Comments on: Monday mixed bag

By: Sherry Blair

Sherry Blair — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:07:45 +0000

I wasn’t there. Just reading your posts ,it seems to me that Hayward must wake up to what’s happening in the world today. Violence in schools has been around a long time, whether it’s in the form of bullying (both in schools and online) or abuse by authorites of one kind or another or outright terror as in Columbine. We need to have an all out approach. (Again, it takes a village.)Also, these students are a lot more connected and informed than we were, mainly because of technology. The language of the internet is a lot more inciting and masses of young emotional students can be manipulated into action in a minute. I would suggest a city wide approach with representatives from all the stakeholders, especially the students. We all need to do our part and not waste time blaming others.

By: qodrn

qodrn — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:57:11 +0000

From the city of Hayward site, one lane on southbound Mission Blvd between Fletcher and beyond Harder will be closed between 8 and 4 for the rest of this week.

By: Kathi Booth

Kathi Booth — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:48:02 +0000

To all,
I don’t know how many of you were listening to the noon news on KGO today but I was shocked to hear that there was a 200 student riot at Hayward High. As far as I can ascertain, the board of education was not notified of the circumstances. Since they are very often the people that news people seek to interview it would have been a very poor image for a board member to have to admit they knew nothing about it. I do know that one member was told by a member of the community and they went immediately to Hayward High to see what was happening. Any parents of Hayward High students looking at this blog? If so how was the situation handled by the district office????

By: Kathi Booth

Kathi Booth — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:20:06 +0000

To Lucy’s Mom,
I think you are correct…these “teachers in training to become highly qualified” cannot be assigned a permanent position in a low performing school..so the DO uses them as subs, transferring them around every 30days or so to technically meet the NCLB/state requirements. Is it good for children? I am not so sure. Perhaps some of the ones they pink slipped last year would have met the standard of having a credential and being highly qualified, we will never know for sure. Either way the students suffer, as far as I am concerned.

By: Sherry Blair

Sherry Blair — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:56:33 +0000

OK also, join the Facebook group:

“The People of Hayward, CA”

Eric, you too!

By: Michael Moore

Michael Moore — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:52:49 +0000

Sherry, Look for me at the meeting. I will be dressed in black with a goatee. Michael

By: Michael Moore

Michael Moore — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:52:57 +0000

Sherry, what is the timing? I am going to the County Planning meeting at 1 PM in Oakland today. Michael

By: Sherry Blair

Sherry Blair — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:45:24 +0000

Now “Michael Moore” is my hero of the day! Are you coming to the HUSD meeting at Burbank tonight? I would like to meet you. I’m on Facebook under my name. (I decided if I didn’t have the courage to put my name to it, I probably shouldn’t say it.)

By: Michael Moore

Michael Moore — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:16:45 +0000

I saw Waiting for Superman on Saturday in the City. Their point of view, and the film definitely has a point of view, is that there is no hope for public education within the guise of the traditional public schools.

The only hope is in Charter Schools. Before everyone takes off on this, you really should see the film. It is persuasive.

Then the conversation should be enjoined and I think that the consensus will be that strong, directed and committed school leadership with a well compensated teacher with parents and a small group will result in better results.

The best solution that I have seen and heard in some time has been said repeatedly by Dave Ellison. All you have to do is read his blog. He is pretty clear on the issues and the solutions.

Of course HUSD has done nothing to implemement his recommendations. That is not really a surprise. That the HUSD needs to be transformed from what it is by the State is also clear. Let us hope that this happens.

By: Michael Moore

Michael Moore — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:06:33 +0000

It looks like the smoking discussion is the same as the Costco Housing discussion. The City Council is clearly split on the same lines as it was on Housing.

That the City of Hayward has enacted the severest anti-smoking policy is true. That the local bars and smokers hate it is also true. That our elected representatives would consider changing the stand is reprehensible. Anyone who really thinks that no smoking is the cause of lousy business is nuts. That smokers are not tolerated and that they are discriminated against is also true.

The City Council needs to grow some and stand firm against smoking. If they want to enable smoking, perhaps they will follow Councilman Henson’s recommendation and provide financial support to a smoking area within one of the available unoccupied store fronts. That the Lung Society was not a part of the discussion and not invited is another examble of end runs by special interests on the Council. Let us hope that there is no change to the policy.