Comments on: Alameda Journal highlights

By: Ian Merrifield

Ian Merrifield — Sat, 24 May 2008 07:42:39 +0000

Hahaha. Just imagine sitting in his class everyday! I get these kinds of arguments all of the time.

I think that the problem with that mode of thinking is that it assumes that if you don’t personally see the tangible effects of what a person is doing, you think that they must not be doing anything, and are therefore expendable.

I made a point in my article that I think refutes most of his points, which is that even if we were to go to this “utopian” dream that he has, where teachers teach completely independent from the district, we’d still only be cutting $3.5 million, not enough to make up for this years cuts alone, not to mention the cuts that we may be seing in the next year or two.

By: John Knox White

John Knox White — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:57:56 +0000

Mr. Smith’s column was most perplexing in the lack of answers it included. As one who claims to know where cost savings are hidden, his case would be stronger if he could include examples (and dare I suggest even costs associated with them) that would bring the district to where he thinks it should be.

He utopian dream appears to be teachers doing whatever they want as long as they feel it’s right. It’s heartening to hear that his students perform well, kudos to him. I would be interested in understanding how he would actually envision the school operating and being accountable to people of the district in whatever 21st century proposal he has designed in his mind.