Comments on: Back to School

By: pascal

pascal — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:23:43 +0000

The solution for IPS and performance generally in quality instruction would be for IPS to charter off a great number of schools. We will likely always have some busing for some students but market based approaches will ALWAYS work out better performance at less cost than the SOCIALIST model we now have.

By: innercitymom

innercitymom — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:28:20 +0000

I think you're wrong about it saving money to send kids to schools they could walk to. It would require more schools to be open if it had to be within walking distance, right? For example, my boundary school is less than a mile from my house, but 3/4 of the student body comes from an apartment complex two miles away. There is not an IPS grade school close to that apartment complex because it is located in Lawrence Township. There are not enough kids in my neighborhood to fill up the neighborhood school. And if IPS closed the magnet school were my kids attend, I still wouldn't send them to my boundary school. I'd homeschool them or find a township school that would accept them without charging me tuition. So it seems to me, it would COST money and LOSE good students. Do you disagree?

By: pascal

pascal — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:33:40 +0000

Hector is correct as far as he goes but the busing continues and the doughnut counties continue to expand as the exodus from IPS is fueled by federal stupidities. Taxpayers would probably save a ton of money by ceasing the extent of busing and letting kids attend schools they could walk to. IPS performance would increase as well.

By: Hector

Hector — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:27:15 +0000

IPS has not bused for racial balance reasons in years…..that case was closed.

By: pascal

pascal — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:39:05 +0000

Charter schools as a way station for getting dumb government out of the market. I notice that New Orleans is now 60% charter and performance results will soon leave Indiana in the back of the pack. So, Katrina was really good for students.

By: IndyAries

IndyAries — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:18:05 +0000

Here is a novel idea…how about these drivers exercise some personal responsibilty, recognize that they have busloads of 'lil darlins to drive around, and show up at work clean, sober, and ready to do the job they contracted to do.

Guess we're asking for too much.

By: IndyAries

IndyAries — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:05:42 +0000

Spoken like a true fanatic.

“But that two hours of school time isn't going to make or break the kids, and the Super Bowl isn't an every day issue.”

By: Think Again

Think Again — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:20:26 +0000

Over half the drivers are contracted. That makes it more difficult, but not impossible. There are several large companies that want that business.

Standby drivers? A contingency plan is needed. And accurate attendance records, for when the contract comes up for renewal.

As for the IPS-employed drivers, some are unionized, but whatever their affililation, if they miss without a doctor's written excuse, they should be written up. There should be zero tolerance for this...so much of the school day depends on folks we don't pay a lot of money. Bus drivers, secretaries, cooks...the backbone of our schools, in many cases.

But if they party too late, and miss their Monday morning rounds, well...cook or driver, they should get disciplined. If White is trying to head-off the obvious, this is not the way to do it. It shoudl not surprise us that a career educational administrator takes this approach.

What would be the private sector solution, hmmmmm?

By: Indiana_Barrister

Indiana_Barrister — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:03:57 +0000

I'll be posting about that tomorrow. I've read the DOD rules and they are cracking down across the country. Kent could have gotten a waiver, but it would have likely caused more problems than it was worth.

By: Matthew Stone

Matthew Stone — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:55:57 +0000

Ok, I think a lot of the "dem bus drivers better DO DER JERBS!" crowd needs a reality check.

If waht TA said is true, that the drivers are employed by a contractor, then White can't take pre-emptive action on them. And if nothing does happen, then it'd be all for nothing.

Alll he can do is take action, right now, with what he controls, which is the school start and end time, make up days, etc...

I think White is making the right decision. Then, after the fiasco,they can go back and re-negotiate the contract.