Comments for Board Games at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 24 out of 20 comments http://www.theind.com Sat, 18 May 2013 23:45:15 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12482 I will say the answer lies here, right here in this commentor section of The Indy, he has the answers and the SS Gonads, and although you and you may not guess who i speak of, he hears this and someday he may just discover that he was blessed with the tools to make a change, to right a wrong or he may just talk and sit on the side lines forever, and someday he'll say to himself, " I was a contender, but I was afraid to fail...... - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:35:28 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12474 " not enough voters cared about this. They just seemed to have voted 'R.' " "would be very positive for the school system, but they did not vote!" "Apparantly, Lafayette is not ready to take the necessary steps ..." Maybe people heard that the Independent endorsed your candidacy and thought you might be a closet liberal? Maybe voters don't like the ideas of cameras in the classroom? CAMERAS IN THE CLASSROOM?! Are you serious? Maybe voters don't like the idea of a year round school program to address some perceived achievement gap? Maybe voters don't like people telling them they didn't vote right, they're uninformed, they would vote differently if only they understood the issues. Did you say anything like that before the election.....like you did here today? Do you not watch the news or something? You have a political Tin Ear. People everywhere are fed up with arrogant politicians who think they know better than the people who voted them into office. You have displayed EXACTLY that attitude in your comments below. - ragin_cajun Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:03:18 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12469 Hey there,'The Truth About Vo Tech,' I can relate to your statement, 'While those espousing "sure fire" ways to improve education - like perhaps maybe, hiring the best qualified teachers or getting rid of ineffective principals - lose elections because of the political connectivity of the teachers, the bus drivers, the cafeteria workers, the central office personnel; so that if you mention the word streamline or fiscal responsibility, you have signed your death notice as a candidate - the whole process is screwed up.' I think there are enough folks in this town who feel using a more businees-like approach would be very positive for the school system, but they did not vote! After speaking with some folks who voted in districts other than mine, the common response was a vote for political party, rather than candidate qualifications. I'm an independent and and a fiscal conservative, a business owner, I have a background in Finance, but not enough voters cared about this. They just seemed to have voted 'R.' When I interviewed with the Educators Association, it was very clear to me I was not their candidate. If not for a state observer's presence at the interview, I think the meeting might have been ugly, but they were only allowed to ask my opinion and take notes. They were not allowed to comment on my positions. Good educators don't need tenure. Good leaders keep good people working and throw out trash. Apparantly, Lafayette is not ready to take the necessary steps to really improve it's school system. It's truly disappointing. - Dudley E. LaBauve, III Tue, 16 Nov 2010 11:54:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12443 Actually achievement test scores dropped after Easton's departure. He implemented a certain program that raised test scores, and after he left, the test scores dropped; the scores do not lie....do your homework, get your facts straight. - The Truth about the Vo Tech HS Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:48:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12442 This whole Academy System is a failure, except for those lucky enough to win a lottery. Gee, that's a logical way of getting those who are interested to attend their 'chosen academy'. This whole Academy System was implemented after the board made a trip to see where it was working (latest failed fad - do research on the academy system in New York where everything originated, they have 40% remediation rates for high school graduates - sound familiar); and touted it as the 'savior of our educational system'. It stinks. As far as student-teacher ratio, it was not abandoned shortly after, and to counter your point, two landmark studies - STAR & SAGE - both concluded that lower-student teacher ratio at a minimum provided positive results in the very lowest elementary grades only(do your homework). Look at the make-up of Lafayette and tell me there is no racism involved. Any CFO will tell you that providing the highest quality service to the largest amount of students is 'common business practice'. But that's what's wrong with the School Board. Let's really put this in perspective. You can be an idiot, but if people like you because you said "hi" to them nicely one day; or better yet, if you appeal to the old illerate voter and get them to vote for you - then you are on the school board. Is that really the best way of selecting people who will determine the future of education??? By depending on a certain party or a certain demography to vote for you??? Popularity even??? While those espousing "sure fire" ways to improve education - like perhaps maybe, hiring the best qualified teachers or getting rid of ineffective principals - lose elections because of the political connectivity of the teachers, the bus drivers, the cafeteria workers, the central office personnel; so that if you mention the word streamline or fiscal responsibility, you have signed your death notice as a candidate - the whole process is screwed up. How about getting the 5 most successful business owners in Lafayette to provide input on how they would run the school system as a business. I assure you, you would see cuts at the central office, streamlining of bus routes, the most effective teachers placed in front of the poorest performing students, and principals who are 'riding out time', replaced by more energetic go-getters who actually go in the classroom to monitor the teaching process - this is how you improve a schools system. Not electing bus drivers, hypnotherapists, old-tyme politicians, burnt out demographers, suit salesmen, and criminal photography teachers??? One day, there will be an uprising; and those of you who despise O'Bama for what he is trying to do - level the playing field and bring about fairness in the world - will regret we didn't try harder to meet him in the middle. Slavery still exists, except the Plantation owners live in River Ranch and other like subdivisions, while the slaves occupy their slave shacks in Veazey. Is O'Bama right in doing what he is trying to do? Maybe, maybe not. African Americans get blamed for not wanting to get off food stamps and medicaid and drinking their 40's on the street corner, but aren't we doing the same thing to all the foreigners that take advantage of tax-free life and able to come in and build businesses. Unlike the Indians though, the African Americans will not be extinguished by the white man. Without African Americans doing the labor work, the United States would not be the country it is today. Maybe God is looking down from above and saying, "love thy neighbor as thyself", "remember to keep my commandments" - if you truly believe that we have dealt fairly with the blacks, you are decieving yourself. The point to be made is this. We need to provide excellent education to everyone, not just those who win a lottery!!! If you don't agree with that, then you are the idiot. Education shouldn't be based on chance and a lottery system! Do away with the academies and teach, get rid of ineffective teachers, raise pay for those teachers that are effective!!!!! How much more basic can it get.... - The Truth about the Vo Tech HS Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:43:06 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12435 Lots of nonsense in response to a legitimate point. The process for bumping up the tech school stinks. What about slumping test scores ? As for the genius who dissed David Thibodeaux, no doubt this guy never set foot inside the school board building. Lowering class sizes was championed by Dr. Thibodeaux and Mr. Hardy, precisely because it was a proven method for directly improving student outcomes. It was abandoned quickly after their departure and now our test scores have stalled and even fallen in some cases. That was the best bang for the buck -- not maintenance work, which is necessary but does nothing to aid student performance. Also, what the heck does the tech school have to do with "keeping blacks on the north side of town" ? That's the kind of crazy talk that has a perfectly usable Moss sitting nearly empty and soon to be taken over by the State. We need professionals in trades much more than we need more "general studies" students at UL. Europe has a longstanding history of a vital apprenticeship and technical education programs that produce mechanics for Mercedes and skilled workers for other high-tech industries that are paddling our behinds. It is absurd to suggest that providing these opportunities to Americans is "racism" in action. That kind of foolish ranting will get us thousands more college dropouts, while you can't get an electrician to your house for six weeks, if then. The Chamber punted because it wants to be non-controversial. Bad for business. Racial politics trumps many of our education decisions and no one wants to be called a racist for suggesting solutions that demand practical, common sense measures to hold everyone in the system accountable, call out thousands of parents who are failing to involve themselves in their kids' educations and outing civic "leaders" who only say "no", but never offer any concrete suggestions for improving opportunities for our kids. Finally, all of this focus on buildings entirely misses the point. New buildings do NOTHING to improve educational outcomes for our students. They make us feel like we've done something, but we haven't. Any effort to help our students compete must begin with a thorough analysis of every aspect of our education system, from top to bottom, from the board, central office, every school campus, every teacher and administrator, transportation, cafeteria, maintenance, curricula, textbooks, IT resources -- everything. Only then will we KNOW what we need to do to make the best use of our available funds to get the best results possible for our children. This hasn't been done, or even suggested by the Board. They spent $900 K to have someone tell them our facilities were in lousy shape, when everyone already knew that. But, not one penny to find out why our scores are not up to par and what we can do to improve them. Until someone wakes up and realizes you can't solve a problem, any problem, without understanding what the problem is, any money spent, regardless of where or how, is utterly wasted. In the mean time, more of our kids fall through the cracks every semester and are lost forever, in this pointless fixation on new buildings. - USMA75 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:14:40 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12403 Recently, The Independent featured a article about Pick 6, or the 6 candidates they endorsed for the school board in these past elections. Let's feature an article on the Failed 5. Provide their background, their income, their qualifications, their motives...you have one school board member who admittedly doesn't even look at the agenda before the meetings and makes their decisions based on how they can be influenced at the meetings. You have a couple of others who think the world revolves around them, and the superintendent has to pass everything through them. Idea: Why not consolidate the school board and the city-parish council. We'd save much expense, and might draw more cream-of-the-crop candidates. maybe the previous postings are onto something referencing Hefner and racism...he probably lives somewhere as far away from Northside as possible, he probably became the 'self-proclaimed" direction of the future of Lafayette's education when Thibodeaux passed on...I dub thee Grand Knight Hefner - ...failed 5 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:48:34 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12402 Over the past 5 years, the budget has increased by 50 million dollars, our teacher's pay rankings have fallen almost congruently at the same rate as our school ranking--from 16th to 24th--again, good job Mr Hefner and company - seems your plan is working----->what I really would like to know if behind the scenes Hefner didn't provide the demography through the back door for the Master Plan to put the "fix in" on the numbers - like he does in other parishes ----> Hes' not listed as the Master Plan demographer, but to say he didn't influence it, or get something under the table ----> to me, this whole plan sticks of racism and he may be the Grand Knight - ashamed...... Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:30:03 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12377 “We’ve already made a commitment to these students that we’re going to have a career and technical high school in place,” Hefner says. “In fact, we had 150-something students in place until someone starting making some noise that maybe we weren’t going to go through with it, and then we lost 100 of them. " Ok, Mr. Hefner, here is the problem. You made a commitment BEFORE you asked the taxpayers what OUR priorities are for OUR students. You committed to a MINORITY of students (a very small minority). I remember reading, 150 students applied but only 49 qualified for the program. Which statement is true? This is the major reason most sane people in Lafayette Parish don't want anything to do with the LPSB. You never know who is on first. Lemoine is the master of confusing an issue. LPSB love him. He loves them. Who cares about the students? This article is a great start, but I must say it is a little late and lot short of revealing the wrongs in the LPSB. The truth about the vo tech high has it right. We need to stop "being nice" and start demanding more of the LPSB. We need to operate LPSS like a business. I don't see too many qualified CEOs on the present LPSB. Imagine what our scores could be if we provided ALL of our students with clean bathrooms and buildings, the latest technology AND a LPSB filled with knowledgeable members truly interested in public education. - Pedro Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:52:58 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12374 Wow! That was more truth about more things than just the Vo Tech HS. Right on! Thib Tech in K-Mart is just that, a monument to David Thibodeaux, not the kids or the community. - Amen Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:56:30 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12346 The trouble starts and ends with the school board. There has to be a better way to determine the future of our children's education. If you look at it objectively, and this might seem mean, but it's not meant to be, we have a bus driver, a suit salesman, a failed teacher who was arrested for wifebeating and misrepresenting himself when he was arrested, an old time politician who should have lost his election, a pharmacist whose past was not really vetted and looks like he has already "sold out", and a burnt out demographer - who are making decisions which effect the future of our children's education. You couple this with a superintendent that plays all sides, and a corrupt hiring system that places 84% of highly qualified teachers in core subjects teaching our children, and no wonder we are ranked 24th out of 71 districts in Louisiana, and near the bottom of the barrel as a state when it comes to education. You have principals that have never seen a school board member at their campus in 20 years, and school board members who have no clue about what is happening in the school except through crony information and self-indulgent agendas. There is also what seems to be a very racial component to not only the future plans for the school system but for Lafayette in general. If you research these type of vo-tech high schools, they flourish where poor performing schools are prevalent, which common sense would say the Northside of town. If we keep neglecting the Northside and keep throwing them a bone every once in a while, it will sooner or later backfire on us - we will have an inner city Northside and a White flight Southside, and by the looks of it, they are achieving their goal. Again, that's what you get when you elect a school board who is more concerned about leaving a legacy, than actually fixing the educational problems - that's where the problem begins. This whole academy system for the high schools is flawed. Schools should be operated by spreading taxpayers' money to help the largest population of students - with this Academy System, it is employing the opposite strategy. Not only has it driven our transportation costs up, it concentrates a large amount of money over a small amount of students, and the average and poor students are the one's to suffer. This whole academy system was racially motivated to keep the blacks on the Northside, it has lowered the educational standards for our children, and now we are in the business of lowering standards even more, by having our children 'settle' for a vocation. What will this accomplish? It will only make those students who are lazy, lazier; it will reinforce that our expectations of our children are that of trade schools; and we will keep falling further and further behind when it comes to 'true education'. The school system's job is to prepare a person to lead a successful life, not to give him a trade, where in 10 years they'll be sick of it and wish they had learned more when they were in high school. It starts with putting the best teachers in front of our children to motivate them to learn. What's going on now is a self-replicating cycle for everyone involved. For the blacks, they'll continue to stay on the Northside, continue to go to NP Moss and Northside with their failing programs, and might I add, be lead by administrators who because of the political nature of the school system - are riding out until retirement, which is another issue we have that is wrong with our school - burnt out teachers, who go into administration, and are ineffective principals, but keep their position, because of who they know. What's the sense of placing another high school less than 2 miles from another high school. Acadiana High and this new school, will almost be next door neighbors - again, does white flight ring a bell? African Americans should be at arms about this, but instead seem ambivalent except for a few advocates. Why was the new library placed as far away from the Northside as possible without locating it in Maurice? And placed furthest from the people it would benefit? I would think that there are a higher percentage of children on the southside that have never gone or need to go to the library because of home computers; wouldn't this have benefited the Northside better? Again white flight. If it were me, I would do away with the school board and burnt out demographers, who should have retired 12 years ago and have proven ineffective, and are only in it for future financial or political games (yeah like he has a shot!) People may not agree with this also, but the reason our schools are in the shape they are in is due in large part to David Thibodeaux and his lowering student teacher ratio, in lieu of maintenance for schools. So now Lafayette is not only faced with decreased student achievement rankings, but also crumbling infrastructure - great job school board. No wonder the old school board members are getting off the board - they are riding into the sunset, before the system implodes; but guess what? The taxpayers will bail them out, or so they think. And they'll use the oldest trick in the book - pull at your heartstrings and say, "it's for the kids". I say, enough with the experiments. Let's base our education on learning. Where is the law academy? Where is the teaching academy? Would these be better alternatives than the jewelry academy or the cosmetology academy? Citizens of Lafayette wake up!!!!!! This is our future!!!!!!!! In summary, we have a school system whose ranking has fallen each and every year since the new superintendent, but the superintendent received praise and adulation (not to mention a sizable increase in salary) from the board. We have a corrupt hiring practice, that doesn't hire the most qualified teachers to put in front of your children and who practices carrying out vendettas by threatening to transfer those whom don't play "their game" to undesirable schools; we have a board, whom at best have good intentions, but who rely on the latest failed fad in education and then tries to sell it as "our future"; we have a racial divide in education that will lead to another generation of undereducated adults, which will lead to higher crime rates, and eventually to racial tensions - all in all, I think our future is good! - The Truth about the Vo Tech HS Fri, 12 Nov 2010 05:29:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12336 Pedro, you are correct. We absolutely can and must do better. A 70% graduation rate is not acceptable. The data shows that a 95% graduation rate and 95% proficiency is achievable. This community should accept no less. But this community must become more involved if that is going to happen. You make a good point that the School Board auditorium should be overflowing with concerned citizens. Unfortunately, that's not usually the case unless something is wrong. So let's start this Monday. Let's fill the auditorium with support for next year's School Board to make a comprehensive decision about all of our facilities and the quality of education that our students should receive. And then, let's stay involved. - Gary McGoffin Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:47:56 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12332 Gary, If Mike Hefner has been doing his "best" and wants what is best for the LPSS for the past 20 years, it is not good enough. I think 20 years equals plenty of opportunity to establish a clear set of goals and accomplish them. Our crumbling facilities and low test scores are evidence. If you have ever had a personal conversation with Mike about school/LPSS/students, his priorities are not the best interest of the students. I, along with several others have learned, Mike Hefner's priority is Mike Hefner. Mike Hefner and others never "bucked" the majority hold. Backing Easton, another clear example. There have been plenty of years and opportunities for previous boards to "get it done". The failure of 2000 and any subsequent tax increases is due to the public's lack of trust in the LPSB. It is pure and simple. This tech school is another example. You don't build a brand new school when every single high school in this parish needs some kind of repair or maintenance. LHS needs to be torn down. How old are Northside, Acadiana, and Comeaux? How many butler buildings are there at each school? Why don't they deserve to be "brand new" and refurbished? It is embarrassing. My children use outdated restrooms with doors that don't properly close/gaps in the doors. They walk to class in the rain, sweat in hot, moldy butler building classrooms. There are never enough books or equipment. 30 year old A/C doesn't work. Yet, still, some of our students succeed and do it well! This is due to great teachers, great parents and IN SPITE of the problems with the LPSS. I am with Ragin_Cajun, educating our students is not the first priority of the LPSB. If it was our scores would be higher and our buildings would not be crumbling. We should be a leader in this state. After graduating, leaving, and coming back in the last 20 years, I know this to be the truth. For the life of me, I don't understand why this community, filled with an abundance of very smart people doesn't demand more of the LPSB. The auditorium at all LPSB meetings should be overflowing with concerned citizens. Our students deserve better than a LPSB focused on creating another program for a minority of students. It is the same old stuff, decade after decade and it is time for it to end! - Pedro Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:31:59 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12324 SOMEONE OUT THERE MUST KNOW WHO OWNS THE K-MART BLDG, and the second choice of sites being considered for this rip-off project as where its being proposed to be situated. HUH, INDY ? - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:49:03 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12312 The current board knows this will be their last Pinata, and their last chance to reap the perks of their job, they want to bust this Pinata before they are sent on their way, and leave with their pockets stuffed with cash as their last score. This is the perfect example why politics is over run with thiefs, the pickins are easy, and the laws they pass protect them. - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:14:34 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12308 Two major concerns as i see it: 1. An athletic complex? Your kidding, right? These kid need to learn a trade since they can't, won't, don't want to attend a normal high school. An athletic complex is out of the question. Send them to school to actually LEARN something. 2. N.P. Moss is under utilized. I don't care what Davis and the Black Men say. Its in the best interest of Lafayette taxpayers(who will be footing the bill once again) to use what we already have in place. Ship the remaining kids to all the already over crowded schools(a few more won't make a difference), refurbish Moss to teach these kids something. - Southsider Thu, 11 Nov 2010 11:43:21 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12307 ragin_cajun, This may be one of those "eye of the beholder" issues. No, I don't agree with many things that have been done or not done over the past 10-15 years. But most folks that I have dealt with on the Board and in the Administration during that time have been well intended. We just see things very differently with regard to what is possible educationally and what is realistic financially. - Gary McGoffin Thu, 11 Nov 2010 11:39:25 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12304 Gary McGoffin -- "It is important to acknowledge that everyone involved in this decision wants the best for our School System." -- I do not acknowledge that. Reading how the LPSB has handled things over the last 5-10 years, I can't believe they are that incompetent. I just don't buy it. There are DEFINITELY other priorities at work here besides educating kids as effectively and efficiently as possible. Also, I think that the school board needs to start talking to the oil related employers in town and determine whether or not they'll be moving people out of town next year. It is possible that Lafayette's school overcrowding problem won't be an issue next year if a bunch of service companies pull up stakes. - ragin_cajun Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:58:47 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12300 It is important to acknowledge that everyone involved in this decision wants the best for our School System. But there are two principal concerns about making the decision on a new career and technical high school now. One, it makes accountability for the success of the process over the next four years impossible. The decision makers this year will not be the decision makers for the next four years. Who will be responsible? The new guys will be dealing with the consequences of a decision they did not make. Two, committing our entire bonding capacity to a new high school now, forecloses all other options for the rest of the existing facilities in the absence of new tax revenue. We have to remember that Lafayette voted 2-1 against taxes for roads and drainage just a few years ago. What has changed that will yield a different result for schools? We have to resolve these issues. But we need to do so with the new School Board and Superintendent so that everyone who will be responsible is at the table. - Gary McGoffin Thu, 11 Nov 2010 10:19:35 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7257-board-games#comment-12284 In two months, the School Board that will have the actual responsibility for resolving our overall facilities problems will take office. The current School Board will not. Nor, in all likelyhood, will the current Superintendent. History is repeating itself. In the late 1990's, the School Board and Superintendent built four new schools in the growth areas of the parish. It exhausted the bonded construction capacity of the School System. Then Superintendent Zolkoski explained in a public meeting at Lafayette High that the new buildings would spur our community to increase its tax base so that several more new schools would be built and others renovated. Their 2000 tax failed. That's one of the major reasons there has been minimal maintence or capital expenditures for the past decade and our already old facilities are embarressing. - Gary McGoffin Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:34:22 +0100