International Falls Daily Journal - School Board - Comments

Thanks, IFallsRon, for the

Thomas L. Johnson — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:00:50 -0500

Thanks, IFallsRon, for the linkage to results. That the Falls is below average is not surprising. For the most part, school performance is more credibly about parents than it is about teachers or kids anyway. Poor kids perform about 20% lower than kids who are not poor. When a community like ours sees the transitions it has seen --disappearance of the Mando Research, decline in population -- it is not surprising that the performance of students in the schools suffers also.
As this is about Native American students and their program, I will disagree with roj about federal money and Indian programs. Virtually every country settled by Indo-Europeans has an indigeneous population that underperforms in the dominant culture, largely because their culture has a completely different basis. Secondarily, these indigeneous people often live in remote areas with extreme climates and usually underperform on academic tests.
My Scandinavian background includes the Sami's of Northern Finland and Norway [Finnmark], essentially nomadic reindeer herders. As Sami can either go underground and live invisibly in the European world or continue to be a Sami, those that continue in the ancient ways fall behind in simple things: becoming doctors or teachers. The governments of those countries have subsidized schools and students because they will deal with the costs or underperformance at some point and it is wiser to subsidize education than it is to pay welfare or healthcare. Education isn't just for those who can pass entry exams any more than democracy is for those who can pay poll taxes. At least not in the civilized world.

Well Professor, are you

roj2000 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:18:43 -0500

Well Professor, are you saying that the Catholic Schools down in Dixie are "racist"?? As well as the other "faith based" schools we have heah?? All of these fine schools have "entrance" exams, and it doesn't matter if you don't eat meat on Friday, you can come to our schools, as long as you pass with a high enough score (with a small additional fee, that is)!! But if you all want to spend Minnesota Tax money on "special" programs for the Indians, go right ahead! I think that is great! Just don't use my Federal "Bush" dollars for that. I never said anything about "racial" standards, I just said I sent my kids to GOOD Catholic schools, for a GOOD education. BTW, how many American Africans have attended St Thomas School in the Falls? I know it sounds like were are on a big tangent from the original post, but I think this all ties together. You are correct that the schools are now teaching the National tests, rather than give the kids a good education. But, don't lay all the blame on Bush!! Testing is what makes the world go around these days. It was the same on Nuclear Subs when I left. We spent ours days just getting ready for the next test or inspection, rather than fighting the Communists! And it's the same in almost all other Government controlled places. You are right about the teacher having to care, but what about little Johnnie and HIS PARENTS having to care? Believe it or not, down here is Dixie, we are getting rid of the PAC tests for the students (don't know how), but they are. But I'm sure Uncle Sugar will replace it with some other test standard. But who cares, those are Guvment Schools, and I don't let my family members go to them. You mentioned something about people not going into the field they test for. I remember my wonderful Guidance Counselor (yeah right) in High School, telling me that I would be lucky to get into a Trade School, but guess what? HE WAS WRONG!! Somehow I got into the Navy Nuclear Training Program, but according to him I would be stuck being a "blue collar worker" in the Mill for the rest of my life. So much for tests and Guidance Counselors!!!!

So some guy in the deep

Thomas L. Johnson — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:12:50 -0500

So some guy in the deep South is proposing a return to gestapo tactics and racially separate schools [code: Catholic or private in the south is not about getting a religious education; it's about sitting next to white people]. Now that the Republic Party under George Bush has nationalized education, there is a whole lot of pressure placed upon the local administration to get results on a battery of narrowly defined tests. Period. Forget about art classes, Jim West; forget about music, Pete Peterson; forget about shop, Wally Haglund. Forget about anything but those tests. Comparability is what it is all about now.
Ironically, almost nobody goes into the "fields" they are testing -- how many mathematicians do you meet in any given year? They go into the fields that are not being tested -- like art, church music, photography, web design, electronics, economics, technical or creative writing. No amount of gestapo tactics will get a young person ready for life. A caring teacher will and I have read nothing about this issue that I know only from the newspapers to suggest that the fired teacher was not caring. A caring teacher should help you succeed; that is part of caring. An uncaring teacher or administrator will get you into the full-time workforce at seventeen. And there you will be for the rest of your life.
I'm not sure anything in this rant makes any sense, but nothing in the previous one did either, so there is a standard of comparability. I am checking my spelling now that norpole is back, however.

I actually have to agree

roj2000 — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:31:01 -0500

I actually have to agree with Agent47 and his comments. FINALLY someone has the guts to "trim the fat" and get rid of some of the "Guvment cheese"!! But, don't let the "CHOSEN ONE" Obama hear about this decision!! He and the Demonrats will be flying up to the Falls and handing out more "VOTE" entitlements soon. Just watch! Many of you don't remember about a time back in the 50's, 60's and early 70's (before the Columbine generation began), kids actually went to school to get an education. And we all dressed appropriately, and there was discipline!! And some very smart kids gradyeated from Falls High! Now you all say the kids "need to have fun" and be treated with a "kindler and gentle" touch, so that maybe they will want to learn. BS!!!! Let's get back to the "Gestapo" tactics that were used by the Teachers and Principle in Alexander Baker school when I was a kid. We had one choice. Sit there, act properly, and learn, or the Holy c**p would be whacked out of you. Y'all wonder why your City and it's citizens are doing so poorly?? But, rest easy, you are not alone! The rest of the Goverment Schools in the USA are in the same condition as yours. And people have the nerve to ask me, "why did you send your kids to Catholic schools"??

Testing results seem to

IFallsRon — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:58:07 -0500

Testing results seem to indicate that many in the district are doing little to motivate students:

http://ww2.startribune.com/dynamic/no_child/grade.php?DistNum=0361&DistT...

The district will not

tpjr — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:53:19 -0500

The district will not improve until the Langen/Everson cult is gone and Grover is just another Langen puppet . All those guys have done is get rid of teachers that the students and parents enjoyed. Education is suppose to be fun not boring but they don't see it that way.

I think this is sad. Langen

lesleyk — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:07:08 -0500

I think this is sad. Langen has been trying to get rid of Ms. Briggs and finally accomplished the task, yet no one cares. Instead I see a comment about equal rights . . . I'm sorry, but your country wasn't taken over and your race wasn't all but extinguished from civilization - no, we (I'm caucasion) don't have a "caucasian education course" unless you count your World History or US History classes - most of which are predominantly about white ppl.

When is Langen's reign finally going to end? I see nothing positive from him. I see our schools in poor shape physically let alone the morale of teachers and students. Why is there no PTA? Why does the school board cowtail to Langen? Why above all else is Langen still here? All questions I can never get an appropriate answer for . . . . Briggs termination was another loss for the school district and a win for Langen.

Personally, I think those

Agent 47 — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:01:23 -0500

Personally, I think those classes were nothing but a "let's sit around and get credit for being of a different heritage" excuse. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being a different race, color or even religion, but I think those things are being used to try and draw pity to those who are looking for it.

I'm white. If I went, to say, a predominantly Native American school, do you think I would be able to get caucasian education classes? And if so, what would they teach me?

So boo-frickity-hoo, they're changing a program, someone will probably have to learn now. Whoopedy doo. They've got to do something around here soon before the youth of our community becomes any dumber.

I support Tim Everson and Kevin Grover. Anyone who has a problem with it can take a short walk off an even shorter pier.

Did Langen tell her to "take

IFallsRon — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:14:29 -0500

Did Langen tell her to "take her teepee" across the road as alleged in a past lawsuit against him which can be found on the Interweb?

It has been raining up here

Thomas L. Johnson — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:11:07 -0500

It has been raining up here and the first batch of mosquitoes has announced itself with a sort of ferocity. None of that explains the silence on this site, however. Maybe we were all stranded on some sort of digital island consuming each other and you and I and maybe Anton are among the only ones left. Maybe 04 was such a powerful force that he took the rest of the blog with him when he left.

I was interested in your phrase "contemplative spitituality" so I had to google it. I don't think it's a republican sort of thing, however. It involves some sort of inner life that would hardly appeal to the sort of people who are coming to our fair state at the end of summer. We had to push back the closing times of bars for these hard-drinking republicans. So far nobody is talking about keeping churches open later than the usual 5 o'clock closing time. So you will have to look elsewhere for your contemplators.

Sure is quiet on here

roj2000 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:47:20 -0500

Sure is quiet on here lately. Rain must have finally stopped and the folks are putting in their gardens and catching the walleye. I like the idea of the McCain Pawlenty ticket. Now thats a winner!! The McCain Cohen ticket is also intriguing! I hope you mean the former Clinton Sec of Defense, and not the Minnesota movie producers. And I wouldn't give all of the southern states to McCain just yet. Recent turnovers in party tickets, has thrown a monkey wrench into the mix, just a tad. I like the idea of a McCain Pawlenty ticket that doesn't wear their religion of their sleeve. Most of that is pure show, and phony as heck! Hopefully the days of using the "religion card" are over. But, I do wonder if Pawlenty is into "contemplative spirituality"?? And you say he is a "self-respecting" yankee? That could be construed as an oxymoron, in addition to being redundant. But, don't give up on the Bush dynasty, just yet!!

McCain may be showing signs

Thomas L. Johnson — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:19:48 -0500

McCain may be showing signs of senility, but he is surrounded by a protective staff that will surely prevent him from going down that weary bush-strewn road. He has essentially written off the theocrats this time, so he is going to have to appeal to the middle as well as the traditional non-theocratic base. I could vote for McCain Pawlenty or McCain Cohen as could a lot of center lefts. Another Bush, especially one that is not "bahn agin," would deliver one thing: Florida. But that's in the bag already as are all of the other former slave states, so McCain has to pull someone from the blues to gain any edge at all. [And, incidentally, Pawlenty as a self-respecting Yankee -- that is a redundant expression, I admit -- never runs with his faith on his sleeve but does attend Wooddale, the church of Leith Anderson, current head of the National Association of Evangelicals.]

The problem with dynasties in America is that you eventually get down to the bottom of the barrel. Ted did to the Kennedies what 'W' did to the Bushies; I think we can all heave a collective sigh of relief.

As the parent of 2 kids who

lakelover — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 20:28:30 -0500

As the parent of 2 kids who have graduated from FHS and 1 still attending I think some of you who are so quick to come up with conspiracy theories and just plain bashing the school board and superintendant should sit back and think a bit before you start in with the keyboard. It wasn't that many years ago that as a community we were looking at AB Backus being torn down, year after year of budget cuts, increasing class sizes, reduced electives, a teachers strike, failed referendums, major discipline problems, and just plain bad morale district wide. Over the last several years though we have finally experienced some stability and some badly needed initiatives such as the Q-comp program, steady capital improvements, new textbooks, labor contracts settled on time and without rancor, increased electives, new vocational opportunities, increased security, smaller class sizes, improved test scores and just an overall better atmosphere for our kids. It's funny but it seems that most of these accomplishments have occured under the current superintendant, administration and school board.
So.. before everyone starts in like a bunch of old biddies with nothing better to do than cut others down, do your homework.

Anton, Rumor has it that

roj2000 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:00:11 -0500

Anton,

Rumor has it that McCain might pick Jeb Bush as his running mate. Can't get away from the Bush's can ya??

TLJ, I hear what you're

roj2000 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:50:36 -0500

TLJ,

I hear what you're saying, but I think these things go around in cycles, ie- election of 1976. Jimmy Carter was the Obama of his time, and was elected to "cure all"! Yeah sure, saw what mess he created. Currently the whole world revolves around oil and it's prices. You can't blame it all on Texas oil. I say build more Nuclear plants and put up some windmills. There's alot of hot air in I-Falls, and you could power alot of windmill generators, with that!! LOL Also, agree with your "one term" concept. I can see it already. McCain drops out at four years, and Vice President Romney, takes the helm. What a "sweet deal"!! On the other hand, if Obama picks Hillera for VP, his one term could be "very short"!!