'
How the Middletown BOE is Slighting the Middle Class'
Every time I turn on the news, and admittedly, I watch way too much news lately, I am confronted with this New Reality we live in politically. Growing up, politicians fought hard to be seen as centerists. Compromise was an essential skill required to be a successful politician. Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr., even Obama was far more middle of the road than the left would have liked. I heave spent entirely too much time and energy asking myself how we got here...this land of extreme ideology. Whether you are Republican, Democrat or Independent, I think we can agree that Trump is an extreme. Bernie Sanders is an extreme... Both sides seem very adverse to meeting in the middle.
Now I know there are thousands of reasons why this happened, all valid in there own way...Money, Corporate Greed, Wars, Inequities, Economic downfalls, the mortgage crisis, etc. Today, I offer one common denominator I see in all of them...The Middle Class feels slighted, undervalued, unheard and overlooked by politicians and corporations alike. It may feel political, but for me it isn't at all. This isn't about Republican or Democrat. It's about basic fairness...Right and Wrong.
You see we don't get extreme ideology overnight. It's done slowly. Thousands of tiny little slights here and there that all add up to the Middle Class feeling unheard and disregarded for some bigger purpose we are all just to uninformed or uneducated to understand.
Please know I do not leave this at the doorstep of our Board of Education. And as I've said before, I don't believe in my heart, this is purposeful. I think they really believe their decisions are for the best. But I think when it comes to Advanced Placement Exams, they are wrong and this 'compromise' they've doled out is one of those Middle Class slights. And honestly, I'm sick of them and I think Middletown can and should do better for our students and taxpayers.....
For background, please consider reading my blog 'Middletown Ranked #1 in County for Cleanest Sholaces.
In a nutshell, Advanced Placement Classes historically gave students the option of taking the AP test at the end of the semester. This year, the district has decided to make the test mandatory. I have several objections to this, as outlined in my blog #4 referenced above. But for this piece I am focusing solely on cost and class rank. Please read letter in photo below that was sent to parents of 8th graders and high school students with the new requirements.
Advanced Placement tests are approximately $90 per test. And next year 11th and 12th graders will get the privilege of continuing to follow the district standard as it has always been. They will have an option to take the test...or not and receive the 1.3 Additional ranking weight towards their GPA. Great! Happy to hear it....and yet...
If you have a 9th or 10th grader, the policy is enacted and you will be required to pay $90 per exam to receive the full class rank weight. Otherwise, you can only receive 1.2 additional ranking for taking and passing the same exact class, solely because you didn't pay the money to take the test. This will then be the new district policy going forward. And here's why I think this is a huge mistake and quite honestly screws the Middle Class.
The most common argument I hear from people is that many colleges don't ask for or acknowledge class ranking anymore. It's true, it's not the priority it once was, but it doesn't mean it isn't important and there are just as many colleges that utilize it as don't...but class ranking is used for more than that...It's got a very real financial value and you might not even know it. When I was on the BOE , I had the honor and privilege of being on the High School South Scholarship Committee. The district dispersed dozens and dozens of scholarships based on applications submitted by seniors. Who can apply for this money, you may ask? Well, it may have changed, but as I recall, it was the top 15% of students based on....guess what? Class Rank...and let me tell you the difference between #13 and #16 was often a tenth of a percentage point. So I assure you, to those who want to be eleigible for some scholarships, Rank Matters.
And now to money...Advanced Placement tests cost $90 per test and I assure you, most kids who take one are offered three or four. My daughter, for example is taking 2 next year and some kids take far more. So for most of us $300 or $400 is a lot of money. Maybe even prices us out of taking more tests. and so for doing the same work and taking the same class as others, our children will get less class rank weight and potentially less scholarship opportunities than kids who can afford to take the test. Seriously? How can the district get away with literally selling higher class ranking? By screwing the Middle Class That's how.
Waivers....You see if you have significate financial issues, you may qualify for waivers to reduce or eliminate he fees. That's great! I applaud that! All you have to do is reach out to guidance and they will help you. And let me tell you, we have some amazing guidance counselors.
So if you are wealthy enough..higher class rank. If you are hurting enough...higher class rank.
Now, if you are middle of the road, or don't have any interest in sharing your financial difficulties with a stranger, or you don't want your child to know that dad got laid off or mommy's illness prices us out of AP classes, well ….so sorry less class rank for you....
Please tell me I am not the only one who is pissed off by this! It's these little slights that divide us, that feed in to the idea that the Middle Class doesn't count. or that we should have to sacrifice privacy or dignity to afford our kids the same opportunities as others....In a public freakin school! I accept the extra costs for sports or clubs or extras, but this is academics for Christ's sake!
And to what end? Better standing with College Boards? or some stupid state list of who takes the most AP tests? I know we as a district can't afford to pay for them all like Hazlet does, but why do we have to change a policy that was working? and change it to hurt hard working, Middle-class families? I just don't get it....Maybe I am just too uninformed or dumb to see the bigger picture here....
Please consider writing Dr. George and expressing your opinion on this issue....
georgew@middletownk12.org
please share and help Keep Middletown Infrormed
How the Middletown BOE is Slighting the Middle Class'
Every time I turn on the news, and admittedly, I watch way too much news lately, I am confronted with this New Reality we live in politically. Growing up, politicians fought hard to be seen as centerists. Compromise was an essential skill required to be a successful politician. Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr., even Obama was far more middle of the road than the left would have liked. I heave spent entirely too much time and energy asking myself how we got here...this land of extreme ideology. Whether you are Republican, Democrat or Independent, I think we can agree that Trump is an extreme. Bernie Sanders is an extreme... Both sides seem very adverse to meeting in the middle.
Now I know there are thousands of reasons why this happened, all valid in there own way...Money, Corporate Greed, Wars, Inequities, Economic downfalls, the mortgage crisis, etc. Today, I offer one common denominator I see in all of them...The Middle Class feels slighted, undervalued, unheard and overlooked by politicians and corporations alike. It may feel political, but for me it isn't at all. This isn't about Republican or Democrat. It's about basic fairness...Right and Wrong.
You see we don't get extreme ideology overnight. It's done slowly. Thousands of tiny little slights here and there that all add up to the Middle Class feeling unheard and disregarded for some bigger purpose we are all just to uninformed or uneducated to understand.
Please know I do not leave this at the doorstep of our Board of Education. And as I've said before, I don't believe in my heart, this is purposeful. I think they really believe their decisions are for the best. But I think when it comes to Advanced Placement Exams, they are wrong and this 'compromise' they've doled out is one of those Middle Class slights. And honestly, I'm sick of them and I think Middletown can and should do better for our students and taxpayers.....
For background, please consider reading my blog 'Middletown Ranked #1 in County for Cleanest Sholaces.
In a nutshell, Advanced Placement Classes historically gave students the option of taking the AP test at the end of the semester. This year, the district has decided to make the test mandatory. I have several objections to this, as outlined in my blog #4 referenced above. But for this piece I am focusing solely on cost and class rank. Please read letter in photo below that was sent to parents of 8th graders and high school students with the new requirements.
Advanced Placement tests are approximately $90 per test. And next year 11th and 12th graders will get the privilege of continuing to follow the district standard as it has always been. They will have an option to take the test...or not and receive the 1.3 Additional ranking weight towards their GPA. Great! Happy to hear it....and yet...
If you have a 9th or 10th grader, the policy is enacted and you will be required to pay $90 per exam to receive the full class rank weight. Otherwise, you can only receive 1.2 additional ranking for taking and passing the same exact class, solely because you didn't pay the money to take the test. This will then be the new district policy going forward. And here's why I think this is a huge mistake and quite honestly screws the Middle Class.
The most common argument I hear from people is that many colleges don't ask for or acknowledge class ranking anymore. It's true, it's not the priority it once was, but it doesn't mean it isn't important and there are just as many colleges that utilize it as don't...but class ranking is used for more than that...It's got a very real financial value and you might not even know it. When I was on the BOE , I had the honor and privilege of being on the High School South Scholarship Committee. The district dispersed dozens and dozens of scholarships based on applications submitted by seniors. Who can apply for this money, you may ask? Well, it may have changed, but as I recall, it was the top 15% of students based on....guess what? Class Rank...and let me tell you the difference between #13 and #16 was often a tenth of a percentage point. So I assure you, to those who want to be eleigible for some scholarships, Rank Matters.
And now to money...Advanced Placement tests cost $90 per test and I assure you, most kids who take one are offered three or four. My daughter, for example is taking 2 next year and some kids take far more. So for most of us $300 or $400 is a lot of money. Maybe even prices us out of taking more tests. and so for doing the same work and taking the same class as others, our children will get less class rank weight and potentially less scholarship opportunities than kids who can afford to take the test. Seriously? How can the district get away with literally selling higher class ranking? By screwing the Middle Class That's how.
Waivers....You see if you have significate financial issues, you may qualify for waivers to reduce or eliminate he fees. That's great! I applaud that! All you have to do is reach out to guidance and they will help you. And let me tell you, we have some amazing guidance counselors.
So if you are wealthy enough..higher class rank. If you are hurting enough...higher class rank.
Now, if you are middle of the road, or don't have any interest in sharing your financial difficulties with a stranger, or you don't want your child to know that dad got laid off or mommy's illness prices us out of AP classes, well ….so sorry less class rank for you....
Please tell me I am not the only one who is pissed off by this! It's these little slights that divide us, that feed in to the idea that the Middle Class doesn't count. or that we should have to sacrifice privacy or dignity to afford our kids the same opportunities as others....In a public freakin school! I accept the extra costs for sports or clubs or extras, but this is academics for Christ's sake!
And to what end? Better standing with College Boards? or some stupid state list of who takes the most AP tests? I know we as a district can't afford to pay for them all like Hazlet does, but why do we have to change a policy that was working? and change it to hurt hard working, Middle-class families? I just don't get it....Maybe I am just too uninformed or dumb to see the bigger picture here....
Please consider writing Dr. George and expressing your opinion on this issue....
georgew@middletownk12.org
please share and help Keep Middletown Infrormed
Comments
Post a Comment