On Lincoln and Tecumseh paying $25,000 to be named a Best School District in Michigan
It’s really hard to imagine why anybody involved in trying to educate young people would choose to pay for the privilege of being named Best.
Dispiriting too.
Yes, of course, it happens in other businesses. It happens in politics. We live in a culture where money allows people to purchase all kinds of acclaim. But, please, not in schools. Not where, every day, we’re trying to teach students that hard work matters, that taking shortcuts - say, by cheating or plagiarizing or paying somebody else to write your essay - is the wrong choice.
The thing is, to become one of the best school districts in Michigan - $25,000 is a woefully cheap price. To become one of the best school districts in Michigan takes millions of tax dollars, hundreds if not thousands of dedicated employees, thousands of children bending earnestly to their studies, and their parents encouraging and supporting them as they try to do so. Maybe I’m naïve. Maybe I’m an idealist. But I want to believe that even in the face of famous-just-because-they’re-famous celebrities, steroid-pumped athletes, corporations who peddle worthless securities and politicians and political commentators who gain fame by yelling regardless if what spews from their mouths is truth, most people in this country still value true excellence. Still value character, integrity and someone who works hard to do a job both faithfully and well.
I’m sure there are many, many terrific teachers in Lincoln and Tecumseh who educate with artistry, passion and skill. I’ve got to believe they’re horrified by what their district has done. Teaching is difficult enough already. I can only imagine what it must be like to stand in a classroom and try to make students believe that effort matters - that completing homework, that not giving up on a test, that not taking a pass on a dense reading passage - matters, when the superintendent and school board demonstrate that if you really want to be proclaimed Best, all you need to do is write a check.
Advertising is one thing. A purchased claim of excellence is something else. Let’s not cheapen what we do in schools. Yes, we teach subject matter. But let’s also teach a subject that matters. Let’s teach that hard work pays off in positive results, instead of teaching that paying for positive press trumps hard work.
Jeff Kass teaches Creative Writing at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor and at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, and directs the Literary Arts Programs at the Neutral Zone, including the VOLUME Youth Poetry Project, which meets every Thursday night at 7pm. He will post new blog entries every Tuesday and Thursday morning throughout the school year.
Comments
glimmertwin
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 : 8:34 a.m.
>>> To the point that the district now has to make serious cuts in order to deal with a financial crisis caused by poor legislation and short-sighted legislators. >> and is reluctant (if not outright unwilling) to fix. As a voter and taxpayer, please remember those statements made when it comes time to vote. Just because our legislators are apathetic and won't help fix problems, doesn't mean we have to consistently keep electing them.
alarictoo
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 3:58 p.m.
Dirtgrain: "Some here want separate but unequal schools? Feh." If you are referring to my posting, then you have misunderstood me. I do not want unequal schooling. However, I do want equal taxation for benefit. If I am in Ann Arbor paying 12 mills while someone in another district is paying 6 mills but getting most of the benefit of the additional taxes I am paying, then that is not occurring. I want all of our students to be well prepared for their futures, and that implies a quality education. However, that also implies an education that all citizens value equally, and are equally willing to participate in paying for. Simply put, that is not how Proposal A works. One of the primary things that attracted my spouse and I to Ann Arbor was the educational opportunities available to our children via the Ann Arbor Public Schools. However, we have watched those opportunities and benefits be steadily eroded by the unfair burden of the educational funding structure of Michigan. To the point that the district now has to make serious cuts in order to deal with a financial crisis caused by poor legislation and short-sighted legislators. The problem is the funding structure that the Michigan legislature has built, and is reluctant (if not outright unwilling) to fix. It is that very same broken structure that makes schools feel this need to compete for student counts and "rob" head count from other districts.
Dirtgrain
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 2:42 p.m.
Some here want separate but unequal schools? Feh. Subsidize the education of all Americans, equally, for the good of us all.
Gina Valo
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 11:35 a.m.
Jeff, you are the voice of reason when it comes to education. If every teacher taught with your same passion and dedication, this issue would be obsolete.
alarictoo
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 11:18 a.m.
To whit... Ann Arbor is one of 51 Michigan school districts that were given the status of "Hold Harmless" school districts in Michigan under Proposal A. Below is an explanation of how that works, gleaned from http://troyeducationassociation.org/Hold%20Harmless%20School%20Districts%20and% 20Section%2020j1.pdf, and what the result has been for "Hold Harmless" districts since Proposal A was passed: "Hold Harmless School Districts and Section 20j When voters approved Prop A 15 years ago, they were told those districts which had shown strong support for their schools would NOT be penalized theyd be held harmless. The plan was to bring lower funded districts up to close the funding gap. Since 1994, about 2/3 of Michigan school districts have received a 125% increases in funding while hold harmless districts have been held to about 17% total increase. And to make matters worse, taxpayers in these hold harmless districts have been required to subsidize the other districts AND pay an average of 12 mills to maintain their funding. All other Michigan homeowners pay only 6 mills. A problem was discovered in 1999 which resulted in these districts NOT being held harmless. Since additional property tax millage could not be approved under the constitution to fix the problem, Section 20j was created in the school aid act to make sure hold harmless meant just that. Since 20js adoption, detractors like to call this a bonus for wealthy districts. Nothing could be further from the truth. This simply maintains the promise of Prop A. Two years ago, Lansing hatched a plan to give nearly 700 districts twice as much in the annual funding increases as the 51 hold harmless districts. Its known as the 2 x plan. Now the governor is proposing to abandon the promise of Prop A and cut 20% of the 20j funding. (Some districts would see nearly 100% of their 20j funding cut with the Granholm Plan.) Not only does she want to give other districts twice as much annual funding, now she wants HH districts to take twice the cuts of other districts in tough times. Its not fair and its not honest. A 17% funding increase over 15 years has drained fund balances, caused program cuts, caused class sizes to grow, and caused buildings to close.. These districts educate 1 in 7 Michigan school children and represents some of the best schools in America. If the governors plan is approved, it will mean HH districts will have received no funding increase during her 7 years as governor some will have seen a net reduction in funding. You cant provide a world class education with such actions. 2/09" What it boils down to is that Ann Arbor and other "Hold Harmless" districts tax base has been subsidizing education in Michigan's other school districts. Now, the question becomes: Is that unfair OF them, or unfair TO them?
Sarcastic1
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 4:59 p.m.
That's better than spending $25,000 on the students.
jcj
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 4:23 p.m.
You got it right Nick. I am so tired of hearing how the system robs students of opportunity. The system though usually too costly for what we get in return does afford ANYONE with a work ethic the same opportunity.
Niko Rombes
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 3:42 p.m.
"I am so tired of hearing about Pioneer and their awards. They only win awards because they funnel the money and resources to Ann Arbor's elite. Ask any parent of the invisible, ignored, lost in the crowd majority there and they will quickly tell you how totally over rated it is." I'm curious as to how money is funneled to the elite. The school system provides opportunity, and the "invisible, ignored, lost in the crowd majority" are those who didn't take advantage of it.
jcj
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 12:23 p.m.
We in Ann Arbor pay a premium in taxes. Would the parents in Lincoln and Tecumseh like to pay what we pay? We should not be pitting school districts against each other. We should be calling for more fiscal responsibility and moral responsibility in all districts.
limmy
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 9:56 a.m.
I am so tired of hearing about Pioneer and their awards. They only win awards because they funnel the money and resources to Ann Arbor's elite. Ask any parent of the invisible, ignored, lost in the crowd majority there and they will quickly tell you how totally over rated it is.
Somewhat Concerned
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 8:33 a.m.
One would have a more positive view of the students and parents at Lincoln, and of their pleas that we not attribute this lapse of ethics and sign of desperation to the children and teachers, all would be more convincing if the students protested the campaign and the parents moved to remove the school officials who bought and defend it. If you are as embarrassed as you should be and half as angry as an intelligent taxpayer would be, do something. Otherwise, your pleas are empty and your school remains a laughing stock.
BenWoodruff
Sun, Feb 7, 2010 : 6:45 a.m.
I called WXYZ and asked the General Manager's office to get back with me on this. My issue is that WXYZ put no disclaimer before or after the paid advertisement, and even used the wxyz.com studios for a webchat the next day. I also tried to put a post on the WXYZ facebook page asking the same question. It was removed 11 seconds later. Mr. Kass, When you can teach Latin in Ann Arbor, or at least did last year, the equity between schools is an issue. Be thankful you teach in a district with such bountiful resources. Don't think however that Ann Arbor is immune to poor decisions, how's the half filled high school working out for you?
jcj
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 11:34 p.m.
After doing a little more research I think we should also be taking WXYZ Channel 7 to task for airing such a bogus program. Maybe we can get Steve Wilson channel 7's Chief Investigative Reporter to look into why channel 7 is airing this!
jcj
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 11:23 p.m.
I would like to see some of the Lincoln and Tecumseh administrators get on this site and defend their actions! And if they can't (or won't)then they are sending the wrong message to their students. And they should be recalled.
miatamich
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 8:02 p.m.
I wonder how much the cost will be for the "Top 10 Students in Michigan" campaign?
Somewhat Concerned
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 6:45 p.m.
No matter how you slice it, it is a sign of desperation, asign of low ethics, and a sign of disrespect for students and parents when a school pays to be included in a "best schools" list as to which the sole criterion is that you pay the fee demanded. Of course there are good kids and good teachers at Lincoln, but the people in control lack integrity, confidence and the intelligence needed to lead a school. I wouldn't let my kids go to any school they control. I wouldn't teach there. I wouldn't give them one more dime to spend on anything. It's not easy for every school to turn out astrophysicists, but it's not difficult to act with integrity and intelligence, if you have them.
Will
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 4:50 p.m.
Good Readers, please be mindful that young students from all of the wonderful school districts throughout our area, including Lincoln and Tecumseh, are reading and thinking about our comments regarding their schools.
Dirtgrain
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 4:49 p.m.
Ann Arbor Public Schools' per pupil funding from the state, fiscal year 2009: $9,723 Lincoln Consolidated Schools' per pupil funding from the state, fiscal year 2009: $7,316 While I agree that it was not a cool thing for Lincoln to do, an Ann Arbor Public Schools teacher might not understand the pressure a district like Lincoln is under. The funding disparity isn't Kass's fault, but it is something we have to consider when judging this scenario. Politicians have been pushing competition and the business model on schools for quite some time (I remember Engler doing this). Maybe we should just embrace it, prostitute our schools, have them hire advertising consultants, have them build tax shelters, and have them ship our children off to China or Mexico to be educated on the cheap. While this isn't the sort of thing those privatizing, competition-spreading, implement-the-business-model politicians told us we would get, it's what we see in the business world. We should expect it under the current system--unless we change it. Create a balanced funding system for our schools. Change the law so that schools can't raid other districts for students. Take the for-profit element out of publicly-funded institutions (i.e., charter schools).
Andrew Thomas
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 4:25 p.m.
Amen, Jeff. You make some excellent points. For those of you who are interested in a more meaningful listing of "top schools", check out the U.S. News and World Report site for "top high schools in America". They analyzed over 18,000 schools and came up with a list of 100 "Gold Medal" 461 "Silver Medal" and 561 "Bronze Medal" schools. Michigan had only 1 "Gold Medal" school (International Academy in Bloomfield Hills), and had 19 "Silver Medal schools, which included Huron and Pioneer. Community High earned a "Bronze Medal" award. (Lincoln and Tecumseh were not listed anywhere). I'm not sure how much these rankings mean. I'm sure they are at least somewhat arbitrary, and I don't know how schools were selected to be reviewed in the first place. I would guess that there are many fine schools that did not win medals. Still, I think Ann Arbor can be proud that three of its high schools received recognition from a national source. The web site is: www.usnews.com/listings/directories/high-schools/
scooter dog
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 3 p.m.
And they wonder why people turn down millages for more taxes for schools when they sqander badly needed funds that could be used for far greater things than supporting someones ego.Who cares if its the best school.If it happens in my school area(Dexter) I will start a recall of all parties involved.I will also never/ever vote for more money for schools period.
Brian McCleery
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 2:32 p.m.
I agree that it is sad that schools have to advertise to increase their enrollment now that there is the school of choice. I always thought it was weird to watch the commercials on tv of local public school districts trying to get kids to come to their school. I wonder what the costs are for that? I also think before anyone makes a decision on this issue they should at least watch the video.
hypsi
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 1:14 p.m.
Advertising is advertising and since public schools have to compete with Charter schools (which also gain from state funding). You don't think Charter schools advertise as well with claims that they are the "best schools" What else are they supposed to do? Especially given public schools budget cuts/reductions in our economic climate. It's sad that education has come down to this..our children have become business fodder and which ever school can attract the most students wins the most money.
YpsiReader
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 12:17 p.m.
Well said. I am also a Lincoln parent and my children received excellent instruction from quality staff. The staff and students deserve recognition based on accomplishments and perseverance. Purchasing the title of excellence sends the message that shortcuts are acceptable and the end justifies the means. This was a poor choice on many levels.
SavageGirl
Sat, Feb 6, 2010 : 11:10 a.m.
Thank you for making the distinction between what the teachers do and the Board/administration's decisions. As a Lincoln parent, I know that there are many top quality teachers there, or I wouldn't trust my children's education with them. Being the professionals they are, I am confident that they won't let politics affect what they do in the classroom each day.