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- Sovereignty of our nation at stake
- Vote no on all Denver bond issues
- “Ghettorize” shouldn’t have been a factor
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Students need broad, deep curriculum
If Mike Rosen wants to attack me personally (“Merrifield raising Hell again,” Oct. 26), fine. He’s entitled to his opinions, however misguided they are. But he’s not entitled to his own facts.
I was a teacher for 30 years. There’s nothing I’m more passionate about than the education of Colorado’s children.
Let me be clear about what I stand for.
I’m for rigor in the classroom. I’m for strong academic standards in math and science, and every subject our children study.
Where I differ with Rosen and agree with Bill Gates, is that rigor needs to be accompanied by relevancy and relationships. That means a student’s success should be measured according to their proficiency in a subject, not solely on the length of time that they have sat in a classroom. I’m a strong advocate of a broad and deep curriculum, not a narrow and shallow one.
After all, we live in global economy that is highly competitive and shifting all the time. If our children are not nimble on their feet, and if they lack the ability to think, Colorado, like the nation, will be in trouble
I’ve also never disparaged parents who choose to send their kids to charter schools. Charter schools are a great option for some families.
Rosen’s one accurate statement about me is that I briefly stepped down as chairman of the House Education Committee last year. Not out of “shame,” as Rosen writes, but because I was battling cancer and didn’t want to divert attention away from important legislation pending in our committee.
Schools are where we define who we are as a nation. I, for one, intend to continue to fight to see that I am proud of the definition.
Rep. Mike Merrifield
D-Colorado Springs
oh goodie a poor me letter from mikie.
sure changing your tune now that the facts where put out there.
so now that you talked about how a child is measured on their proficienty in a subject, how do you want that done? should they all get a grade based on their work in relationship to others in the class or should they get a number saying they were there?
if you are so proud of education why is it going down hill with teachers not concerned about spelling or getting a correct answer in math. oh yes and lets pass everyone along to the next grade even if they dont have a clue about what they just went through. lets not be concerned about all the kids who can not read as they will catch up some day but we need to protect their littles egos and not let them know they missed the point of the grade but we will still let them slide by.
Mike,
If you've never disparaged parents who choose to send their kids to charter schools or who want vouchers for more "Choice" then what was with your infamous letter to your colleage sue Windells?" there is a special place in hell for those who support vouchers and charter schools"
If you are so dedicated to quality education you would hold Charter schools and some kind of a voucher system in higher regard as they will force schools to become more competetive, thus increasing the quality of our overall education system.
Instead you state you stand for all of these things but don't show it in your actions.
Step away from the interests of the teachers unions and the public school adminstration and see the problem for what it is. Waste, overhead, and stale teaching methods are all contributing to the downfall of the system.
Do yourself a favor, don't listen to Rosen and don't read his columns. He is an overgrown child.
Posted by just sayin' on October 30, 2007 07:37 AMIf we eliminate the National Education ASSociation and the Department of Education, and leave all decision making to the locals, things will improve for the children currently incarcerated in the indoctrination centers of the Globalists.
Posted by RP McMurphy on October 30, 2007 08:00 AMThen maybe our kids can compete with Kansas
Posted by Oliver on October 30, 2007 08:46 AMOf course Republicans are against a public education. Just think, with a large portion of the population that is able to think independently, base their decisions on facts, realize that their actions have consequences and that has a basic understanding of government, rights and civic responsibility, the GOP voting block would be reduced to an obscure third party status. And would that not be nice for both America and the rest of the world.
However, I should add that the Republican Party is doing a great job by itself in reducing itself to the political grave yard. Say hi to the Bull-Moose Party for me.
Jeebus there Randall Patrick perhaps you better have Nurse Ratched up the dosage on your medication and while you're waiting maybe you can tell us about the time we haven't had local school boards, elections and all, in this country.
Let me suggest that instead of getting rid of the organizations the sanitarium resident endorses we'd be better off getting rid of the folk like randall patrick who believe that by virtue of having once been in a school house, or at least driven by one, they are now an expert on education.I used to run into a variation of this phenomenon in the contracting business.We called it homeowner brain. Just because you have an idea doesn't mean it's going to work. Fortunately in business I could charge for having to deal with the result of such disconnected expertise. And here I thought globalization was just the next necessary evolution of the mighty god capitalism.Of course randall patrick might have a different definition. The wingnut definition.
I'm still of the opinion that one of the major deficiencies of our educational system is that we as a society have never decided what constitutes a "good" education or a "well-educated" person. The lack of a clear view of the desired end makes it difficult to erect standards.
Someone who finally gets it! LOL
dxm, can you come over and blow out my sprinklers this weekend???
Didnt th e NEA endorse teaching kindergardners about anal sex and how to apply a condom?
Posted by jay on October 30, 2007 09:22 AMMr. Merrifield: I would't concern myself with the driffle that slithers out of the mouth, mind or fingers (think: keyboard) of Mike Rosen.
Most of the intelligent life forms know that he is a blithering idiot.
Kisses!!!
Posted by Sheila on October 30, 2007 09:31 AMAnd Sheila claims she's a conservative. Crawl back in your hole you illiterate dolt..
Posted by on October 30, 2007 10:06 AMJay on your thought of
'Didnt th e NEA endorse teaching kindergardners about anal sex and how to apply a condom?' they did and do and sean is the leader of the group.
oh and sean what is so bad about vouchers, charter schools and independent thinking? I guess if the progressive left liberal socialist like you cant control what kids learn then it has to be sub par in their thoughts.
Posted by on October 30, 2007 10:52 AMDid I write anything bad about vouchers and charter schools? Let me check, nope I sure did not. If you would like to insult me, please write a coherent sentence, and please put a little imagination and thought into it because what you have written is as lame as the Bush Presidency.
It looks like the educational system has failed you utterly and miserably. No wonder you are so mad and so unable to make any sense whatsoever.
M. Merrifields letter just proves why this countrys education system is in the toilet!
Kisses on my ass Sheila. OMG what a stupid bunch of "driffley kisses slithering out of her mouth"
R.P. McMurphy you nailed it!!! Kudos!!!
Spitty Smooches to all!
You want a better education system?
Make parents accountable.Make sure they are making their kids do homework every night and instill in them responsibility for doing it.
Make parents accountable for their children's behavior. Constant interruptions in the class by the same children everyday is interrupting my children's education.
Make parents attend all conferences.
Make parents be in constant contact with their children's teacher's if expectations are not being met.
Grade the parents on how well they are helping their children take responsibility for their schooling and behavior in school.
At the end of the year if the child is failing and the parents are failing,move them to a school with all the other stupid parents that don't want to parent and keep them in one school so the parents that are parenting and the children that are working hard can get a top notch education.
The one's who don't want to parent and allow their children to be stupid will be in good company.
I'm sick and tired of the school system lowering expectations because of stupid parents and stupid kids.Throwing more money at the problem is not working.
Take that money and build a school or rent a building and put the education slackers in their own little world.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on October 30, 2007 01:49 PMI was with you, Amen, until you started throwing the name 'Stupid' around left and right. What about the kids who have learning disabilities? Should they have their own special school so the intellectually astute and gifted can thrive in peace? That sounds like a great way to promote an intellectual caste system.
Posted by TEW on October 30, 2007 03:37 PMMike thinks as time goes by we all will just forget about his "special place in Hell" email.
This guy was THE Chairman of the House Education Com. for THE STATE OF COLORADO when he wrote that. He should never be able to serve on that committee again, but he will HEAD IT again in the near future.With comments like that how could he ever be considered fair with rulings on charter schools?
He cant,he is not, and he wont.
LIBERALS ARE IDIOTS!
Um, 'scuse me Mr. Anonymous at some point in the past, but when in what fantasy did you see me post that I was a conservative?
Yer a ding dong!!!
Kisses!!!
Oh, Anon: You must have missed the class where they covered apostrophies and the proper usage of same.
KISSES!!!
Posted by Sheila on October 31, 2007 12:03 AMTEW, I am not talking about children with learning disabilities.
However I do think they should get their own school with a highly paid,highly trained staff,to help them get the best education they can achieve.
However, people are throwing around the words " learning disabilities " instead of holding parents and bratty kids accountable for their actions.
Kids with real learning disabilities are not going to get the education they need in a regular classroom setting.Unless they are not severe or are managed by medication ,if needed.
My 2nd grader has 28 students in her class,there is no time for dealing with unruly kids and parents who send their children to school so the teachers can babysit.
Children with learning disabilities are not getting a proper education in a regular school setting. They need highly trained specialists at an early age to teach them.They deserve that much from our school system.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on October 31, 2007 07:38 AMMerrifield has just flat out lied in this letter.
Claiming :
"I’ve also never disparaged parents who choose to send their kids to charter schools. Charter schools are a great option for some families"
Is a flat out lie that can be proven just by reading the full context of the statement
"Meantime, down here [in Colorado Springs], it looks as if our so-called board will vote to turn over Hunt (Elementary School) to (Cesar) Chavez for a charter before the evil twins are forced out by recall!! There must be a special place in hell for these Privatizers, Charerizers (sic) and Voucherziers. They deserve it!"
Whether it was directed at two board members or at all of the parents, students, teachers and adminstrators that believe in charter schools or vouchers for that matter. He said what he said and it is obvious that he has a great disdain for Charter schools or vouchers and those who want these to better the education system. He only wants to continue the dumbing down of our public school system and thus the complete dumbing down of our society by not wanting more math and science requirements let alone competition to bring the quality of all schools up.
As the left loves to say - He is a liar.
Gotcha didn'''''''t I S'h'e'i'l'a!! LOL
Sloppy moronic spitty smooches!!
Hey.
I'm as conservative as Sheila is liberal. Stop the name calling. Profanity and inanity only prove ignorance not opinions.
Personally I'd like vouchers so both sides could win a few. My developmentally disabled granddaughter is in one fantastic school and I'd love to send her to it with a voucher. It is Federal Heights Elementary School. A public school in a poor area with large numbers of students needing help with English as well as other things. Their treasure is a principal who personally calls parents to task and keeps track of all her teachers and knows the students. Vouchers would not only make it possible for students to leave behind schools where the system is not serving their needs, it would enable grateful parents to reward good public schools.
What is never said is that some parents are raising children who have already learned they need never learn anything. Nor need they work, be accountable for anyone especially themselves, care about other people or the law. When these students end up on the streets they end up in a prison. Sometimes it is a prison of stone and steel. They get there when someone finally holds them accountable for something. Other prisons are much easier to enter and harder to leave. Drugs, sexual "wildness" and just plain dangerous living are a few of these prisons. Some kids end up in prisons because of what their parents taught and others despite the teaching.
Schools need to have a few things change to make a lot of great changes.
First the school board elections need to be with the general elections so more people will vote. This will limit the teacher's unions' ability to pretty much line up the winners according to their dictates.
Second we make it an open hiring system...tenure is off of the table for all new hires from the beginning. The requirement of a teaching certificate should NOT be necessary if a person has a degree in the subject or field they will be teaching.
Third we don't have a blanket contract. The teachers' union may continue to offer insurance and other benefits from dues but the state and local school boards should be prohibited from dealing with any unions.
Fourth we need a set of standards for graduation and we need to enforce them. No passing the test, no diploma.
Fifth we need to implement vouchers for all public schools immediately. Any student may attend any school with those in the "local" area given a one day advantage for registering new students in the schools. Eventually I'd like to expand these to all schools for all academic subjects. Any religious school can accept them if they separate the religion classes from the others and make them voluntary.
Sixth, (attention fellow conservatives..take a deep breath and hold it for two minutes please) we change the tax code so that parents whose children are not in school lose all tax benefits and welfare benefits if their student is not in school or is deliberately disruptive. If a student is failing while attending school it is one thing. IF that student is failing because he's never set foot inside it's quite another and the parents who know how to collect welfare will most likely be more than capable of getting their kids to class. Some rich parents might have to think whether or not THEY know what school their little darling is attending.
There you have it. Simple and about as possible as training an attack hummingbird.
Posted by momma y on November 1, 2007 02:39 AM