Plenty to read today in the BCCT. Angry Al, Kate Fratti's column, and the Gateway project are all hot topics. There's also the body slam applied by the BCCT to Hellmann's Heroes. It's too good to pass up posting it below.
Also thanks to the anonymous graphic artist. :)
Do you have anything to add?
No more secrecy
More than a hundred people jammed Wednesday's Morrisville school board meeting. Probably half of them wanted to be heard. After all, the board was meeting just days after it leaked out that members were secretly considering shutting down the borough's 116-year-old high school program, and that Morrisville kids were being shopped around to other school districts.
Hey, if you take 'em, we'll pay you!
No wonder people stormed the meeting. But rather than patiently listening to folks who wanted to be heard — every one of them, as the board should have — board President William Hellmann invoked a rule to limit public participation. He allowed only 15 citizens to sign up to speak. And he gave them just three minutes each to be heard — 45 minutes total.
And he wouldn't budge.
Nice way for a community leader to treat the people he's supposed to be serving. But folks didn't just lose an opportunity to vent, an opportunity they deserved. The board squandered the possibility that citizens might have had some practical suggestions.
Maybe board members don't realize it, but they don't know everything.
Indeed, this arrogant bunch has little consideration for anybody who disagrees with them. By law, the school closure/student exportation discussion should have been held publicly. Instead, it occurred behind closed doors. And if Hellman gets his way, the general public will continue to be shut out.
Hellman promised at Wednesday's meeting that no decision will be made without a referendum. We're glad to hear that. We weren't happy to hear there will be more closed doors — and neither should residents. We refer to a meeting the board president intends to organize between board members and a select group of citizens, students and teachers. The plan is to brainstorm ideas and discuss options.
Better late than never.
Problem is, he intends to make it a so-called executive session, meaning the general public would be barred.
That's illegal. And Morrisville citizens shouldn't accept it.
Hellman clearly likes to set rules. But there are also rules that he must respect and follow. To that end, we suggest he review the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act.
And then, by all means, hold a meeting. In fact, hold a few. The school board should schedule as many meetings as it takes for every citizen, students included, to be heard.
Maybe no ideas will surface that are any better than the one the board was secretly pursuing. But at least the community will have been heard at open forums where input is invited. Then and only then should the board propose shutting down an institution that is part of what makes a community whole.
4 comments:
Dear blogger
Have you been reading the comments to the It is our Future article in the BCCT that the paper posts online? Many comments are pretty full of ignorance. I found Vern's comments to be extremely so especially regarding bringing new business into tow.
I thought you might want to post some or all on your blog. That is up to you of course. Here is a copy of the comments as of 11:00 PM 1/25/08.
Keep up the great work.
GMM
Comments To This Article:
Overall Rating For This Article: ••••••••••
Vince - It's only going to get better
(01/24/2008 )
Stay tuned for more School Board incompetence...
Jason - Cry me a river...
(01/24/2008 )
"If the students are sent to other, larger districts, like nearby Pennsbury, they would have little opportunity to join and excel in sports teams, the band, and other groups."
Welcome to the real world, kids. Life is a competition.
Lizzy - Wake Up!
(01/24/2008 )
Education has become big business and the taxpayer is not receiving the dividend check. Forget the emotional, the personalities and the boundary lines; look at the cost, the product and the benefits. Benefits to a small school district – Students have a better chance of joining and excelling in sports teams, band, and other social groups. Students all know each other. Teachers know the students. Downside to a large district –Students must compete for sports teams, bands and other social groups. Teachers and students do not know everybody. Downside to keeping Morrisville High School open - Little choice in academic electives, building in need of repair, higher taxes. Upside to tuition of 9-12 to Pennsbury (an example) Immense academic choices, more sport teams, bands and social groups to try out for, Larger pool of students from which friendships will be made. Housing & land prices in the borough would rise, as would the value of a mill. The result should be lower taxes for Morrisville residents, better educational choices for Morrisville High School students and more money to spend K-8.
susan - Let's be hones
(01/24/2008 )
Pennsbury will never absorb the students of Morrisville district because of the racial component. All the upper middle class Yardley parents would have a heart attack. They would have to be forced by the state or however something like that happens.
Lizzy - Let's be factual
(01/24/2008 )
The state school code dictates a specific process for closing a school, with general criteria that must be met. — (dwindling student population, poor building condition or shrinking tax base) Nevertheless, before a district can proceed with a school closing, a plan needs to be submitted to the Commonwealth. The State requires public hearings to discuss the possible closure as well as other steps. The state school code suggests if a district does not have a school, its students would attend the nearest and most convenient school district The state also dos not spell out a tuition rate or tuition formula for the sending and receiving districts. Currently three school districts in the State tuition their students to other high schools and while the tuition amount is different in each case the sending, District pays the tuition
Heather - Heather Graf - "Our Voices Will Be Heard!!"
(01/24/2008 )
As a Student Representative to the School Board, and as a Senior at Morrisville High School, I find it rather disheartening to realize that adults, current members of the School Board, can act so irresponsible. They are voted in to make responsible and sound decisions, and yet the only choice any of these individuals can make is to "farm us out." It is sickening to realize that we, as students at Morrisville High School, are just "another brick in the wall." They don't care about our future. They don't care about the education we get. Do they honestly feel we will earn a better education by being pushed into a larger school district, surrounded by other individuals who will not accept all of us? How will we excell in life if we aren't given the opportunities that Morrisville High School offers us? We all must realize by now, that captains of our sports teams, presidents of our clubs, and representatives for our organizations will just be "another student" at any other school district. We will no longer hold our positions as leaders in the school. We will be forced to be followers. What individual would want us to grow up as followers, rather than leaders? It is shameful to have our School District represented by such incoherent individuals. As my fellow classmate, Michael, stated, "It's our future"; Does it not matter what we feel, as the student body? WE WILL BE HEARD. OUR VOICES WILL BE NOTICED.
rren - are you kidding me?
(01/24/2008 )
First, to poster Susan - your sentiments are not well-researched. If you're talking about African-American students when you say "racial component" - that's ridiculous - there are many kids in Pennsbury from the African-American race group and (gasp!) some of them live in Yardley. Second - until the kids pay taxes, they don't have a say. Third - Morrisville taxes are sky high because a small group of people have to foot the bill for a school. The ratio of homeowners (aka tax payers) to renters in Morrisville is not 1:1 by a longshot and many of Morrisville's homeowners are elderly to boot. The school district doesn't even bus kids because they can't afford to. Is is really fair to ask people to pay these crazy taxes for a failing district, either? In the end, kids would do better to go to Pennsbury - it's a better school and Morrisville would get a tax break. What's not to like?
Lizzy - 17 & counting
(01/24/2008 )
When you were two and your parents told you not to touch the electric outlet but you knew better, so you touched it anyway; Did the jolt you received stop you from doing it again? When your parents told you not to eat a gallon of ice cream, but you knew better; Did you do it again? When it comes to your future, it is clear you think you know better. However, if Morrisville is to tuition its students to another District it will not happen tomorrow, in the Fall of 2008 or the Spring of 2009 It is a governmental process that will for last years.
Tembi - Smaller School vs. Larger School
(01/24/2008 )
Look, change is never easy, but what people like Heather seem to be saying is that she and her fellow students wouldn't be able to distinguish themselves in a larger school district. Is that really what she thinks of Morrisville students? I'd like to think that a larger school might challenge them to work harder, play harder and succeed. Why assume they won't or can't? It may not seem like it now, but high school is only a small part of your life. After graduation, you need to be prepared to face the competitive realities of the world. Morrisville students may find a larger school will better equip them to meet these post-high school challenges.
paul - Racist Radosti???
(01/24/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
So, Mr. Jordan, tell us exactly what "racist" comment(s) Radosti made? Have you ever heard of Freedom of Speech, Mr. Jordan? The NAACP can demand Radosti's resignation all they want, but the only grounds for removing a board member are corruption, i.e., theft of district funds, conflict of interest, etc. Also, if Radosti made the alledged comment in private, there's no public record. He has a right to say whatever he wants, Mr. Jordan, so you and your white-hating NAACP can go to hell!
vern - Where was the Bucks County courier Times?
(01/24/2008 )
Where was the local paper when for months and months the people of Morrisville had to endure a belligerant, mostly appointed, school board who the community voted OVERWHELMINGLY against? Absolutely no where to be found. Now that the new board, OVERWHELMINGLY elected by the people of Morrisville, seeks to find solutions in the interests of the community, they are targeted by a bullying minority--not beneath pulling the race card to further their agenda. It is unfortunate that NAACP are so reactionary that they don't even realize they lobby against their own economic interests by enabling gentrification advocates who don't care if you lose your homes--or your rents become a financial hardship. The most disgraceful violation of democratic intent of the voter is by the local paper who obviously--by sensationalizing the issue and performing like a trained monkey for a small minority--do not honor the elections OVERWHELMING mandate.
If students want the best opportunity for their own future- a better quality education, greater diversity, more comprehensive programs and an enhanced shot at college, they should seek better accredited schools instead of selling themselves short. Otherwise taxes become a burden for their parents and their neighbors and the school is still beneath par.
Sarah - Morrisville, PA - a great place to retire
(01/24/2008 )
We moved our young family to Morrisville thinking we had found a lovely, small community where our children could walk to school and play with their neighborhood classmates. I suppose we are to blame for not having done more research first.
A quality school system enhances any community. Morrisville has little chance of continued revitalization if the parents of school aged children feel unwelcome and undervalued. I am sure we are not the only families that would consider relocating if the school board continues on their current path. Perhaps we could list our home under "retirement community" as that seems to be the end game of this short-sighted plan.
susan - To rren
(01/24/2008 )
to comment back to you. I was simply making a comment. Pennsbury is currently 87% white with only 7.8% of its students are African American and hispanic that is roughly 270 students out of 3500. Morrisville has over 40% of its students that are African American and Hispanic. That would more than double the amount of non white students Pennsbury has. As far as your comment gasp!!! on some of Yardley residents being black although I can't find statistics I am sure that number is equally disproportionate as Pennsbury's statistic. So for you to act as if race has nothing to do with how school lines have been drawn in the past is idiotic.
Rick - Morrisville
(01/24/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
The people of Morrisville voted for this board on the sole assertion that their taxes would be safe from the pending new school construction. What sort of town bases its criteria on leadership like this? This is what you get from an uneducated "white-trash" board. Morrisville continues to dig its own hole. Outsource your future to the next door neighbors who actually have their act together, pure genious. The real losers here are the teachers and children who have no control over these lunatics and their big ideas.
Vince - Ah, Everyone's Getting It Out In The Open Now, NICE!
(01/24/2008 )
It's too bad that everyone who voted for the new board didn't realize their true master plan; ruin a community. They only campaigned under "Stop The School". It could have been, "Eliminate the School", or "Destroy History", or "We Don't Care About You", etc. Help me out here, I know there are other good slogans.
ps. I think there are quite a few "Vince's" posting here.
vern - To sarah
(01/24/2008 )
"A quality school system enhances any community"
True, but Morrisville is not academically or structually a quality school system. It simply can not compete with the superior surrounding districts where costs are shared by a broad base of suuport. In order to meet the barest requirements, Morrisville is forced to tax beyond the threshold of people being able to make ends meet. That will become an increasing reality as the economic downfall continues. Your suggestion that only retired residents on fixed incomes--who, incidently have the right to exist without eating dogfood, is assuming that all young couples starting out can afford crippling taxes and would be motivated to move to an area with poorly rated schools to boot.
Vince - YES Dave, Exactly
(01/24/2008 )
AND, what the people who voted for them didn't and don't understand, is that the taxes were going up regardless. A bunch of losers who, prior to being on the board, participated in bitch sessions in front of the schools every day for hours upon end rather than do something productive with their time to make things better or more productive. They whined and complained in little clicks.
vern - Look at this:
(01/24/2008 )
"This is what you get from an uneducated "white-trash" board."
The new school board was voted in by a landslide. The board is constituted of many long-time residents. This gross comment is typical of the minority that considers itself a better class than most of Morrisville, don't care if many in Morrisville lose their homes, consider them less than dirt and their vote as unworthy of respect. I have always suspected that the underlying issue was class.
Vince - Vern, It Appears That They Were Betrayed With Their Vote
(01/24/2008 )
For a promise of something that they were to ill-informed to deliver.
vern - You didn't even give the new board a chance
(01/24/2008 )
They ran on a slate to stop the construction of a new school and the community voted for that. It seems that short of constructing a new school---anything the new board might propose is going to be attacked by some. Also, the previous board discussed other possibilities such as "farming" out students-where were the attack dogs than? What the community voted against was the construction of a new school--not other options under consideration.
Vince - "too ill-informed"
(01/24/2008 )
grammar typo
Sarah - To: Vern
(01/24/2008 )
I am not in any way asserting that retirees do not have the right to a quality of life and fair taxes. However, we all have the responsibility of paying for the education of our youth - just as our education was paid for. I suppose we may have a different perspective on "crippling property taxes" as former residents of NJ.
There are many quality schools in small communities. Yes, it is true that larger districts can offer a wider range of programs, but the value of a small school district lies in the sense of community it fosters in its students and the individual attention of the faculty. The one-on-one attention of a talented educator is priceless.
Property taxes continue to rise throughout the region. Our taxes will continue to rise whether or not we out-tuition the students. Investing in our schools can only benefit the community.
vern - Paying for education
(01/24/2008 )
In these times, what Morrisville can afford is not competitive with surrounding school districts. That is the reality. If young parents are looking for the best education- the best schools for their children, it will not be Morriville, it will more likely be Pennsbury with lower taxes as well. If some parents don't find the increased tax bill a burden, then they would be doing their child a service by sending them to a private school like the George School....if the very best education is the highest priority for these parents where financial burdens aren't an issue.
Rick - comments
(01/24/2008 )
perhaps my comment regarding the "white-trash" board was inappropriate, as these people are my neighbors. my point was more towards the mentality of morrisville to take the easy way out rather than to invest in itself. Morrisville is blessed with a small community and district yet many see this as making the town inferior or inept to pay "big-city" taxes. What makes the town so inferior is this mentality to not invest in itself or its future. While its a crying shame that the town is full of old people who cannot afford the taxes, does this mean anyone who cares about what morrisville will be in 15 years should just move to Langhorne? And spending tens of thousands on your kids highschool eduation is more ludicrous than any of the other points ive seen raised here. Give me a break, if you cannot afford the cost of living, you need to move to somewhere you can. This cannot not prevent progress or youll be one step away from being the next Bristol or Croydon. Simple.
Steph - Where's the Revitalization
(01/24/2008 )
Maybe some of our money problems could be eased if the town was open to new business. Morrisville has a great opportunity to have this happen with granting approval of the Gateway Project. Its a start anyway. How many times does a little town like ours have companys knock on our door saying please let us build. This would increase our tax base & create 600 jobs. Just think of the ripple affect that could happen, 600 employees looking for coffee, breakfast, lunch & shopping. All this great enthusiasm & passion that everyone has for our town should start being chanelled toward Town Council and letting them know what we need. Get involved to be part of the solution before this town becomes just a 55 and over community or a ghost town.
paul - Ignore Him - Good!!!
(01/24/2008 )
Glad to see everyone here is ignoring John Jordan/NAACP and their demand for Al Radosti to resign. When Jordan was on the board in 2005, he called Radosti a "racist" because they disagreed on an issue. So, it's nothing new - just tired, worn-out rhetoric. Whatever Radosti said was in private. Even if said publicly, that would be insufficient grounds for removal under the PA School Code. BTW, who the hell is Jordan to say what will be "tolerated" or "not tolerated?"
StuGots - Rick: one step away from being the next Bristol
(01/24/2008 )
Is that the township or the boro you are talking about?
vern - Thumbs down to the BCCT
(01/25/2008 )
Apparently if the majority voice of Morrisville wants to be heard they are reduced to blogging since they are ignored by the local press--who has suddenly taken up the agenda of the minority cause, stirring up further controversy, front page headlines and innuedos of racism. It could be argued that Mr. Radosti has a good case for defamation of character since the comment was heresy--based on the report of an anonymous accuser--but splashed all over the front page.
vern - Highly offensive
(01/25/2008 )
Speaking of the accusation of racist bias, I see overwhelming evidence of ageism on this thread--and overall in this debate. What makes comments such as this acceptible: "While its a crying shame that the town is full of old people who cannot afford the taxes, does this mean anyone who cares about what morrisville will be in 15 years should just move to Langhorne?"
or
"Give me a break, if you cannot afford the cost of living, you need to move to somewhere you can. This cannot not prevent progress or youll be one step away from being the next Bristol or Croydon. Simple"
What kind of people are you that you would suggest that our parents should go find a cardboard box to live in? What makes you think that this economic downturn impacts solely on seniors? Many young people will find it increasingly more difficult to even secure the foundation their parents took for granted--and that with only one parent working. Where is the compassion for the children of parents losing their homes--struggling to heat their homes, gas for their cars, food for the table-and the question of affording college is simply out of the question? Well, what about the children? It seems your suggestion to these children, more likely to be found in Morrisville than Yardley, is "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?" What a farce. Anyone notice the businesses leaving Morrisville--the empty storefronts? What makes any of you think another "revitalization" project--only to benefit those who profit from the construction (see the vacancy sign on previous revitalization high hopes) will bring in business when the surrounding communities have more appeal and LESS taxes to businesses?
You really need to think it through instead of being herded like sheep.
greens - annex morrisville with pennsbury?
(01/25/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
why not annex morrisville with pennsbury? maybe keep morrisville but just call it an extra middle school for pennsbury? this way, taxes are spread out a little more? maybe i don't know what i am talking about, but people have pride in that school - it is terrible to just wipe out a school with no trace. if you are going to change it, make it into something possitive and useful.
Jason - Well said, Vern...
(01/25/2008 )
I lived in Morrisville my whole life until last year when I bought a house outside the borough. Amazingly, my house is in a better performing school district with lower taxes than many residents pay in Morrisville Borough.
As far as the comments referring to board members as "white trash" and "losers," unfortunately you are seeing the idiocy of (thankfully) a select few residents of the town. Those that feel the need to put others down have serious self-esteem issues.
Keith - John
(01/25/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
Vern , thank you for your comments.We attended the school board meeting & we were disappointed in the manner in which some of our students treated the school board. We were surprised that the superintendent & the principal did nothing to defuse their disrespectful behavior. It is about time that the name calling, accusations, & insults stop & folks begin to work together for the good of our students & town!!!
- How many
(01/25/2008 , Ratings: ••••• )
students did Morrisville graduate from its High School last year? If it is less than fifty as I've been told, then there is no justification to maintaining your own High School.
Nice work, anonymous graphic artist! Looks like one of those TV commercials for some financial planning firm whose name didn't stick with me (so much for effective advertizing). Come to think of it, this town could use some good financial planning advice. Anybody know someone they can trust?
I voted to defease nothing, stop, evaluate, and act prudently. Problem is, I don't trust a majority of the board members to do so. I trust Joe Kemp and Ed Frankfield, and I'm liking that Bill Farrell and Robin Reithmeyer have been showing thoughtfulness and independence from the monolithic bloc. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't get the sense that Hellmann, Mihok, Radosti, Heater, and Worob are capable of flexibility or compromise.
How do we get to that site on the BCCT so that we can post comments too?
You need to go to the article itself, and the bottom of each article has the feedback section. You'll need to register, but after that, feel free to comment away.
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