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Dallas ISD Daily Dish
9:43 AM Tue, Jan 29, 2008 | Permalink
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April 2008
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What the media, blogs and others are saying about DISD today.
** A local firebrand weighs in on the district's proposed bond program. Surprise. He doesn't like the idea. ** Given the debate in Dallas about using student test scores to evaluate teachers, I thought folks would find this commentary and this blog post good reading. Thanks to the eduwonkette for the links.
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Comments
Posted by Neighbor Amy @ 12:36 PM Tue, Jan 29, 2008
David Tuthill obviously does not have much experience in the real world. The people who work for the district (even the administrators and board) are no different than people working in different industries. They want job stability, a decent wage, they are raising kids, buying homes. They do not have alternative careers to go to once the politics play out. Education is their career.
Let's examine his suggestions for the district:
1) Voter approval for DISD upper management contracts, then David would scream about the cost of having so many elections.
2) Limit the percentage of funds that go towards administrative. Like a small district and a large district would have the same percents? Besides, then David would complain about the percentages being too high.
3) Ban outside consulting. That's right, let's hire them full-time for the skills that the district may only need temporarily (engineering, computer systems, etc.). But then David would complain about the salaries for non-teachers is too much.
4) Prohibit gifts - the only suggestion that makes sense, but are they currently getting any? I believe that the Office of Accountability is reviewing compliance.
5) Limit liability insurance on elected officials. Who would run then? You, David? Trying to do their best, yet still likely to be sued sounds like a great job opportunity.
6) Downsize sports programs. David, perhaps as a non-athlete, you don't see the need. Last year we had a homeless student get a full scholarship to Rice based on his baseball skills. He is doing great academically, but wouldn't have had any future without sports. You can't ignore that the Sports Industry is a career path (not just as an athlete).
Don't be pessimistic, be active, quit whining, mow your lawn.