Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

Any thoughts?

December 17, 2010 at 5:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

I believe Mr Ripley has said in a couple of sentences what some of us have been lamenting for years.

It is so obvious that brick and mortar issues are of paramount importance to the Board of Education. And yet a child can learn great things sitting in a cardboard box given the right teacher and incentive to learn. But we spend more and more on buildings and less and less on teachers, books, and curriculum.

You don't suppose that might be because the School Board members are more closely tied to the Architects and Building Contractors than they are the teachers and students do you? Or maybe its just that new buildings show off better at re-election time. That spark of learning in a child's eye is not as easy to photograph.

December 17, 2010 at 6:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Tell (anonymous) says...

Believe it or not it is the state that dictates how money is spent. They don't allow the school board to use the money slated for capital improvements on the teachers salaries.Write your represenative ask them to change the law.

December 17, 2010 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

create (anonymous) says...

Great comment, Mr. Ripley! If less is more, than you have said an entire book full.

Teachers must practically beg for supplies and many know beforehand that they won't get what they really need.

If the Gazette really wants to do an article, why not tour the schools right now and write about how many kids are being taught in closets and other such tiny spaces.

December 17, 2010 at 7:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

rcakmon (anonymous) says...

The closet and storage space instruction is about to get much worse! The Gazette should write an article about how many fifth grade classrooms will be housed in each elementary building and where they'll go. Since there are no empty classroom at Village where will they put the fifth graders? They have the same issue in other elementary buildings. The committee and BOE in their infinite wisdom voted to move the fifth graders. They should be required to say exactly which classrooms they will use and which teachers/students will be moved to hallways, storage areas, and closets.

December 17, 2010 at 8:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

ToxicPink (anonymous) says...

I still haven't heard anything back when I asked about the students in a science classroom at the high school who are not allowed to take books home to study because there are not enough to go around.

Which is something that should not happen.

December 17, 2010 at 8:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

biscuitboy (anonymous) says...

Tell

I believe my post could apply just as readily to State Legislators as it does to School Boards.

December 17, 2010 at 8:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Chevy_Guy (anonymous) says...

Thinking back about my school days, it really was the teachers that made the big difference in my education, not the buildings I was taught in. I've seen so many overpriced new schools and overpaid administrators in this town, but I have yet to see one single overpaid teacher. Now class sizes will be bigger in all of the elementary schools, as well as the middle school, and this ultimately hurts our kids' education.

December 17, 2010 at 9:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...

Reading these posts makes me think that Emporia schools have pretty large closets, or awfully small class sizes.

i'm sorry, I know this is a serious issue.

December 17, 2010 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

rcakmon (anonymous) says...

I agree teachers are more important than buildings. But instructional space is important too. Why move students to buildings that don't have room for them?

December 17, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )