Rockyb1999 comment-13654 2009-09-11T22:47:20Z 2009-09-11T22:47:20Z Has anyone noticed that Education is not in the Mayor's job description. Sounds like he should have tried for the School Board. Why not focus on City issues and make difference at City Hall. So far I don't see him focused on anything to completion. Rockyb1999 2009-09-11T22:47:20Z thsas comment-13396 2009-09-07T17:56:03Z 2009-09-07T17:56:03Z Louise, you need a mirror. You tend to present yourself always knowing whats best, and others are wrong. thsas 2009-09-07T17:56:03Z Marion Millin comment-13324 2009-09-05T03:58:52Z 2009-09-05T03:58:52Z "aticama" lay off the Kool Aid and use your real name on SacPress. Marion Millin 2009-09-05T03:58:52Z Marion Millin comment-13290 2009-09-04T23:41:24Z 2009-09-04T23:41:24Z Oracle, after several incarnations, JimKnapp has the courage to put his real name on his SacPress comments, such as they may be. I wonder if you would look at your own racist and elitist comments differently -- in this discussion and earlier discussions on the use of library benches -- if you used your real name here. Marion Millin 2009-09-04T23:41:24Z Marion Millin comment-13289 2009-09-04T23:00:45Z 2009-09-04T23:00:45Z The facts in my comment are drawn directly from the web site aticama and JimKnapp referred to and from the St HOPE web site. Rather than refute the facts, they repeat false slogans ("If I say it, it's so!!") and slime their personal attacks. Marion Millin 2009-09-04T23:00:45Z thsas comment-13279 2009-09-04T19:32:49Z 2009-09-04T19:32:49Z My experiece with the school system was very negative. I attended every possible parent-tacher function and got to know the staff. It was shocking to me to see then staff dressed wike the meeting was a car wash, only one or two dressed in a professionla manner, ever. Nver was a teacher available to meet me one on one before 7 AM or after 4 PM, they did not have the time for it. thsas 2009-09-04T19:32:49Z The Parrhesiac comment-13268 2009-09-04T17:28:35Z 2009-09-04T17:28:35Z Illegal immigration and sub-cultures that do not value education. THAT is the reason our schools suck and why there is an education gap. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-04T17:28:35Z Oracle comment-13267 2009-09-04T15:18:01Z 2009-09-04T15:18:01Z Public schools are generally awful in California because we have so many kids from poor, uneducated families. Point the finger at illegal immigration. Sit in a few classrooms and you'll quickly see why most children don't have a chance to learn, to excel. Slow-learners, problem children, kids who can't speak English, kids who just don't care to participate in education destroy the learning environment for those who have a chance. Home-schooling will see a big increase because of the poor economy and poor public schools. California is a public school cesspool. Oracle 2009-09-04T15:18:01Z aticama comment-13260 2009-09-04T06:29:05Z 2009-09-04T06:29:05Z Maid Marion You should stay away from that old soul coffee, or at least switch to decaff. God Bless America. aticama 2009-09-04T06:29:05Z The Parrhesiac comment-13253 2009-09-04T04:42:48Z 2009-09-04T04:42:48Z Marion - you need to re calibrate that tin foil hat your not making sense. Were you one of the union school teachers given the boot at Sac High? Sure sounds like it. No matter what your issues are.. the fact of the matter is that Charter schools INCLUDING Sac High are PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-04T04:42:48Z Marion Millin comment-13250 2009-09-04T04:09:48Z 2009-09-04T04:09:48Z Handpicking the student body and fudging statistics and test results is not the answer either. "There are so many factors that affect students outside of what happens inside the walls of the particular school they attend. And the make-up of the individual student-their determination to succeed, or lack there of-is also huge." Marion Millin 2009-09-04T04:09:48Z aticama comment-13248 2009-09-04T04:03:03Z 2009-09-04T04:03:03Z Yep, she does need to up her meds. Sorry folks, this does not mean what it says: A charter school is a public school, and it may provide instruction in any of grades K-12. God Bless American. aticama 2009-09-04T04:03:03Z Mona Romero comment-13230 2009-09-03T23:25:17Z 2009-09-03T23:25:17Z Thanks, Marion for the thoughtful response. From a personal perspective, I went to a charter school. It was in every sense of the word "public", with "public standards, public funds, public property and public accountability" - perhaps even exceedingly so for fear of public backlash. Mona Romero 2009-09-03T23:25:17Z Marion Millin comment-13226 2009-09-03T22:08:39Z 2009-09-03T22:08:39Z http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/csabout.asp What is a Charter School? "A charter school is a public school, and it may provide instruction in any of grades K-12. A charter school is usually created or organized by a group of teachers, parents and community leaders or a community-based organization, and it is usually sponsored by an existing local public school board or county board of education." A charter school is "usually sponsored by an existing local public school board" and is NOT a public school in the traditional sense of "public schools" which the local public schools board oversee. "A charter school is generally exempt from most laws governing school districts, except where specifically noted in the law." Another distinction between charter schools and public schools. There are many more. "California public charter schools are required to ..." "Public charter schools may not ..." Despite the misinformation at the top of the paragraph (which SacPress bullies have latched onto, not reading any further), the final lines contain the correct term: "public charter schools." Just as the actual name "Sacramento Charter High School" is rarely used by charter promoters and their enablers in the media. Kevin Johnson even went so far as to name his charter school business franchise, independent from the public schools, "St. HOPE Public Schools." Wonder if the students are allowed to read "1984." Even so, the St. HOPE web site points out the differences between charter and actual public schools and the public school system: St. HOPE Public Schools (SHPS) is an "independent charter SCHOOL SYSTEM." "The goal of St. HOPE Public Schools is to provide Sacramento youth with a PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION, for free." The vision of St. HOPE Public Schools is to "To CREATE one of the finest urban K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS in America." The stated goal and vision of St. HOPE is to create an independent public charter school system -- separate from the public school system -- to offer private school education, sponsored by the local public school board. Among the stated reasons that "St. HOPE Public Schools differ from traditional district public schools" are: "Freedom: St. HOPE Public Schools must adhere to the same major laws and regulations as all other public schools, however, they also have a certain freedom from the procedural road blocks that can get in the way of providing educational excellence." A "certain freedom" from certain, unstated "procedural road blocks..." It's clear that Kevin Johnson has no respect for procedure that gets in the way of his agenda. "Sac High is built on a special philosophy and belief system that is practiced every day." Also unstated is what this "special philosophy and belief system" is. From http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/csabout.asp "The law also requires that a public charter school be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations." There is is again, that pesky correct term "public charter school" and the requirement that they be nonsectarian, which St. HOPE and Hoodcore are not. Charter schools are not public schools. The public is allowed to apply to attend public schools. That's it. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T22:08:39Z Susie Shields comment-13225 2009-09-03T21:46:39Z 2009-09-03T21:46:39Z Yes, there are charter schools that are called "public" because they receive public $. They are not, however, truly "public" in that they are not obligated to serve everyone by law. Just like Sac Charter, they can kick out 200 underperforming kids and then claim how great they are. It's not that their program is better or their teachers are better. Their student body is better. That's it. I don't mind choice in education, as long as there is an even playing field and charters don't suck away resources from schools who are obligated by law to try and educate students whose parents don't "choose to choose". Those kids are at a huge disadvantage and quite frankly, charter schools don't even address these kids. Pretty soon, public schools will be filled with the rejects of charter schools. It doesn't fix the fundamental problem which is bad parenting and the cumbersome ed code. The ed code needs to be completely revamped and parents need to quit blaming schools and teachers for all of their failings. Just switching to charters doesn't fix anything . The same problems will persist. Susie Shields 2009-09-03T21:46:39Z aticama comment-13218 2009-09-03T19:56:47Z 2009-09-03T19:56:47Z “that the top 5-10% of students from McClatchy perform just as well, as the students from the other schools. What that says is, it isn't all about public vs private vs charter.” No, what that says is that it is an assumption, and that I can just as easily say that they will all get failing grades. Until the test is run, we will not really know, will we. I say let’s not play with assumptions when it comes to our children’s education. Let’s get the facts out and look at them. As a child I went to both public and private schools (both Christian and Military), (at that time they were not called charter schools), and I can say that the level of education I received at the later far outreached the level received at the former. Public school always made me feel that I was there so they could get paid by the state. It was explained to me that they would not get paid if I was not in school, “so that is why you have to be here.” I have seen the failures in the public education system, and they are more than they are less. I say let’s get some new thinking in the system, and quit financing those that have already show themselves as failures. Who knows, someone may put together the right combination that could change the face of education in the world, just not in Sacramento. God Bless America aticama 2009-09-03T19:56:47Z aticama comment-13214 2009-09-03T19:34:06Z 2009-09-03T19:34:06Z What is a Charter School? A charter school is a public school, and it may provide instruction in any of grades K-12. This is a direct quote from the page of the California Department of Education. Do you think you know more than the department of education? Lady Marion I think you are just as fictitious as your boyfriend Robin, and not only did you drank the cool-aid, you bathed in it. But let’s not be harsh, and say you are smarter than the CDE, if that is true they for sure they should not get the money. But the possibility of that is not even slim to nothing. To remind you, you can educate yourself at the link Jim provided, or continue to heckle from the corner while wearing your dunce hat. My personal hope is that you continue to make a a$$ of yourself. God Bless America aticama 2009-09-03T19:34:06Z The Parrhesiac comment-13213 2009-09-03T19:23:37Z 2009-09-03T19:23:37Z buildrbuz do you even have children? If you don't like free choice...maybe move to a country like Venezuela... you will be right at home. Feel free to send your kids to a public school that is your choice...but don't tell me where to send mine. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T19:23:37Z The Parrhesiac comment-13212 2009-09-03T19:21:03Z 2009-09-03T19:21:03Z In California ALL Charter schools must be non-profit. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T19:21:03Z Marion Millin comment-13211 2009-09-03T19:13:32Z 2009-09-03T19:13:32Z You can lead a horse to Kool Aid and tell them it's water, but you can't make them drink. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T19:13:32Z buildrbuz comment-13210 2009-09-03T19:02:26Z 2009-09-03T19:02:26Z Many people keep complaining that our public schools are "failing" and they need choice-meaning charter schools or vouchers for private schools. So, I'd like to see the top 5-10% of students from a large comprehensive public high school, say McClatchy, and a private high school, say Christian Brothers, and a Charter School, say Sacramento Charter High School, all take the same standardized test on the same day. I'd be willing to bet a lot of money, that the top 5-10% of students from McClatchy perform just as well, as the students from the other schools. What that says is, it isn't all about public vs private vs charter. There are so many factors that affect students outside of what happens inside the walls of the particular school they attend. And the make-up of the individual student-their determination to succeed, or lack there of-is also huge. I personally know of quite a few parents who have enrolled their kid in one school after the other, trying to find the right "fit." I suggest they consider that it is the kid who is chosing to fail the school, not the school that is failing the kid in most of these cases. More "choice" is not always the right answer to the problem. buildrbuz 2009-09-03T19:02:26Z thsas comment-13205 2009-09-03T17:44:05Z 2009-09-03T17:44:05Z Let it go Louise. You won! Look what you won, a truckload of hate! thsas 2009-09-03T17:44:05Z aticama comment-13194 2009-09-03T16:07:37Z 2009-09-03T16:07:37Z Well that just goes to show you, Jim, you can lead a horse to water, then you can stand there and watch him die of thirst. Most dems are thirsting for water here, but they refuse to drink. Well actual that i$ wrong, what they are thru$ting for here i$ the money, which will $till leave them dying of thir$t and our public $chool$ $till failing. Marion here is different, I will say that. She sounds like a person that has overdosed herself on cheap bottled water, and is slurring her disinformation in an attempt to save her own soul. You see a lot like her spouting denials in the face of truth, it’s a liberal addiction. I support choice in education and Charter schools. But please, you dems just continue on making a$$es of yourself, I am enjoying myself immensely. God Bless America aticama 2009-09-03T16:07:37Z buildrbuz comment-13192 2009-09-03T15:49:40Z 2009-09-03T15:49:40Z Mr. Knapp, you didn't get my point regarding Kindergarten. Many states, Iowa, for example, requires that any kindergarten student be 5 on the first day of school--not months later. They do this to help ensure that the child will be successful in school. I think CA should adopt that policy. Many students are held back and have to repeat K. Unfortunately for many kids, their parents are just using the schools as free babysitting, not really considering whether they are ready, And, the kindergarten curriculum HAS changed dramatically in the last 20 years. I know because my mother taught kindergarten and I also have 4 children. Kindergarten was designed to "prepare" children for 1st grade. Now, much of what was 1st grade curriculum is taught in K , and many students-especially the younger ones, and boys particularly are not ready for it. You don't have to take my word for it--just ask a kindergarten teacher who has been teaching for over 20 years. The new teachers won't know the difference. With regard to Charter schools, some are private, for profit. Some are public, nonprofit. But all of them require that students apply to them and there is no guarantee of acceptance. They do not have "school boundaries" like public schools. I have done A LOT of research on charter schools. There is a lot to be concerned about regarding their performance and the effect they can have on the public school system. That is not to say that there are not some very good charter schools--but you cannot lump them all together. If I could find it, it would send you the link to an article on what has happened in Texas, where most of the charter schools that opened in the 80's and 90's are no longer in business. By the way, my oldest daughter graduated from a local charter high school--Natomas Charter--one of the "good" ones. buildrbuz 2009-09-03T15:49:40Z The Parrhesiac comment-13186 2009-09-03T10:48:59Z 2009-09-03T10:48:59Z Seriously honey you need to up your medication The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T10:48:59Z Marion Millin comment-13182 2009-09-03T07:44:01Z 2009-09-03T07:44:01Z Charter schools are not public schools. The public knows what the public school system means and what it means to support the public school system... ... Until enough are disinformed and miseducated enough to accept the dismantlement of the public school system and the Orwellian changes in marketing/language that enable it. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T07:44:01Z Marion Millin comment-13180 2009-09-03T07:39:56Z 2009-09-03T07:39:56Z As buildrbuz wrote: "But at the end of the day, this isn't about teachers or students, it's about money and power and who controls it." How does Johnson promote himself as as education mayor with a straight face? "Essentially, with CASA the same high level Sac City District officials who generously padded their retirement (10 extra years of service credit and many thousands of additional dollars a year!) also schemed to roll themselves directly into lucrative management contracts to administer the business operations of the same charter schools they helped establish during their tenure running the district. This was all done simultaneously with the give away of Sacramento High School to St. Hope. CASA-- which ultimately cost the school district millions of dollars in settlements--- largely was seen as the brainchild of Laura Bruno, the school district's Chief Financial Officer at the time. Bruno retired from the district with her fattened pension into a sweet gig as CASA's chief officer...she also served on the St. Hope/Sac Charter school board. " Marion Millin 2009-09-03T07:39:56Z Marion Millin comment-13159 2009-09-03T07:32:19Z 2009-09-03T07:32:19Z Jim, you are a bully, as classy as Mr. Machiaviglio... If not for having to defend against your outrageous attacks, neither would be worthy of comment. I'd decided this regarding you on SacPress and then met you in person. You don't listen to anyone, talk over everyone, force those who want to speak to announce it to you to shut you up, who then find you talking over them anyway. You might be more careful with your insults and accusations. "...school choice is supported by the majority of Americans ONLY Unions and liberal drones are against giving children a better chance at a decent life." Says you. Sounds pretty partisan hackish to this public school graduate. Charter schools are not public schools. The public school system is just that. It is not a charter or privatized or balkanized school system. It is a public school system with public standards, public funds, public property and public accountability, that builds community and provides public benefit. Your insults and phony marketing lingo notwithstanding. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T07:32:19Z The Parrhesiac comment-13155 2009-09-03T06:26:43Z 2009-09-03T06:26:43Z For all of you ignorant Liberals who keep claiming that charter schools are NOT public schools... YOU ARE WRONG! STOP SPEWING LIBERAL DISINFORMATION http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/csabout.asp The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T06:26:43Z The Parrhesiac comment-13154 2009-09-03T06:24:56Z 2009-09-03T06:24:56Z Marion you are a partisan hack... school choice is supported by the majority of Americans ONLY Unions and liberal drones are against giving children a better chance at a decent life. Charter Schools ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS...regardless of your assertions. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CALLS THEM PUBLIC SCHOOLS!.. but you know more don't you Marion. educate yourself See: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cs/re/csabout.asp The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T06:24:56Z Marion Millin comment-13153 2009-09-03T06:17:23Z 2009-09-03T06:17:23Z Bill Burg has a knee slapper for ya! "We heard this lie before--Bush's relatively narrow victory in 2004 was called a "landslide" (and maybe it was, compared to the election he lost in 2000.)" Marion Millin 2009-09-03T06:17:23Z LoriJablonski comment-13152 2009-09-03T06:11:21Z 2009-09-03T06:11:21Z "The profit motive drives business…. these schools were to be “incubators of innovation,” free of the rules that govern traditional districts. Local school boards would decide who gets the charters, which spell out how a school will operate and what it will teach. To keep this deal, lawmakers specified that only nonprofit groups would get charters. But six years later, profit has become pivotal.... For-profit corporations create nonprofit foundations to obtain the charters, and then hire themselves to run the schools." Thank you, Savvysydsam. But we don't need to look thousands of miles across the country to find rampant corruption and profiteering associated with so-called education reform efforts. Unfortunately, both are alive and well right here in the River City. Some might forget that the CASA alternative pension fund and retirement spiking scandal that wracked the Sac City school district under the former school board led by Jay Schenirer also involved the creation of a shadowy charter school management venture under the CASA umbrella. Essentially, with CASA the same high level Sac City District officials who generously padded their retirement (10 extra years of service credit and many thousands of additional dollars a year!) also schemed to roll themselves directly into lucrative management contracts to administer the business operations of the same charter schools they helped establish during their tenure running the district. This was all done simultaneously with the give away of Sacramento High School to St. Hope. CASA-- which ultimately cost the school district millions of dollars in settlements--- largely was seen as the brainchild of Laura Bruno, the school district's Chief Financial Officer at the time. Bruno retired from the district with her fattened pension into a sweet gig as CASA's chief officer...she also served on the St. Hope/Sac Charter school board. LoriJablonski 2009-09-03T06:11:21Z Marion Millin comment-13147 2009-09-03T06:05:56Z 2009-09-03T06:05:56Z Your comments have been nothing but attacks, lies and slander. Very sad but now unavoidable to call your behavior what it is. So. When you are called on your games, obfuscations and distractions, you have a new target for more of the same. I have made every effort to be polite to you on Sac Press. You apparently have no respect for the public and no dignity in how you represent the Mayor of Sacramento as his spokesman. Your return to the top of this discussion to continue to attack and slander me, responding to a post that is nothing more than informative video from PBS (The Lehrer News Hour on Michelle Rhea and the D.C, school system) indicates how invested you are in the deceptive, destructive and distracting tactics that I and others here object to. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T06:05:56Z Marion Millin comment-13150 2009-09-03T06:01:09Z 2009-09-03T06:01:09Z MonaRomero, Before there was "Teach to the Test" and "Speak From the Script" and "Let Business Dictate How You Educate Children," there was this thing called "context." "Now stealth privatization of public education is being championed by a mayor who is one of those who has personally -- and politically -- benefitted from (premature, illegal) privatization of a vital public high school. The sordid record of that success is downplayed by local media that have enabled Johnson's continuing hijacking of our high school and his campaign for mayor." No one said "this specific education reform lend to "stealth privatization." " If the Mayor's spokesman hadn't been so intentionally disruptive here, we might have discussed the "specific education reform" more. But Mr. Macchiaviglio has a lot of damage control to do. It keeps him too busy to discuss actual issues. He has people bringing up criminal behavior, criminal misuse of funds, criminal investigations, criminal buyouts and payoffs and that's not to mention dumping students and fudging statistics on St. HOPE performance, in order to meet those generic, cut and paste "high standards" that the education "reformers" are pushing. Worst of all, Machiaviglio has to attack those who call the mayor's deceptive, bumpersticker strategies for what they are!! Damn critical thinkers! So, you're right, it is confusing. In the context of what Johnson has accomplished and gotten away with, including being elected Mayor with no policymaking or City Council meeting experience, it's really something, How he and St. HOPE can continue squatting on the historic, comprehensive Sacramento High School campus is another mystery. "Now stealth privatization of public education is being championed by a mayor who is one of those who has personally -- and politically -- benefitted from (premature, illegal) privatization of a vital public high school. The sordid record of that success is downplayed by local media that have enabled Johnson's continuing hijacking of our high school and his campaign for mayor." I'm sorry if the context wasn't clear enough. Maybe if I'd had a better public school education, I'd know whatever the Latin phrase is for: "He champions his own stealthy cause." Thank gawd for Google and the Net. I tried to find translations that might help: Is champions suus own furtim causa It champions the cause of his own stealthy This champions his own by stealth case at law Is champions suus own causa occulte This champions his own case at law secretly. Hope that helps.` Marion Millin 2009-09-03T06:01:09Z Marion Millin comment-13148 2009-09-03T05:17:54Z 2009-09-03T05:17:54Z Jim, I speak for public involvement. It's true that "Stealth tactics have insinuated this process into Sacramento for several years, with inadequate public involvement. " My assertion that, "The public does not want its pubic school system privatized, locally or nationally" is as, or more, valid than your claims that "Most Americans support choice in education and Charter schools. " and "Charter schools... are just managed by non-profits, who do a much better job at educating our children, and for less money." People know what the public school system is. That is not it. Public funds, public property, public education, let the public decide. And no, charter schools are not public schools, no matter what the trends in marketing indicate. Marion Millin 2009-09-03T05:17:54Z izzy comment-13145 2009-09-03T03:52:41Z 2009-09-03T03:52:41Z So here are my observations.My immediate concern is why the mayor of Sacramento is even involved in the issue of education reform at all. He doesn't have an education background. He doesn't even have kids. As a Mayor, shouldn't he be involved in helping city council run the city. Why does he feel like it's his job to court the U.S. Secretary of Education? Oh..follow the money. That's his mantra...maybe the Secretary of Education can get Mr. Johnson to pay back all the money he owes CDE and SCUSD and Americorps. That would be a start. izzy 2009-09-03T03:52:41Z Susie Shields comment-13142 2009-09-03T03:46:23Z 2009-09-03T03:46:23Z Umm, I'm not a dem. I get angry when people lie to steal taxpayer dollars. If you're a conservative, you should see that Democrats for Ed reform is all about getting their hands on the money. Not about fixing anything. Susie Shields 2009-09-03T03:46:23Z Susie Shields comment-13141 2009-09-03T03:34:42Z 2009-09-03T03:34:42Z Mr. Knapp- Buildrbuz is correct about 1st grade curriculum in kinder. When I went to kindergarten in the 60's we finger painted and still took naps. When I volunteered in my kids' kindergarten classes several years ago, they were reading. We didn't even open a book until the 1st grade. The cutoff for SCUSD for kindergarten is Dec 2. I have kids born in December /November and the Dec kid waited a year because she was born after the 2nd. Parents whose kids are born before Dec 2nd can opt to send them to school while they're 4. That's why so many kids who were born before then start kinder at 4. Usually, those kids are not ready to perform at the current level. Many parents are opting to keep their kids home and have them start kindergarten older. That's what I did with my Nov kid and it was the best decision I ever made. Susie Shields 2009-09-03T03:34:42Z William Burg comment-13123 2009-09-03T02:21:36Z 2009-09-03T02:21:36Z We heard this lie before--Bush's relatively narrow victory in 2004 was called a "landslide" (and maybe it was, compared to the election he lost in 2000.) So a 52-48 margin (not counting the 5% or so that wrote in other candidates) is considered a "landslide" in that the winner got more votes than the loser. Steve, do you have proof that a majority of Democrats voted for Johnson? Or did Johnson get "swing votes" from Republicans who didn't have a candidate in the race (other than Shawn Eldredge)? I'm not a Democrat. I voted for Obama because he seemed like a moderate-liberal hawk, which I am, but I was kind of hoping he was a bit more liberal...and, to be honest, I was not expecting all the stealth conservatives that seem to be riding in on his coat-tails. But let's try another refrain: KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. When I am talking about Kevin Johnson, I am not talking about Barack Obama. They are not the same person, as much as you try to make people think they are. Supporting one does not mean supporting the other. William Burg 2009-09-03T02:21:36Z aticama comment-13136 2009-09-03T02:17:44Z 2009-09-03T02:17:44Z Geezze, I just love watching all you dems kick the $hit out of each other, you guys deserve your party. I support choice in education and Charter schools. Because of dimwits like you, most public schools are failures. Everyone knows the mayor is just going for the money, and his lapdog here is just striven to keep his job. He is not lying, he is just “misspeaking”. Please disregard me and continue showing your worst side. I’m Loven it! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! God Bless America aticama 2009-09-03T02:17:44Z Susie Shields comment-13133 2009-09-03T01:13:33Z 2009-09-03T01:13:33Z And then there is corruption. Many nonprofit charters contract out all their services to a for-profit firm, sometimes run by the same owner. This backdoor model—of a nonprofit funneling dollars to a separate, for-profit entity—is common. Kent Fischer explained it in the St. Petersburg Times: The profit motive drives business…. More and more, it’s driving Florida school reform. The vehicle: charter schools. This was not the plan. These schools were to be “incubators of innovation,” free of the rules that govern traditional districts. Local school boards would decide who gets the charters, which spell out how a school will operate and what it will teach. To keep this deal, lawmakers specified that only nonprofit groups would get charters. But six years later, profit has become pivotal.... For-profit corporations create nonprofit foundations to obtain the charters, and then hire themselves to run the schools. Hmmm... could this be happening with the Mayor and his many entangled businesses? St. HOPE Public Schools, St. HOPE Academy, Kynship development, blah, blah, blah. Susie Shields 2009-09-03T01:13:33Z The Parrhesiac comment-13132 2009-09-03T01:00:45Z 2009-09-03T01:00:45Z Buildrbuz...you are incorrect. CA schools have age cutoffs for kindergarten. It's January, the student must be 5 by then...I know I have two kids. I wanted my 4 year old in Kindergarten this year, he was denied because he did not turn 5 until February. And your assertion that they are teaching 1st grade curriculum to kidergarteners is also incorrect. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T01:00:45Z The Parrhesiac comment-13130 2009-09-03T00:56:27Z 2009-09-03T00:56:27Z Apparently Marion has been appointed to speak for the People...I must have missed that vote. Most Americans support choice in education and Charter schools. That is not privitization. And even if it was I would support it. Private schools and Charter schools do a MUCH better job at educating our children. Oh yeah and btw... Charter schools ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS..as per the CA Education code, they are just managed by non-profits, who do a much better job at educating our children, and for less money. The Parrhesiac 2009-09-03T00:56:27Z William Burg comment-13124 2009-09-03T00:09:00Z 2009-09-03T00:09:00Z As opposed to kicking them out of school entirely, yes. Not necessarily in the same classroom--that's why you have separate special ed, remedial, vocational, and college prep tracks--but yes, in the same school. Anything less stops being a school that serves the public good and starts being a self-serving institution more interested in its own reputation than its educational mission. Here's a blast from the past, Steve: Ever watch the Christian Slater movie "Pump Up The Volume"? A loudmouth pirate radio DJ exposed a plan by a corrupt high school principal to kick out underperforming students to keep test scores high, and misused school funding to pad their own budgets and serve their own ends. Sound kind of familiar? The truth is a virus. William Burg 2009-09-03T00:09:00Z Susie Shields comment-13122 2009-09-02T23:30:17Z 2009-09-02T23:30:17Z Gee, thanks for the spelling lesson. You sure are very selective with your data. You refuse to acknowledge why the scores are up. All of the pro-charter people refuse to look at the reason why. I stated it earlier and I will state it again. nearly 200 kids LEFT the school last year. Who are they? Why did they leave? Special Ed, English Language Learners - NOT NUMERICALLY SIGNIFICANT at that school! This is a California inner city school but they don't have significant numbers of those students at their school. As far as 4 year colleges. I know they make every student apply for college whether they plan to go or not. Any school that did that would have higher numbers of students ACCEPTED to college. What interests me is the terrible SAT scores for that school. They get worse every year. Here they are for 2007-2008: Sac Charter / Ca State Avg Critical reading avg. 380 / 494 Math avg. 377 / 513 writing avg. 382 / 493 WOW, pretty bad. Those scores all dropped from the year before and the year before that and so on and so on. Getting worse, not better. I trust the SAT more than I trust Sac Charter's test scores. They can't cheat on the SAT. Susie Shields 2009-09-02T23:30:17Z Mona Romero comment-13119 2009-09-02T22:55:07Z 2009-09-02T22:55:07Z Marion, how does this specific education reform lend to "stealth privatization"? Mona Romero 2009-09-02T22:55:07Z Kassandra Perlongo comment-13115 2009-09-02T22:37:28Z 2009-09-02T22:37:28Z As a Sacramento State student, I was so disheartened to see so many canceled classes this term. I am saddened by the furlough days taking valuable work days from already overworked professors. I am saddened to hear of my friends, once so excited to apply to their respective Masters programs, have to instead work for another year making barely minimum wage since Sacramento State is not accepting graduate students next term. This has got to change. How are we going to survive as a state, as a nation, if our generation cannot get the education we so desire to better ourselves for good careers? I support any education that can be given to our state. We cannot slack off in this matter. Kassandra Perlongo 2009-09-02T22:37:28Z Steven Maviglio comment-13113 2009-09-02T22:30:53Z 2009-09-02T22:30:53Z We agree on more than we disagree. But the "business" you speak of are usually nonprofits or groups that focus on learning and achievement, not profit. And nearly across the board, the results have been impressive. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T22:30:53Z Steven Maviglio comment-13112 2009-09-02T22:28:41Z 2009-09-02T22:28:41Z Your comments have been nothing but attacks. Very sad but predictable. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T22:28:41Z Marion Millin comment-13108 2009-09-02T22:07:16Z 2009-09-02T22:07:16Z Here is the link to RSVP. Site says it will be first come, first served. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/mayor/ Marion Millin 2009-09-02T22:07:16Z buildrbuz comment-13107 2009-09-02T22:03:02Z 2009-09-02T22:03:02Z Business as usual currently means expecting our kindergarten students to master what used to be the 1st grade curriculum, even though we don't require them to be 5, as many states do, before school starts. What is occurring, is that many of these children are failing kindergarten because they are not ready and are too young. Boys are especially at risk. If they were instead taught an age-appropriate child-centered curriculum, they would be much more likely to succeed, to see themselves as successful learners, and enjoy school. So no, I don't support a lot of business as usual. But I also don't support the idea of handing our schools over to business to run. Get the politics out of the schools and get back to teaching the kids. buildrbuz 2009-09-02T22:03:02Z buildrbuz comment-13106 2009-09-02T21:52:09Z 2009-09-02T21:52:09Z I don't believe I defended "business as usual" anywhere in my comment. I don't want "business as usual." What I do want is schools to be fully funded, teachers fully credentialed and paid better, the the Arts to be restored to the regular school day, available to every child-not just a select few at "special" schools, teaching minutes extended to allow for teaching ALL subjects, the educational process to be "child-centered" instead of "test centered" and parents to be held accountable, as well as schools, when their children fail to achieve. When parents-of any income level or cultural background support the schools and teachers by doing their job-turning off the tv, reading with their kids, supervising homework, and making sure they get to school on time, fed and ready to learn--kids achieve. I say that from first-hand experience and numerous studies also came to the same conclusion. buildrbuz 2009-09-02T21:52:09Z Marion Millin comment-13104 2009-09-02T21:23:19Z 2009-09-02T21:23:19Z 2 more blatant lies. Will you stop? That's slander, Mr. M. No matter who you speak for. "Actually, Marion, the people of Sacramento -- who you ridicule..... And remember, it's you who is attacking the public and the voters, not me." And no, it was not a "landslide." Even if it had been, it does not give you the right to continue your dishonest attacks. "And are you not a Democrat? Did you not vote for Obama?" You might ask BEFORE you presume to claim publicly -- and falsely -- how others identify themselves. "We do know you don't like Kevin Johnson." I don't know Kevin Johnson. I don't like blatantly deceptive tactics. Those who inflict such on the public are the ones "ridiculing" and "attacking" them. Please show some restraint and don't force me to point out your lies again. Oh look, you even twisted William's words around to pretend he said something he didn't. And these games you play, these damaging games ARE Right Wing tactics -- to divert and deflect from the actual issues and constructive discussion. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T21:23:19Z Kathleen Haley comment-13103 2009-09-02T21:18:44Z 2009-09-02T21:18:44Z The town hall meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Tsakopoulos Library at 828 I Street. The Tsakopoulos Library is located at the Central Library downtown. The city will open the doors to the event at 4:30 p.m. Kathleen Haley 2009-09-02T21:18:44Z Steven Maviglio comment-13102 2009-09-02T21:11:54Z 2009-09-02T21:11:54Z Except that just about every charter school operation is a not-for-profit. I think we agree that salaries, training, and resources all are critical. But, honestly, I don't know how you can defend business-as-usual in our schools. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T21:11:54Z Steven Maviglio comment-13101 2009-09-02T21:09:46Z 2009-09-02T21:09:46Z So your preference is to keep the small number of kids who aren't performing in a classroom with kids that do so the others can't live up to their potential? No child that is working hard is "kicked out" of any school. And perhaps our other public schools should have the same level of standards so that ALL our kids can achieve. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T21:09:46Z Steven Maviglio comment-13100 2009-09-02T21:07:34Z 2009-09-02T21:07:34Z Actually, Marion, the people of Sacramento -- who you ridicule -- voted for Kevin Johnson by a 58-42 percent margin. And remember, it's you who is attacking the public and the voters, not me. And are you not a Democrat? Did you not vote for Obama? We do know you don't like Kevin Johnson. And Mr. Burg, the party insiders backed Heather Fargo. But Democrats -- you know, the people that actually vote -- favored Kevin Johnson overwhelmingly. It's unfortunate that you think Barack Obama and the Secretary of Education are, in your words, "right-wingers." Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T21:07:34Z Marion Millin comment-13099 2009-09-02T20:49:17Z 2009-09-02T20:49:17Z RonaldWest, The public does not want its pubic school system privatized, locally or nationally. That's what is going on here, but it's not presented that way, because there would more opposition from the public. Stealth tactics have insinuated this process into Sacramento for several years, with inadequate public involvement. Now stealth privatization of public education is being championed by a mayor who is one of those who has personally -- and politically -- benefitted from (premature, illegal) privatization of a vital public high school. The sordid record of that success is downplayed by local media that have enabled Johnson's continuing hijacking of our high school and his campaign for mayor. "The people who zealously oppose this necessary education reform are perpetuating the status quo." "The status quo..." would that be code for "the public schools"? "This necessary education reform..." does that mean privatization? "Zealously..." does that describe recognizing hollow phrases, deceptive tactics and redirection of public funds and resources for private gain? I wouldn't be quite so "zealous" about the issue if the major newspaper had not colluded with Johnson in recent years to equate "public" and "charter" schools in the public minds. We have needed education reform for quite some time. Balkanization of communities and privatization (and unregulated misuse) of public funds and resources, are not good solutions. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T20:49:17Z Marion Millin comment-13096 2009-09-02T20:25:42Z 2009-09-02T20:25:42Z Bill, Steve is still in campaign mode. "His" candidate, not our mayor or our city. Same misleading tactics and bumpersticker talk, rather than service to the community. The Mayor's spokesman is undermining the process and attacking the public at every turn -- at least on SacPress, where the public has an unedited voice. Aren't there consultants to tell them how bad this looks? Or is this the new hardball, strongarm politics that would be institutionalized with a StrongArm Mayor? That's what they consider "modernizing." That's why the Charter was changed in the 1920's. To PREVENT this. "Accountability" starts with not misleading and attacking the public. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T20:25:42Z Marion Millin comment-13097 2009-09-02T20:15:40Z 2009-09-02T20:15:40Z William, it also results in the destruction of valuable community-building that truly public schools provide, particularly in a diverse city like ours. Those here crowing about "our inner city schools," ignore the elephant in the room, which is that all of the Central City neighborhoods (all north of Broadway, from Downtown to East Sac and College Greens) still don't have a public comprehensive high school; while Kevin Johnson's private school occupies, underperforms and underutilizes Sacramento's historic public high school campus. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T20:15:40Z Marion Millin comment-13091 2009-09-02T19:46:26Z 2009-09-02T19:46:26Z Steve. Nothing in what you just wrote is true. Not one word. You even falsely claim what other people call themselves?!!!! It's a shame when the Mayor's spokesman is such a blatant liar -- at this point it's no longer possible to be polite about your behavior on SacPress -- and attacks the public. It's too tiresome deconstructing your disinformation. As his spokesman, you reflect poorly on the mayor by continuing these false statements, attacks and deflections to avoid the real issues affecting Sacramentans. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T19:46:26Z William Burg comment-13094 2009-09-02T19:27:51Z 2009-09-02T19:27:51Z Except that's not how we did it when California's education system was the pride of the nation. Turning education into a business will result in a McDonald's style education: minimum effort for maximum profit, assembly-line learning, and products that look far better in promotional advertising than in the real world. William Burg 2009-09-02T19:27:51Z William Burg comment-13093 2009-09-02T19:26:21Z 2009-09-02T19:26:21Z Steven: Part of the amazing results seen at Sacramento High are obtained by kicking out underperforming students. This leaves those students with nowhere to go but the already overburdened public schools in other neighborhoods, and gives you an artificial patina of success. William Burg 2009-09-02T19:26:21Z William Burg comment-13092 2009-09-02T19:24:41Z 2009-09-02T19:24:41Z Steven: KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. KEVIN JOHNSON IS NOT BARACK OBAMA. Repeat as necessary. And yes, when right-wingers begin co-opting the Democratic Party to their own ends, it is very good to see people with less regressive views stand up and take notice. Remember, Mayor Johnson didn't get the endorsement from Sacramento's Democratic Party. William Burg 2009-09-02T19:24:41Z Steven Maviglio comment-13089 2009-09-02T19:02:46Z 2009-09-02T19:02:46Z If that's the case, how do you explain the amazing results in some inner-city schools (including ours here in Sacramento) by teachers and staff that throw out the business-as-usual practices? Nobody is blaming the teachers. I would think the President and Secretary Duncan would disagree with that. But to pretend that the status quo is okay misses the point. And of course we need to fully fund our schools and have health care. That's a no brainer. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T19:02:46Z Steven Maviglio comment-13088 2009-09-02T19:00:35Z 2009-09-02T19:00:35Z You gotta love when people who call themselves pro-Obama Democrats, like the two folks above, start attacking Mayor Johnson, a Democrat, for endorsing the President's education policy. How sad. Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T19:00:35Z buildrbuz comment-13086 2009-09-02T18:58:01Z 2009-09-02T18:58:01Z Business models are fine and dandy in business settings. Encourage and reward your sales staff to sell more, and voila-more sales. Not the same in education. Too many variables. That is not to say that high standards and raised expectations are not important. It's measuring the outcome that is troubling. When Open Court came into our elementary school, teaching history and science left. Not enough minutes in the day to teach all the subjects we were told. And history and science weren't on the test--just math and reading. Well, the teachers spent precious teaching time "practicing" test taking, and going over the results so that the statistically small number of students in the demographics the school needed to achieve the necessary results, were most likely to improve enough for "No Child Left Behind". Instead, a lot of children were left behind-in science and history, not to mention art and music, which had "already left the building" and had absolutely NO chance of being resurrected. Not on the test-and no time in the school day anyway. Encouraging teachers to become more effective teachers is a positive thing. However, paying teachers whose students score higher on tests is just encouraging teachers to spend more time on teaching to tests and possibly cheating, than it is to creating a better learning environment. Raising salaries, improving teacher training, and making sure all teachers and all classrooms have the books,materials and supplies they need to teach will go a long way to keeping top teachers in their jobs. Treat them like the well-educated professional they. Listen to them. There are WAY TOO MANY people who have never taught a day in their life telling teachers how to teach. And the constant "re-training" to the latest educational fad is mind-numbing. But at the end of the day, this isn't about teachers or students, it's about money and power and who controls it. Private Corporations see big $$$ signs and want to get in on all that Federal and State education money. If all the money spent in California on Education "consultants" and "studies" actually went into the schools and classrooms, we wouldn't have the school budget crisis we have now. You can fool some of the people all the time, and some, once in a while, but some of us have our eyes wide open. buildrbuz 2009-09-02T18:58:01Z Steven Maviglio comment-13085 2009-09-02T18:57:53Z 2009-09-02T18:57:53Z Thank you, Savvysydsam, for acknowledging that test scores are soaring at this charter school. You might also note the number of kids going to four-year colleges is soaring too. That's because what's happening at these schools is working: dedicated teachers, strong staff, supportive parents. It's changing lives and making our community a better place for all of us. By the way, "ALOT" is spelled "a lot." Steven Maviglio 2009-09-02T18:57:53Z Susie Shields comment-13083 2009-09-02T18:49:29Z 2009-09-02T18:49:29Z Mr. Mayor, you invited Mr. Duncan here because he's dangling lots of $. Obama's education reform plan is the same as yours. Charter schools. This new "reform" is for mayoral takeover of schools and forcing public education into private hands. This is a concern because the charter schools are not regulated well and lack oversight. (That is pretty evident because your schools owe SCUSD a cool million, have misappropriated almost a million $ of fed funds, are fined for lack of credentialed teachers, etc ,etc) Also, charter schools are not obligated to serve all students like regular public schools are. There is a terrific burden there - the obligation, by law, to educate all. English Language Learners, Special Ed, disciplinary problems, etc. A charter school doesn't have to deal with these difficult to educate students and for a charter school that doesn't have to deal with that but claims they are doing so much better than their public counterparts is a farce. It's smoke and mirrors. Charters don't serve all and funnel valuable assets away from public schools. They skim the cream off the top and leave the rest to flounder in public underfunded schools. Charters don't help the students who need the most help. I have a question for you, Mr. Mayor. What happened to the 200 students who left your Sac Charter for other schools last year?That is a huge number of students considering you only have less than 900. Where did they go? Why did they leave? What happened to all of the English Language Learners? Surely in a neighborhood where the majority of residents are ELL you'd have a significant population of those students, right? Wrong. It seems like you don't care as long as your schools numbers look good. Hey, your scores went up. ALOT. Hey, your hard to educate population went down. ALOT. See the correlation? The public schools will pick up those kids your school kicked to the curb and try to educate them with less money because your charter school takes money, facilities, and resources from them. Go away and take Arne, and the DER people with you. Susie Shields 2009-09-02T18:49:29Z izzy comment-13081 2009-09-02T18:48:04Z 2009-09-02T18:48:04Z No, Mr. West, aka--Kevin's brother. I believe it was the Bush administration that has perpetuated the idea that we can blame all of the education problems on teachers. When Bush created the No Child Left Behind, he left out one important detail...funding. If the proper amount of funding existed to attain and achieve the standards set by the NCLB act we wouldn't have failing schools. Congress didn't fund the schools properly to hire extra tutors, after school programs and interventions on behalf of the low performing students. There would be no need to bash the teachers. Teachers can't do everything-be a teacher, nurse, mom, social worker, etc. Charter schools take funding away from where it's needed most, students whose parents can't or won't participate in their education. Public schools must educate ALL students, not just the ones whose parents are involved in their education. All children should be so lucky. That makes schools successful-active parent participation. izzy 2009-09-02T18:48:04Z Ronald West comment-13076 2009-09-02T18:15:24Z 2009-09-02T18:15:24Z Of course there is no singular solution for providing all students with a quality education, but what the Obama administration is doing is a step in the right direction. More important than the hundreds of millions of dollars that is up for grabs for the State of California, is the policy change California will have to make to become eligible to receive the funding. What Secretary Duncan is proposing for secondary public education is no different from fundamental principles of business: raise expectations, measure results, reward those who achieve results and take a creative and innovative approach to achieving measurable goals. The people who zealously oppose this necessary education reform are perpetuating the status quo. To significantly improve education in California, we cannot keep taking the same approach and expecting a different outcome. Ronald West 2009-09-02T18:15:24Z buildrbuz comment-13073 2009-09-02T17:56:52Z 2009-09-02T17:56:52Z What I hear in all of this rhetoric is "let's blame the teachers." Numerous studies have shown that that poverty is the main factor affecting achievement. Teachers have no control over their students' home environment, or their economic situations. If you want to improve schools, start by implementing health care reform to cover all families. Students who are healthy go to school more and do better in school. Then support the arts--music, dance, theater, visual arts. Studies also show that students involved in the arts stay in school and do better in math and reading. Then, make sure teachers have the books and materials to do their job. Make sure the schools have librarians, and counselors. Schools don't need to be re-invented. They need to be properly financially supported so they can do the job of educating our students for life. That doesn't mean teaching to a test-that means teaching students to think--something the tests don't measure. buildrbuz 2009-09-02T17:56:52Z klenox comment-13071 2009-09-02T17:48:25Z 2009-09-02T17:48:25Z This "monumental" funding is a mere drop in the bucket given the drastic budget cuts that California schools have faced. it's more of a poison pill, as accepting these funds means that California would have to adopt unproven methods for "school reform". There is no evidence that tying teacher's salaries to test scores improves public education. Let's be upfront about this visit. It's all about the mayor's play to take over the school district. That's Arne Duncan's agenda as well as Kevin Johnson's. Given the fact that Johnson operated St. HOPE Public school in the red and owes the school district hundreds of thousands of dollars (and that was just a fraction of the actual amount) he's already demonstrated he doesn't have the skills to operate the district. Arne Go Home. klenox 2009-09-02T17:48:25Z Marion Millin comment-13063 2009-09-02T16:44:22Z 2009-09-02T16:44:22Z It's also past time for the numerous, historic Central City neighborhoods north of Broadway to have a comprehensive PUBLIC (not charter) high school, under a 2004 court order resulting from the (public) Sacramento High School giveaway to (privatized charter St. Hope) Kevin Johnson. That Kevin Johnson has the history he does at the location of our historic high school; that he has used it as a springboard to political power; that he claims to be a leader for community education; all while the former, PUBLIC Sacramento High School students and families still do not have a comprehensive, public high school, is completely crazy. Marion Millin 2009-09-02T16:44:22Z bbbbmer comment-13047 2009-09-02T10:03:54Z 2009-09-02T10:03:54Z Charterization is just another Republican ploy to gut public education and to bust teachers' unions -- that's all. There is no magic panacea to remedy problems of American education apart from full funding, prudent administration, and empowering front line teachers to do their jobs effectively. We have seen just how ineffective some charters have been with the whole St. Hope mess and its collusive and corrupt aftermath, STILL under investigation by the FBI and other law enforcement and oversight agencies, not only for cherry picking students, skewing outcomes statistics to suit its P..R. needs, but also its insidious financial calamities, now legend both locally and nationally. It's time for pushback against the charterization movement, and Secretary Duncan's previous efforts guised as 'reform' need to be challenged with more than nodding heads by the incompetent founders of a poster child institution of how NOT to 'reform' public education. bbbbmer 2009-09-02T10:03:54Z Marion Millin comment-13046 2009-09-02T08:29:12Z 2009-09-02T08:29:12Z http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAHkMwYTTKw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bIsyRaiPg0 http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/education/july-dec07/dcschools_10-01.html Marion Millin 2009-09-02T08:29:12Z Kat Haro comment-9399 2009-06-12T20:10:31Z 2009-06-12T20:10:31Z I agree, Peak Democracy is an interesting concept, but possibly not very well executed in these cases. I read this piece some time ago and commented on the forum via Capitol Public Radio's site. After much searching, I found the forum again and was only slightly surprised to find that I was still only one of two comments. The SacPress discussion has far out performed the Peak Democracy format. Some of the Mayor's Forums through the SacBee have done better than the Cap Radio version, but SacPress is still the most vibrant and passionate group of responders. Kat Haro 2009-06-12T20:10:31Z shawn eldredge comment-8667 2009-06-02T04:00:51Z 2009-06-02T04:00:51Z i like Mr knapps privatization of maintenance in parks , keeps them open ,clean and lower scosts ( also would like to see tree work & many other general services privatized as well) & ditto on lowering the number of union member maintenance workers ( seiu , plz dont make me disappear ) possibly change green street pick up to twice monthly.?. K street needs to allow bicycles (designated lanes or otherwise) and any money spent there needs to be on lowering the building cost of infill housing ( this is why midtown works is because people live,work & play there) K street boomed when there were people living above it .. shawn eldredge 2009-06-02T04:00:51Z Dale Kooyman comment-8664 2009-06-02T03:11:15Z 2009-06-02T03:11:15Z Burg is on target. The many years of downtown trying to attract suburbanites is a seriously flawed mentality shown to have failed over and over. Only when downtown regains its mix and density of residents that it had until the fifties, it will once again be a thriving place to "work, live and play" AND visit. Dale Kooyman 2009-06-02T03:11:15Z William Burg comment-8655 2009-06-01T20:02:20Z 2009-06-01T20:02:20Z The problem is that Midtown is suffering from too much of a good thing. Most of its success is the result of decades of neighborhood activism, and those same activists are now being shoved aside by businesses who want to capitalize on Midtown's success. K Street's "pedestrian mall" was a failure because it was based on the foolish idea that a neighborhood can succeed solely by attracting suburbanites, then sending them home to the suburbs--the same foolish strategy that some Midtown businesses have seized on as a model. In both cases, developers and business interests assume that both downtown and midtown are horrible places to live, and anyone who lives there deserves no consideration whatsoever. Rather than encouraging people to live, work and play in the same neighborhoods, they want people to live in the suburbs, work in other suburbs, and play downtown, treating it like some sort of disposable Disneyland instead of a neighborhood. William Burg 2009-06-01T20:02:20Z The Parrhesiac comment-8654 2009-06-01T20:00:38Z 2009-06-01T20:00:38Z I don't see why the taxpayers need to provide such incredible benefits and retirement packages to people who mow lawns or dump garbage cans. These are menial jobs that are not meant to be career positions. It amazes me that other than owning a landscaping company, one can mow lawns for a career. Ben, a private company would not necessarily "run" the parks, they would keep them clean and mow the grass. Management could be privatized to have quality control over maintenance contractors. Also, programs that engage youth could also be contracted out. I am not opposed to unionism per se., it has it's time and place and has in the past done some great things for labor. The problem is when government starts only hiring union members it costs a lot more to provides services and sucks up our tax dollars that could be used in better ways. I think that in the private sector, unions can do many things private companies cannot do...like manning up construction jobs with a hundred men/women in less than a week. I have no problem with private companies hiring union contractors, it's their money, not the tax payers, they can do as they wish. But when it comes to government hiring unionized public employees, it often turns into a huge scam and is not in the best interests of the taxpayers who have to pay huge salaries, benefits and retirement packages for life. Elected officials have forgotten that they have a fiduciary responsibility to those that provide the revenue our government spends. The Parrhesiac 2009-06-01T20:00:38Z Ben Ilfeld comment-8648 2009-06-01T18:58:06Z 2009-06-01T18:58:06Z About privatizing parks: Is this all about maintenance? What companies run parks privately? How competitive is the marketplace? Do they still make money solely from being paid by taxes? I honestly am ignorant about the whole thing. Are there some links I can follow? Ben Ilfeld 2009-06-01T18:58:06Z Patrick J. comment-8647 2009-06-01T18:05:08Z 2009-06-01T18:05:08Z Opening cars to K street is a bad idea. Sitting in the outdoor space at Pyramid might be my favorite spot in the city, because there is no auto traffic. There is a parking garage on practically every numbered street by K street, and if I drive it doesn't take long to find a space on L or J. If anything, Light rail should be taken off K Street. Patrick J. 2009-06-01T18:05:08Z beerzie comment-8642 2009-06-01T16:28:07Z 2009-06-01T16:28:07Z I'm not sure why we continue to obsess on developing ("fixing") K street and downtown. The mall has gone through several transitions since the '70's, none of them successful. (Remember that water/concrete thing?) We should stop worrying about "renovating" the downtown and continue to support what is working organically -- e.g., midtown. I would dismiss the idea that we "need" to have the core downtown flourish to make Sacramento a great place. Look at SF's financial district -- it is dead and dismal in non-business hours and yet the City is a great place, because it has great neighborhoods. Let's focus on making our neighborhoods wonderful places to live, work, and do business in, and the rest will fall into place. And what portion of the city's budget is dedicated to parks? Aren't there bigger things to look at cutting? beerzie 2009-06-01T16:28:07Z Richard Hanson comment-8641 2009-06-01T16:17:04Z 2009-06-01T16:17:04Z Great point about bicycles. I frequently use my car instead of a bicycle because riding a bike in most places is just too dangerous. Bike lanes with a physical barrier separating them from auto lanes would remove a lot of auto traffic from the streets. Richard Hanson 2009-06-01T16:17:04Z William Burg comment-8640 2009-06-01T16:09:17Z 2009-06-01T16:09:17Z I'd cite Santa Monica's 3rd Street promenade as another successful pedestrian mall. If cars on the street made the streets more interesting, then why aren't J and L Streets (which have cars on them) or the numbered streets (which have cars on them) more active than K Street proper? The busiest, most active part of K Street is the corner of K and 11th, the part farthest from any auto access--it's a great pedestrian plaza with clear features, places to sit, definite boundaries and identifiable landmarks. William Burg 2009-06-01T16:09:17Z William Burg comment-8639 2009-06-01T16:05:55Z 2009-06-01T16:05:55Z "Tranquil" isn't a word I'd use to describe K Street downtown, nor is downtown the place for tranquility. We could use a bit more tranquility on the Midtown end, perhaps, where the trees and residential neighborhoods are. Downtown K Street needs more action. William Burg 2009-06-01T16:05:55Z John Boyer comment-8638 2009-06-01T15:59:50Z 2009-06-01T15:59:50Z We are an impatient lot are we not? K street has tranquility going for it and this needs to be protected. It needs work but bicycles are a missing ingredient. Bicyclists must ride at the same speed as pedestrians for this to work. John Boyer 2009-06-01T15:59:50Z Zen comment-8637 2009-06-01T15:56:49Z 2009-06-01T15:56:49Z The Unites States has few Pedestrian Malls that are successful. Event Portland's Ped /transit street that is closed to vehicular traffic is seen as a failure. Denver has the most successful one that I know. I think cars on K Street creates a more psychological impact than anything. It allows visitors driving to K Street to find their destination without getting out of their vehicle and gives more activity to an area. I am not a car lover but I do recognize that most people are attached to vehicles as security, whether in the car or having cars pass by them. Vehicles on K Street is just one item that would solve K Street. Its a combination of things: vehicle traffic, more residents and housing (ownership) in downtown, more theaters/art/museaums, and more hotels, Zen 2009-06-01T15:56:49Z John Boyer comment-8636 2009-06-01T15:56:02Z 2009-06-01T15:56:02Z hip hip horray ALL very sound ideas. John Boyer 2009-06-01T15:56:02Z George Jackson comment-8635 2009-06-01T15:29:43Z 2009-06-01T15:29:43Z Whoa. Opening up K Street? Mayor: World class cities have lots of pedestrian malls. We should be moving towards more of these--not fewer. George Jackson 2009-06-01T15:29:43Z Scott Holbrook comment-8631 2009-06-01T01:08:19Z 2009-06-01T01:08:19Z I was refering to Pacific street more for the layout of the kiosks and performance areas - the "bum" contingency in Santa Cruz is a problem, and the feel good city council there does not seem to have the backbone to fully address this problem - there is car traffic on this road, but no rail - also after the major earthquake - Santa Cruz designed a "streetscape" plan that works pretty well - there is also a lot of space for bikes Scott Holbrook 2009-06-01T01:08:19Z Scott Holbrook comment-8630 2009-06-01T01:05:42Z 2009-06-01T01:05:42Z While segments of work done at parks can be contracted, much can not - unions do put a burden on public agencies & limit the ability to utilize privitazation - but I feel in-house maintenence with responsible management can provide the best bang for the buck - boards and councils need to stand firm on budgets, make the tough decisions & make cuts where needed Scott Holbrook 2009-06-01T01:05:42Z William Burg comment-8594 2009-05-31T16:28:10Z 2009-05-31T16:28:10Z Our transit lines already run in that direction--and once you start a downtown/West Sacramento streetcar, it becomes very easy to expand into other directions, especially since we already have Light Rail infrastructure that can easily handle a streetcar too. The reason why we'd want to start it with West Sac is because West Sac is ready and willing to put up some of the funds for it. Cities like Roseville, Citrus Heights and Elk Grove don't want to share transit connections--West Sacramento does. Also, the streetcar is useful as an independent unit within Sacramento: part of the idea of a streetcar, vs. light rail, is that it is useful if you're only going a few blocks. Unlike a car, you don't have to find a parking space for the streetcar--you see the store you want to visit and get off at the next stop. William Burg 2009-05-31T16:28:10Z The Parrhesiac comment-8592 2009-05-31T15:43:03Z 2009-05-31T15:43:03Z Geez Louise...how about linking Sacramento's neighborhoods instead of WEST Sacramento's... The Parrhesiac 2009-05-31T15:43:03Z William Burg comment-8589 2009-05-31T06:15:38Z 2009-05-31T06:15:38Z Converting K Street back to an auto thoroughfare would do almost nothing except ruin the one part of downtown that is currently very well-suited to large outdoor events. Returning auto traffic to K Street would mean having to re-lay all of the light rail trackage on K, so it would be more expensive than simply tearing out the pedestrian surfaces and replacing them--which wouldn't be very cheap at all. There is almost no benefit to having cars on the six blocks between 7th and 13th. Some argue that people in cars would be able to park in front of businesses, but that is nonsense--they will not have big parking lots like the suburbs, they will have limited, metered curbside street parking. The whole six-block stretch of street would add less than 100 parking spaces. To bring life to K Street, try cheap things like an expanded street vendor program (not just once a week but every day,) allow public busking, allow bicycles, and most importantly, build a downtown streetcar to West Sacramento to link West Sac's new neighborhoods to the heart of downtown. William Burg 2009-05-31T06:15:38Z Ming Lai comment-8588 2009-05-31T06:00:02Z 2009-05-31T06:00:02Z "No" to closing the parks cause people use them. I think mowing should be reduced but try to maintain trash pickups to three times a week. "No" to closing park bathrooms cause people use them, though I sympathize with the mess and lack of ideas of what else to cut budget-wise. "No" to having cars on K St. The revitalization will not be helped by cars speeding down K St. cause the stores will be driven past, not stopped at and I don't see where parking spaces could be added. If parking spaces were available, that might help but would be car centric by design which is poor in the long run. That is my imput and Thanks for asking. Ming Lai 2009-05-31T06:00:02Z John Gladding comment-8586 2009-05-31T04:57:17Z 2009-05-31T04:57:17Z Privatising parks is definitely a sound idea financially. The cuts being offered seem appropriate, though the lack of restrooms may have side effects that end up costing more. As far as K street, it seems like a pretty drastic idea. That street has been through so many transformations yet nothing works. Until you can get rid of slumlord Mo Mohanna, the city's hands are tied. I wouldn't do it because it will probably cost yet more money and I doubt it will work. Wait out the recession and try to develop more condos and lofts in the area, thus creating a demand for retail and entertainment. John Gladding 2009-05-31T04:57:17Z Paula Lomazzi comment-8583 2009-05-31T02:56:09Z 2009-05-31T02:56:09Z About the Sacramento Parks - I think we should cut way back on park expenditures, reducing mowing and especially reducing watering (since we are in drought conditions). I think we maintain way too many lawns that are not all utilized except for esthetics. Lawns are not enviromentally sustainable. Sports parks should be maintained to at least a minimum to be appropriate for sports. I'd hate to see the restrooms closed because there are so few public restrooms as it is. K Street open to cars - wouldn't that cost too much during economically difficult times. Lets wait a few years if we do that. Paula Lomazzi 2009-05-31T02:56:09Z The Parrhesiac comment-8582 2009-05-31T02:49:32Z 2009-05-31T02:49:32Z Santa Cruz allows traffic on Pacific...and they have plenty of homeless. Sacramento will never be anything like Santa Cruz no matter what they do to K street. Tear down Westfield mall...put I5 in a tunnel like Boston did with the big dig...put in street cars that go from Old Sac to Alhambra... Oh yeah and tear out the convention center that blocked off K street...all we will need is about $20-40 billion to fix K Street. Better yet...let K street rot...stop throwing hundreds of millions of our tax dollars down that sink hole. The Parrhesiac 2009-05-31T02:49:32Z