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Brian:

You have hit on an issue that has been long-standing and that is staff not telling the board what is going on. I first heard of the change when you told me about it last night. Lack of information from staff has been chronic for as long as I can remember. Staff routinely do not provide to the board information in a timely fashion that the board needs to make decision. Take for example the contract for the new buses that was voted on last Thursday. Board members got notice of it just the evening before. Needless to say, there was not much of a chance to ask questions. The same can be said for any number of other issues. This lack of information is so common place that I often wonder if it is not by design to limit the board's ability to direct policy in a direction that the staff does not want to go.

Keep up the good work.

Merry Christmas!

Paul Daniels

Paul,

Why would the School board want to be involved in such a simple logical and good decision?

For heavens sake you are not going to let the Staff be empowered to do their job are you?

Or are you just a sore losing Republican?

Let me get this straight. No exams, but there will be school. Many students will be 'involved' with the inauguration and many teachers also. What does involved mean? Are they going to watch it on tv? Are they going? Will the teachers miss school so those classes get no reviews that day? I don't disagree with the idea, but those that were going to miss that day will still miss that day, now with the ok of the system.

Paul, for years I have thought that Dr Grier kempt many things to himself and staff until it was too late for the board to make an informed decision. I hope that Mr Green can change that atmosphere, but until the staff and Green know that the board will not stand for this, there will be no change.

On another note, I am most impressed that you have jumped into the meetings immediately with thoughtful input. Although the board will miss Anita, I think you will do a great job representing the parents of the county.

Debora:

Thanks for your kind words. Feel free to email me or call me with your imput. You can find my contact information at the GCS website.

Merry Christmas!

Paul Daniels

What do I think? It's stupid!

Is the school system going to charter buses so students can "participate" in the inauguration?

Of course kids will be wtching this on TV and they will be tired the next day. Its a practical obvious thing to do. You people are ridiculous!

Mo is off to a bad start. The BOE gives staff the authority to alter the school day for emergencies like ice storms and etc. New Presidents have come and gone on Jan 20th for over 70 years. Nothing new.

The BOE does not seem to understand thay they have the duty to act and to keep others from acting for them. The new BOE has failed their initial test.

Nothing new?
Nothing new?

Dont bury your head in the sand people.

To say that Obama is nothing new is plain stubborn ignorance.
This is the greatest thing that has ever happenned to the US for many, many years. Kids need to be given the chance to watch it without the pressure of having exams the next day.

Cant win with this mob!

Please re-read the info. The students WILL be having exams the day after the inauguration. So while they're watching they have to be studying at the same time.

Sorry to see that Mo decreased classroom supplies. They should not have been cut one cent. If we know anything, the begging for supplies from parents has to stop. I am sorry Paul went along instead of taking a stand. Those of us that have been fighting for more supplies know what we are talking about.

Garth is the only one that has hair on his wotsits!

The greatest thing to happen to the U.S. in many years? Wow. I'm waiting on him to walk on water.

I don't have a problem with the students watching the inauguration in class. Heck, it is probably the best civics/government education they get during the school year. But would the school administrators and teachers be so supportive of it if a Republican or someone the NEA/AFT did not support were being inaugurated? Was there any considering for watching the ceremony in 2005?

Another sore loser!

Re 2005:
Why would people want to celebrate the precidency of the biggest idiot to ever hold such a position?

For the first time in many years the US will have a President with aa actual brain!

Annoymous,

The man you are talking about graduated from Yale University and Harvard Business School. He read about 50 books last year. He may be a lot of things, but he is not an idiot. If anyone is an idiot, it may be you.

I have a question to add to Bill's.....

In the past, inauguration's have come and gone without school hours changing...although I like the fact that the schools are recognizing current events in school and agree they should do more of it.

Just wondering....would there be as much hoopla if Barack Obama's skin color matched his mothers and he was married to a white woman.....

Bi-racial children struggle to identify with either race and stuggle to fit in at home, in neighborhoods, in churches, and in school...

Will they now be more accepted by the race they resemble as seen in this Presidency?
African American/Caucasian ....

He is not African American or Caucasian ...

He is BI-RACIAL....the papers should use this term

He is a product of American's "striving" to attain equality, freedom and tolerance for all people.

I hope and pray that first and foremost that he is an American that can provide the leadership that we so desparately need right now...

...but think about it....if he were whiter.....would we be changing the schedule?

..

I dont care what color he is! But its a fact that my white kids have taken a lot more interest in this election than they did four yesrs ago.
They will be glued to the TV on the night of the inauguration!

I guess the children decide. Whatever they are interested in controls the school day. No wonder we are in trouble.

Joe - I'm with you on this one.

"I guess the children decide. Whatever they are interested in controls the school day. No wonder we are in trouble".

Joe, You are taking things too literal.
Come on Joe.

Its History people!
Just History!

Lets see.

We have graduates that can't read, write, add subtract
multiply and divide whout a calulater. Body piercings
etc. and were concerned about a days slip in the testing. Trust me the results will be the same.

Actually I wager at least 20% of the teachers can't do
the above at grade level ( read, write, add,subtract
multiply and divide without a calculator.)

I'm serious

My kids can read~!

Anonymous - I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or if you're really that blindingly stupid.

I'm hoping it's the former.

Oh, by the way, you might want to let your kiddos know that the inauguration actually takes place at noon, I'd hate for them to miss "the greatest thing that has ever happenned to the US for many, many years" by trying to tune in at night, as you mentioned above.

Best of luck to Obama, he has a tough four years ahead of him.

Sarcastic of course!

This is such a stupid argument. Is this the same school system that back in the 1990's used to make special previsions for students to attend the GGO and yet forbade a teacher from taking his class to see the movie "X" (a historical based depiction of the life of Malcolm X) based upon the ""requirement" or "State mandade/law" that students are required to spend so many "instructional or educational hours" in the school (or some non-sense like that). ONLY to later, that same year (during the Spring) allow students who had "perfect attendance"; bused to a movie theatre to see the "historical and educational" movie "Home Alone 2"?
As a child, I still remember my teacher bringing her small TV to school and taking 2-3 hours out of our school day to watch John F. Kennedy being sworn in. Hopefully, THIS President will take his "words" and "pledges" seriously and for the benefit of ALL Americans--NOT JUST HIS "BASE"!

Before the comment comes regarding who I voted for....I voted for Obama. Therefore, I'm not a sore looser as I have heard someone called in prior comments.
I would also like to ask if McCain had of one the election would this rearranging of schedules be taking place? If as mentioned so many times this is not a racial issue then why is it looking more and more that way as we move along? One would think that should be the last thing on our minds when so many people are out of jobs, homeless and our economy is in the dirt. His ability to do the job should be our greatest concern. Not so long ago I remember that bi- racial children were being rejected by the black people because they were half white and by the white people because they were half black. Now that we have a bi-racial person that is president-elect why the sudden change? I'm pleased that some of that thought process has changed for the bi-racial because they had no choice in the color of their skin or who their mother or father was but they were getting the worst end of the stick.
I also think attention needs to be on the fact that the school system does not have materials (books, supplies, etc)for the children or the teachers. As well as the concept that they are teaching based on material on EOG's so there "scores" are adequate. This has been the biggest waste of time and a failure to our children. If they would let the teachers do their job, it has been documented that the students excel way beyond what we are seeing now.
I think it would be productive to concentrate on our children's education and holding them a little more responsible for their actions. Parents need to do their job raising their children to be respectful and responsible, teachers/other staff members do their job as well, but the students should be held accountable for there actions. Parents taking up for them when they are clearly in the wrong should not be happening, but if falsely accused or mistreated then it is a parents responsibility to step in and take care of the problem.
It was clearly understood when I was in school proper behavior was not optional. I was always taught that if you did something you were not supposed to, then take the punishment. However, if I was ever accused of something I didn't do they didn't hesitate to step in and make sure it was addressed in a proper manner.
Because God help me if I would have lied to my parents, I was never abused or mistreated, acutally more spoiled, but lying, stealing, or cheating were absolutely not tolerated.
I'm sure some of this will be misinterpreted but that will be by the one's who do not agree that children should have "home training", teachers/school staff should not be immoral and students should be taught manners and know how to use them.