Northwest Indiana Discussion

"The School City of Hammond did not have any school to earn an A or B. Lafayette Elementary and Morton High School earned a C. All other schools earned a D or F, with more than 60 percent of the Hammond schools showing a decline." From the Times today
When are parents, teachers and administrators going to wake up and see that we are killing the future of our children? It's appalling to me as a Hammond taxpayer, to read this in the paper. How will the children of Hammond find jobs and be successful in their lives?

It is up to the parents, Celtic. The schools are dismal, so the parents have to encourage and challenge their kids at home. As for the schools themselves, IF the parents get involved, and demand that their children receive a proper education, they can improve. Most of the time, I am the only member of the general public to attend the school board meetings. The people are complacent, and do not show up at the school board meetings to demand educational improvements. The school board is talking consolidation to save money. Translate that into another building spree. 1/3 of your property taxes is already paying for the schools they built. Can you afford to pay more? Are you getting the bang for the buck for the schools already built? Look at the ratings. The new school buildings have made no difference at all. Matter of fact,the newer schools have the same or a lower rating than the old buildings.
You can build all the fancy looking Taj Mahals you want, but inside, they are still empty.
It is unfortunate that there are no choices for the school board this year. Maybe in 2 years, when the people finally wake up to a pending state takeover, can the demographics of the school board change, so we can turn our school system around. We have to, for our children's and grandchildren's sake. I am quite relieved that my youngest has graduated, and is doing great in college, all straight A's. OTOH, I have a grandson who will be attending the SCH next year.

The charter school in Hammond went from a D to an F.

One word:

Move

But if you move, you wont be able to take the handout of College Bound money, to pay for your academically ill-prepared children to attend a community college, where even there they will be set-up for failure. Hmmm. You're right! Move!

If you plan on moving, I hope you've been saving your pennies, because no one is going to be interested in buying a home anywhere in Hammond/Gary/East Chicago, Whiting. You're going to have to walk away from your hovel.

And where is your average regionite, who makes a living based on who they know rather than what they know, going to move and find a means to pay the bills?

The problems with the Charter School is Mayor Thomas McDermott's is involved. Tom built the CS, made sure friends got gravy from the project (referring to food service contract), replacement of the first chosen principal who walked reportedly because of the graft in the project, to the substantial cost over runs.

One specific contractor reportedly made a cool $150,000 over what was reported to be minor cost over runs. Then we won't talk about how the architecture failed to put in a serving kitchen and as reported his daughter's husband got the food service contract!

This project was not about educating children, it was about Tom working at getting control of the School City Budget. Now his Charter School has an "F" grade.

Carry on Tom, lots of innuendo here.

Lots and as usual no credible evidence.

Aren't you even going to try and defend the abysmal rating of the Charter School?

Wasn't it sold to us as the salvation to the horrid Hammond Public Schools?

Speaking of the Charter School, I ask again, what even happened when the 6 truck loads of steel beams were hi-jacked when the school was constructed. I have been told that they knew who did.
Now if a guy breaks the law on a very minor charge, at times they throw the book at them.
Now one thing that is strange. They say the beams were found in Lemont Illinois all cut up
in a salvage yard. That means they taken over the state line. Why haven't the FED's moved in on this one, instead of just the Hammond PD investigating the case. The total amount for these beams was said to be $2000,000.00, others say more. How was the FBI kept out of this case." Something is rotten in DenmarK" as the saying goes.

Speaking of the Charter School, I ask again, what even happened when the 6 truck loads of steel beams were hi-jacked when the school was constructed. I have been told that they knew who did.
Now if a guy breaks the law on a very minor charge, at times they throw the book at them.
Now one thing that is strange. They say the beams were found in Lemont Illinois all cut up
in a salvage yard. That means they were taken over the state line. Why haven't the FED's moved in on this one, instead of just the Hammond PD investigating the case. The total amount for these beams was said to be $2000,000.00, others say more. How was the FBI kept out of this case." Something is rotten in DenmarK" as the saying goes.

Ok pal... disprove it.... typical McDermott line....bullshit and more lies.

The same thing happened News a few years back, you can remember when an amusement vendor was making payoffs to the City Controller and on an FBI recording it was recorded they had a Hammond Cop in Internal Affairs on the take, their guy.

The cop resigned and took a job with the Hammond Fire Department. I believe he just recently retired. My bet he will run for office or get appointed by Tommie.

If the Hammond Charter School isn't performing up to Hizzoner's hype, there is no doubt in my mind that one or more absentee landlords with multiple illegal homestead exemptions are behind it all.

Just wanted to save this because it's funny.