Next election cycle I expect to see CJ and Diane at least on the ballot. As for me? I want the Superintendent’s job. Apparently, you don’t have to do much and know even less. I can do that.

When I specifically call you out, I remember (but cannot find) a specific post where someone suggested you run for Park board and you declined citing a number of excuses.

CJ sez: “Wait, I thought it was all the voters’ fault?”

I sez: Not once in either of my posts have I used the term “voters.”
The blame lies with the citizens. That means the people who vote (and those who don’t), the people who run (and those who don’t), the parents who stand up and make their voice heard (and those who don’t).

The citizens of Peoria get EXACTLY what they deserve. Whether it is the schools, the city, or the park district - the citizens of Peoria run and vote for these elected officials.

BTW - 5 year terms for board members? WOW!

Not a particularly difficult accomplishment, considering you’re a Cubs fan.

“After SEVERAL voting cycles, the taxpayers have not fixed the situation. It was a mess a decade ago. It is a mess now.”

I didn’t say you couldn’t blame anything on the voters. I said you couldn’t blame everything on them. The voters have some responsibility, but so do the candidates/board members.

“Put up or shut up. Get a petition and get your name on the ballot.”

Next election in my district: 2011. I’ll keep that in mind.

“Do something other than complain.”

Like write to my board representatives? Did that. Like support a good candidate for school board? Did that (she lost, unfortunately). Like put my kids in public school so I can have more of a stake in the outcome and be better informed as to what goes on in the classroom in D150 schools? Doing that this fall.

But you know what? Even if I weren’t doing any of those things, I still have a right to a redress of grievances, whether I’m on the school board or not. Holding office is not and was never intended to be the only way to get one’s voice heard in government. Obviously, everyone can’t be a board member.

“You, CJ, have the street cred. to pull this off. Seriously.”

Thank you.

“The same reasons you say ‘no’ are the same reasons a lot of qualified people say ‘no’. Those are the same reasons you get these same candidates year after year.”

Wait, I thought it was all the voters’ fault?

Yeah, like “minimum age” (Aaron Schock)

“…You’ve got anyone capable of putting out 1000 yard signs…”

And to think, he (Aaron Schock) still had millions of dollars left over

“…potentially managing a $160 million dollar budget…”

Or, shall we say, mismanaging.

Regarding the School Board - I think one BIG problem is that there are no minimum requirements to hold this position. You’ve got anyone capable of putting out 1000 yard signs potentially managing a $160 million dollar budget. Might as well throw darts at a dart board to resolve the serious issues faced by the district. The Voters sense it is a losing proposition one way or the other.

I think the whole Education Board philosophy needs to be re-thought. I’m no expert, but some ideas might include eliminating the boundary requirement, reduce the term in office, offer a salary (?), require minimum standards to serve.

Regarding Administration, reduce the number of Superintendants to ONE, but pay a significantly higher salary to recruit someone with a proven record of success.

Very soon an 80 million dollar construction project will be underway. Do we want more of the same? How long does a community tolerate a School District that is completely immune to their wishes?

It is time to take back our schools. Efforts are underway as we speak. Please stay tuned for details on how YOU can help!

First, CJ sez: “You can’t blame everything on the voters.”

I sez: Uh, why not? After SEVERAL voting cycles, the taxpayers have not fixed the situation. It was a mess a decade ago. It is a mess now.

Second, CJ sez: “A bigger problem is getting better candidates to run.”

I sez: Put up or shut up. Get a petition and get your name on the ballot. File as a write-in and run that way. Do something other than complain. You, CJ, have the street cred. to pull this off. Seriously.
The same reasons you say “no” are the same reasons a lot of qualified people say “no”. Those are the same reasons you get these same candidates year after year.

No, Peoria gets EXACTLY what they deserve with their elected officials.

I still say that one of the ways to fix Peorias problems is immediatley suspend any further annexations and focus on central Peoria. And by focus, I mean bring in bulldozers, clear blocks, redraw the lot lines to bigger lots which reflect the current trends, and breathe some new life into otherwise dead neighborhoods.

Has anyone come up with another way to evaluate the teachers and the students?

My point is, to “dd” and others, lets not make this about testing or NCLB or Republicans. Make it about the real problem, the yayhoos on the school board and the yayhoos in the Admin bldg.

I think dd is right, unfortunately … if it’s not on the standardized test, why teach it? That’s what standardized testing does. It makes schools “teach the test,” and our narrow, dumbed-down education system gets even dumber. We’re leaving every child behind.

And dd, yes, I do believe 45 minutes a day makes a difference. That is one day short of an entire month of school. Not to mention the 90 minute spans of uninterrupted teaching time they brag about. Good luck with THAT! Obviously they have never met my boy.

/crickets/

Ya, that’s about what I thought.