Grand Theft, Vote Buying, Insolence, & a little bit of Journalistic Cover-up April 26, 2011
It is beginning to be painfully obvious that the Times Record skews stories and/or omits important pieces of information, P.C. reigns supreme.
Today’s edition, in a story by reporter Ben Boulden titled “School Board okays pay hikesâ€, he writes “at the end of school, a one-time, “non-recurring payment†(translation: bonus) will go to employees: $800 for eligible certified staff (?), $500 for eligible classified staff (?), and $250 (bus drivers) for part-time transportation staff.
As a lead in to the above paragraph it was stated that public (government) school employees will receive $1,416 or 2.74% pay raise. Why and who pays? Government expands while producers are being eliminated.
The statement regarding “non-recurring†payment is really a bonus which was awarded to Arkansas teachers and ancillary help as part of a $90 million so-called stimulus awarded by Barack Obama. This nothing short of money laundering and school personnel vote buying.
What have the teachers and other personnel accomplished in the Fort Smith school district that would warrant a bonus of any amount? The following statistics indicate the Arkansas teaching community should receive pay cuts forthwith. To enumerate just a few:
1. 5,615 Arkansans (2010) who took a college entrance exam and failed to score high enough to avoid remediation in math or reading—both core subjects.
2. A quarter of the students who entered college and needed remedial courses had earned a 3.00 GPA or higher in High School—grade inflation.
3. Arkansas spent $65.7 million on remedial education during the 2007-2008 academic terms and Arkansas teachers saw nothing wrong with their academic fraud.
4. Nearly 70% of Arkansas students need remediation in more than one subject.
5. Observe the $65.7 million awarded to teach more than ½ of Arkansas students what they should have learned in K-12.
This screed is too depressing to continue, and only to say that no educator at any level mentions the 25-35 million illegal Mexicans & OTM’s nesting in our republic while their offspring is devastating education K-12, while stealing the minds of American kids. Recall Superintendent Gooden’s statement referring to illegal alien attendees, “we’ll take all we can getâ€. Why? More funding.
The Arkansas $90 million Obama award was announced Dec. 22, 2010 and one Arkansas legislator had the temerity to question the validity of the $90 million printed out of thin air and a number of teachers reacted by accusing said legislator of “stealing their Christmasâ€. Shades of Madison.
In the Times Record piece, school board member Deanie Mehl said “we were very fortunate to be able to raise any salaries at allâ€. Insolence? You bet. The idea that the Fort Smith School Board would reward non-deserving bonuses and pay raises at a time when producers (those of us who are subsidizing the failed education cabal) are unemployed and struggling mightily to eke out a limited subsistence. Obviously Ms. Mehl and the Board are dulled as to the reality of what is happening in our former preeminent Republic.
Suggestion: Ms. Mehl and the Board, why didn’t you demand the monies going for salary increases be diverted back to those who generated it?
Major surgery, Wisconsin & Ohio style, is badly needed in Arkansas. The AEA is not about education.
FUNDING TRULY FOLLOWS FAILURE! The fix is obviously in.
Kindest regards,
Joe McCutchen