tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post1357703207900266967..comments2023-09-27T01:23:35.214-07:00Comments on Knitting Linguist - The Year of the Magpie: Trying to find the trackKnitting Linguisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289230533275408343noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-23162126803590304562009-08-26T01:19:51.792-07:002009-08-26T01:19:51.792-07:00This is the way that public services are going. W...This is the way that public services are going. WTO says that everything and anything should be run by the private sector, including schools and prisons. So you make public services so bad by taking away funds, overworking personnel, etc. that people say yes the public sector can't cope and use the private sector.<br />We resisted these changes in France until the latest government came in and now they're sweeping in reforms at a vertiginous rate to catch up with all the places where you can see that it just doesn't work.<br />Of course, the children of government ministers and representatives are not affected by these changes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-74445685409076501192009-08-22T21:08:59.808-07:002009-08-22T21:08:59.808-07:00hear hear ... I for one tire of the never ending e...hear hear ... I for one tire of the never ending expectation that every year I will do more, with less, for a greater number of students, with less contact time and some how raise the standards at the same time<br />hear hear<br /><br />(((hugs)))Stellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05073753506202447996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-69376057622993528352009-08-21T10:49:37.852-07:002009-08-21T10:49:37.852-07:00Oh no, I'm sorry to hear you were hit with bot...Oh no, I'm sorry to hear you were hit with both a furlough and an increased work load. <br /><br />In almost every sector where the actual folks doing the work are being cut, administration is remaining unchanged or increased. The truly scary thing is that we're seeing the collapse of the middle class and the return to the wealthy and the poor. And who ponies up the money for the wealthy? The poor.Carrie Khttp://mymiddlenameispatience.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-15630007752487925172009-08-21T06:21:55.503-07:002009-08-21T06:21:55.503-07:00Argh. That is SO frustrating. It amazes me how oft...Argh. That is SO frustrating. It amazes me how often institutions use "hard economic times" as an excuse to make people that love their jobs willing to sacrifice "just a little bit more." Somehow, it's never an opportunity to restructure and analyze the true status of the infrastructure that supports them, though....it's all surface changes. And yet, the worker that stands up for their rights is suddenly the "selfish" one. <br /><br />I'm so sorry. It's awful to fight so hard for something that you believe in, just to have your stipulations ignored.EGunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12941668303286640744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-89830489278880247532009-08-20T22:23:58.155-07:002009-08-20T22:23:58.155-07:00I've worked for years to fund-raise for our lo...I've worked for years to fund-raise for our local California K-8 schools, and am appalled at how much time, effort and money it takes to raise money just to keep our schools going. I don't understand why the government believes we won't stand for taxes--when we all donate not only money but our time to raise money! If we could re-channel some of that energy, and convince Sacramento to properly fund education, we'd all be better off. Yes, I know people support their own community more enthusiastically, but at least don't take away our local property taxes to fund Sacramento problems. Arghh.<br /><br />DebbieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-85328423925908789432009-08-20T20:54:10.057-07:002009-08-20T20:54:10.057-07:00Excellent post.
Although we came together by the...Excellent post. <br /><br />Although we came together by the knitting I think it is extremely important to talk about things that bother us on our blogs or else how will we be heard?<br /><br />Your description made me very sad. <br />I often wonder these days where the heck we are going (as a nation and as a world) and the health issue is a major reason for it. <br /><br />Another issue is the young people that have such difficulties finding jobs to support themselves while having to pay all those exaggerated college fees and then can't find one when they finish college.<br /><br />I often wonder how they don't rebel and how come they are not all in the streets demonstrating!Rachelhttp://www.knittingintranslation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-37838897488393587302009-08-20T20:08:18.436-07:002009-08-20T20:08:18.436-07:00Yes, I hear this conversation at home from my non ...Yes, I hear this conversation at home from my non tenured track professor. He loves just what he does (and isn't demanding tenure for all his work), although as of this week there is 3 units less of what he does. Even though the tenured faculty is doing everything they can to save jobs (they are all, tenured and non tenured, taking the 9% pay cut/furlough) The Professor is still losing units. I'm here shaking my head in wonder as I remember, oh yeah, my job is cut too. Good thing I also have a stash!Willowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02912030095491960175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-64116545430902565292009-08-20T18:33:33.519-07:002009-08-20T18:33:33.519-07:00I don't know which is worse...our loss of unde...I don't know which is worse...our loss of understanding of what it means to be part of a society that exists for the greater good or our loss of the ability to have a civil dialogue when we disagree. Both are tragic...so sorry this is so close to home for you!twinsetjanhttp://twinset.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-46023626719261301852009-08-20T18:21:48.210-07:002009-08-20T18:21:48.210-07:00Oh Joc, I'm sorry, that's incredibly crapp...Oh Joc, I'm sorry, that's incredibly crappy.<br /><br />Our pre-calc students went up 10% this year and our average math SAT is 650. 650 - and they're in precalc. It's not their ability that is the issue, it's their preparation.<br /><br />I will never understand how education is at the bottom of the priority list, like you said, they're are future - it's like we're selling off the seed corn so we can eat today. It's just wrong.Rachaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07532734471654743459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-2702416286923338392009-08-20T18:11:21.200-07:002009-08-20T18:11:21.200-07:00I wrote along rant, but really can't improve o...I wrote along rant, but really can't improve on what you've said.<br /><br />I am sorry you are facing this in such a personal way. I'm sorry for our society that we can't figure out how to share the wealth.twinsetellenhttp://twinset.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-29279444708822088442009-08-20T18:00:39.969-07:002009-08-20T18:00:39.969-07:00Oh, this breaks my heart. When, oh WHEN will the p...Oh, this breaks my heart. When, oh WHEN will the public agree that public education (k-12 and beyond) is a worthy investment?<br /><br />I'm sorry you and your colleagues have to take the brunt of it.Suzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05090954944438450837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-54273983882158335812009-08-20T17:32:03.655-07:002009-08-20T17:32:03.655-07:00Wow. I'm not sure what to say. I'm floor...Wow. I'm not sure what to say. I'm floored. The whole deal. I don't see many kids but very young ones (just starting school) so I don't know how bad it really is out there but wow. I guess this is why all of my friend's kids end up in private schools of the sort that let you learn at your speed and have low student/teacher ratios.Beahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11858229995977474385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-33786579070677382032009-08-20T16:59:53.599-07:002009-08-20T16:59:53.599-07:00Amen! At the high school I teach at (in IL) we cu...Amen! At the high school I teach at (in IL) we cut about 20 jobs (to be fair, we were somewhat overstaffed, but not THAT overstaffed), and yet the people related to the school board who draw $60K salaries to do NOTHING still have their jobs. The district didn't even fire the principal who had total anarchy in the middle school last year, and promoted EVERY kid in the 8th grade (even the ones who failed every core class) to HS. He's a "roving administrator" now, whatever that means. They did finally get rid of the director of HR who kept getting in trouble for sexual harrassment, but it took a full year. Teachers should do more with less, but not the people who make the decisions. As I told a friend once, it's cheaper to pay for good education up front than pay for people to be on welfare forever.<br /><br />Despite my many gripes, I'm in a far better situation than you. Our building principal is concerned about the kids first, and is working to shield us from the worst of the crazy. It doesn't sound like your administrators are so good.<br /><br />I hope things get better sooner rather than later.<br />SarahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-83324052136611216082009-08-20T16:43:44.986-07:002009-08-20T16:43:44.986-07:00Interestingly, the New Yorker that landed in my ma...Interestingly, the New Yorker that landed in my mailbox today describes California as ungovernable -- and I wonder how many other states ought to have that label as well. I think we've painted ourselves into a pretty serious corner here in the U.S. -- I know it's a typical liberal thing to bring up the defense budget at this point but in fact I bet we could support our troops AND our children AND find ways to repair the national infrastructure if people in power could break themselves out of outdated ways of governing and spending. I have lots of hope for this administration but I don't know if they've got enough of what it takes to execute ideas.Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06025212419444729424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-65578102309823225252009-08-20T16:41:12.377-07:002009-08-20T16:41:12.377-07:00(Shall I get started on healthcare? I didn't ...(Shall I get started on healthcare? I didn't think so.)<br /><br />Civic responsibility. It goes all ways. <br /><br />This is why I'm not happy that my property value assessment for tax purposes has dropped by about half in the last year. I'm still paying the same mortgage. Help me where it helps. <br /><br />And may I add a Grrrrrrrrrr? Cut time, add work! Yes! The perfect solution!<br /><br />The only nice thing I've heard lately is that they're hoping to cut from the prison budget (our dearly beloved Calfornia). About time! And may it be more.Gwenhttp://laflaka.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-13759181383890598592009-08-20T15:51:32.567-07:002009-08-20T15:51:32.567-07:00Preach it, sister!!! Now, please, a copy to the LA...Preach it, sister!!! Now, please, a copy to the LA Times, the San Fran Chron, the SJ Merc and yonder Gubernator.AlisonHhttp://spindyeknit.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-34866850205483478002009-08-20T14:18:04.146-07:002009-08-20T14:18:04.146-07:00I have no kids, either, but I have never minded pa...I have no kids, either, but I have never minded paying property tax for our schools. These kids are our future, like you said.<br /><br />The same stupid personnel logic is at work in the industrial field. Cut maintenance first, but then they pay later. And pay dearly.<br /><br />There are probably dozens of other instances.<br /><br />I am so sorry for your pain.FUZZARELLYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12340378858926874634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-27458454593964060382009-08-20T13:53:32.021-07:002009-08-20T13:53:32.021-07:00Hear Hear, well put. I have no children, but i su...Hear Hear, well put. I have no children, but i support educating the heck out of everyone elses. I like to ask people who say they don't want to pay to educate other ppls kids who they think is going to be flying the plane they ride in, or taking out their gall bladder? Don't they WANT them to be educated? Tough times for all these days, keep fighting the good fight.Mary Louhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05588244535423212079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3105432749747104284.post-76049691126601640202009-08-20T13:16:28.557-07:002009-08-20T13:16:28.557-07:00{standing ovation of one here}
Beautifully said.
...{standing ovation of one here}<br /><br />Beautifully said.<br />(((hugs)))Nana Sadiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13337300042637714815noreply@blogger.com