- Smaller is better, 600-900 students per high school is the sweet spot. That is best for our students. That is what we need to preserve the tradition of educational excellence.
- A No vote will keep Andover and Lahser and regardless of grade configuration, schools will be smaller and closer to the sweet spot.
- Most important to educational success are parental involvement, high expectations and good educators. A No vote does not change this.
- Our focus should be on reading, writing, math and science. Instead, sixty percent of the proposed $79M high school spending is devoted to non-academic spaces.
- A new high school will not improve property values. There is no positive correlation between the quality of the school building and property values. Only when educational outcomes improve does the school district drive property values in the right direction.
- The district has not been able to relate the new school building to educational improvements. Ironically, the proposed building is designed for a so-called 21st century education model, but most parents and teachers are not embracing this.
- In a bad economy or bad real estate market, a fixed millage means rates (your taxes) must rise to meet repayment obligations.
- The District forecasts a $48 million deficit over the next four years and plans to spend down rainy day funds. This high school proposal does not solve this spending problem. For every dollar the District saves, we will be spending more than a dollar in interest on the bond for the first 19 years of the 26 year term.
- The district’s claim that you get a new school and your taxes will go down is not true. For taxes to go down, building improvement “sinking funds” must not be replaced when they expire. This is virtually impossible over the 26 year term of the bond.
- Money is not free.
Vote No on May 8. Tell the District you want to maintain our tradition of educational excellence by improving our two high schools in a fiscally responsible manner. Use existing funds already provided by taxpayers ($62.5M) for facility improvements and get back to the business of educating our children.
For more information, please go to B2020.org and BHSForum.org or contact me at Bloomfield2020@gmail.com
That doesn't seem to fit in with the intent of B2020 to alarm voters with the idea taxes will go up even though it's more likely the millage rate will decline or stay the same. Remember it's a bond issue, taxes paid from it can only be used to retire the bonds. As to the allegation that schools "will be smaller and closer to the sweet spot" all I can say is it's patently false, the B2020 people know it and the repetitions of that statement is not incidentally intended to mislead, it's purposefully intended.
"Our focus should be on reading, writing, math and science." Yes, these are all important subjects. However, do you know what one single college course Steve Jobs, possibly the greatest entrepreneur and example of the success of free enterprise, cited as the key to his success? Calligraphy. That's right: Not reading, not "writing" (at least in the sense you're speaking of), not even computer science, but in the artistic design of font faces. The point, of course, is that while 'Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmatic (ironically, in extolling the virtues of the basics in the "3 R's" saying, proper spelling was thrown by the wayside) are certainly crucial, the arts and humanities are EQUALLY important...unless you think that every high school student should become nothing but a doctor, lawyer or accountant. As for sports, I can take or leave it, and I agree that there's a massive overemphasis on team sports in our culture, but I do recognize that it certainly has its' place as well...and, for good or for bad, a football or baseball field simply takes up a hell of a lot more square footage than a math or science classroom; that's just the nature of the beast. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steve-jobs-death-apple-calligraphy-248900
Yeah, that's right--35% of the building is in GOOD SHAPE AND ISN'T BEING REPLACED, which is what the community WANTED the district to do. It'll be spruced up a bit, sure, but over 1/3 of the existing Andover structure is being kept basically as-is, which is what you keep saying you WANT. I suppose by your logic, if I decide to replace my broken dishwasher but the clothes dryer is in good shape, you'd accuse me of spending 100% of my money on "non-clothing-related spaces", even if I didn't NEED a new dryer.
1)What the district proposes -- quite clearly -- is that 9th grade students would be gathered and taught in Lahser. They quite clearly discuss it as a fall back plan. 2)Mr. Littman is an anti-tax think tank economist. I really wish someone with his background and expertise would spend time sorting out banking issues to help my property values rather than speculating on educational theory (although I don't want to hold him accountable for the way you and others are trying to use him as some kind of expert witness). 3) What is commonsensical is that students and teachers will perform better in a better setting, not vice versa. I love Horatio Alger stories, too, but they focus on exceptions not generalities. People move to Bloomfield for a variety of reasons including nicer, bigger homes, bigger attractive lots -- that is they seek out good environments where they and their families can thrive. Same logic for education. In many respects you sound like a decent and serious man. Please start listening and reading more closely to the things you say. One last thing on Mrs. Gurman's point: semantics can matter. You and 2020 have been using the term "Academy" to try to pitch the district's plan B in a way that is different from the district's own statements. That, frankly, is loopy and disingenuous. You keep saying, in effect, "this will be great and special" when the district -- the people who run the school and teach are saying "this is what we will do if we have to."
I also love how you list "education, arts and extracurriculars" as if the latter two aren't part of "education". I suppose learning about agriculture, dairy processing, plant cycles and so forth like they do at Bowers aren't any form of an "education" either?
Chris, you are twisting every statistic to your own end. The way you are deceiving the people who have not studied up on this project is no different than ads on TV by Matty Moroun about the bridge project. These half-truths and distortions sicken me. I can't wait until May 9th and we can all put this whole ordeal behind us.
Of course, he *still* can't bring himself to admit that it's not like there's $62.5 million lying around ready to be used either. $31.3 million of it has *already* been spent, and of that, 26.3% has already been spent on Lahser and Andover to try and patch them together long enough to get through this process. So, we're really talking about perhaps $31 million or so, which still has to be spread out among over a dozen buildings. Passing the bond would take the two biggest money drains out of the loop for many years to come.
Then we'll have a higher sinking fund millage plus a more expensive bond and the "no, no matter what" group saying it was the school district that was irresponsible. So if you truly want your taxes to go up, you should vote no. There's no guarantee there won't ever be an increase in the sinking fund needs if the bond issue passes because anything can happen with the other buildings but....it's pretty well guaranteed that pursuing B2020's and Chris' plan will cause higher sinking fund millage rates. It's up to you.
I am willing to wager far more than coffee on that. Name the stakes. Do you think Mr. Glass insane? Frankly, do you really believe you could get a qualified superintendent to take this job if this bond fails??? Do you realize what all this has done to Bloomfield Hills and its reputation amongst professionals? You will find yourself with a careerist -- ready to duck and cover and do nothing difficult for 4 years, perhaps while he or she gets their kids through a (still) good (but flailing) school system and moves on. That's it. Perhaps this would be a place to turn to the familial education background you cite and consider the reality. You know better than to talk as if teachers and good administrators are cartoons. I don't have to bet based on any particular knowledge of Mr. Glass's inner thoughts -- I just have to bet on that he is a functioning professional.
Are you a carpenter, engineer, electrician, plumber, roofer, materials supplier, architect, construction contractor, urban planning or energy efficiency expert? Again, if so, do tell; if not, perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the ones who are actually planning the construction project. Are you a police officer, firefighter or township office employee? If not, perhaps you should trust their judgment when it comes to traffic congestion issues--to the best of my knowledge, neither the Bloomfield Township administration, police department nor fire department seems to think that the traffic situation if the bond proposal passes would be a problem. Are you perhaps a realtor? If not, perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss them. Again, I don't know you or your history--nor do you know me or mine. It's certainly conceivable that you're an expert in any or all of these areas. I'm guessing not, however.
I have no reason whatsoever not to trust this board. On the contrary, they have demonstrated to me at every step along the way they are willing to work with the community in an open way (by the way, since we don't know each other personally, I am not shy or timid, paricularly with school boards or administrators). More generally, human experience tells me that citizens willing to take their time and subject themselves to absurd charges (recall) for something they think is right deserve trust. What I meant to suggest was that the picture you paint of Mr. Glass and the board is utterly at odds with my life experience and all my common sense. Your picture of them suggests crazed lunatics -- desparate for whatever reason for a renovated high school to help with consolidation. That strikes me, frankly, as nuts on your part or you have been reading too much stuff from those in the state that see ALL public education as the source of problems. I hate to use that language (you aren't nuts) but at points in your argument you lean towards such extreme characterizations and distortions I can't find another way to put it.
A great evening and Thursday to you as well.
On the other hand, who is Chris Fellin? Is he accountable to our schools ... to our community? What are his true motives? Personally, his relentless attempts to mislead by making it sound that voting "no" will restore the 2 high school format disincline me to even listen to anything he has to say, let alone trust any of it. Who am I some might ask? I'm someone who trusts our current leaders because they've earned it ... who's voting "Yes" because I believe that the plan they recommend is in the best long-term interest of our schools and our community ... and who's voting "Yes" even though our youngest child would live through the construction, yet graduate before the new school is completed. My family realizes that the stakes are too high to be selfish. After all, that's what community is all about.
Chris, I love your list and always read your coments. They are concise, correct and based on fact, unlike your detractors! You better believe your taxes are going to grow. Have you looked at your SEV which has been going down and yet your tax bill is going up? Keep up the good work.
I think Mr. Lipson found your anonymous admirer a little suspect; "ROFL" means rolling on the floor laughing. I am not on the floor -- but Mr. Lipson's response was funny.
Fair enough. Commenting with a name is certainly no guarantee that the argument will be sound or fair.