Maybe I am a bit too cynical, but cold weather shelters?
- Thread starter wrobert
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I am referring to the vast majority of schools nationwide.
I would begin by stopping the crminalization of everything. Start with legalizing marijuana for example. It is really no more damaging than alcohol or tobacco. Think of how many young people catch a criminal record that ruins their life because they get caught with a little dope. Repeal seatbelt laws entirely. Both drugs and seatbelts can be addressed by education better than criminal sanctions. That is a start.
Possibly, in light of the tax dollar savings that mjd88 aluded to. But wouldn't these functions be better served by charities, churches or civic organizations? Someone mentioned the response to the cat 5 hurricane. The Red Cross, Salvation Army and Southern Baptists provide the bulk of meals and kitchen services during such disasters at no cost to the taxpayer. Do you really think that any government could provide these services any better?
I think the real point is, that the time to debate all of this is NOT when it is 32 degrees. It's like waiting until the hurricane is coming to define your evacuation routes.
Maybe next summer the county should take this up, consolidate a list of private organizations who can provide shelter, and then serve as a clearinghouse for that information.
Until then, I tend to err on the side of safety, especially for those children who can't help the fact that their parents need help.
Maybe next summer the county should take this up, consolidate a list of private organizations who can provide shelter, and then serve as a clearinghouse for that information.
Until then, I tend to err on the side of safety, especially for those children who can't help the fact that their parents need help.
Yes, those silly charities - frittering away donation money helping people when they should have been planning ahead and saving it for worse times.
Hell, the county didn't even do that. They were totally shocked when they didn't get twice as much each year as they did the previous year.
Well, I am not so sure I agree that the "vast majority of schools" suffer from this.
I do agree that having so many people end up in prison for marijuana possession is not the best way to handle this drug. And, having too many LEO working the "pot fields" instead of traffic safety or real crime is a waste IMO.
I disagree with repealing seat belt laws; we have lots of data that show using one saves lives and perhaps just as important, prevents injuries...some will not use a safety measure w/out a penalty, no matter how much education; others should not have to suffer, nor should society have to pay for care of the injured, just because some will not practice safe measures in a vehicle. I do agree though that cops should not be stopping vehicles just to check seatbelt use; I thought the secondary offense was adequate--not perfect, but given all the other things going on; adequate.
All in all, though, I think we need to improve education and provide services and laws that will, as Mark says, help families provide for themselves in the best possible ways. This takes a lot more work and vision that we presently see in society as a whole, or in elected officials generally. Too many people are more interested in realty TV and celebrity gossip...and making more and more money for themselves. IMO our society will work better when helping someone else succeed becomes important to all of us.
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I've gotten meals from the Red Cross (here's there funding American Red Cross Mission & Funding Sources) after a hurricane, but never from the Salvation Army (more government funding How is the Salvation Army Funded? | eHow.com) or Southern Baptists. All but the Southern Baptists get heavy government subsidies so your argument doesn't hold much water. I also don't like the idea of religious based charities deciding who gets what after a disaster.
I started a long post. But, I agree with some of what has been said. We first need to address the tax system. I know this sounds strange coming from a liberal like me, but, the federal tax code needs to be simplified. The federal tax code needs to encourage investment and savings, not spending. Our current tax code encourages families to take on debt that many simply cannot afford. The state tax code needs to become more uniform. There are way too many exceptions to the state sales tax code. And, I am not talking about food and basic necessities here. I am personally aware of an attorney with the Florida Department of Revenue who, along with others, spend their entire day reviewing patent applications for medical instruments to determine whether their sale is exempt from sales taxes or not. Doesn't that seem too cumbersome? Once we simplify the state tax code, I firmly believe that you will have a steady source of revenue to attack the problems we face.
I disagree about a failed juvenile justice system. I believe it has failed, but, not because we tried to help those kids, but, because we are simply warehousing them and and punishing too many as adults. Often for the very drug crimes discussed earlier.
I also disagree that a vast majority of our public school are out of control. Frankly, it is the opposite. A small minority are without discipline and they get all of the headlines. I believe, after 15 years on the school board and trying a variety of other solutions, that the only way to create a world class education system is to attract outstanding college students to go into education. How do you do that? With very competitive pay, we could attract better students to colleges of education versus what we are attracting now. We can debate the numbers, but, it will take money. And, I have no problem with doing away with tenure and create a performance based system to supplement pay, but, only after we substantially raise pay to attract those better students.
Again, just thoughts. Do I have all the answers? No. But, I think government can be part of the solution and not always just the problem. In order for that to happen, we have got to quit sound biting everything to death and start talking in a meaningful way about how to accomplish the goals. My real concern is that we, as a culture, have not even discussed, what those goals should be in our country.
I disagree about a failed juvenile justice system. I believe it has failed, but, not because we tried to help those kids, but, because we are simply warehousing them and and punishing too many as adults. Often for the very drug crimes discussed earlier.
I also disagree that a vast majority of our public school are out of control. Frankly, it is the opposite. A small minority are without discipline and they get all of the headlines. I believe, after 15 years on the school board and trying a variety of other solutions, that the only way to create a world class education system is to attract outstanding college students to go into education. How do you do that? With very competitive pay, we could attract better students to colleges of education versus what we are attracting now. We can debate the numbers, but, it will take money. And, I have no problem with doing away with tenure and create a performance based system to supplement pay, but, only after we substantially raise pay to attract those better students.
Again, just thoughts. Do I have all the answers? No. But, I think government can be part of the solution and not always just the problem. In order for that to happen, we have got to quit sound biting everything to death and start talking in a meaningful way about how to accomplish the goals. My real concern is that we, as a culture, have not even discussed, what those goals should be in our country.
I totally agree with you about the schools and the students. For the most part (at least in this part of the country and I think it is true all over), the students are eager to learn; want order in the schools; and yearn for more education. Most teachers (I have three in my family) work tirelessly to guide students through their education process.
Many teachers pay for supplies from their own pockets; give students money for food; and one of my family members regularly buys clothes for the students in her classroom. Salaries for teachers need to be more competitive; and money for school supplies and textbooks needs to be increased.
We have our priorities all out of balance and it is true as a country we have not had a meaningful conversation about what we want our country to be.
Too many people watch too much "entertainment television" and take what they hear as fact...and then repeat that "fact" every opportunity they have, to the point where they believe their own stories...
Many teachers pay for supplies from their own pockets; give students money for food; and one of my family members regularly buys clothes for the students in her classroom. Salaries for teachers need to be more competitive; and money for school supplies and textbooks needs to be increased.
We have our priorities all out of balance and it is true as a country we have not had a meaningful conversation about what we want our country to be.
Too many people watch too much "entertainment television" and take what they hear as fact...and then repeat that "fact" every opportunity they have, to the point where they believe their own stories...