Rick, yes there is more to the Garcia story that will come out. It still highlights the plight of many families that are trapped in failing schools and their only recourse is to try and find a way around the bureaucratic system of zip code education.

LOL!!! Trapped? Just move and pay taxes where you want to go to school!

Going for the straw man argument I see. LOL!!!

LOL!!!!

No Lennie. A legitimate question that you'll once again not answer. Push for charter and choice schools for everyone, but give the people some facts about their true effectiveness.

LOL!!! You should talk about grammar. LOL!!!

I didn't make this political. I simply would appreciate an honest answer from your husband.

What about the other points I brought up. That was not all I questioned.

And this is achieved by overcrowding certain schools and closing other schools down? How long do you think the overcrowded school will stay at the same level it was before these new students flood their hallways? You take what is already minimal funding away from public schools so unproven or simply bad charter schools can get the money instead? How nice that charter schools can find so many ways to not accept Special Education students, or if they're admitted, quickly expel them when something goes wrong. Charters and choice are an excellent way to kill public schools when used for that purpose. Some charters have done some great things- I know of one in particular in New York City that has been tremendous. But when profit is the bottom line for a majority of the charters, they lose much credibility. Lennie, your goal has been to kill public education. You can deny it all you want, but it is so. Does your Lake County tea party agree with the basic tenants of the national tea party? If so, you are against public education.

Laughable continuation of straw man arguments and falsehoods, yet you expect me to answer every single question you post so you can just make more personal attacks.

Never read the tenets of the national tea party. There are several national groups by the way, but I haven't read any of them. The genius and downfall of the tea party movement is that each group is autonomous. Each groups decides what issues to discuss and act upon. Overall the tea party stands for limited and efficient gov't. The acronym itself is Taxed Enough Already.

Also, I see you continue another perpetual lie about my plan destroying public education. No, I do not, I want to improve it and empowering parents with choice does that.

I just refuse to answer YOU because you don't want an honest discussion. All you want to do is attack. I've pointed out 2 of your continual lies in this thread alone.

Lack of history: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57547353/david-mcculloughs-heroes-of-history/?pageNum=3

Morley Safer: You, you, calling us historically illiterate.

David McCullough: Yes. I feel that very much so. I ran into some students on university campuses who were bright and attractive and likeable. And I was just stunned by how much they didn't know. One young woman at a university in the Midwest came up to me after one of my talks and said that until she heard me speak that morning she'd never understood that the original 13 colonies were all on the East Coast. And I thought, "What are we doing that's so wrong, so pathetic?" I tried it again at several other places, colleges and universities, same thing. Now, it's not their fault. It's our fault. And when I say our fault I don't mean just the teachers. I mean the parents and grandparents. We have to take part. The stories around the family dinner table. I say bring back dinner if you want to improve how children get to know history.

Morley Safer: But are the teachers themselves semi-illiterate in history?

David McCullough: Well we need to revamp, seriously revamp, the teaching of the teachers. I don't feel that any professional teacher should major in education. They should major in a subject, know something. The best teachers are those who have a gift and the energy and enthusiasm to convey their love for science or history or Shakespeare or whatever it is. "Show them what you love" is the old adage. And we've all had them, where they can change your life. They can electrify the morning when you come into the classroom.

He may be the president who governed during the Civil War, freeing the slaves, but under a new curriculum proposal for North Carolina high schools, U.S. history would begin years after President Lincoln, with the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1877.
State education leaders say this may help students learn about more recent history in greater depth.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584758,00.html#ixzz2Ju5JKeWe

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/01/30/19schippers.h32.html?tkn=TXXFwrD0faZFPa%2FPczgu6lA6IRkPHbNFa99l&cmp=clp-edweek

I tutor New York City students in a poor area of Brooklyn who, in spite of passing their other state-mandated regents' exams in core subjects, have repeatedly failed their history exams and, therefore, cannot receive a high school diploma.

What astonishes me about Tony, as it does about any of my students, is how little he knows about the world. The five or six blocks he travels between his home, school, and work circumscribe his entire life. At this point, there is no way Tony can pass his regents' exam unless I "teach to the test"; in other words, we work our way through old exams, one multiple-choice question after another.

When we first started to study together, Tony, like all my students, had no sense of U.S. presidents, the sequence of wars in which the United States has been involved, the U.S. Constitution and the structure of government, and the central issues over which our democracy has struggled since we separated from England more than two centuries ago.

He knew the name Abraham Lincoln, but drew a blank when I asked him which war Lincoln was associated with. He was unfamiliar with Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust. Segregation and civil rights were not concepts he could articulate. He goes to a segregated school in Brooklyn, which is all black and Latino. He doesn't question this because it's all he has ever known.

http://eagnews.org/portland-teacher-workshop-focuses-on-grooming-k-12-students-to-become-radical-activists/
Just take a look at the various workshops offered to teachers who participated in the conference in Portland.

One English literature workshop allowed teachers to learn how to focus “on the application of various critical theories (postcolonial, feminist, Marxist and gay/lesbian) to the Great Gatsby,” according to the Eagle Forum article.

“The course description adds that ‘those theories can be applied to any text and provide students more ways to connect with literature, read more deeply, and develop intellectual and political autonomy,’” the article said.

In other words, here’s how you can teach your students to read Huckleberry Finn from a Communist perspective.

Another workshop, titled “Coal, Climate and the World,” began with a quote from leftist scholar James Hansen, who said “Coal is the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet.”

Sounds like that workshop was a fair and balanced discussion on the pros and cons of the crucial energy produced through the coal burning process, doesn’t it?

There was also a workshop titled “Making a Mountain Out of a Molehill: Racial Micro-aggressions in Everyday Life.”

It was based on the work of Columbia professor Derald Wing Sue, who describes the “micro-aggressions” as the “brief and everyday slights, insults, indignities, and denigrating messages sent to people of color by well-intentioned white people who are unaware of the hidden messages being communicated.”

This appears to be a strategy to make black kids feel even more alienated and victimized, and force everyone to walk on egg shells for fear of saying anything that might offend someone. We agree. They’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

The most telling workshops were designed to help teachers devise strategies to convert their students into left-wing activists.

One such workshop was called “Rethinking Democracy and Organizing for Change.”

It provided participants with “hands-on, interactive training that is designed to equip youth with the self-confidence, knowledge and skills to understand how our democracy was hijacked, the authoritarian tendencies that obstruct democracy, the critical link between human rights and values that lie at the core of a real democracy, and how to design and implement effective action plans to build a movement and change the world.”

The presenter of this workshop, Riki Ott, is the co-founder of something called Ultimate Civics, which encourages students to “challenge corporate power and co-create the democracy we thought we had,” the Eagle Forum report said.

http://eagnews.org/indoctrination-101-ed-sec-arne-duncan-approves-of-schools-teaching-protesting-techniques-video-exclusive-part-3/

Arne Duncan: Thank you – that’s a great question. I think whether it’s, you know, children in elementary school, middle school, or high school, or college, getting our students engaged in the civic life of our country is hugely important. So getting young people engaged – protest being a part of it – by creating clubs, participating in service, giving back – not just being recipients of service but being the givers of service … The more our young people are actively engaged, I think the more we’re going to have a strong and vibrant democracy. And so, I think, having young people at the earliest ages doing things that are somehow non-traditional, I’m a big supporter of.

Has Duncan actually used students to protest? Why yes he has: http://educationmatters.us/2007/05/06/taxpayer-funded-rally-in-springfield/

http://eagnews.org/indoctrination-101-chicago-school-teaching-students-how-to-protest-exclusive-part-1/

Indoctrination 101: Chicago school teaching students how to protest (VIDEO Part 1) http://youtu.be/m5DBsVTQ7OI

http://marathonpundit.blogspot.com/2012/11/chicago-teachers-union-organizing.html

Chicago Teachers Union organizing indoctrination summit

http://education-curriculum-reform-government-schools.org/w/2012/11/out-of-the-closet-chicago-teachers-union-leader-speaks-at-marxist-conference/

Chicago Teachers Union Leader Speaks at Marxist Conference

http://eagnews.org/indoctrination-101-botched-gender-bender-day-leads-to-social-justice-week-video-exclusive-part-2/

When asked why Phillip Jackson, a community organizer with Black Star Project, was brought into the school to teach students how to protest, Moody replied:

“Everyday we’re dealing with teenagers who have all that teenage angst and I think it comes with the territory in working with teenagers where they like that – with that spark that they have – they want to fight the power. I recognize that and I also recognize that we sit in the position of power.

“The fortunate part of this situation is that we want to work with our students. …

“ … Our students, if they want something, need to learn how to advocate for themselves because non-violent protest training is at its roots advocacy for yourself and for your group. So I believe in teaching our teenagers – who are inherently going to protest something – to teach them how to do it so they can ultimately get what they want and need.”

As noted by Forethe Community, you have no original thoughts on these matters. You answer direct questions with a cut-and-paste frenzy displaying the opinions of others but you have nothing to say for yourself. Highlighting various problems and issues as noted by others is not the same as presenting your own opinions and information regarding the matter at hand. Direct questions, no answers. You're the one with the inability to have an open and honest debate. What do YOU mean? What are YOU saying? For all your posts, YOU have said nothing.

LOL @anonymous. These were direct answers of examples to Sully who asked for examples...

Lennie, it is obvious that you are talking to one in the same person here. "They" are trying to keep your attention here. Don't waste your time giving "them" the same information over and over again. It is a game. Most likely, "they" are trying to divert your attention. It doesn't matter what you say...

There we go...from the Queen of alias conversation. I believe YOU are the only one that was ever proven to do something that absurd...unless you were just falling on a sword for your husband!

YOU have plenty of aliases on here. No big surprise. Your posts always have that special identifiable... hatred about them.

I haven't had another alias since the really old referendum days, back when you posted as another alias. I learned my lesson, unlike you. So, the other four fingers point back to you, whoever you are calling yourself now.

I'm done amusing you.

I do find your "stand by your man" position admirable, and I'm glad you've learned your lesson; however, you'll have to own the multiple personality/alias thing...not me...

Lisa, don't you live in the same house as Lennie? You have to put your message for all to see? Gee, I see no motive in that. I must say, I'm impressed by the new posters (or old posters with different names- I don't really care which). Your husband is being called out by the very people he's trying to convince. Unfortunately for Lennie, he has nothing with which to convince and his charade is as transparent as a piece of new glass. His lack of true knowledge is coming out quite clearing. Funding is not the same as educating. Since Lennie won't answer this question, can you please explain what falsehoods are being taught by those darn progressive liberals? I'm very eager to hear.

Thanks for once again proving my point @Sully...

I provided the examples as asked for. Again, your disingenuousness of wanting an honest debate is showing.

I see your dishonesty knows no bounds. You just continue to make stuff up as usual.

You obviously didn't been reading the article if you think it is all about money. It was about parents and what they are willing to do to ensure their child has a quality education.

Second, I stick to providing links that do go to the original sources (TRS, ISBE, etc) for the most post because of all the vitriolic attacks on the Patch.

The links above were for Sully who asked for examples, which I provided. It's funny how when I provide an answer a question with the information as requested I get told that is wrong as well. In the past when I give my personal answers, that gets attacked as unsourced. It's laughable the responses here.

You stated, "The traffic to your websites is negligible." - Have you hacked my website or the sites above to see the analytics? Unless you have sad you are making false accusations. If you have then you have broken the law.

Also interesting that you want to limit the conversation to just curriculum when I have stated multiple times neither my plan or I will be dictating curriculum. The limiting of the discussion is just a tactic to draw attention away from the overarching issues.

I find the continue straw man arguments hilarious as well, when you and Sully continue to insinuate what I believe or claim.

When I am wrong I admit it and do not continue to repeat it. Yes I do call it a "conscious effort to deceive" when the correct information is pointed out, and yet many here continue to use the false statement never admitting they were wrong.

Lennie- do you not understand that curriculum is what drives the information being taught? Do you really think funding is more educational in nature than actual learning? There is a great big world out there and our students need to learn not just rote facts, but what is behind some of those facts. What were the causes of the civil war? What did the Holocaust do to the world besides killing countless number of people? In what way did the end of WW1 help lead the way to WW2? What have advances in technology allowed the human race to understand in regard to physics or astronomy? Why is it important to understand other cultures and religions? Funding issues have nothing to do with the art of learning. You waste our time complaining about how funding should be for the child. How about teaching? I think that's pretty important too. You criticize public schools and teachers as nauseum without anything constructive to offer. If you and Lisa want to remain bitter over some slight you perceive by D46, that's fine. Trying to tear down the whole system because of that is a bit overboard (and quite extreme). Why don't you work to build your bible-based homeschool culture rather than wasting the time of those who really do care about education?

Sir,
I've read all the articles you've posted and you've missed my point. I know it's hard to face the truth, but some introspect may help you. Others that post here may deal with you as they wish. I for one will not tolerate your misleading sarcasm and accusations.
http://grayslake.patch.com/articles/tentative-agreement-reached-in-d46-strike#comment_6127399
http://www.statsaholic.com/Championnews.net+Forourchildrensfuture.com+Educationmatters.us

LOL. The numbers from statsaholic are WAY off. lol...

LOL @Sully. I see you want to continue to obfuscate the issue and ignore the articles' premise about choice. I understand you want to make it about something else to suit your desires to attack me and stop others from commenting or getting information from all sides of an open debate.

Judge: the defendant is charged with spitting on the sidewalk, destruction of property and murder. How do you plead?
Defendant: LOL!!! I spit in the street! LOL!!!
Judge: does the defense have any evidence to present?
Defendant: LOL!!! None your honor! LOL!!!

Nicely written and very astute. Also open and honest. Thanks for the post.

If you actually took the time to read more of my postings you would see I do link and reference many studies. It is imperative that I do that, since I would be berated if I did not. It is obvious it doesn't really matter if I do so or not, since people like you will just claim different and attack me. It's hilarious actually that I can even review and post information from very liberal sources at times and yet I still get berated and the false accusation made that I only look at right wing material.

I also find it very interesting how empowering parents is now considered a "radical" solution.

Nice try...think you got served...

Sir,
Parents are empowered in the public system. Unfortunately, most are not capable or do not choose to get involved. A teacher can only "teach" so much. There needs to be support at home.

That has too be one of the funniest statements I have seen in a long time.

BTW, empowering parents with the ability to choose a school increases parental involvement.

For Pete's sake, Bullies never grow up. This is really beyond childish, but that is your goal, isn't it...

LMJ & Mr Jarratt

Really now; who's the bully?

Oops. Almost forgot.
...

Do you think they got that? I'm going to guess no.

Anonymous, people have been saying that for over 8 years now and I'm still here exposing the truth.

"Exposing the truth"... while leaving out relevant facts that don't serve your narrative.
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/01/school_choice_vs_reality/
http://www.salon.com/2011/01/25/lind_myth_china/
I realize this information doesn't fit your concept of how the world works, but it would do you some good to perhaps consider that the views, opinions and facts provided by people other than yourself might actually be valid.

Lennie, parents don't always know what they want other than for their kids to get educated. What kind of choice are you alluding to? Are you aware that when parents are surveyed, they may be unhappy in general,, but tend to be very happy with their own school? I'm not just referring to D46- it's more widespread than that.

Thanks Sully for proving my entire argument and dispelling the untruth you continue to perpetuate about destroying public education. If parents are happy with their school they will stay, if not they would get to choose.

You aren't seriously comparing your efforts to that of Harriet Tubman are you? If so, you are more arrogant than I thought possible. Disgraceful.

As the article points out (and there are many more like it) where parents do not have the resources you do. ALL children deserve access to a quality education, not just the rich or well off who can afford to move where ever they want.

Lennie, are you really that naive or do you just like to hear yourself talk? And again, you fail to give any substantial answer to the question of what is a quality education? If it gets you into college and you get a job afterward? Is that all you've got?

Just pointing out the elitist mentality of those that just say move. I prefer to care about the poor and underprivileged to help fight for their right to access to a quality education.

Korrina
Nobody is attacking. Just read any of his threads. He baits your audience.

Terri, baiting as he does is a defense mechanism he uses when having no legitimate answer. He brushes the challenges under the rug and expects people not to notice.

I'm eager to see his and Lisa's responses to these posts.

Thank you, Korrina. I have a question. What are the posting rules for multiple (and I do mean MULTIPLE) aliases with the same IP, or the same email address? Does the Patch have something in place/rule for that?

In other words, can someone post as multiple people with one legitimate email address or do they have to have one user per email address, AND do you check for valid email addresses? Depending on that answer, do you ever check IP addresses from aliases that you suspect might be abusing that?

Thanks, Korrina
Also curious if you screen for paranoid schizophrenics with a history of alias abuse...

Sully's: Attack Lennie, Attack Lennie, make stuff up. Attack some more. That didn't work so now I can bring his kids into the argument and attack some more.

Patch: Please stop the personal attacks.

Sully: I'll stop but I have the right to hold Lennie accountable for the stuff I make up about him. I also have the right to hold Lennie accountable for stuff someone across the country says too.

What?

Oh, I get it now. Lennie doesn't understand the difference between paraphrasing and lying. If we don't repeat his words verbatim, we're lying. How did I not see that before? Ok, you said this-
"Sully's: Attack Lennie, Attack Lennie, make stuff up. Attack some more. That didn't work so now I can bring his kids into the argument and attack some more.", but I used the words "That didn't work so I brought in your kids? Really?" questioning your comment. Then you responded with, "Making stuff up again I see. I stated "bring his kids into the argument", you lie again and stated I said ATTACKING." I'm sorry Lennie, but WTF? Perhaps you don't fully understand the definition of "lying"or "lies".

Making stuff up again I see. I've already pointed out your perpetual lies earlier in this thread.

I stated "bring his kids into the argument", you lie again and stated I said ATTACKING.

What are you talking about Lennie? Your dazed and confused answers have no relevance. You haven't pointed out any lies. Are you so paranoid as to see everything as an attack? I'm sorry, somehow I actually overestimated you. You're just like Sarah Palin, playing the victim while not proving one single thing. You even see C-Dub's response to you as an attack and present, as usual, a defensive posture. Have you thought about seeing a mental health professional? Perpetually playing the victim is not healthy or adaptive. Seeing attacks on yourself by anyone who disagrees with you is not a good thing.

LOL, again, I will not be forcing anyone to change schools. The PARENT gets to choose. Interesting that you continue to change the argument instead of discussing the actual point of whether parents should have the freedom to choose their child's school.

That is your intelligent response? Face it Lennie, you know nothing about what you claim expertise in. It's really not very hard to see that. Just a joke with a big mouth seeking attention. Good luck to you Len. I expect you'll be in relative obscurity sooner rather than later. Something else you have in common with Palin.

I see you posted here instead of up in the actual thread. I stated, "Just pointing out the elitist mentality of those that just say move." Notice the word THOSE, it does not say C-Dub.

You may also want to read the article and the examples provided. One was for safety. Yes, school choice actually can save lives.

That's what they said about a lobotomy...

Good luck on your crusade. I do think the "open borders" approach you seem to espouse would be a hard sell here in D46, particularly to your usual constituency. It's noteworthy that one of the few posters who actually commented on the article itself, i.e. "Rick," appears to be a disgruntled taxpayer from the Philadelphia area district where the Garcia story unfolded. I suspect you'd get a lot of similar responses if it happened here, especially since our property tax burden seems to be considerably heavier than Lower Moreland's.

Such a patriot, Lennie. A true American. Defender of all who have been abused by the educational system of our great country! Almost brought a tear to my eye. You've learned the play book well. Attack your opponents for doing exactly what you're doing so that you can avoid being held accountable for your own behavior. Still waiting for an intelligent response stating what you think a quality education entails. Leave out the platitudes about unions, okay?

Founded in 2003 by Faye Brown, a 55-year-old retired public school teacher, Capers is one of a handful of “independent schools” that serve the state’s rural poor. It operates out of rented office space, has a total of 42 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and makes do on an annual budget of about $160,000 a year. Nearly all of its equipment–desks, books and the eight iMacs in its computer lab–were donated to the school.
The teachers who aren’t volunteers make $8 an hour with no fringe benefits. Many of the kids show up without lunch. Often parents fail to make their monthly tuition bills. Only five students at the school come from two-parent homes, and most of the students are African-American. Each year, Ms. Brown is forced to dip into her retirement account to keep the school running. “It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul,” she told me. “I’ll let the power bill go until they’re about to shut off the lights and then I’m rushing down there with the money.”
One place Capers isn’t skimping, however, is academics. The school places a heavy emphasis on reading, writing and math. As a result the school’s average SAT score, 1150, is 164 points above the state average, and this year the school expects every one of its graduates to go on to college. St. Johns High School, the public school these students would be attending if not for Capers, has an average SAT score of 788.

South Carolina students are, on average, dead last in SAT scores, trail the nation in graduation rates and turn in abysmal scores on proficiency tests in core subjects. There are an estimated 200,000 students across South Carolina who are poor and stuck in failing public schools.

It appears it is being handled by the Sun times. Did Lisa Madigan make a comment yet? When are you going to come to a board meeting and speak up about the problems in D46 and help clan them up?

Just so disappointed, Lennie. Every child has the right to a quality education, and you're the only one who can straighten these things out. The people need a watchdog such as yourself to make sure our taxes aren't being misused. Here is a clear case, but you don't deem it important enough to do something about it. Think about how much fun you could have FOIAing everything from this place. This should be your dream in fighting for the " little man". I'm just in shock that you're not all over this. I also looked for your name regarding the West Chicago teacher's strike. They could really use your skill out there in Dupage County.

Just hilarious. The examples I provided are reasons for giving parents choice. It isn't a generalization. I didn't generalize all schools as bad.

Your tea party comments are totally different. You are attempting to hold me accountable for what someone else says. It would be the same as me holding you accountable for what Terri, Carl, John S, Ellen Correll, or President Obama says.

Hilarious? Don't you mean LOL!!!