is approximately $54 million, and it provides services for more than 90,000 residents. The real kicker is that there is no correlation between the amount of money spent and the quality of education received. Again, more money does not unequivocally mean a better education. One need only look at districts across the state that spend anywhere between $7,000 and $14,000 per student and compare test scores to see that many of the top-performing districts spend considerably less money than the top-spending districts. Many parochial schools spend less than half of the minimum state foundation grant — and I dare you to tell these parents that their children are not receiving a quality education. The vast amount of money being spent on public education demands that the decision-making processes that determine how that money is spent be examined very closely and challenged regularly. Transparency and accountability are requirements of good governance and it should not have taken a financial meltdown for the state to impose them. To become stronger as a district, we must embrace our critics. Innovation and creativity from any source within the community should be honored and given our full consideration. And we must make a deliberate effort to solve problems quickly. It is obvious that things will be changing rapidly for school districts across the state. Business as usual will not stand. Obligated by law to balance their budgets and provide an education for all children, many school districts in the coming days will be attempting to avoid the unimaginable and manage the unavoidable — something they should have begun doing in earnest 10 years ago. Steve King Livonia school board trustee Think of the students Open letter to Gov. Granholm: My name is Zoe, I'm a junior at Livonia Franklin High School. I'm in many AP classes and I'm also in marching band. The budget cuts that have been made, Livonia Public Schools being hit the hardest, are extremely unfair and damaging to my school environment. I am especially concerned that the music program at Franklin will be cut. My friends and I all have absolutely no idea what we will do without a band class or marching band. Not many of us play other sports. Marching band season (from mid-August to mid-November) is really what we do. It's our whole life. For those of us who will be seniors next year, it would be completely tragic to have worked so hard for three years not to get the admiration we deserve as seniors. Marching band has given me so many new friends and taught me so much, I don't know where I would be without it. I have made friends I know I will keep forever, memories I will cherish forever, and life lessons I couldn't have learned anywhere else. Music is a huge part of my life; I don't what I would do without it. Not to mention reading and playing music make you smarter and also give you a creative outlet. We would be out of a class, whether it be band, orchestra or choir, most of us have taken since fifth grade. I recognize not all of us will enter music in college. I myself do not plan on doing so. However, the things music has taught me and the profound impact it has made on me will stay with me forever. Our marching band has already had to pay for our own buses this year to go to competitions. It can cost up to $1,000, and our band isn't one of the biggest. We don't have many funds at all. We had to give up going to nationals in Indianapolis because the price tag was too big. I understand and acknowledge the fact the economy is not where we want it to be, but I really think it is unfair and horrible to cut more than $10 million to school systems. We are already tight in money; it seems ridiculous to make it that much harder. What we learn and do now will affect us for the rest of our lives. If we don't have the funding to make it as best we can, what is there to do? Will we suffer the consequences of a faulty education? I sincerely hope not. I plan on going to college, getting a job, starting a family, making my way in the world. If the funding for our education isn't there, then will what I get or don't get from my education affect the way my family is raised? Will it affect my chances at getting a job? What will it cause problems for in the future? I have two little sisters who still have four and seven more years of school here in LPS. I can't even think of what will happen to them if the budget cuts continue to worsen. Will they have to live without a music program? With outdated textbooks? With no buses? With crowded classes? That is not the way I want them to learn. I deeply hope you will consider what I've said here, that it has made an impact on you somehow. I'm only 16, I've got my whole life ahead of me. I want to make it the best I can make it, starting with my education. Please think of me next time you think about cutting more education funding. Think of my two little sisters. Think of all 70 of us in the Livonia Franklin Marching Band. Think of all the choir kids, all the orchestra kids, all the band kids in Michigan. Think of all of us before you make the decision to cut $127 more per student. Zoe Moore Livonia Fight pancreatic cancer With the recent passing of prominent American figures, such as actor Patrick Swayze and NCAA President Myles Brand, pancreatic cancer has been in the national spotlight; yet, many people don't realize the severity of the disease and the urgent need for early detection methods and effective treatment options. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in our country and the most lethal among leading cancer killers with a five-year survival rate of just 5 percent. Seventy-six percent of patients die within the first 12 months of diagnosis because there are no early detection methods and the disease is often diagnosed when it has spread to other organs. My name is Lucy Trierweiler and I had pancreatic cancer. I was one of the few who was detected early. My diagnosis was found by accident because I was not sick. It was found during a routine check; even then it was hard to detect and finally surfaced two months later. I had surgery on April 14, 2007. Early detection is why I am still alive but fear of not knowing if it will return. When I was diagnosed, I did not know the severity of this disease. I knew nothing about pancreatic cancer. Now is the time to make the public more aware of this disease. We need early detection and effective treatments. November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. More than ever we must know it, fight it, end it. Pancreatic cancer has long been overlooked and under-funded among the leading top five cancer killers. I volunteer for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, a nationwide network of people dedicated to advancing research and supporting patients. You can be a part of the movement to bring hope to those affected by the disease. Visit www.pancan.org to learn how to get involved today. Together we can make a difference in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Lucy Trierweiler Livonia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 LPS Reform Blog++++LPS Salary List 12/07 LPS Salary List 6/09 Contact me at: LPSReformer@gmail.com | |
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| LPS Reformer | Nov 5 2009, 09:25 AM Post #2 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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No more business as usual In business and in life, the best solution isn't necessarily the most expensive one, but it's almost always the most creative one. There is going to be a lot of talk about school funding over the next few days, indeed, over the course of the remainder of this school year and well into the next one. The state is still trying to balance its budget in the midst of shrinking revenues — down 21 percent this year alone — and increased pressure on services for the expanding legions of laid-off workers and other human service obligations desperately needed during this prolonged economic malaise. Needless to say, money, or the lack thereof, is the lead story. Unfortunately, with the Legislature in full-crisis mode, education funding has become a political tool to shape tax policy and distinguish the professed priorities of some in Lansing, with both sides crying foul. As the process moves forward, it is evident that the funding of public education is a very complicated and misunderstood process. The budget veto that cut the 20(j) funds that Livonia and 50 other districts receive as a part of hold harmless millage will leave many scratching their heads, not really understanding any of it. And as if things aren't confusing enough, we are all being bombarded with partisan talking points from every special-interest group that may be affected by the loss of revenue. Make no mistake — there will be much finger pointing, hand wringing and dire predictions as to what this all means and how we got here. What there will not be is a cold, hard look in the mirror by the many people who have been in a position to change the culture that landed us in this predicament. I will not engage you in a diatribe about Proposal A or all of the formulas and minutiae of school finance. I will tell you, however, what I know to be true. That is, public education is a very expensive endeavor for all involved and the cost is rising every year. The state spends nearly $13 billion on the education of just more than 1 million K-12 students, with Detroit receiving $1 billion for its efforts. The Livonia Public Schools spends over $220 million ($160 million of which is from the general fund) to educate just over 16,000 students, with the money coming from 15 funds composed of state, federal and local dollars. This is a lot of money spent on an annual basis. As a comparison, the city of Livonia general fund budget is approximately $54 million, and it provides services for more than 90,000 residents. The real kicker is that there is no correlation between the amount of money spent and the quality of education received. Again, more money does not unequivocally mean a better education. One need only look at districts across the state that spend anywhere between $7,000 and $14,000 per student and compare test scores to see that many of the top-performing districts spend considerably less money than the top-spending districts. Many parochial schools spend less than half of the minimum state foundation grant — and I dare you to tell these parents that their children are not receiving a quality education. The vast amount of money being spent on public education demands that the decision-making processes that determine how that money is spent be examined very closely and challenged regularly. Transparency and accountability are requirements of good governance and it should not have taken a financial meltdown for the state to impose them. To become stronger as a district, we must embrace our critics. Innovation and creativity from any source within the community should be honored and given our full consideration. And we must make a deliberate effort to solve problems quickly. It is obvious that things will be changing rapidly for school districts across the state. Business as usual will not stand. Obligated by law to balance their budgets and provide an education for all children, many school districts in the coming days will be attempting to avoid the unimaginable and manage the unavoidable — something they should have begun doing in earnest 10 years ago. Steve King Livonia school board trustee ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Now, doesn't this just say it all. |
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LPS Reform Blog++++LPS Salary List 12/07 LPS Salary List 6/09 Contact me at: LPSReformer@gmail.com | |
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| Monkfish | Nov 5 2009, 09:52 AM Post #3 |
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Advanced Member
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Excellent editorial...hit it right on the head. |
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