Comments on: Budget cuts hit LaGuardia juniors http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/ Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:15:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Laguardia parent of an upcoming senior http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7940 Laguardia parent of an upcoming senior Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:14:42 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7940 As the parent of a Laguardia student who will be a senior, I'm still waiting for the courtesy of a letter from the principal explaining the situation. My understanding is that my child cannot get math or science because he did not have a grade of 90 or above in his junior classes. Is he less worthy of being taught? Why would we put money into AP classes and sacrifice all the other kids' educations? When the principal examines the school budget, is she choosing classes such as audition technique and musical theatre (and they are wonderful, I'm sure) over science? Maybe Laguardia could help explain how we present the lack of skills to colleges. Or, perhaps the school can help seniors attain internships - something to fill the kids' time in a productive way. As the parent of a Laguardia student who will be a senior, I’m still waiting for the courtesy of a letter from the principal explaining the situation. My understanding is that my child cannot get math or science because he did not have a grade of 90 or above in his junior classes. Is he less worthy of being taught? Why would we put money into AP classes and sacrifice all the other kids’ educations? When the principal examines the school budget, is she choosing classes such as audition technique and musical theatre (and they are wonderful, I’m sure) over science? Maybe Laguardia could help explain how we present the lack of skills to colleges. Or, perhaps the school can help seniors attain internships - something to fill the kids’ time in a productive way.

]]> By: Eugene Falik http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7402 Eugene Falik Thu, 21 May 2009 02:03:54 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7402 First of all for NYC alum and others, LaGuardia and the Specialized High Schools (at least Bronx Science, Stuyvesant, and Brooklyn Tech -- I don't know about the "new" ones) ARE different. Because of some dumb chancellors and mayors, these schools have an existence outside of the NYC Board of Ed (yes, that's the Department of Ed's legal name). They are established in the state Education Law, and the city may not discontinue them as it has chopped up so many schools. Second, because of their special status, it may be that a lawsuit to require that the city maintain its level of funding would be successful. As for the cuts to the other schools, perhaps they violate the funding requirements and settlement agreement of the Robert Jackson lawsuit. On the other hand, I would suggest that funding is not the issue. There is, overall, a fundamental incompetence in the city administration. Does LaGuardia, for instance, need a half dozen security guards? How come it was able to operate without guards 30 years ago? Wouldn't it be better to trade 3 guards for 2 teachers? First of all for NYC alum and others, LaGuardia and the Specialized High Schools (at least Bronx Science, Stuyvesant, and Brooklyn Tech — I don’t know about the “new” ones) ARE different. Because of some dumb chancellors and mayors, these schools have an existence outside of the NYC Board of Ed (yes, that’s the Department of Ed’s legal name). They are established in the state Education Law, and the city may not discontinue them as it has chopped up so many schools.

Second, because of their special status, it may be that a lawsuit to require that the city maintain its level of funding would be successful.

As for the cuts to the other schools, perhaps they violate the funding requirements and settlement agreement of the Robert Jackson lawsuit. On the other hand, I would suggest that funding is not the issue. There is, overall, a fundamental incompetence in the city administration. Does LaGuardia, for instance, need a half dozen security guards? How come it was able to operate without guards 30 years ago? Wouldn’t it be better to trade 3 guards for 2 teachers?

]]> By: Toni http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7400 Toni Wed, 20 May 2009 22:31:27 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7400 Though this doesn't make up for the gap, LaGuardia is including information about these cuts in the letter they send to all colleges/our school profile, and our college counselor has explained it to some of the top schools. She said they were very sympathetic and explained that they were making some cuts of their own and adjusting their standards to the current situation. So while it is representative of many larger issues (weird priorities, communication issues, disrespect from the powers that be- to name a few), I think that students will find their college options mostly the same as before. Though this doesn’t make up for the gap, LaGuardia is including information about these cuts in the letter they send to all colleges/our school profile, and our college counselor has explained it to some of the top schools. She said they were very sympathetic and explained that they were making some cuts of their own and adjusting their standards to the current situation. So while it is representative of many larger issues (weird priorities, communication issues, disrespect from the powers that be- to name a few), I think that students will find their college options mostly the same as before.

]]> By: Parent of a Sophmore and a 2007 LaG graduate http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7385 Parent of a Sophmore and a 2007 LaG graduate Wed, 20 May 2009 15:10:32 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7385 I am shocked to get this info on an independent website (though it is wonderful) and not from the school! This was obviously decided after the students made their choice for next years classes, which now leaves Sophmores and Junior at a severe disadvantage. You cannot take AP calculus if you haven't taken pre-calc, so if it's not available we have to pay for an aftter school college class??? Not great if a parent is out of work, like in my family. I was waiting for the ax to fall on what used to be the basic need to take four years of math and science to get into a 4 year college. I doubt very selective colleges will care that NYC public schools short-change their students. I am shocked to get this info on an independent website (though it is wonderful) and not from the school! This was obviously decided after the students made their choice for next years classes, which now leaves Sophmores and Junior at a severe disadvantage. You cannot take AP calculus if you haven’t taken pre-calc, so if it’s not available we have to pay for an aftter school college class??? Not great if a parent is out of work, like in my family.
I was waiting for the ax to fall on what used to be the basic need to take four years of math and science to get into a 4 year college. I doubt very selective colleges will care that NYC public schools short-change their students.

]]> By: Anonymous http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7381 Anonymous Wed, 20 May 2009 14:00:43 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7381 My daughter is in Junior. She planned to take pre-calc and forensics in senior year, but she found out that those classes wil be gone. This is the critical time for her to think about college. Now, she is nowhere to go. The school offers only AP classes for math in senior. I expect that so many kids have no classes to take and maybe go to school just as a part time. I am an immigrant came from Japan, I've never heard of the budget cuts affect the public school system and affect children's lives in my country.Actually, we don't have AP or honors at high school, but every single classes are excels and every child have the same oppotunities to learn. My daughter is in Junior. She planned to take pre-calc and forensics in senior year, but she found out that those classes wil be gone. This is the critical time for her to think about college. Now, she is nowhere to go. The school offers only AP classes for math in senior. I expect that so many kids have no classes to take and maybe go to school just as a part time.
I am an immigrant came from Japan, I’ve never heard of the budget cuts affect the public school system and affect children’s lives in my country.Actually, we don’t have AP or honors at high school, but every single classes are excels and every child have the same oppotunities to learn.

]]> By: a LaGuardia parent http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7376 a LaGuardia parent Wed, 20 May 2009 12:39:57 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7376 As a parent of a LaGuardia junior, I totally agree with Toni's letter. My daughter planned on taking forensics in her senior year only to find out that the class has been cut. How can math and science classes be cut when students like my daughter are preparing to go to college in the near future? LaGuardia is one of the best New York City public schools and should not have to choose between which classes they have to cut. I understand that money is tight...it's tight these days for everyone. But instead of cutting classes, the Mayor and chancellor should scrutinize the city budget and find money elsewhere that can be cut. What makes a school like LaGuardia unique is it's devotion to academics as well as the arts. Now the school administration is being forced to choose and that just is not right. If something isn't done to rectify this situation, our kids will be the ones to suffer. As a parent of a LaGuardia junior, I totally agree with Toni’s letter. My daughter planned on taking forensics in her senior year only to find out that the class has been cut. How can math and science classes be cut when students like my daughter are preparing to go to college in the near future? LaGuardia is one of the best New York City public schools and should not have to choose between which classes they have to cut. I understand that money is tight…it’s tight these days for everyone. But instead of cutting classes, the Mayor and chancellor should scrutinize the city budget and find money elsewhere that can be cut. What makes a school like LaGuardia unique is it’s devotion to academics as well as the arts. Now the school administration is being forced to choose and that just is not right. If something isn’t done to rectify this situation, our kids will be the ones to suffer.

]]> By: former LAG mom http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7369 former LAG mom Wed, 20 May 2009 03:10:42 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7369 how sad what is happening to LaGuardia. Bloomberg is a lot of hype like Guiliani. I also think that comment 15 the "people on high": We need to fight for a great education for all the kids in all the schools. Are the charter schools getting money and resources at the expense of the regular schools? Is this Mayor in charge via Klein thing really working? All the testing statistics prove is that they can get some teachers to teach to a test to make them look good as they cut and cut everyone. There isn't a real high school in the world that doesn't offer pre-calc. It means if a student needs this in college, they would have to take preliminary courses to be elligible for a math major, pushing high school courses to the colleges. how sad what is happening to LaGuardia. Bloomberg is a lot of hype like Guiliani. I also think that comment 15 the “people on high”: We need to fight for a great education for all the kids in all the schools. Are the charter schools getting money and resources at the expense of the regular schools? Is this Mayor in charge via Klein thing really working? All the testing statistics prove is that they can get some teachers to teach to a test to make them look good as they cut and cut everyone. There isn’t a real high school in the world that doesn’t offer pre-calc. It means if a student needs this in college, they would have to take preliminary courses to be elligible for a math major, pushing high school courses to the colleges.

]]> By: Toni http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7362 Toni Tue, 19 May 2009 23:19:35 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7362 Just to clarify for everyone: it's not actually advanced math and science that's being cut- it's REGULAR math and science for those students who want to take it in senior year. (Right now, the only senior year options for math and science are AP). In terms of the permanent arts funding, I say that because I see arts as the subject most often cut completely from a budget. It's not that other subjects don't deserve a permanent funding, I just feel like the mayor & chancellor are more prone to give the core academic subjects money at the expense of the arts. Yes, some math classes are being cut in my school, but ALL arts classes are being cut in many other schools. In my experience, arts can do a great job of engaging and motivating kids, and I think they should be given equal priority to all the other subjects. Just to clarify for everyone: it’s not actually advanced math and science that’s being cut- it’s REGULAR math and science for those students who want to take it in senior year. (Right now, the only senior year options for math and science are AP).
In terms of the permanent arts funding, I say that because I see arts as the subject most often cut completely from a budget. It’s not that other subjects don’t deserve a permanent funding, I just feel like the mayor & chancellor are more prone to give the core academic subjects money at the expense of the arts. Yes, some math classes are being cut in my school, but ALL arts classes are being cut in many other schools. In my experience, arts can do a great job of engaging and motivating kids, and I think they should be given equal priority to all the other subjects.

]]> By: NYC alum http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7361 NYC alum Tue, 19 May 2009 22:59:40 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7361 Also just out of curiosity, in response to comment 12: why do the arts specifically - and not math, science, foreign languages, or any other area - deserve a permanent claim to funding? Also just out of curiosity, in response to comment 12: why do the arts specifically - and not math, science, foreign languages, or any other area - deserve a permanent claim to funding?

]]> By: NYC alum http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7359 NYC alum Tue, 19 May 2009 22:44:32 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/05/14/budget-cuts-hit-laguardia-juniors/#comment-7359 One possible response to your grievance, from the people up high: How selfish of you. Is it really fair to maintain optional advanced courses, inaccessible to everyone, when others struggle and fail at the base? Moreover, it is really fair that a special, *privileged* school like La Guardia receives more - or even as much - money other overcrowded and struggling regular schools, whose grossly insufficient of funding is obviously the cause of all their grief? That sort of answer has been given in the past. I hope today people fully realize its perversity. If not, we may expect drastic budget cuts both to your school and to advanced programs across the city. One possible response to your grievance, from the people up high:

How selfish of you. Is it really fair to maintain optional advanced courses, inaccessible to everyone, when others struggle and fail at the base? Moreover, it is really fair that a special, *privileged* school like La Guardia receives more - or even as much - money other overcrowded and struggling regular schools, whose grossly insufficient of funding is obviously the cause of all their grief?

That sort of answer has been given in the past. I hope today people fully realize its perversity. If not, we may expect drastic budget cuts both to your school and to advanced programs across the city.

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