Comments on: EEF seeks community support during Challenge Day on Oct. 30 http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/ Westlake Picayune is a publication of Austin Community Newspapers Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:50:47 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Agreed http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9769 Agreed Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:40:37 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9769 Agree wholeheartedly with the last post, "Naysayer: Wake up". It's the administrators and coaches who are getting the big raises, not the teachers. The district is adding administrators and coaches and increasing their salaries ... at the expense of students and teachers. Agree wholeheartedly with the last post, “Naysayer: Wake up”. It’s the administrators and coaches who are getting the big raises, not the teachers. The district is adding administrators and coaches and increasing their salaries … at the expense of students and teachers.

]]> By: Naysayer: Wake up http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9607 Naysayer: Wake up Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:57:34 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9607 It is not a bad attitude to call a lie a lie. It is not a bad attitude to ask that EEF and EISD tell the truth: the reason EISD needs help from EEF to "pay for teachers" is that EISD administrators choose to fund other things first, which shifts the deficit to the teacher pay line item in its huge budget. You seem to agree that teachers make the true difference in Eanes. Don't they deserve more than to be the last thing our trustees fund? So Naysayer, consider this: would you rather have your child tell you that he spent the night with friends and enjoy a "good attitude" or would you rather know he went to Antones on a fake id? In that situation you know that a lie that makes you comfortable could enable your child to be seriously endangered. You're free to keep your head in the sand, and think that people who are making you think about the consequences of funding teachers last have a bad attitude. But this lie allows EISD administrators to continue wasteful spending, while increasing class sizes beyond acceptable educational standards, to fund teachers last, and to diminish the quality of education you so apparently think is your birthright as a Westbank citizen (along with, one must suppose, your property value). If you let people lie to you, they will. Again, and again, and again. And you have no right in the future to be shocked when you wake up with a school system you can't afford. Because when taxes are not enough to fund the public schools, it is naive to believe that private donations will always be there to make up the difference. And I bet you'll have one heckofa bad attitude then. It is not a bad attitude to call a lie a lie. It is not a bad attitude to ask that EEF and EISD tell the truth: the reason EISD needs help from EEF to “pay for teachers” is that EISD administrators choose to fund other things first, which shifts the deficit to the teacher pay line item in its huge budget. You seem to agree that teachers make the true difference in Eanes. Don’t they deserve more than to be the last thing our trustees fund? So Naysayer, consider this: would you rather have your child tell you that he spent the night with friends and enjoy a “good attitude” or would you rather know he went to Antones on a fake id? In that situation you know that a lie that makes you comfortable could enable your child to be seriously endangered. You’re free to keep your head in the sand, and think that people who are making you think about the consequences of funding teachers last have a bad attitude. But this lie allows EISD administrators to continue wasteful spending, while increasing class sizes beyond acceptable educational standards, to fund teachers last, and to diminish the quality of education you so apparently think is your birthright as a Westbank citizen (along with, one must suppose, your property value). If you let people lie to you, they will. Again, and again, and again. And you have no right in the future to be shocked when you wake up with a school system you can’t afford. Because when taxes are not enough to fund the public schools, it is naive to believe that private donations will always be there to make up the difference. And I bet you’ll have one heckofa bad attitude then.

]]> By: former EEF supporter http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9474 former EEF supporter Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:04:53 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9474 There is no way that EEF can insure that their contribution to EISD funds teachers. There is simply no tracking device for their dollars. The money just goes into the pot with all other money. Furthermore, though well-intentioned, their campaign validating that teachers are the first thing to go is enabling this admin to cut teachers. If you're constantly hearing that teachers are going to be cut, then you accept it when it happens. Why isn't their leadership asking why teachers are cut before administrators? There is no way that EEF can insure that their contribution to EISD funds teachers. There is simply no tracking device for their dollars. The money just goes into the pot with all other money. Furthermore, though well-intentioned, their campaign validating that teachers are the first thing to go is enabling this admin to cut teachers. If you’re constantly hearing that teachers are going to be cut, then you accept it when it happens. Why isn’t their leadership asking why teachers are cut before administrators?

]]> By: anonymous http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9459 anonymous Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:50:38 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9459 More than two people have concerns. More than two people have concerns.

]]> By: I feel sorry for the naysayers http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9450 I feel sorry for the naysayers Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:53:30 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9450 I don't understand why these two people have such a bad attitude toward supporting their schools. And, why "simply not true" would think that the district doesn't use the money to fund teachers. What proof do you have for that claim? The net proceeds fund salaries. If EEF raises $1,000,000 it will be the equivalent of 20 teachers that the district would otherwise not be able to hire. The school district is one of the best in the country and we are fortunate to live here and send our kids here. Our property values are higher because of the district. It's not perfect, but it never is. I don’t understand why these two people have such a bad attitude toward supporting their schools. And, why “simply not true” would think that the district doesn’t use the money to fund teachers. What proof do you have for that claim?

The net proceeds fund salaries. If EEF raises $1,000,000 it will be the equivalent of 20 teachers that the district would otherwise not be able to hire.

The school district is one of the best in the country and we are fortunate to live here and send our kids here. Our property values are higher because of the district. It’s not perfect, but it never is.

]]> By: pan handling http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-9005 pan handling Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:05:35 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-9005 So, parents dropping their children off at school are now going to have to deal with pan handlers pressuring them into donating to EEF in front of their children, neighbors, teachers and the like? No pressure there. So, parents dropping their children off at school are now going to have to deal with pan handlers pressuring them into donating to EEF in front of their children, neighbors, teachers and the like? No pressure there.

]]> By: Simply not true http://westlakepicayune.com/2009/10/21/eef-seeks-community-support-during-challenge-day-on-oct-30/comment-page-1/#comment-8985 Simply not true Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:17:27 +0000 http://westlakepicayune.com/?p=4023#comment-8985 The Picayune must believe that if EEF keeps saying something it becomes true. The truth is that at most EEF can only say that it is trying to raise the equivalent of the salary of 20 teachers. Even they admit they can't force the district to use the money for teachers, and because of the shell game they can play with their budget, they are in full control of "forcing" the need to fund teachers by EEF. Shame on EEF for continuing to perpetuate this myth, but even more shame on the Picayune for serving this up without question or comment. You are misleading your readers. The Picayune must believe that if EEF keeps saying something it becomes true. The truth is that at most EEF can only say that it is trying to raise the equivalent of the salary of 20 teachers. Even they admit they can’t force the district to use the money for teachers, and because of the shell game they can play with their budget, they are in full control of “forcing” the need to fund teachers by EEF. Shame on EEF for continuing to perpetuate this myth, but even more shame on the Picayune for serving this up without question or comment. You are misleading your readers.

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