RDale Board Mtg 2Apr19

I decided to see if the Board had named who they hired a detective to investigate...  No luck there, but they do have a meeting Tuesday evening with some interesting things on the docket.

From my reading of the proposals, it looks like they are going implement some kind of "variable punishment policy". I assume to align with this deal. Thoughts?

Board Mtg Agenda

Proposal to Change Handbook
2018/19 Handbook
Proposed Student Discipline Policy Change

"DISTRICTWIDE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Every school shall establish a Schoolwide and Classroom Behavior Plan identifying and teaching behavior expectations and identified responses within the requirements of this policy and directives from the Superintendent.
• Every classroom will establish and teach behavior expectations within the district’s policy, the Superintendent’s directives and the school’s behavior plan with participation from the students in the classroom.
• Every school employee will demonstrate high standards of behavior, modeling appropriate actions and response to student behaviors.
• Every school will examine its discipline data to ensure that responses to student behavior do not show evidence of bias or discriminatory behavior. Statistical data alone will not establish bias or discrimination. Schools shall also use behavior data to identify and provide additional training to staff and students; and to provide effective interventions for students to improve student outcomes.
• Individual needs shall be considered in determining the appropriate response to behavior that does not meet school standards.

Special Ed Funding Shortfalls

MinnPost We can’t sustain this’: special-ed shortfalls strain Minnesota districts as lawmakers struggle to find long-term solution

This is quite the mess, the Feds and Courts want to mandate expectations and compliance to these very high cost efforts to care for and teach these challenged and sometimes unfortunately unteachable kids.  And yet the money simply is not being provided.

Here are some lists.
MN DOE Spec Ed
Spec Ed Types 1
Spec Ed Types 2
Spec Ed Types 3

Does Teacher's Race Matter?

We got a new comment from a new person back at G2A What's wrong with you. And I think it is worth a new post. :-)

"How does one determine if an action is racist or simply demanding a high common standard of behavioral excellence from all students and parents?"

• Am I mildly racist for expecting excellence from all parent(s) no matter their race?
• Are you mildly racist for expecting less from the parent(s) who are racial minorities?

I am pretty sure the kids want parental excellence no matter who their parent(s) are.." G2A

 

"I imagine some students are disruptive with one teacher and well behaved with another. This issue is not so simple as you seem to think. And getting you to understand about cultural differences and cultural competence is clearly not going to happen. Getting a more diverse teaching staff would be one step in the right direction." Laurie

 

"I don’t really know if a disruptive kid would behave better for a teacher of a different race." Molly

How Popular / Unpopular is Trump?

Now I understand that Trump True Believers like to believe that he is more popular than he is.  Which amazes me since he does almost nothing to make anyone except his base happy.  And on top of that he vilifies and name calls pretty much everyone who disagrees with him. 


However I find this historical comparison and explanation very informative.  Apparently he is coming in right behind Carter...  But a little more popular than Truman. :-)
538 Trump’s Approval Rating Is Incredibly Steady. Is That Weird Or The New Normal?

Trump Trying to Kill ACA... Again...

It is strange that Trump would be happy to give the DEMs such an excellent platform.  I mean ACA is now fairly popular and Trump is still working to kill it.  I mean just think of the benefits that most people should appreciate:

• Kids can stay on Parent's insurance until 26
• People with pre-existing conditions can get reasonable insurance
• Premiums for older Americans limited to 3 times those of younger Americans
• Other

Thoughts?
The Hill Surprise ACA move puts GOP in Bind
NBC Trump says His plan will be better...  Trust me...
NPR If ACA is Repealed
Health Leaders Thump Trump DOJ Reversal
DN No Answers

GOP Congressman Quotes Hitler

WAPO GOP congressman quotes Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’ to slam Trump’s adversaries as liars


It really is incredible some GOP idiots will say.  Maybe I'll have to claim to be independent to avoid the shadow...  Oh well...


Next they will insist that we salute the guy with funny hair. :-)

Trump is as Innocent as Hillary

VOX Donald Trump isn’t being charged with obstruction — but Mueller didn’t exonerate him
Trump appointee William Barr made the decision not to charge the president.

NPR Mueller Report Doesn't Find Russian Collusion, But Can't 'Exonerate' On Obstruction

NPR Barr's Letter

Now Trump interprets this as "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION, KEEP AMERICA GREAT!", which of course is incorrect.  When all that really happened was the justice department does not think they have a strong enough case to file criminal charges.

The good or bad side of this is that the Congress has different criteria for judging if improper actions have taken place, so I assume we will be hearing about this topic for a LONG TIME..

Kind of like the Conservatives who are certain that Hillary broke some law or did something wrong after the justice department decided to not press charges in her case either.  Based on Trump's warped view of reality... Apparently she also has been fully exonerated... :-)

Liberal Conspiracy Theories

Waking Times The 5 Cartels that Rule America and the World

The above link was posted on FB by one of my more liberal cousins. I made light of it. "Oh my good golly.... That is almost as amusing as some of the Conservative conspiracy theories." G2A"

And he responded... "Is it really that far fetched to believe that these huge conglomerates have been and will continue to manipulate people, politics and laws in their battle to keep control of the powers they have gained? Have we not exposed enough cheaters to show that anything is possible when the stake are high? I'd rather be the watch dog than the sheep." "

And another added..."I think most folks would be surprised at how long this corruption has been going on. I don't even know where to begin, but I guess the Rothschild brothers would be a start: “The few who understand the system, will either be so interested from its profits or so dependent on its favors, that there will be no opposition from that class.” — Rothschild Brothers of London, 1863"

I promised a response, so here goes... We the consumers decide how we choose to live:

• if we want to live in debt or on cash only basis
• if we want to take advantage of all the medical advancements or not
• if we choose to live where we can walk every where, or if we choose to be reliant on man made power sources
• if we want to grow our own food or buy from others
• if we choose to leave our foot print on the world wide web or not

Now as for the supposed "cartels"...  It is at times like this I am very thankful for capitalism. Please remember the definition of cartel.  "an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition."

The advantage of global competition and capitalism is that anyone can rise to power and influence if they have a good idea and can deliver results at a lower cost.  I mean the vast majority of companies in power today were not even an idea 50 years ago.  So if "cartels" are working to keep their power they are very incompetent and ineffective.

As the Rothschild Bank example, apparently Politifact looked into it.

As for the medical cartel, no one is forcing anyone to take advantage of all the medicines, procedures, tests and technologies that have been developed over the past 50 years. We volunatrily ask and sometimes beg for those benefits, especially if we can pass the bill on to the tax payers.

As for energy, if there was no consumer demand...  Prices would plummet and the Amazon would be safe.  Unfortunately we like to live in the big old house and driving to town instead of living in a studio apartment downtown.  We use energy, therefore someone will fulfill our desire.

As for those terrible food and energy producers... That awful cartel has done miracles with regard to raising yields and keeping prices under control..  So the cost of wheat is up 2.5 times over 50 years where as the CPI is up 8 times. Just imagine how hungry and poor all of us would be without those crop technologies.

As for people harvesting my personnel data to better market products to me...  I really have no secrets that I an trying to hide.  So know yourselves out.

Well this exercise has reminded me that the Right does not have a monopoly on conspiracy theories, paranoia and exaggeration.  Thoughts?

More State Education Mandates?

Taryn at MinnPost Looking to reduce discipline disparities, House bill would ban preschool suspensions in Minnesota

“I know some behaviors can be dangerous,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen preschool kids out of control. I know it can happen. But I also know the beauty of redirecting children and helping them understand what’s appropriate and not appropriate. If you show a child school is not a place for you, then you get socialized to believe that’s not a place for you.” 

School principals, however, have expressed concerns about the state mandating how schools deal with discipline problems without providing additional funding to support those alternative methods. 

“You don’t just get suspended: something’s happening,” said Roger Aronson, legal and legislative counsel for the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association. “I do think the needs of kids of poverty, homeless, that are coming from abuse, broken families — that stuff comes to school and their needs for dealing with that are really huge. 

We just don’t have the resources to do anything. I understand there’s frustration with that in those settings. How do we work on that?” 

While there are models schools can adopt, Aronson said, they cost money schools don’t currently have. “We need that commitment,” he said. “We have no counselors. We are understaffed on assistant principals.”

Thoughts? 

Yes: Trump is an Idiot & A**hole

Yes it is very unlikely that I will be able to stomach voting for this jerk no matter who the DEMs run.  I mean what man in his right mind attacks a dead American war hero?  He must have been very desperate to distract folks.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump takes credit for law named after McCain

WE McCain adviser did thank Trump for funeral, contrary to president's gripe

CNN Fact-checking Trump's claim that McCain misled the White House on his Obamacare repeal vote

WaPo For Trump, attacking McCain is a way to appeal to his political base

WE Dan Crenshaw: Trump should 'seriously stop talking about Senator McCain'

CNN GOP struggles to respond to Trump's attacks on McCain

NPR Among False Claims, Trump Attacked McCain For Failing Veterans

PBS Republicans defend the late John McCain against Trump’s attacks

Parents Of Color Demand More

Taryn at MinnPost: Parents of color want a clearer way to assess schools in Minnesota.


This seems pretty well aligned with the challenges RDale is facing. Certain segments of the population want the schools to bend to meet them where they are rather than working hard to conform to normal American business expectations. (ie dress, behave, speak, etc like typical American) 


Then to complain that the information is too hard to find.  Here is a hint...  Google "MDE School Report Card". Select "My School". (see below) Enter your school or district and hit search.  Then pick the subject you are interested in.  And if you do not read English, find a friend to help you.

"Torres Ray told MinnPost she thinks the state needs to make school data more accessible and understandable to parents. She thinks SF 299 is incomplete, but it would be valuable to develop a system that digs into schools’ ability to teach populations of students with challenging circumstances. “But we’ve been putting it in our heads that it’s so bad to expose the limitations and struggles of schools,” she said. “We prefer simply not to have a rating system.”

During the committee, she expressed disappointment with testimony from school leaders, as well as an assistant commissioner from the Minnesota Department of Education, who opposed this kind of rating system. They said it was rejected by a majority of stakeholders who attended public meetings about the new North Star system.

“Be creative and think about how you respond to these parents. I believe there was support … to figure out how to make our system accountable to predominantly children of color and indigenous children. The time has come and we must do that,” she said. “Saying no to this is just not helpful. Please see the room. See the room and get the message.”

 

DEM Healthcare Proposals

VOX DEM Healthcare Proposals  Thoughts?

Robbinsdale School Board Video

After postponing my year's tax preparation until the last minute as usual...  I decided to skip the Board Listening session and meeting last night...  So instead I decided to check in online and see how they went.  It was really anti-climactic. In summary:

• The Board met in open session from 4:00 to 17:29
• Supt Jenkins promoted the Equity mission again.
• The Board then went to closed session from 1.15:30 to 1.19:30
• The Board agreed to hire an investigator to investigate someone who they have over sight over.
• Sherry Tyrrell reported Listening Time room was full:  12 of the 14 people who signed up at the Listening session got a chance to speak. Most talked about the AHS Principal debacle. Some supported Dave and some had school concerns. Then she said comments would be written up
• The Board adjourned.

My thoughts:

• I assume they are investigating the Superintendent's actions since he is likely the only person they have authority over?  Or maybe one of the Board Members?
• I wonder if those Listening time comment notes will be made public?
• Based on the FB discussions that occurred before the page was shutdown.  There are a lot of strong feelings on all sides.
• Please remember that I support helping all kids, especially the Unlucky ones. However the pragmatic reality is that we need to do it without alienating those families who can afford to move and take their funding with them.

Our district has not been this exciting since school closure discussions of ~2010... :-)

Back to the Education Funding Formula

From Taryn at Minnpost Lawmakers consider retooling ‘equalization aid’ to better help property-poor school districts

MN School Finance A Guide for Legislators

This is somewhat of a vicious cycle...

• Districts / schools lower their behavior and academic standards.
• This ensures the unlucky kids feel welcome and don't fail.
• The academically focused more well to do families move to a different district / school.
• The property values and tax revenues fall.
• The Districts /Schools are short revenue with a more challenging student body.
• They go to the State begging for more funding.

Now I do agree that the "special education" costs should be fully funded by the Feds / State since they are the ones mandating some of that high cost / low benefit care.

As for the "we need more money" because we contributed to scaring away our best and brightest families. I am unsure if that makes sense??? 

From an earlier post...

"In my district (where I live) they decided this year to get rid of honors classes at the middle school and mix students together for all classes (not sure about math)
When my kids went there they had almost all honors classes, but I think the staff found teaching the non-honors classes quite difficult. Anyway, my neighbor whose youngest child is in 6th grade, open enrolled him to another district and now drives him and 2 other students to a middle school about 10 miles away. The other district is less diverse and much less low income than the district in which I live. Not sure if they have honors type classes or just classes with less misbehavior due to their demographics." Laurie 

"Yes, that is what I fear will happen at RDale now that they are eliminating seperation between focused students with good grades and the others. The hallways of the schools held there own challenges, but we knew the classrooms were more stable. Now folks like me will be even more concerned about keeping our kids in the district. And if they leave and take with them their child’s funding, their financial and time donations, and the stabilizing influence their focused kids provide... The whole school, district and community will suffer.

The same thing that happened to most challenged schools. Those who can run do so, and leave the trouble makers behind.  Which I guess is what a good parent who wants the best for their child would do." G2A / John

Support Dave Dahl

Well in an interesting twist they unplugged the FB Support Dave Dahl page.  Maybe a some open dialogue is deemed a concern by those in power???


"Hello Everyone. I want to thank everyone in this group for their passion, and their commitment to AHS and District 281. I also want to thank everyone who has come here to show support for Principal Dahl. I created this page almost two weeks ago at the request of community members and students, in response to the reassignment of principal Dahl to a Principal on Special Assignment position. The community members and students that I was in touch with were looking for a way to communicate with one another effectively, amplify student voice, and share information and meeting dates etc.
I immediately removed myself as the group’s administrator, because as a district employee I did not think it was appropriate for me to have any real or perceived influence on the content that might get posted in an open forum. (I asked to be re-added as an admin to post this and delete the group.) I am grateful for the students and parents who volunteered to admin the group, and for all of the work that they have done here.

The admins and I have agreed that while many other worthwhile topics have been broached in this forum, at this point the group has fulfilled its original purpose. We encourage anyone who has continued thoughts to share to write to the district administration at:
carlton_jenkins@rdale.org
john_vento@rdale.org
michael_herring@rdale.org
pam_lindberg@rdale.org
helen_bassett@rdale.org
sherry_tyrell@rdale.org
sam_sant@rdale.org
david_boone@rdale.org
Please also consider attending the school board’s listening session on Monday, March 18th, as well as get involved in the student group “Activists For Change” at AHS led by Kaia Hirt. Thank you again for your passionate discussion, your ardent support of 281, and your support of Principal Dahl."