Northwest Indiana Discussion

Excuse me, but this is NOT the wealthiest district in the state. If you think about it, this district will probably be trying to borrow money just to meet the payroll soon.

So how do you justify sending the entire Board to a conference? Why not just three or four. No, all of them. And just because they don't get paid is no reason to write a blank check for a conference. THEY chose to serve on this Board, and knew there was no paycheck.

And I am a taxpayer too, and this Board HAS to answer to me, not the other way around.

I suggest you run for the board so that you can keep a reign on the money and volunteer your time.

Guess I could have predicted that response.

As for borrowing money to meet payroll, do you even watch or listen to the news? We are headed for a recession, if we aren't already in one. Do you think people that have their homes foreclosed on are going to continue paying property taxes, even after they move out at midnight? Do you even have a grasp on reality? Are the vendors at these conferences going to "chip in" so that our wonderful Board can pay the light bill? It is time to tighten the belt.

What color is the sky in your world?

How unfair for people to even suggest the current D157 board is like the “old” board. They now have a competent Superintendent who works with the staff as a team. Teachers who were once contemplating on leaving the District as now happy with the work environment. The situation at D157 is much better then it was 2 years ago when the old board ran it to the ground. Now people are commenting on this forum that the board is wasting taxpayer’s money because the district is picking up the tab on hotel bills for when they are attending a conference. This conference is for all school districts in Illinois and it’s customary for the District board members and administrators who are located miles away to spend the night in downtown. Why should the local school board members and administrators be penalized just because they are only 20 miles away from the conference location. Why should they not be able to receive the same convenience as those other school districts by spending the night downtown? As Churgar52 pointed out, Board members do not get paid for the hours they spend serving the tax payers and children of the district. The few hundred dollars per board member this conference cost the tax payers is not an issue in my mind.

Also, the issue about changing the school name and lowering the academic standards for playing sports was something brought to the board by parents. This is not something the board is recommending. Please read the articles thoroughly before jumping to conclusions and pointing the finger at the wrong people.

ONE board member said that at a meeting. That is NOT the opinion of the entire board. Until the board votes on something, it is only talk. Nothing is implemented or changed until the board takes action and votes on an issue. Even then, every board member votes how they see fit. I personally feel that it is disrespectful to change the name of a school from a President who earned the honor of having a school named after him to someone who hasn't even been inaugurated yet. I also feel that children are students first and with the NCLB requirements, the children have to worry about their studies first before extracurricular activities. I wholeheartedly support maintaining the B average. However, if the board does not approve that policy and they approve the child maintaining a C average, they are not lowering the standards. It is in State Code that the children have to maintain a C Average, but it is up to the individual school to set what policy they see fit.

Lucy…This current school board has hired a competent superintendent without costing the district an arm and a leg, this new board encouraged a highly qualified and dedicated Schrum Principal to return to D157 because she left 2 years ago because she didn’t want to deal with the turmoil and BS generated by the old school board and Hendicks. The schools have made AYP and have programs in place to maintain this status, yet you’re going to get on a band wagon to have these board members voted out next spring because the District picked up less than $400 per board member to spend 2 nights downtown? D157 has consistently run in the black financially benefiting from the River Oaks shopping Center’s and will now benefit from the new Sam’s Club when that property gets on the tax payrolls. I agree, the economy is struggling and there are a lot of foreclosures which may/will affect the revenues into the District. You also have the legitimate comment about the District watching their spending, but to suggest these board members be replaced is ridiculous. Who do you think will step in, ahh, I think the old board members who lost the last election and will run again taking advantage of unfair criticism they are receiving from you.

Funnyman, I never once stated that the new board members should be replaced. I think they are doing a great job so far. All I said was that through these economic times we all need to decide what is important and what isn't. Sending the board members to the conference in Chicago was a good idea. I'm sure they all came back with a plethora of information. My concern was spending the money so they could stay the two nights was not a wise decision. There was no reason why they could not have taken the train home or even car pooled and paid for parking. Times are bad and getting worse. People are losing their jobs, they are struggling to put food on their tables and paying their bills, yet we paid for the members to spend two nights in Chicago. I would have rather seen that money go to some unfortunate families so they could have a nice holiday. When will it end.

I guess I interpreted your comment "First we are changing the name to Barack Obama Academy, and now we are emphasizing basketball over reading, math, and science. Looks like the parents want to run the school district. Maybe last year, the school board election was a mistake. Looks like the old board members are back." as a way of suggesting the current board is just like the old board, my mistake.

ONE board member said that at a meeting. That is NOT the opinion of the entire board. Until the board votes on something, it is only talk. Nothing is implemented or changed until the board takes action and votes on an issue. Even then, every board member votes how they see fit. I personally feel that it is disrespectful to change the name of a school from a President who earned the honor of having a school named after him to someone who hasn't even been inaugurated yet. I also feel that children are students first and with the NCLB requirements, the children have to worry about their studies first before extracurricular activities. I wholeheartedly support maintaining the B average. However, if the board does not approve that policy and they approve the child maintaining a C average, they are not lowering the standards. It is in State Code that the children have to maintain a C Average, but it is up to the individual school to set what policy they see fit.

Lucy…This current school board has hired a competent superintendent without costing the district an arm and a leg, this new board encouraged a highly qualified and dedicated Schrum Principal to return to D157 because she left 2 years ago because she didn’t want to deal with the turmoil and BS generated by the old school board and Hendicks. The schools have made AYP and have programs in place to maintain this status, yet you’re going to get on a band wagon to have these board members voted out next spring because the District picked up less than $400 per board member to spend 2 nights downtown? D157 has consistently run in the black financially benefiting from the River Oaks shopping Center’s and will now benefit from the new Sam’s Club when that property gets on the tax payrolls. I agree, the economy is struggling and there are a lot of foreclosures which may/will affect the revenues into the District. You also have the legitimate comment about the District watching their spending, but to suggest these board members be replaced is ridiculous. Who do you think will step in, ahh, I think the old board members who lost the last election and will run again taking advantage of unfair criticism they are receiving from you.