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In An Age Of Universal Deceit, Telling The Truth Is A Revolutionary Act.......George Orwell
Showing posts with label usd 380 vermillion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label usd 380 vermillion. Show all posts

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Private Message

You may have been able to convince the local city council that your stupid dog isn't a pit bull, but if it attacks anyone else, particularly a child, I will furnish the victim and the media with a copy of the complaint I filed. That will show, in a civil lawsuit, that there is a history of complaints about your dog. If your dog's next victim is child walking home from school, how will your employer, USD 380, feel about it? As a parent, I prefer school employees who obey the laws, including leash laws. How come people such as yourself abuse animals, anyway? That's the only reason your dog would run off of your property to people walking on the other side of the street.

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Operation Cross Country And Junction City, Kansas

It seems that Friday the thirteenth was very exciting, last week, in Junction City, Kansas. The FBI apprehended some folks who were doing what teachers and administration from USD 380, Vermillion, and what former Congresswoman Sharon Schwartz's husband have emphatically stated never happen in Kansas: sex trafficking of children. The thing that makes Kansas very different from other states is the size of the population. There are only about 3 million people in Kansas, making it one of the most sparsely populated states in America, especially for its size; yet one of its cities, Wichita, is in the top five recruiting cities in the entire country for finding and recruiting victims! It does not matter what congressional representatives in Kansas tell us or what school principals tell us: the problem, according to the FBI, is real.


Friday, August 4, 2017

No Bond For USD 380 Vermillion

USD 380 Vermillion, which includes two public schools in Northeast Kansas, Frankfort and Centralia, attempted to get voters to vote for a 8.5 million dollar bond for them, this past Monday, August 1. Overwhelmingly, the people voted no; 698 to 263. That included about three fourths of registered voters in both towns. The school board is disappointed and the superintendent thinks that folks do not care about the schools, according to the Marysville Advocate. This is a little unfair; if the school board actually listened to constituents and analyzed data, perhaps such gross comments would not make their way into the newspaper.

The reasons given by the school board for desiring 8.5 million dollars were updates to the buildings, and a new gym at the Centralia locaction. USD 380 straddles three counties, Marshall, Nemaha, and Pottawatomie. Centralia is in Nemaha County. Should those who live in the other two counties see their mill levies and their property taxes increase for a gymnasium that their children will never get to use? Why is a school district with declining enrollment straddling three different counties in the first place?

The other reason given for such a large amount involved security measures. Frankfort and Centralia want keypad locks on their doors, rather than the traditional locks and keys. Not only is this an expensive initial option for a tiny school, it requires upkeep that the school district would not be able to fund, even with the bond. Every time a building with such a lock changes its schedule and itinerary, a technician must visit the building to change the pass-code information. This is at least two hundred dollars per visit, and both schools host sporting events and parent teacher conferences, which would necessitate many visits from a technician. In the case of USD 380, old fashioned locks and keys will still work as desired, if the building is actually locked when not occupied. Another item desired is a metal detector. The problem had by USD 380 concerning guns is mostly in Frankfort, and that involves a failure on the part of school administration to sanction those who bully and bring weapons into the building. If the proper reports are made to the FBI each time a child takes a weapon, drugs, or alcohol to school, even if it is the child or grandchild of someone who donates a lot of money via the booster club; and the child in question is sanctioned according to federal law, these problems will abate. Frankfort has not attempted to follow the law, and expects a metal detector to cover up that problem. Finally, both schools want cameras at all entrances, which is reasonable. Cameras for two tiny schools will not cost 8.5 million dollars. A word of caution, however; Frankfort has consistently rejected the use of a sign-in sheet in the office for adult visitors to the school. The staff does not wish to monitor those who enter and exit the building. A camera will do no more good than an unused sign-in sheet if the principal is truly unconcerned about what goes on inside the school. Also, as long as teachers are not held accountable when they "lose" students off of school property during the school day, key pads, metal detectors, and cameras will not accomplish anything. Tom Schroeder and Dean Dalinghaus, I'm looking at you, here!

The populations of Frankfort and USD 380 have been on the decline since 1910. At present, the population of Centralia is about 500 people and the population of Frankfort is about 690. That is fewer people, altogether, than attended your faithful blogger's alma mater at the time of her graduation. Why should taxpayers fund an 8.5 million dollar bond for schools that will probably shut down and consolidate with other, more viable schools, within the next ten years? The bond would take twenty-five years to pay off.