illusionsssss's Blog

I just have a quick question after a comment on my previous blog.......

Do you think DISD schools NEED nurses, counselors,  librarians, and specialty teachers, OR should DISD stick with just core subject teachers and let PARENTS provide all the OTHER services for their kids.

If you think PARENTS should be responsible, HOW does one guarantee that parents are taking their kids in for hearing, vision, ADHD, special counseling, and library services.

The following is an excerpt from my previous blog (FROM me):

 (Nurses also make sure that ALL students have up to date immunizations.............a requirement for ALL students)

From what I have seen in my short time at DISD, parents send their kids to school with infected cuts, fevers >102, contagious rashes, impetigo, ringworm, vomiting, and diarrhea. They give them tylenol (maybe) in the morning "JUST SO THEY HAVE DAYCARE" for the kid. I have to threaten CPS involvement VERY often. They send asthmatic kids to school with NO MEDICATION and without informing me the kid even has asthma. This makes me have to call 911, because inevitably, the parents phones have been disconnected and are not in service any longer, and I have no contact information.

I agree that if PARENTS possibly COULD be responsible, they wouldn't need nurses or counselors.

So what do we do to make parents responsible? Let 50 kids die of infection/asthma/strep throat/fever PER school?

I have no clue...you people tell me if nurses or counselors are needed at DISD schools.   I am undecided at this point.

Please give your reasoning in your answer. Thanks.

DISD gave out an offer for contract employees to resign and get paid through January 15th.  Unfortunately, they made the offer to all employees, NOT just teachers.

SO.............the counselors and nurses resign and get paid through January 15th, while obtaining another job that pays...say $5000.00 a month. (Counseling and Nursing jobs are readily available, unlike teachers jobs 6 weeks into the school year) Hmmmm...... I (personally) can't say I blame them!! That's enticing!

Yes, it cuts the deficit. But what will schools do that DO NOT have a counselor, or a nurse??

Will OTHER counselors and nurses need to cover yet MORE schools? THAT would result in decreased quality of care of ALL students.  I am satisfied where I am now, but if I am given 2000 more students to be resposible for, hell no. Show me the door, I am not here for the "big bucks". 

Then again, one has to wonder how many students DISD will really have after this "mess".................

Thoughts?

The Dallas school board on Thursday night authorized Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to lay off nearly 1,100 employees, including about 550 teachers.

For everyone else, all bets are off, particularly uncertified teachers in easy-to-hire subjects like social studies or English.

On tap next week: a crucial Austin meeting where district administrators will try to sell the deficit-reduction plan to state officials, who have threatened to send a conservator if the district fails to balance its budget.

The first hurdle teachers have to clear in order to keep their job: certification.

Teachers "who have not completed their Texas certification requirements will be considered the first to be released," according to the plan given to trustees Thursday night.

About 1,000 DISD teachers don't have a state teaching certificate. Most were hired through the district's "alternative certification" program, an avenue for mid-career professionals to enter teaching without going back to college.

But due to teacher shortages, many of those so-called "alt cert" educators are in the high need areas of math and science, which will afford them some protection from layoffs.

"The last hired 'alt certs' will probably be the first go – unless they teach in a high need" subject, said Rena Honea, a spokeswoman for the teachers' group Alliance-AFT.

The second hurdle teachers must clear to keep their jobs: Good job evaluations. This is the first criterion for nonteachers.

Those with "unsatisfactory" or "below expectations" ratings in recent years will be released. Second on the list will be those with some aspects of their most-recent evaluation marked "unsatisfactory" or "below expectations."

If any teachers are "tied" after assessing their certifications and job performance, the district will use seniority – defined as continuous district employment – to determine who keeps their job.

If it all sounds complicated, it is, said Dale Kaiser, president of the teacher group NEA-Dallas.

In deciding which jobs to cut and where, Dallas ISD checked the number of people working in schools against staffing formulas based on enrollments. That turned up almost 900 positions at schools where enrollments were too small to justify the positions:

406.3 – Core-subject teachers

104 – Teaching assistants

81.5 – Teachers whose subjects aren't part of the core curriculum

75.5 – School clerks

71 – Special education teachers

59 – Special education teaching assistants

50 – Campus administrators

33 – Counselors

8 – Data clerks

6.5 – Media specialists

894.8 – Total

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestn
ews/stories/100408dnmetdisdtarget.1be0b7f.html

Today the DISD board met, greeted by hundreds of teachers opposing the Reduction in Force of DISD staff. 

The teachers chanted the words "Hinojosa, Hinojosa, Hey Hey, Goodbye"  while the board members met. They carried signs, such as "Road to BROKE" (Versus Road to "Broad", which is Hinojosa's "infamous" desire to be the "best urban school district in the USA "by 2010), as well as signs asking about integrity and justice.

The teacher's children carried signs such as "Will we have Christmas this year?"

In "this end" (I am sure there are alot more "ends" to come), the Board decided to eliminate 650 contract positions, 550 which are teachers. 

Thankfully, it appears they will pay the teachers through January 15th (the end of the semester), and will offer early retirement packages to qualified teachers. 

The TEA also wants to make sure the RIF's are done PER POLICY, and district wide, as opposed to "by campus". 

I saw a news story about someone in central personnel, who was employed by DISD for 12 years as an administrative assistant, who lost her job on Monday.  Let me ask this:  There are MANY administrative assistants in DISD. Some were recently hired. Now, if DISD was being "FAIR" about this, wouldn't they RIF the newly hired administrative assistant and give the 12 year veteran admin assist an opportunity to take the "other" admin assistant job?  Clearly (to me), DISD is NOT following policy or protocol in layoffs.

I think it will come back to haunt them, however.

Dr. Mike needs to apologize, step down, and move to Zimbabwe.

It may be decided Thursday, October 2nd, WHO STAYS and WHO GOES in DISD. 

Many of you may know that DISD is undergoing fingerprinting for background checks. This means that (eventually) ALL DISD EMPLOYEES will be fingerprinted and have background checks performed. What you may NOT know, is that it is anticipated that approximately 10% of DISD employees are expected to FAIL the fingerprint/background check, and be terminated.

My question is, WHY can't the FINGERPRINTS be done in a SPEEDY/TIMELY manner, so we know WHO will be terminated, and thereby ELIMINATE those staff, BEFORE doing a Reduction In Force!!

It makes no sense to me, to "lay off" qualified people, when in 6 months we may have 10% of the DISD disqualified due to background checks (Resulting from the mandatory fingerprinting).

Is DISD going to LAY OFF 10% of people now, and then have to rehire 10% in 6 months after the fingerprint results are back?  Does this seem rather BACKasswards?

-Just Sayin'

I confess I have written a few blogs about the DISD financial crisis, and commented on others written by Lee, TB, and others. 

Today "Dr. Mike" (Hinojosa) had a meeting with businesses.  Yes, it's an annual thing, usually done to "brag" about the accomplishments of the DISD UNDER Mr. Hinojosa.  This is a sponsored event, I believe, so no DISD dollars were used to pay for the hotel, meal, etc.

From what I have heard (Fox 4 news), Hinojosa apologized profusely about the deficit. He declares it is HIS mistake, and HE will NOT resign, he will FIX it.  He will "fix" it by firing 650 teachers and 100 office staff, last I heard. What an effing "fix".

Will he "fix", then, the teachers that are affected that lose their homes, and have to file bankruptcy?  Will he "fix" the children who will have to be in classes with more children?

Will he "fix" the parents who have lost trust in the DISD?

Here's MY perspective:

I, as a nurse, have Dr. orders to give Vicodin (1 to 2 tablets) every 6 hours as needed for pain.  Instead, I ACCIDENTALLY don't read the directions, and give 20 or 200 Vicoden.  Person dies, and I am so sorry I made this mistake!! BUT, it was a mistake, an OVER-SIGHT!! Let me make it up to you by offering free medical advice for the next 12 months, but please let me keep my job!!!!

I am a surgeon.  I was to amputate the left leg, but amputated the right.  I am sorry!!! It was an OVER-SIGHT! I'll give you a free prosthesis for my mistake!!

I work for AIG, I am in top management.  We need a bailout, and I sure hope we get it, because I am going to retire with my "severence package" and let "those people" figure a way to get the money back.  "See ya in Tahiti at the annual Banana Festival"!!

IMO, what's good for the goose, is good for the gander.  Treat the DISD MANAGEMENT eff-up like you would treat ANY OTHER entity that effed up!  FIRE THEM (TOP administration)!

Don't mess with the children and teachers who are the ones on the "front lines" and the ones who are doing their jobs in this war!

The 64 million dollar mistake is now up to 84 million, due to recent raises.

DISD has declared a financial state of emergency. But they "say" they will keep the class sizes limited to 22 for grades 1-4.

So if you have 70 kids in 1st grade, what do you do? That means 4 separate classes-- with 17.5 students per class.

If you take it down to 3 classes, it's 23.333 students per class. Are they going to PAY an extra teacher for 1.333 kids? NO, they will "waiver" them in!

How about a grade level with 78 students.  That means 4 classes of 19.5 students, or 3 classes of 26 students.

I'll bet my last beer that DISD will NOT limit the number of students in a classroom to 22.  (Wanna bet?) That's just a ploy to keep the parents happy. The parents don't WANT their kids in classrooms with more than 22 kids to one teacher! I don't blame them!!

On a side note, Hinojosa gave up 5% of his salary (his salary is around $334,000). I BET he'd rather give up 5% than 100%!!! (5% ended up being somewhere around $16,000.00 per year)

Since I have started with the Dallas ISD, all I have heard about is the Dallas Achieves! and "Road to Broad" via speeches and memos.  It's a CONSTANT theme in the DISD. You will want to go to the www.dallasisd.org  website to check out all the information, but here are a few excerpts:

--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------

Dallas ISD has a 64 million dollar deficit that was recently discovered.  Whose fault it is, no-one is sure of yet.

The DISD has announced there will be layoffs/RIF's (reduction in force) forthcoming in the next 2 weeks.

Classrooms will now have to ask for a waiver to allow more than the state mandated 22 children per classroom, as teachers will be laid off indefinately.

Staff will be informed as to their status this week or next......

What *I* want to know is, HOW is Dallas supposed to promote education, and make students "college and workforce ready" (their theme) by INCREASING the number of students per teacher?? 

WHO did this? WHO went 64 MILLION above budget? HOW??

And now look at who is going to have to  pay for it.........THE CHILDREN, the FAMILIES, and the STAFF in the DISD.

pathetic.

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/2008/ike/inde
x.shtm

Check out the site for information on who you can call, and what kinds of assistance may be available

. After Ike: Federal Support For Essential Missions Continues

The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating the joint efforts of federal, tribal, state and local partners as they work to help those hurt or put at risk by the passage of Hurricane Ike.  President George W. Bush declared major disasters in Texas and Louisiana, making available federal funds to assist individuals and communities in their recovery.
(Read More)

Related Press Releases

• After Ike: Federal Support For Essential Missions Continues - Sept. 14
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• Federal Aid Programs For Texas Disaster Recovery - Sept. 13
• President Declares Major Disaster For Texas - Sept. 13
• More Press Releases  |  Ike Media Resources  | Ike Multimedia   

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I use paypal alot........to pay for auctions or other online payments. It has been quite secure since I have used it (like 7 years), with a few exceptions. 

Then I received this email: 

After seeing the prices that oil was headed, and seeing the government being able to increase credit card interest rates, I decided to consolidate my credit cards.

I don't have the final results yet, but I DO know this. 

I had 4 major credit cards. ONE was MERRICK bank.  EVEN though I had payed ON TIME, with NO LATE FEES,  for 5 years, they chose to raise my interest rate to nearly 30%.  When I got my loan and called them to cancel my acct., there were NO QUESTIONS ASKED.  They were "fine" with me cancelling.  It was really no biggie to me....either.  I don't NEED fools like that.

BEFORE I cancelled with Merrick, I called Capital One.  I had two credit card accounts with them.  THOSE rates were at like 14.99 %, but on one I did have a service fee of $29.00 a year.  When I called them, they asked me WHY I was paying it off and cancelling, offered me 0% financing, and NO service fee (new card).  I asked for a new card with no fees, and cancelled the old cards.  They were HAPPY to do this........and RAISE my credit limit! (Go figure)

To those of you that have credit cards (and especially those with good credit or who have been paying on time for a long time), I encourage you to call your credit card company and renegotiate.  MOST credit card companies WANT your business (especially in THIS day and age!!)...

If you bank at Merrick, close your account, and eff em!

Just my thoughts.

~ills

Some things really irritate me. And some things bother me just a little, and some none at all.

At the moment, this rant is on Ebay auctions.  I am a buyer and a seller.  I usually start my auctions out at $9.99 and NO RESERVE.  Reserve prices irritate the living chit out of me.  So do "shipping prices" that are outrageous. 

Ebayers, if you want a certain price for your damn auction, then start it OUT at that price. DON'T put a reserve on it, as most serious ebayers HATE reserves, and WILL NOT BID. THIS IS A FRIGGIN AUCTION SITE, NOT an ANTIQUE STORE!!!

So you have an item started out at $1.99, it's a minature dollhouse mirror, and you want $24.99 for shipping and handling?

I am not sure what you THINK you are handling, but I assume at this point you think it's your genitals.  Keep dreaming. Buyers will not pay for your fantasies.

Read the fine print, ebayers and auction participants, BEFORE you commit to a "deal".

I've been on both sides, but never screwed anyone out of shipping/handling charges. (I have a 100% ebay rating, in case anyone wondered.)

I had jury duty on Tuesday, my first time in Dallas.  Well, I was supposed to go in June but told them I would be out of state until August.  Hence, I got a postcard scheduling me for September 2nd (they give you alot of time I see).

So, I informed my job, and did a practice run to the Frank Crowley Courthouse on Monday.  3 turns..not too bad.  Of course I STILL left 45 minutes ahead of schedule, to make sure.  Heaven forbid I get arrested for whatever it is you get arrested for if you don't show up!

I arrived, not knowing what to expect.  I am there at 7:50 AM for my scheduled "8:30 AM" time.  Well, first I walked in the wrong building and then had to try to cross Industrial Boulevard in rush hour. Thankfully I wore red and the people thought I was a traffic light, or the Devil!

I got to the right place, had my paperwork completed, and walked into the central jury room.  I got a seat behind a wall so I would be "sure" to see the movie they showed us....at 9:30 AM. NOT.  Couldn't see a damn thing, but I "listened", yep.  Then we sat there.  And sat there.  And sat there.

FINALLY at around 10:30 AM, someone came out and told us where to go next..such as number 1 to 300 to go to 7th floor, room 12, 301-600 to go to 6th floor room 8, etc.

We get there, and it's more waiting.  They have to go through our "juror cards" and assign us numbers.  30 minutes later, and we are called in the court room.  There are nearly 70 of us.  They need a jury of *12*. (sigh)

I am juror 37.  So..we go in and have to fill out a questionairre.............

"What is the first thing you think of with the word "Police"?

"What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word prosecutor?"  etc.

"Do you consider yourself a Liberal, a conservative, very conservative, very liberal, or something in between?"

Anyway, after that, 5 people were immediately kicked out. We are now down to about 64 people.  Then the prosecutor and the defense get to ask questions of the jurors.............

They ask the first two rows ALOT of questions, as jury rules are that the FIRST 12 people in the jury pool that the two sides and the judge agrees on will be the ones chosen for that trial.  So, the higher your number, the less-likely to be on the jury.

We did get to know what the case was "sort of" about. This case involved a Mexican woman alleged to have had *50 to 2000* (YES, you saw that correctly, 50 to 2 THOUSAND) pounds of pot in her possesion.  The defendent's attorney asked if it made a difference to jurors if she was legal or illegal as to their decision on the case.........(I SO SO SO wanted that question!!)  (In case you wondered, I was planning to say it did not make a difference in this case whether she was illegal or legal as to whether she was guilty or innocent of THIS crime, but she sure as HELL better be arrested for her illegal status as a SEPARATE incident!)

I DID get asked 2 questions by the defense attorney.  He asked me if 50 to 2000 lbs. of pot was found in a teachers room at my school, what else I would "need to know" re: the case. 

I said I would need to know the time frame, and who had access, how it was bagged/packaged, etc.

I forget what the other question was, lol.

At 4:10 PM I was dismissed, along with the other 50+ jurors not picked. 

I can say, I learned alot about the jury process here, how it works, where to go, and what not to say!!!

It was fun, (maybe since I get paid anyway).............

Til next time!!!

~ill

I commented on a blog yesterday about the "floozie" Palin's daughter.  That blog is down now.

MY question is, WHY is it that you can't have comments "on approval" (which I don't like either), but still just take down a blog when people disagree?  I guess I just don't GET what makes one so wrong, and the other so acceptable.

Fill me in.................