Readers react to word of potential school closings

Pinellas school administrators have identified five elementary schools that could be closed next year as the district deals with budget problems and long-running enrollment declines. Parents are having their say here in the Gradebook and in the story comments section.

They're outraged that they can't speak at today's board meeting. They want board members to reduce their own pay. And they're defending their local schools.

A sampling of comments from this morning's story:

Disgusted: "The School Board is having a 5 hour workshop and they are not inviting the public to speak! This is outrageous and will be reflected in the next election! If the parents are not allowed to be heard, then we have lost our right to free speech."

Ga. parent: "As a parent of 2 of the 7000 students lost in Pinellas since 2005, rediculous start times, lengthy and unreliable busing, unruly and undisciplined students and apathetic teachers and administrators were the leading reasons for our decision to move."

David: "There is no way a school system the size of Pinellas should be run on a county basis. Let the cities run their own schools. Oh, and eliminate busing -- it didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. Get rid of those School Board degenerates!"

Your take?

[Times file photo]

Comments

[Julia]

Yes, Kim have you heard of the Americans With Disabilities Act? We need 2 story buildings as Susan pointed out, going up makes a lot more sense from a land pov than sprawl does.

Yes, Tyrone and Clearview were falling down. I went to Tyrone in the 70s and it was disgusting then, I can only imagine now. I lived across from Clearview and it was not a nice facility. Replacing those 2 w/ an efficient new building with 1 principle, 1 school psychiatrist, occupational therapist etc... is much more efficient than running two old ones. I think it is wonderful for the children to have a facility that is not crumbling down around them. Think people, think.

[Susan]

Kim, just for the record I have been in my house for more than 20 yrs and it is paid for, sounds like your are the unhappy parent of a child being moved from his "old" school. And yes the two schools the new one replaces were old and had many issues. The elevator does benefit the handicap children and again do your homework. The school district is required to but elevators in two story schools. And building up rather than out is a much better used of our planet. As far as the gardens the teachers requested the butterfly gardens and will use them in their teaching. Keeping old schools is not a economically intelligent decision over having newer green schools and especially if the new schools can house what was previously two schools. The school district should look into consolidating more schools.

[Kim]

Susan, These new schools are half filled. They have been half filled now for over four years. It has nothing to do with special students. As for the elevator, special children should be on the lower floor to get out due to a fire. Oh! the elevator is for the teachers not the children. So Susan get you eye out of the dark place and look around. Now you are asking teacher to keep up a garden. Susan did you by chance buy a new home way over your buget and now can not pay for it and want the government to come in and pay for it for you? Are you saying that Tyrone Elem. is falling down? Clearview Elem is falling down? North Ward yes. Tyrone is moving into the new school on 38th this Thanksgiving. Not Blanton, not Lealman, not Clearview. All of Tyrone students will now be bused from 66 Street to 36 Street. Go Susan!!!!!!

[louie]

The naggers are the people that sit there waiting for the gov't to save us. As a parent I think some of the responsibility should be placed on us it is for the better of "our" kids right?

Kim,

Seriously? I inventory books for my classroom and for my grade level. Students have accounts to track library books. My old books are given to my students when I replace them. If you weren't worried about your wallet right now you would be yelling the "old" argument - why aren't my kids getting the top resources? Why aren't the schools giving us the best of the best? We do the best we can with the best of intentions.
Yes the system has flaws, but I think you would be hard pressed to name someone who has terrible intentions. No one gets into this career for greed. We do it for the future of our country and because we believe in our students.

What happened to respect and appreciation for the people in the world who go above and beyond to help us? This country is going down the tubes because our kids only hear the negative, they only hear the nagging. Never do they hear "Hey, you should really thank that teacher(police officer, crossing guard, etc) for helping you.

The world would be a better place if we all stopped for just a minute to reflect on our tone and actions and take a look in the mirror.

8:06 PM: "How would you morons feel about having to buy "police/fire" insurance or be faced with a hefty bill after having needed these services at some point?"

Honestly, police/fire insurance would likely cost SUBSTANTIALLY less than the amount I pay in taxes every year.

To those complaining about the closing of schools... nobody wants "their" school closed, but it has to be done. It is an inefficient government that operates more schools if it needs to! We need to close these schools, even if it means some will lose their jobs. If they are good teachers, they will get a job at another school, or have to move elsewhere. Regardless, we can't afford to run more public schools than are necessary!

Charlie Crist doesn't have kids. And until he does, education will be on the back burner. Same goes for Jeb....wait, his daughter is a crack-ho, so the outcome is the same.

All you Republicans who squirm when the word "socialism" is mentioned best remember that schools, police, fire and mail are all "socialist" programs.

How would you morons feel about having to buy "police/fire" insurance or be faced with a hefty bill after having needed these services at some point?

It's time for our elected officials to make this a front-burner issue. F-cat and vouchers are not the answer. Performance-based pay, quality teachers and neighborhood schools are the future (past?).

Write your elected official if you care. As for Amendment 1, thanks for that.

And by the way, my 2 girls ride an empy 34' long bus from N St. Pete to downtown because they decided my "choice" of a neihborhood school was not appropriate. Good work, folks.

[Alab]

I think my colleague about said it well. This is what I stated yesterday. We ALL need to contact our state legislatures. They continue to increase the burden on property owners while reducing the state's contribution. Public K-12 education is too important; it needs to be funded adequately by the state!

Look at your voter registration card or visit the following Web sites for contact information:

www.flsenate.gov/legislators

www.flhouse.gov

[CC]

The issue is with the state. They raped the education budget this year and now they are asking Pinellas County Schools to give back 14.4 million. That's money the county was already given to spend; now they have to return it. And the lottery is a joke - yes, the lottery money is sent to the schools but they cut the state's portion of the education budget at the same time so the end result is a net loss.

What else do you cut? Teachers have not received any salary increases this year but are working many more hours. Resource teachers have returned to the classroom. Teachers beg, borrow or buy their own necessary equipment and have gotten very creative with reusable materials. Administrators are spread thin with one less assistant principal per school and money worries. Extra programs have been eliminated. So what's left to cut?

Please, parents, call, write and visit your state representatives. That is where the problem is. They have cut the education budget to the bare bones. Please let them know that this is not acceptable to Florida citizens.

To contact your legislators:

For the Senate:
www.flsenate.gov/legislators

For the House:
Type www.flhouse.gov

Governor Crist
Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Telephone:
Citizen Services Hotline: (850) 488-
4441

Executive Office of the Governor Switchboard: (850) 488-7146 [Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time]

When contacting a legislator by email, it is helpful to put your request in the subject line.

Why do these school have to be closing. I love Palm Harbor Elementary. It is a great school and they have a great staff members. What if we make the school go to a fundmental school??

[Stan]

The school board really needs to deal with the busing issue. I frequently see almost empty buses pulling into schools. If changing the hours and routes will fill the buses than do it. You can't please everyone and busing is a huge expense. I know the school board has cut hundreds of positions in the last several years. Other than getting rid of excessive management the services are really all that is left to cut.

[susan]

Kim, do your homework, the new school you are referring to has a large handicap population and requires an elevator. the "gardens" are simply plants that are intended to not die off after the season and the teachers raised the money for them as well as the parents of the children raising money for the handicap accessable playground. Do you also want to complain that it is a green school that saves $ in many ways. Prehaps you would be happier if the children from the two schools that one new school replaces stayed in their old dilapitated buildings with two administration staff. Kim you don't have a clue as to what your talking about. Old schools do need to be replaced with new more efficient green building. The state provides capitol outlay money that can't be used for anything other than towards improving schools. Do you suggest we give it back and let our kids suffer.

[andrea]

the school board is in a tough position. with declining enrollment and falling revenues, what other steps could the school board take to balance the books? while closing these schools would be a major inconvenience to families, it seems like it would save the school district a lot of money and account for declining enrollment. while i know there are a lot of frustrated parents out there, i'm interested in reading other reader's ideas for feasible alternatives for decreasing the district's expenses. i do not envy the board members at all.

[Emme]

Yeah Obama will save public schools.Just like all rich well off people he choose elite private schools for his girls.None of your federal legislators choose public schools for their kids.But they all stand in the way of middle and lower income people having the right to choose.

[Kim]

MY MY, they are closing schools yet they are building new ones each year. How about the new one on 38 Ave and 36 St.N. It has gardens inclosed and open. bathroom per two classes, elevator. Yet they want to cut back. Look at your taxes. Have you noticed the school taxes are way more then your county taxes and city taxes. No one checks their books. They spend and spend. No over sight control. They cry for more and more money. There is no end to their hunger for money. Yes there is less money coming from the state, for there are less students. Think about it. 7,000 less students means 250 less classrooms and 250 less teachers. That means less money. NO they still want all that money to spend and spend. Close the schools. They built three new schools in the south side and they are half full.
I have seen them take very good books from a school library and pack them up and buy all brand new books for a library. These old books could have been used or given to students to take home but know they were destroyed. Not only do they have a library with all new books they have each classroom with all new books. They book companies are happy. Just how many books are missing at the end of the school year? No one checks. No records. How many classroom text books just walk out the door. Then children have to share. Then in third grade the county has the teachers teach the FCAT test to the students with materal they print up themselves. Now that is teaching the test and gee the kids do not do any better. It is a farce. An expensive farce. Very ecpensive farce.

The Legislature increased per student allocations for the major voucher program last year while cutting state support for public education by over 16% (comparing the 2007-2008 Legislative Budget to the 2008-2009 current budget with 4% withholding). What do the citizens think will be the result of a 16% cut in general revenue for the public schools? If you don't like it, make sure that your Legislator hears from you. The current leadership plan is to cut another 2%+ from the current year while reducing the allocations for next year (2009-2010) by at least another 4% while financing the increased costs of CSR out of the base. Don't let them get away with it!

[Chris]

Umm..... where is the billions that the Florida Lottery "says" they have given to education in Florida? I have two in school now and one going next year. This county is being run into the ground. Just like the Bush Administration did to this country. Excessive spending is only noticed during times of hardship and not when things are going good. Who regulates things here? I am scared for the future of our and my children.

[Shiitemouth]

Why would we give our $240 back when the school board would just squander the money?

I hope Obama rides in on his white horse and saves us!

[jp]

This is the same thing that got america in the position we are in now. Greed!!! The top people within the school board want large salaries, but have no idea of how to save money. What about looking for opportunities to reduce cost without the closing of schools or lowering of teachers pay? Have you thought about eliminating the need for new fences around every school when there are some already there? Have you thought about maintaining fields instead of having new fields layed? Have you thought about lowering inventory costs? I believe that the school board should invest in some Quality experts to come in an save money before looking to close schools, as the list above are just some ideas, but there are many more that need to be reviewed.

[Kathy]

Dr. Hires/ Superindent Jansen
Why is your child's school overcrowded at a failing school (woodlawn)
if enrollment is down????????????

[Todd]

Pinellas County has too many elderly residents (voters) that could care less about education! If it means them saving $240 per year, yipee! Do you really think they care that it comes at the expense of our childrens educations?
Closing down schools is the right thing to do if enrollment is declining. Wahh, wahh to the parents whos kids go to these 5 schools. "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few."

Vouchers would only take MORE MONEY out of the stressed school district. Perhaps we should all give our $240 property tax break back...for the Future of our Children...

This is what happens when you have the government running something. School vouchers please.