The Palm Beach Shuffle

From the Palm Beach Post...

Palm Beach County School District officials are rolling out a series of 30-second television spots this summer with a clear message to students and parents: Please don't leave.

In the wake of an unexpected enrollment drop of 3,221 students this past school year, officials say the ads are just one tool to stem the rush of students out of Palm Beach County classrooms, said Steve Nichol, a school district spokesman who helped develop the TV spots.

According to an online news release, the district "needs to make its case to the public to avoid further drops in enrollment that result in fewer operating dollars from Tallahassee based on a per-capita allocation." The district gets about $7,000 from the state for each student not under special designation.

Superintendent Art Johnson is on vacation and could not be reached for comment.

About 4,000 fewer students are expected this fall.

School officials blame hurricanes, rising cost of living and the popularity of private and home schools. Hurricanes have always been a factor in Florida, so that's nothing new and therefore could hardly be a real factor. The rising cost of living would correspond with the rising incomes of residents, so that, as well, would not be a realistic factor. The popularity of private and home schools correspond in direct proportion to the dislike of government schools, so that factor points back to the schools and the school administration.

The comments made by readers to the article tell a more interesting story...

By Ron
Keep dumbing down the curriculum to placate the influx of illegals and other foreign language students, and the parents of AMERICAN children will yank their kids out. Private schools are busting at the seams with new enrollments, and most have hundreds on waiting lists.

I notice the ads seem to only target those who are in art, theater, etc. None are stressing their strengths in math, science etc. Why? Because they have none. Why have school of the ARTS? Why not open "special" schools for mathmatics [sic] and sciences, instead of doodlers and dancers? The PB County school board has their priorities in all the wrong places. Johnny sure can draw, but can't pass an FCAT test which is the core, basic, minimal standards of reading, writing and arithmetic.

By RALPH
I don't blame anyone for wanting to leave. I have been a teacher for the last 3 years and I understand completely. For a school system that is countywide, why is it that the same curricullum [sic] is not taught universally? Materials are lacking, Teacher training is a joke. All administration wants to hears is FCAT, FCAT, FCAT. Take my advise and run and keep on running

By PBC teach
As a HS Reading teacher, I can honestly say, we NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS!!! Reading, writing, spelling and grammar and vocabulary (a lot of it!), handwriting, study skills and math ONLY in El. Sch., eliminate the FCAT from El. and Mid. School...use the test at the END of HS if it's really assessing the skills. There shouldn't BE HS Reading teachers! And those of you who believe the 'parents' are the reasons for success, come to my classroom for a week, and TRY to contact a parent! My students are the reason for their success and progress, most parents don't care, aren't available, or aren't around! Stop generalizing your comments, parent support doesn't exist in all of our schools. I don't complain about my salary, but I do complain when they don't even PAY me my contract amount! I struggle, take a second job, and do what's necessary, but in no way should ANY teacher have to put up with not getting paid!

By louis
Let's see, stupid global warming scare tactics, forced homosexual, transgender acceptance literatures, increased social studies instead of American History, no accountability for poor grades, shall I continue ??

Liberal/PC dumb-down programs make the government schools ineffective and when people take their kids out, overpaid administrators want to blame it on the weather. Remember these same administrators are represented by the single most power union in the nation, the NEA, in spite of the fact that administrators are management, not labor. Is there any worse recipe for disaster?

Posted by Danny Carlton at June 21, 2007 8:23 AM