By Buford

May 4, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this

After this most recent mailing from “Dayton Kids Deserve Great Futures - Honorable Joey D. Williams, Treasurer” - it is difficult for me, a white property owner, not to have steam coming out my ears. So, let’s take it from the top: “Over 16,000 young lives depend on your Yes vote”. Sorry, you don’t get a Yes vote from me, or from my other family members. DPS failed my kids and was unresponsive to me as an interested parent. This levy should never have been directed to property owners anyway and our Legislators know it, the Governor knows it, the State Board of Education should know it, and the local School Board almost certainly knew it. The levy is misdirected from the start. “If the levy loses, more than 400 teachers will be laid off - hurting the future of every Dayton student.” Interesting, the numbers of teachers potentially affected by this levy started off at between 200 and 300, then advanced to “about” 400, and now is given as “over 400” teachers stand to lose positions. The numbers keep going up as the voting day approaches. “Some people want to deny our children a good education. Don’t let them get away with it.” I reckon they must mean me, as the person who has been tagged to pay the bill. I’m not DENYING our/your children anything. I AM telling you, you had no constitutional right to ask me to reach into my pocket to begin with. If the levy does not pass, as well it may not, go after the people you have elected (or permitted) into positions of responsibility - and who failed in their duties. Property owners are the backbone of a community. Right now, Dayton has a ton of available properties for sale, from owners either by choice or by foreclosure actions. The foreclosure rate for Montgomery County was just announced as being 25 percent ahead of last year. And last year was a “banner” year also. Right now, we property owners are being tagged to pay for everything under the sun. The word is getting around and property owners seem fed up with funding it all. This levy, if passed, stands to cost Dayton a further loss of citizens who are on fixed incomes (and a consequential further loss of tax base as more houses go on the market).

By Barb

May 3, 2007 9:59 PM | Link to this

Eve I certainly agree with you if you listen to the press that Dayton does for itself it seems wonderful. The district pays big money to a PR company I believe. But then I actually go to the school and see what is happening. How many different ideas are going on at one time. Things change daily. People in the offices have great ideas and know all the theories. Teachers are expected to make them work. I know you will find a lot of disillusionment among the staff in the buildings. I think everyone is now hearing on a regular basis how important it is that this money actually go towards the kids not another person sending a memo or hiring yet another company telling teachers what to do. Notice that the people that work in the schools always say come in and spend time, not an hour or walk through but major time and then say that teachers are so far overpaid. My other comment is that if the levy fails I don’t think CJ will need to lay off teachers because when they cut the arts at Stivers many people will leave our district. That is the one thing keeping a lot of families in the district. Thank goodness my last child is graduating this year or I know I would pay tuition somewhere to get the education Stivers offers. No AP classes how will Stivers compete. Just as long as we have enough administrators every thing should go along fine.

By Sharon

May 3, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this

I agree with Eve that this is the most cohesive group that has been in Dayton in many, many years. They have chosen a direction and so far have kept going in that direction. In the past, we knew that whenever a new program came along there wasn’t any reason to get excited or bothered because it would be tossed aside within a year or two. The new curriclum and policies that have been introduced have stayed there for several years now. Even if we don’t always like or agree with the program, at least it is still in place the next year.

By Sharon

May 3, 2007 9:30 PM | Link to this

Mary, You are correct regarding WSU’s Nutter Center. I was going to school there when it was built and from what I have read, I don’t think it has ever been a money maker. I do know that at least once the student fees were increased to pay for something at the Nutter Center. With the mess Dayton created with Riverscape I can’t imagine anyone thinking Dayton’s leaders could do anything positive with Hara Arena. The writer who thinks the 400 teacher lay offs will come from attrition is wrong. Most of the cuts will come from AP teachers losing their classes and Art, Music teachers. I don’t see how the system can come close to functioning if this all happens.

By Lindsy Hamilton

May 3, 2007 5:34 PM | Link to this

I don’t see anywhere where the administration of DPS is taking a cut in pay to help these students and give them more money. They are asking for our hard earned money why not give some of theirs up too? And how many staff members of DPS actually live in Dayton? I see that 1200 more families will be taking the vouchers this coming school year doesn’t that say something? To me that is a big red flag that DPS isn’t doing as well as they say they are. Vote NO May 8th

By Caroline

May 3, 2007 5:22 PM | Link to this

For one thing, I make nothing near $60k. Ha! For another, that is a lot of teacher cuts—not all through retirement!! Not at all! The teachers who are certified in special subject areas are the ones who are going to be cut. What is going to happen to Dayton’s economy when all of these employees (support staff, etc.) have no job? I can’t imagine the schools running without the asst principals. What a mess. I really hope the levy passes.

By Eve

May 3, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

In my opinion, the combination of Dr Mack and the current board are probably the most cohesive and competent administration DPS has seen in the past 35 years. However, as far as the levy is concerned they have done a miserable job of communicating the extent of the financial crisis in a timely fashion. They’ve done a miserable job of informing and educating voters. And in this day and age of government encouraging loyalty by promoting panic, it’s miserably apparent they are attempting to follow suit. I’ve decided for the overall good of the community and its kids, I’m going to vote for the levy. But if it goes down the administration will need to examine how it handled its campaign before it blames the voters.

By Eric

May 3, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this

As Scott said….no cuts in the downtown admin? Odd how this financial crisis doesn’t take ANY of the top paid people. Now many have complained about national corporation’s leadership making huge profits at the expense of the workers and consumers, funny how when it happens in your own backyard within a public facility like DPS there isn’t so much a peep on corruptive practices. You would think that the person(s) responsible for such an irresponsible fiscal budgetting snafu would be held responsible and immediately fired. Where is the county board? Where is the city leadership? Where is ANY form of investigation or audit of such mistakes? Another thing, where is the education union at in all of this? Are they fine with Mack using their members as sacrificial goats for an unreasonable levy? I thought that unions were supposed to protect their workforce member…Where is their outcry of this blatant explotation of their members? This stinks to high heaven and nobody in authority seems to give a d@*%. Let us eat cake as citizens of Dayton, eh? Vote no and then protest in front of the DPS’s brand new administration building (notice…not a school but adminstration building) that THEY should have to take the cuts….not our teachers and not our students!

By Barb

May 3, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

I think Buford is totally correct about the changes that will take place being hurtful to the students. I hear many people asking for accountability from the BoE and Dr. Mack and that is what has them so perplexed about what to do. I think people are also feeling that a no vote is a vote against adminstration but unfortunately it is only the kids that will suffer. I read a blog that said Dr. Mack will not discuss what he will do to cut back in administration if the levy passes. I believe the figure is 10.4 million in administration costs. WOW. The administrators can go to different districts and find different places to work but the students are for the most part going to stay right here with no other choices. They had nothing to do with this financial mess. I work in the schools yes discipline is an issue but I also have 75% of my students who are here for their education and work hard every day. They start school at a disadvantage and we try every day to help them. Pleae rethink about sending a message to the administrators with a no vote. Think about these kids the ones we see everyday. Let’s look to community leaders to make this board and Dr. Mack accountable.

By Lodia furnas

May 3, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

Lodia May 3,2007 As a past volunteer of DPS,and a property owner,I urge you to vote no,too many tax-dollars being wasted for bus drivers to play the numbers daily,while en route to pick up kids,also employees maintaining their rental properties at tax-payers expense

By Lodia furnas

May 3, 2007 11:24 AM | Link to this

If dayton public schools were doing their job,there wouldn’t be so many charter schools,or people applying for vouchers for private schools.

By Mary

May 3, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

“RICLEWIS”, I think the last thing the City of Dayton needs to do is buy Hara Arena and get into the entertainment business. I am not so sure the Nutter Center makes a profit. How much do you suppose it costs to maintain a tax exempt facility like that. I was annoyed a few years ago when I read in the Dayton Daily News that the Greene County government had dumped $500,000 into the ice rink at the Nutter Center for the Bombers, etc. Also, I read that Wright State University pumps in over $6 million a year to support the athletics department some of which probably goes to the Nutter Center unless it has its own additional line item. My community, like a lot of others, invested in a golf course and is still losing money. Entertaining the masses is not the government’s job. I think Dayton, like all other cities, needs to worry about more critical government infrastructure like water, sewer,roads, terrorism, health, safety, pandemics, etc

By Buford

May 3, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

If this levy fails - as I hope it does - there is no doubt that some changes will be made accordingly. Also, I would suspect some of those changes would be designed to be most hurtful or irritating to either students or parents - just to make a point. However, there is no way that Governor Ted Strickland, or the State Board of Education will permit DPS to go out of business and leave Dayton without a public school system. It might take the State coming in and taking over, it might take an enforced change of attitude in some of the DPS students who are currently disciplinary problems (as mentioned by some current DPS teachers), but there will be a school system still in place. Homeowners should never have been tapped for this levy - and people in high places knew that. When a system is so skewed that those who would bear none of the cost - can dictate by vote to those who must then pay - then a line must be drawn at some point and the system changed. That it has not, is not necesssarily my problem, except that I am a home owner. I have and will continue to e-mail and send letters to the Governor and to Legislators, reminding them I am watching (and voting). If enough of us do this, the system will change. In the meantime, vote “No” on school levies.

By Mary

May 3, 2007 5:19 AM | Link to this

School supporter, I do not know the point you are trying to make with your quote, but here is another interesting one. “In ancient Rome, the poet Juvenal used the phrase ‘bread and circuses’ to describe the political strategy of corrupt Roman emperors. To keep the populace happy and to distract them from foreign and domestic policy failures, these emperors provided cheap daily bread and frequent circuses - mainly gladitorial contests and other riveting games. According to Juvenal, the strategy worked: because of the bread and circuses the people showed no interest in politics.” (From the book, Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education”)

By RICLEWIS

May 3, 2007 2:35 AM | Link to this

MAYOR McLin needs to step down. She is no longer capable of running the show. The have been promising change in town for 25 years now. This city still has not come out of Chapter 11. So the think, Daytonians have plenty of money to spend. Downtown Dayton is too incompitent to capitilize on the cituation. They dont know how to deal with reality. The City Of Dayton should purchased Hara Arena along time ago, flipped it like the Nutter Center and rang in the revenue. Yet they are plain plum dumb on how to run the books. Maybe that is the problem, they keep cooking the books. We are all aware that they used to pay a contractor upwards of $90,000 to do a canidate search on more than 1 occasion to run this GODFORSAKEN city. Now we have a local High School grad counting receipts…Rashaad Young. No real world experience. This is his 1st shot as a City Manager. I could do His Job and the Mayor’ job for $12 per hour, immediate bring in sweeping change, employment, huge public works projects and public apeal.

By Sharon

May 2, 2007 9:58 PM | Link to this

Mary, You seem so intent on having the schools remove sports and other extra-surricular activities from the schools. Have you considered that many colleges look at how many extra-curricular activities an applicant has participated in before granting them admission? In fact, some schools flat out will not even consider students who have not been involved in many activities. I do not agree with the practice, however, it is the way things are. IF certain schools remove sports, other curricular activities and AP classes, those students are under an unfair disadvantage.

By lou

May 2, 2007 9:23 PM | Link to this

You know what all residence of Ohio should do is vote no on every school levy out there until all the schools are closed. Maybe then the state would do their job and fix school funding. Great Idea, except the only ones it hurts are the children. This would destroy the future of so many. But seriously, is that what is going to take to get the state to do their job. The State already taxes us to death and where is all that money going. Ohio has one of the highest taxes and worst school funding. But we cannot make the children pay for that, can we? This levy IS for the kids, regardless how you feel about DPS, Dayton has no future without good public schools. No business will move here. That is a problem now. I teach for DPS and I will tell you this, I give 150% everyday to my students. I work in a room that has broken chairs, old desks that are not even big enough for most students, no books, no supplies, has been as hot as 110 degrees in the room, cold as 40 degrees, we have none of the extras that made school fun (band, auto shop, wood working, home ec, study hall, field trips), not enough administrator, counselors, or secruity. I barely make enough to support my own family, pay student loans, or my taxes. I work for hours at home, I take classes all summer to better teach my students. I do this everyday, every year just to see the look of hope in a child’s eye. I don’t think of myself as a hero because I work with a 100 or so teachers everyday that do the same thing, the same way, without as much as a thanks, you are doing a great job, or a show of respect. I will not loose my job if this levy does not pass, but a child WILL LOOSE thier FUTURE. Your vote Dayton, Your future Dayton. Your Choice Dayton.

By Cynthia

May 2, 2007 8:48 PM | Link to this

I don’t like the way DPS is using teacher cuts and layoffs to try to get this levy to pass. Quite frankly, several hundreds of teachers retire yearly and many leave the district yearly. So the 400 teacher cuts are through attrition. The DPS central office gets overpaid. Why not cut some central office Associate Directors who are double dipping? DPS is using these potential cuts as a ploy to prey on people’s sympathy. If the top administrators really cared about kids and kids were a priority they would not even think of cutting assistant principals. They would cut several highly paid central office staff. This is why I’m voting no for the levy because kids are not the real priority.

By Sharon

May 2, 2007 8:14 PM | Link to this

No Null, you are not mistaken. I don’t know many teachers who make $60,000. But, honestly, even if we did, what would be so terrible about that? People with a lot less education and job seniority do make that much and much more. I think people too often think teachers should do their job just for the love of children. With regards to Title IX, many schools are looking ahead to compliance by allowing girls to play on the (boys) sports teams and not having individual girl’s teams. This leaves many girls at a significant disadvantage but at least they comply with the rules.

By School Supporter

May 2, 2007 6:28 PM | Link to this

FWIW, here’s what the (interracial) Ohio Federation For Uplift Among Colored People promoted, circa 1918: “Colored People an Asset … If then, the Colored people work hard they must have an opportunity for healthful recreation, in order that the highest efficiency may be maintained, for, as always, ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ The use of Public Schools for social centers, the development of community singing, the teaching of domestic science, and similar useful arts, is creating a spirit of self-helpfulness and good will, that will be more appreciated as time goes on.” http://dbs.ohiohistory.org/africanam/page.cfm?ID=808&Current=P08 The longer we delay, the bigger the problem.

By null

May 2, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

Let’s just say I have gotten to know DPS very well over the couple of years I’ve been here— and let’s just say that in the short amount of time I’ve been here that I’ve been disgusted by the district but very thankful for my school. In August, at the DPS Induction Ceremony, Dr. Mack boasted about saving $10mil dollars this past school year. The other teachers in the district and myself are asking, “Where did this money go and has it been spent responsibly?” From what I understand, Gardendale saves the district money every year because it provides services in the area for childern with certain special needs. So if we are “saving” money, where is it all going? I understand we need to spend money on the cost of running buildings and “providing” for our students— but last year when I was asked to do something good for my district, I got to take a good look at the top floor of the DPS Ludlow I building. First of all my mouth dropped in sheer amazement on the beauty and expensive looking items up there… then I got sick to my stomache. It hit me— there’s a nice new leather sofa… there’s a nice desk for the secretary… there’s a really nice painting… there’s air conditioning… I have— no air… a room crumbling around me… limited supplies… excuses as to why the district hasn’t addressed my classroom needs… no supervisor (up until a month ago) because music isn’t important… and the list can go on and on. But luckily, I do have a supportive team of teachers, a supportive team of admin., a supportive custodian who tries to give us the best environment possible… and yet through all of this caring we are still left to wonder as to why are we being punished for the district’s inability to manage money. I will probably lose my job if this levy doesn’t pass. I’ve accepted this… but what I have not accepted is why is the district making this so hard on our teachers, staff, and most important… students. I’m just a teacher who’s opinion might not mean much— but at least it is an inside look as to what we are questioning here in the district. P.S.— for all of those who are confused— the money that is used to build the new schools CANNOT be spent on funding the district’s needs outside of the building of those schools. So that money from the levy to build the schools cannot alleviate any of our current finacial situations. I also believe that someone said that the average teacher makes about 60k? Maybe I’m wrong with that statement— but I can just say— I WISH I made 60k… far from it.

By Buford

May 2, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this

I see a common thread emerging in web site postings from many who are prepared to vote “No” on Tuesday, 8 May on the various school levies up for adoption then. Property owners all around the area are aware and becoming more vocal against a school funding system currently in place - requiring them to do the primary funding for schools. Property owners know it isn’t just schools they are paying for, but also a host of other taskings as well - such as the impending Human Services levy slated for November. Property owners realize many renters, and almost all on public assistance, escape the out-of-pocket financial impact from a property tax levy. I think we property owners fully understand how a “jack-lighted deer” feels - and we don’t like it one bit. Too many people, in too many positions of power have not fulfilled the responsibilities of their elected or appointed positions - and have failed to do their jobs over an extended (10 year) time period. And still the property owners get “tagged” to pay more for schools. And, yes, the term “arrogance” fits nicely when any entity knows the “target” has been unfairly selected for the purpose, yet continues in that choice.

By Mary

May 2, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this

Well, Scott, I will continue to harp on my “favorite” topic because no one else, including the media seems to get it. Maybe the Dayton Daily News is too “pro” sports and extracurricular, and too dense on classroom needs to see through the charade. “Revenue producing” sports are also “expense producing”, but of course the ex-football coach (as reported) turned superintendent is not going to point out all the expenses, including the $1 million to upgrade the pressbox and other anointments of Welcome Stadium. As far as Title IX goes, I believe high schools and middle schools have not been required to report statistics to ascertain compliance. Bottom line, I think a lot of K-12 boards and schools have been getting away with non-compliance regarding any sports implications of Title IX. I believe a few months ago, USA Today had a short blip about a lady senator or congresswoman from the northeast trying to get the Title IX reporting required for K-12 like colleges do. I note recent news articles about Sinclair and Ohio University dropping some of their sports teams in order to “comply with Title IX”, or as some point out, to actually control expenses. In Michigan, the girls won a court case, I think it went to the Supreme Court of the US,regarding how girls’ sports was scheduled and run. Gee with all this attention to sports, which is not even mentioned in Title IX, who has time to address academic needs?