THE PROBLEM WITH JCPS: EVERYTHING

At what point do we say enough is enough within the JCPS? Lack of any accountability, oversight, vision for the future, and the ability to tax at will apparently are major issues we must address NOW. Sheldon Berman is a dismal failure as Superintendent, and quite honestly most of the board is as well.

I will link this story from the CJ for your review Angry parents address JCPS school board about student assignment problems courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal.

This school board has been non responsive to the needs or voice of the parents involved. Who knows what the needs of the children are better than the parents themselves? I am often critical of some parenting these days, and will continue to be I am sure, but the mess created by this School board and Superintendent Sheldon Berman is just beyond excusable.

Berman has no business being involved in an active school district anywhere in my opinion. One wonders how he got hired. Berman is interested in one thing and one thing only.

Virtual schools.

How better to work towards that end long term, an end that he will profit from, then to screw JCPS up so bad that virtual schools look like a better compromise. Additionally everyone is complaining about busing. I agree with the complaints but has anyone noticed when these asinine bus rides started happening?

The busing of our students is a direct result of eliminating the private bus drivers who used to take our kids to school just a few short years ago. They were eliminated because the JCPS said it would be cheaper, and they could provide better service to our kids, if all drivers went on the payroll of JCPS. Of course that was a lie as well.

The long term plan, and mark this down I am putting my name on it, is to work towards a charter bus service that was forced on North Carolina schools. Mark it, it will happen thus denying us even more accountability.

So how do you force this situation to happen? Simply screw up the most basic idea of how to move our kids to schools in a timely manner and increase the costs while doing so.

Speaking of cost?

Who controls the cost to each of us for school funding? Why none other than the JCPS school board who took it upon themselves to raise our taxes JCPS board OKs tax rate increase over objections courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal.

This at a time when parents can barely afford to eat, must pay the outrageous classroom extortion "fees", and adhere to a dress code that costs more money as well. Throwing money at a problem does not fix the problem.

Want to hold JCPS accountable? Boycott the schools for a week. They depend on government funding and that is based on attendance.

Want to have an enjoyable Thanksgiving week? Each parent with kids in JCPS should keep those children home the whole week. They are off on Thursday and Friday anyway so take the extra 3 days to spend time with family and loved ones for the Thanksgiving holiday.

How fast do you think JCPS will react when they lose that amount of money because the schools are empty for a week and not because of some snow storm that allows them to expand the school year.

Trust me your kids will love you.

Throwing the bums out that cause the problem is the best and first approach we must look at.

I have to say this much though. I am often critical of Carol Haddad, quite frankly I believe she has nothing substantial to offer anymore and has overstayed her time on the board, but in this instance I commend her.

Board member Carol Haddad, who voted against the increase, said she “couldn't add more taxes to people.”

“I've gotten a lot of calls from the elderly and people on a fixed income and I just can't vote for an increase,” she said.

No one can afford any tax increase right now. It is that simple and Ms. Haddad has it right. But the real question for me is why in the world would we willingly give more money to JCPS for them to spend when they can't do things the right way with the money they have?

Many people got a raise last year within the JCPS, albeit a small one, but how many people in the private sector got a raise? How many of them, including me, lost their jobs? And they want more money from us?

Nope they don't deserve it. More importantly no one right now can afford it.

Larry Hujo had this to say:

Board member Larry Hujo said he didn't want to raise taxes. “I have to pay them, too,” he said. “But I also have a responsibility as board member to make sure our children get what they deserve.”

Here is my question Mr. Hujo, do our children deserve the treatment they have received so far from Superintendent Berman, the JCPS board, of which you are a member, and the blatant disregard the parents have received thus far?

I personally believe our children deserve better. To get there it is time to clean house within the JCPS school board.

I would start with Berman and those board members who voted to increase taxes.

Pay attention to the Thanksgiving suggestion above. It may be time to do it to them.

After all, apparently they prefer doing it to the kids and not for the kids..........