"Absolute power corrupts absolutely," and THAT'S the simple truth we are headed for if this Strong Mayor initiative passes. Those who truly love Sacramento and want to see a city that works better for all of us who actually live in the city should make sure that this measure fails by telling their friends to vote "NO" in June. I prefer the "messier, slower" Democratic process of our current system to the Dictatorial "One Man Rule" of the proposed changes to our city charter. I will never vote to consolidate more power in any elected official.

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.

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.

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.

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.