Walton Co. School Board Meets about Blithe Spirit!!

[wrobert]

Your comments are excellent.

Of course more parents would have been at the meeting if they had known about the meeting. The school did not notify the parents of the issue at our school, in fact, I received a heads up from a friend by e-mail. This is something we will be working on- making sure SWHS parents are aware of issues and events at our school.

Another pet peeve of mine. This county has literally spent millions over the years on technology and I can not get an email or txt message about something going on at school that affects my child. They rely on my being noticed by my child. My child who can not remember what I sent him to find in a room 10 feet away, 15 seconds later.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Another pet peeve of mine. This county has literally spent millions over the years on technology and I can not get an email or txt message about something going on at school that affects my child. They rely on my being noticed by my child. My child who can not remember what I sent him to find in a room 10 feet away, 15 seconds later.

Are you telling me that they don't even use the old system which my teachers used -- pinning the note onto the back of my shirt for my parents to see?

 

[questor]

Questor, I have a question. If the play has been left in the curriculum, can't it be taught in the classroom? I understand that the school has a set curriculum to be taught, but let's say an English teacher choses it for a Jr. level class and she had 5 sections. He/She would be reaching a large amount of students with this work. Heck, a teacher could offer it as an extra credit reading to their students.

I also wonder if the real truth of why this debacle began in the first place will ever see the public? Things aren't always as they seem...just like in "Blithe Spirit".

That remains to be seen. Let me ask you..Would YOU be the teacher who would DARE to even mention the name of the play much less "teach" it. A play is acting, not just words...not just a poem to be read.

Acting requires "emoting" and being able to play the part of a character. I seriously doubt any teacher will ever truly "teach" this play at WCHS. It has effectively been banned, (for the time being) by the principal and schoool superintendent who chose to disregard the vote.

As for whether we will ever see the REAL reason for this, that is the $64,00.00 Question, isn't it? Everyone involved KNOWS what the real reason was but no one can PROVE it beyond a doubt.

However, it is strange how things always have a way of "outing" themselves. All it takes is patience and time. The TRUTH is more powerful than any oppressor and those who bear false witness will see their just rewards.

Just my Humble Opinion.;-)

 

[questor]

Another pet peeve of mine. This county has literally spent millions over the years on technology and I can not get an email or txt message about something going on at school that affects my child. They rely on my being noticed by my child. My child who can not remember what I sent him to find in a room 10 feet away, 15 seconds later.

I have long had the opinion that the local school system would rather you NOT know what is going on. Through the years, not just at the High School level, but at the grade school level as well, the teachers (some of them) would wait until they issued your childs report card to put in a derogatory remark about behavior which, if it had been brought to your attention when it started, would never have continued.

I have lived many places and the seen several school systems and I can tell you that Walton County has a LONG way to go in the "parent/ teacher/student being on the same page" department.

Mr Ewing once bragged to the students at an assembly that SHWS was an "A" school. The following day the Daily News printed out a chart showing the REAL grades for the local schools; SWHS was either a "B" or "C".
He also likes to make the point that SWHS is the "most improved high school in Florida" which only means that it had the most room TO improve. If you are at the bottom you have nowhere to go but up. I could go on but it all runs in the same vein and it won't do a thing to help.

We really need a PARENTS organization to get anything done here. The school's administration are definitely part of the "good ole boy" system. And none of them are going to "rock the boat".

 

[questor]

I all truth, though, I have to add here that I have also had some GREAT people as teachers for my kids, as a matter of fact, probably the majority of them. The problem is it only takes ONE "bad apple" to create a problem. And MOST of them are in the administrative level in this case.

 

[wrobert]

We really need a PARENTS organization to get anything done here. The school's administration are definitely part of the "good ole boy" system. And none of them are going to "rock the boat".

Could you comment further on the "good ole boy" system that you refer too? I consider myself pretty well connected to most of the elected officials in this county. A majority I consider more than just acquaintances. And for all the times I am around them and interact with them I have never stumbled upon or been involved with this "good ole boy" system. People who participate in the process and try to work out solutions do seem to have a better relationship and are more likely to get things done than those that just gripe all the time from what I have seen.

I have seen what appeared to be retalitory actions by those in charge in the past. It is not near as bad as it once was. But again the way to really get a hold of this sort of thing is for people to participate in government. Voting would be one such action. And for all the complaining that I read on these boards, the people of south Walton have one of the poorest records of participation in something as simple as voting that I have ever seen. General elections are not that bad. But primary and special elections are dismal. Off the top of my head I believe it was out of over 5000 registered voters in the Miramar precinct, the last special eleciton 100 showed up to cast their ballot.

Politicians fear crowds. Crowds bring with them sunshine and accountability. So again, getting involved, would go a very long ways toward correcting quite a bit of what it is that you say is wrong. If you could get organized, you could choose our direction.

 

[Smiling JOe]

for all the complaining that I read on these boards, the people of south Walton have one of the poorest records of participation in something as simple as voting that I have ever seen. General elections are not that bad. But primary and special elections are dismal.

Since I don't believe that the party system gives us the best candidates for all of the people, I choose not to side with a party. Being unaffiliated with a political party kicks me out of the primaries. Maybe other people feel the same way, hence the low turnout. I'm not trying to turn this into a political thread, but just pointing out that this highly involved person (me) is not able to have a voice in the primaries as long as the system is screwed up.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Could you comment further on the "good ole boy" system that you refer too? I consider myself pretty well connected to most of the elected officials in this county. A majority I consider more than just acquaintances. And for all the times I am around them and interact with them I have never stumbled upon or been involved with this "good ole boy" system. People who participate in the process and try to work out solutions do seem to have a better relationship and are more likely to get things done than those that just gripe all the time from what I have seen.

Perhaps you are afflicted with what is known as "nonconciousness"...the behavior is so much a part of your "normal" that you don't recognize it.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who has ever sat through a commission meeting; tried to get a permit for an addition to his house (if he's not a developer); tried to make sense of turn lanes on Highway 98; or the schedule for paving roads in this county; or private sea walls on public beaches; allowing tourists to be arrested on the beach; or ongoing drainage problems in Driftwood Estates; or approval for developments; or ...the list goes on and on, could honestly say there is not a "good old boy" system in place.

I totally agree with you that attending meetings, voting, and getting organized are vital to success...but not to recognize the situation for what it is, is to ignore the obvious.

 

[wrobert]

Since I don't believe that the party system gives us the best candidates for all of the people, I choose not to side with a party. Being unaffiliated with a political party kicks me out of the primaries. Maybe other people feel the same way, hence the low turnout. I'm not trying to turn this into a political thread, but just pointing out that this highly involved person (me) is not able to have a voice in the primaries as long as the system is screwed up.

You are not completely locked out though. Your school board races are non-partisan and you can vote in those. And if there is no opposition in a particular race it turns into a universal race and you can vote in those. There are a lot of other issues, like the last tax shift we had for the school district that are open to everyone.

I do understand what you are saying though. Not everyone realizes when they can vote because it seems to change so much. And not being affiliated with a particular party does reduce your chance for interaction with elected officials at party functions.

 

[wrobert]

Could you comment further on the "good ole boy" system that you refer too? I consider myself pretty well connected to most of the elected officials in this county. A majority I consider more than just acquaintances. And for all the times I am around them and interact with them I have never stumbled upon or been involved with this "good ole boy" system. People who participate in the process and try to work out solutions do seem to have a better relationship and are more likely to get things done than those that just gripe all the time from what I have seen.

Perhaps you are afflicted with what is known as "nonconciousness"...the behavior is so much a part of your "normal" that you don't recognize it.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who has ever sat through a commission meeting; tried to get a permit for an addition to his house (if he's not a developer); tried to make sense of turn lanes on Highway 98; or the schedule for paving roads in this county; or private sea walls on public beaches; allowing tourists to be arrested on the beach; or ongoing drainage problems in Driftwood Estates; or approval for developments; or ...the list goes on and on, could honestly say there is not a "good old boy" system in place.

I totally agree with you that attending meetings, voting, and getting organized are vital to success...but not to recognize the situation for what it is, is to ignore the obvious.

Just not much of a conspiracy person. They all seem to be really trying to do the best that they can. They are hampered in that they have to stay within certain rules. I am sure that there is an amount of payback that occurs. But that occurs in everyday life, not just government. Some of the things that you mention I have tried and have not run into the level of frustration that appears to have blocked your way. Maybe I am the one being naive here.