klenox comment-63479 2012-02-08T21:02:54Z 2012-02-08T21:02:54Z There isn't a commission yet. No money has been spent. It will be put on the ballot and that will cost money, just as a strong mayor initiative would have. Let the people vote as the mayor says! klenox 2012-02-08T21:02:54Z klenox comment-63475 2012-02-08T19:58:20Z 2012-02-08T19:58:20Z The Police Union is worried about the cost of the Charter Commission but not the cost of the arena? They're not concerned about the city leasing city parking and losing millions of dollars from the general fund? This ploy is ridiculous. klenox 2012-02-08T19:58:20Z klenox comment-62841 2012-01-27T22:13:14Z 2012-01-27T22:13:14Z I should also add that neither PS& or Sac Charter serve English Language Learners or Special Ed kids, while nearby elementary schools like Fruitridge and Ethel Philips have as much as 40% ELL students. Why is this? Because ELL and Special Ed kids drag down a school's scores. klenox 2012-01-27T22:13:14Z klenox comment-62813 2012-01-27T19:58:39Z 2012-01-27T19:58:39Z Schools of choice choose the kids. klenox 2012-01-27T19:58:39Z klenox comment-60572 2011-11-23T19:29:09Z 2011-11-23T19:29:09Z Dysfunctional--coming from Kevin, that's rich. People have to keep in mind that this is not about what Sacramento needs. Our city government exists to provide services for us and keep our city livable, not to make money for developers. The council-manager form of government is accessible to ordinary people like us who want a say in how our city is governed. The city manager doesn't make policy, he just runs the city departments. We get to go before the council and lobby for ourselves. A strong mayor government doesn't give us that access to the decision maker. In that form of government, the council can put forth policy, but the mayor has the power--and he's not part of the council. That's the whole point-Kevin wouldn't have to be there for those meetings. He wouldn't have to listen to ordinary citizens who come to the council meetings. He would get to run the city all on his own. The strong mayor issue is about Kevin-this is what he wants for himself. It's not about the kids or education, it's not about the city of Sacramento. It's about Kevin. klenox 2011-11-23T19:29:09Z klenox comment-59983 2011-11-11T17:46:42Z 2011-11-11T17:46:42Z Looks like he defused the question about vacant lots in Oak Park by attempting to buy off the young person who asked it. It's true that PS7 and Sac Charter have almost no English Language Learners (1% to 3%). It's hard to believe that after eight years that's going to change. That's how they keep the test scores high. klenox 2011-11-11T17:46:42Z klenox comment-59756 2011-11-06T09:24:04Z 2011-11-06T09:24:04Z The buildings aren't historical, they're historic. There's a difference. klenox 2011-11-06T09:24:04Z klenox comment-55473 2011-08-19T20:29:10Z 2011-08-19T20:29:10Z If you want to make this about self determination, than the residents of the disputed area ought to be the ones who have the say on which council district they belong in. klenox 2011-08-19T20:29:10Z klenox comment-55467 2011-08-19T18:03:28Z 2011-08-19T18:03:28Z Doesn't someone have to prove a violation took place? Is there any proof that four of the council members met in secret to draw this map? The answer to the problem of legislative bodies drawing their own maps, which in this case isn't illegal, is to change the law regarding the process. Meanwhile all this hysteria is over the top. Redrawing lines doesn't change the physical location of the Med Center or Sacramento High. For the past 10 years downtown was split between three council seats. This is nothing new. klenox 2011-08-19T18:03:28Z klenox comment-55414 2011-08-18T21:49:12Z 2011-08-18T21:49:12Z But that's beside the point of my comment. The facility is where it is. Who has the power to determine its use is the real issue. That power belongs to the SCUSD board. klenox 2011-08-18T21:49:12Z klenox comment-55413 2011-08-18T21:18:25Z 2011-08-18T21:18:25Z Prior to the freeway going in, the northern boundary of Oak Park was Broadway. The facility is north of Broadway. klenox 2011-08-18T21:18:25Z klenox comment-55409 2011-08-18T20:44:00Z 2011-08-18T20:44:00Z While the Sac High facility may be located in Oak Park (and that is debatable) Sac High doesn't belong to Oak Park. It belongs to the Sacramento City Unified School District. It was paid for by taxpayers of the district to serve the students of East Sac, River Park, Midtown, downtown and College Greens Glenbrook neighborhoods, as well as Oak Park. In 2003, the last year of its existence as a public high school, Sacramento High had 1800 kids from that attendance area. Currently, while there are 1247 high school age students living in the old attendance area, only 174 attend Sacramento Charter High School. The charter doesn't serve the students of Oak Park. They go to Hiram Johnson High. That is an untenable situation. But the future of the Sac High facility is not and shouldn't be an issue for the City Council. We have elected a school board for that and it is in their power alone to make decisions about the future of the facility.. klenox 2011-08-18T20:44:00Z klenox comment-53626 2011-07-20T06:33:34Z 2011-07-20T06:33:34Z Sounds more like resume padding for these young people and cheap labor for the mayor. klenox 2011-07-20T06:33:34Z klenox comment-51528 2011-06-02T20:45:06Z 2011-06-02T20:45:06Z Wow, you are obviously a shill for the bully Cedros who is currently principal at Johnson. Cedros has systematically "disappeared" almost 400 students. The students are those whose test scores or lack of class credits would make the school's statistics look bad. After all it's a "priority school". But the priority is test scores not students or education. Now that students are speaking up even at the risk of being kicked out of school or not graduating, you are attacking them for standing up for their fellow students and their teachers. This article is shameful as it doesn't even pretend to be actual journalism. it's completely one-sided and resorts to name calling. Two can play at that game. The Sacramento Press has no integrity and neither does this "freelance correspondent". klenox 2011-06-02T20:45:06Z klenox comment-50931 2011-05-21T18:14:29Z 2011-05-21T18:14:29Z The story no paper in Sacramento is covering. A cheating scandal in DC under Michelle Rhee's administration. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-05-19-DC-classroom-test-irregularities_n.htm?csp=34news The emphasis on tests, tests and more tests is painting kids, teachers and schools as failures. It costs billions of dollars and is narrowing the curriculum. Meanwhile, vilification of teachers will result in even fewer people willing to enter the profession. That is one of Rhee's goals, the de-professionalizing of teaching. It's cheaper to have recent college grads interested in padding their resumes teach for a couple of years and move on. That is the future of teaching if Rhee has her way. Children deserve better than that. klenox 2011-05-21T18:14:29Z klenox comment-47845 2011-03-23T06:38:17Z 2011-03-23T06:38:17Z Just some fact checking. Sac City Unified scores for 2-5 grades show 48.6% of students are proficient in Language Arts. Proficient is ABOVE grade level. However the level of proficiency for African-Americans is 38.4%. David Gordon is superintendent of Sacramento County Office of Education. You could look this stuff up too before you print your story. klenox 2011-03-23T06:38:17Z klenox comment-46693 2011-03-02T00:20:47Z 2011-03-02T00:20:47Z She covered up the groping allegations at Sac Charter. He recommended her for Chancellor of DC Schools. They have a mutual admiration society. You need to look beyond the words to their actions. Few people liked the job she did as Chancellor. That's why Fenty was voted out. Johnson lost in the Central City precincts and his candidates lost in the school board races because parents don't want his type of reform. klenox 2011-03-02T00:20:47Z klenox comment-45215 2011-02-07T07:24:15Z 2011-02-07T07:24:15Z There is no discussion of closing Sac Charter just moving it to a smaller facility more appropriate for its enrollment. Frankly all the advertising in the world won' make a school run by St. HOPE more attractive. Just reading the Bee the last few years tells the reader stories of misappropriation of public funds, sexual misconduct and financial mismanagement and boardroom shenanigans by St. HOPE. Why anyone would send their kid to a school run by that bunch is beyond me. It's time to return the Sac High facility to the community so kids have a neighborhood school. No one is obligated to send their kid to a charter. klenox 2011-02-07T07:24:15Z klenox comment-32732 2010-07-13T20:46:27Z 2010-07-13T20:46:27Z He was elected to serve on the council, not be an executive mayor. He should do the job he was elected to do. Perhaps he'll finally focus on the issues before the council. But he's like the Terminator--he'll be back, So believe him when he says the strong mayor campaign isn't dead, it's only waiting to be revived. klenox 2010-07-13T20:46:27Z klenox comment-31277 2010-06-24T21:52:01Z 2010-06-24T21:52:01Z I think it's all been said, but I can't resist adding my two cents worth. Johnson showed over and over again in the past 18 months why he shouldn't be a "strong mayor". He has absolutely no respect for the political process and no respect for the Council. That was demonstrated by his unilaterally drafting an initiative and circulating it without even bothering to tell his fellow council members, even those members who supported him initially. When someone shows you who he is, believe it. I learned seven years ago what kind of person he truly his through the Sac High fiasco. I been following his path of destruction since then. Johnson has burned bridges over and over again. Look at the examples of his former friends and supporters Bernard Bowler and Kim Curry-Evens. If only they would come forward and tell the whole story. His public meltdown Tuesday night should be required viewing by Sacramento residents. In fact, why stop there. Lets makes sure all the "education reformers" around the country who point to him as an example of leadership see this. Let's stop his personal Race to the Top right here and now. klenox 2010-06-24T21:52:01Z 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 klenox comment-12619 2009-08-25T20:02:56Z 2009-08-25T20:02:56Z Who is going to grade Sac Charter High on how it is serving at-risk students? Over and over I hear reports that kids at Sac Charter who fail the exit exam or are credit deficient are counseled out and sent to district schools. It's model is that school is for college bound kids only. This was even stated publicly is the Bee. Rick Maya, former Executive director, discussed Sac Charter's desire to recruit district wide because many of their students end up there "by default'. In other words, the neighborhood kids who thought that the high school around the corner from their house ought to teach all children, not just those it chooses to teach. it's low enrollment and outstanding debts show that in reality it is a model for failure. Kevin Johnson has no business setting himself up as an education reformer. His education reform is to cherry pick the kids and let the rest be damned. klenox 2009-08-25T20:02:56Z klenox comment-11702 2009-08-07T21:50:54Z 2009-08-07T21:50:54Z That Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsome support "strong mayor" cities is not surprising. As I learned when I attended the City Charter Review Committee Meeting and listened to the mayors of Albuquerque and Fresno, mayors like being "strong mayors". My question is "Whats it in for me?" How is this particular initiative going to improve things for citizens in our city? The Democratic Party of Sacramento County supports small-d democracy, which is why it's against the initiative. It has so many flaws, like the problems with the "9th district" and so ripe with opportunities for corruption like the over 500 political appointments the mayor will be able to make, that things in Sacramento will have the potential to go rapidly downhill if this thing is passed. That will have the most impact on ordinary people like you and me. I doubt that Jerry Brown or Gavin Newsome have read the initiative or have any idea of the devilish details it contains. There was no need to undercut the City Charter Review Committee that the Council approved and appointed by placing this on the June ballot before the Committee has a chance to finish its work in a through manner. Was the specter of a lawsuit the motivation behind some of the yes votes last night? Whose money would have been spent suing the city? Some of the rich Republicans that have been supporting Johnson? klenox 2009-08-07T21:50:54Z klenox comment-9393 2009-06-12T17:54:52Z 2009-06-12T17:54:52Z You can sign up to be notified of meetings and be sent a link to the agendas. the board takes off in July so the district is busy trying to push things through before the break. Are you aware of the 7-11 committee meetings to re-purpose the schools that were closed? Check the website as they will be making decisions that will be approved at the June 18 meeting. (Some questions remain as to whether the decisions have already been made and the committee is just a legal formality.) klenox 2009-06-12T17:54:52Z klenox comment-2434 2009-01-18T09:21:13Z 2009-01-18T09:21:13Z Keep repeating a lie often enough and it becomes the truth. The state was never going to takeover Sac High. The committee for Underperforming Schools had decided in October 2002 that all the schools that failed to bring up their test scores under the II/USP program were going to have SAIT teams evaluate them. Jim Sweeney used the false threat of state takeover to close Sac High in an effort to turn the school into an independent charter and avoid a state law that required 50% of the teachers signatures to convert the school. The first St. HOPE charter was found illegal by Judge Burger -Plaven. The school is operating under a second charter. How could you not know that Sac High hadn't always been a charter? The school was 146 years old when it was closed. It had the largest performing arts program in northern California. My daughter was a senior the last year it was open. You need to do a little more research and see what was lost when the school was closed. As for repeating lies, there are not four schools at St. HOPE, there haven't been for years. They don't have enough enrollment to support them. Nor do they have any arts or music or much of anything else. But they do have uniforms. The students who are still attending the school might like it, but most of the students leave. they have only a 56% retention rate. Students who have academic problems are counseled out and told to attend district schools. That school is no replacement for the real Sacramento High klenox 2009-01-18T09:21:13Z klenox comment-2181 2009-01-12T23:52:20Z 2009-01-12T23:52:20Z This reminds me of when SCUSD gave St. HOPE contact info for all the students at Sacramento High. They tried to justify it saying the district was allowed to release private info to selected non-profits. Many parents who were against the takeover were deeply angry at the violation of their privacy and the unwanted PR missives from St. HOPE. Kevin Johnson is the common denominator. klenox 2009-01-12T23:52:20Z