Comments on: School choice gone bad? DA solicits community snitches

By: Houston DA: Help Us Get Rid of Customers at Successful Schools! | Think Tank West

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:51:03 +0000

[...] Houston District Attorney’s office has apparently sent out this notice: Schools: If you have any information on someone who is attending a Houston County public school [...]

By: Sarge

Sarge — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:53:37 +0000

Teachers, particularly those in Gwinett, are simply enabling the powers that be to “save money” on your backs, and it won’t stop here. Every time they feel a need to conserve a few bucks, they will turn to your “love of the job, love of children, and, quite frankly, your fear of job loss” as justification for robbing you blind. I know times are tough, and those with jobs are prone to hunker down and withstand the barrage of mindless demands for you to sacrifice. I cannot suggest to you an alternative course of action, but you better find a solution to this matter, either through unionization, political showdown, or whatever means at your disposal. For you to accept these furlough days (and, for some, to continue working gratis) does not help you, the kids, or those who will someday fill your shoes. DO SOMETHING NOW! For starters, the city mothers who choose to sit on financial reserves rather than take care of you need to go!

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:41:29 +0000

V, I would agree that neither Republicans nor Democrats wish to give up power and influence by shrinking government. I further note that Georgia has an inordinate number of counties given its size, with the resultant duplication of services not found in other states. For instance, neighboring Florida has approximately the same land area, almost twice the population, but less than half the number of counties (66 versus 156).

However, your September 3, 8:01 pm post implies, if not states, that if school taxes were refunded, the refunded tax dollars would pay for private school tuition. The majority of people do not pay that much tax – since everyone pays, the expense to all is reduced.

By: V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:12:41 +0000

ScienceTeacher671,

Which is exactly why I said earlier that this would have to be a national movement, coinciding with a shrinking government and a return to laissez-faire capitalism. Of course, neither Republicans nor Democrats are interested in such things . . . .

By: food for thought

food for thought — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:08:04 +0000

@concerned aunt – I think most TAXPAYERS in the county would think that their county is correct in maintaining residency requirements. While I’m sorry to hear about your nephew’s situation, the fact of the matter is that someone else’s tax dollars are going to educate him if he is attending school out of district. That’s not right – that’s stealing.

There are options – his family can pay tuition to the school system he wants to attend (you can apply to do that legally). His parents could move to another district. He could live with someone other than his parents (perhaps you?) to attend another district – there are guardianship issues, but it can be done. He could go to a private school – there are schools that are reasonably priced and/or those that would offer needs-based scholarships. Finally he could homeschool, and that’s easier than ever with the Georgia Virtual School and Georgia Virtual Academy.

By: benman

benman — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:01:20 +0000

Wake up. I teach…I know. Most students who are “out of area” are not there for academics. They are there because they have “run the system” in their old attendance area. Students regularly get into serious trouble and before there is a hearing they go to another school. They are there until they are in trouble again and then move on. They stay one step ahead of consequences with their parent’s blessings. “Working the system” is the name of the game. YOUR child’s safety is at risk here. Do you want you child sitting next to a student who has left a couple of schools because of violent behavior?

By: Concerned Aunt

Concerned Aunt — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:01:24 +0000

To all who think that the school system is right for making a child stay in the county zones, To that I have two observations, I have a nephew with a 4.0 gpa and just relocated here from another state, He is living in the Morrow/Clayton county school system and his grades are falling , he is no longer interested in participitaing in school activities such as football. This kid is very intelligent and is falling in the cracks because he is stuck in a school system that is unbelivable. If the child is doing well in their own county then leave them there but if its a system such as the one in clayton county and you have a future prodigy failing to fit in with the thugs and gang bangers then by all means there should be an acception.

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:30:50 +0000

jim d, I agree that government meetings ought to be totally transparent. My point is that if people were really concerned about what went on in those meetings, they would attend. When no one attends the meetings, and the press, for whatever reason, doesn’t report half of what went on, the meetings MIGHT AS WELL be held behind closed doors even if they are not.

It also isn’t good to give the elected officials the idea that they are the only ones concerned with what goes on in the meetings…because at some point, they’ll begin to believe it.

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:27:38 +0000

V, the majority of the “producers” in Georgia don’t pay enough in state and property taxes in a year to pay the tuition for one student at a public school – and while a goodly percentage of those taxes goes to fund schools, over half goes for other government functions.

By: catlady

catlady — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:53:42 +0000

Well, most of us at my school would rather have 100 immigrant kids than 75 “local” (ie poor, white) kids any time. They all pay property taxes, through rent or directly. However, our immigrant kids are much more likely to be hardworking and well-behaved. This might not be true in your area. Somehow our small, rural area may be getting the cream of the crop in illegal immigrants.

IF all school systems were required to tax at the same rate, we might have something to talk about. My system taxes 4 mils or more below those in Fulton or Dekalb. Coupled with lower valuations, we’d get quite a bargain if we went to other, higher-taxing, higher valued counties.

“Choice” is fine if there is room and if parents provide the transportation. IF. Likely there is NOT room and the parents who are able to provide transportation are not your run of the mill parents.