Entries Tagged 'Education' ↓

It’s time to say it with your vote. You’ve had enough.

It’s time for you to speak loud and clear and express through your ballot that you’re not happy with the status quo. You aren’t happy with the direction that the district, the state and the country have gone over the last few years.

You’ve had enough with the rising costs of living and stagnant pay. You’ve seen your homeowners insurance premiums go through the roof or worse — you’ve been downright dropped by your insurance provider. You’ve had enough with your property taxes increasing, and utility companies getting permission to do what they please and charge you any sum they see fit while they boast record profits.

You’ve had enough with Florida’s failing school system and officials so out-of-touch they can’t even see a problem. Florida being a leader in student drop-out rates is not something to look fondly upon. Florida schools being held hostage to the FCAT instead of teaching a curriculum isn’t something you’re happy about either. Teachers and students are frustrated and that affects the future of Florida.

Most of all, you’ve had enough with elected officials who know nothing of the plight you’re dealing with. You’ve had enough with disconnect between Tallahassee and you – the person your elected official is supposed to represent.

Today, you have the option to vote for a man who has been an asset to the community for over 20 years — a neighbor, a friend, a teacher, a local business owner, a man with ideals and a vision to improve our district and our state. A fellow who shares your disgust for the direction the government at all levels has taken. You have a chance to vote for change, for honesty and sincerity, for civic pride and for service.

Government is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people… Not for special interest groups, not for utility companies and other businesses whom can pay top dollar for preferential status in legislation. It’s supposed to be a government that knows the plight citizens have, and eager to listen and serve you while improving the quality of life for all.

Carl Zimmermann wants to be the voice for the citizens of district 48 in Tallahassee, not out of political ambition or ego but because he’s had enough of the government not living up to our expectations. He’s had enough of a government that lowers standards, principles and ideals for the sake of political ideology instead of doing what’s right.

You have that power today to say you believe this mans ideals. You have the chance today to remind the powers-that-be that you are in control.

As for this writer, I can only say that it’s up to you now. No more pleas for money, for volunteering, etc… It just comes down to you turning out to vote and choosing a future for the state.

Here’s hoping to see you tonight at Tiffany’s restaurant… And here’s hoping that a majority have had enough to push Carl "Z" Zimmermann into a position of service for the neighbors and region he knows and loves so well.

It’s in your hands now.

The most effective way to drastically improve education is through smaller class size. Yet. despite the overwhelming support among Florida voters and a constitutional amendment to shrink class sizes, Jeb Bush and the Republican party are trying to get around it. Using very clever tricks like mandating 65% of all funds be spent in the classroom, the class size reduction issue is being distorted in an effort to repeal it.

Florida News reports there is currently a web site seeking to both inform and unite citizens on the class size issue, please visit Florida Wants Smaller Class Sizes to find out more.

The Vatican has gone so far as to state in recent days that Intelligent Design “is not science and teaching it alongside evolutionary theory in classrooms only creates confusion.”

All of this comes on the heels of Governor Jeb Bush’s declaration last month that we should take evolution out of our science standards. The debate rages on in our schools and our government while citizens and courts have both ruled (by vote and by decree) against the masked-creationism being taught in public schools.

Carl has expressed views on the matter several months ago Continue reading →

Why is Intelligent Design becoming an issue as we gear up for the 2006 elections? Up until a year ago, the only ones that heard of Intelligent Design were the folks holed up in Kansas somewhere preparing the attack. The concept has been around for a long time, but it was dropped in favor of creationism. Its re-emergence as a way to get creationism in the public schools is very suspect, but never-the-less some people will try very hard to make this the diversion issue. The funny thing is that evolution isn’t really in conflict with Intelligent Design.

Evolution is fact. It is observable and testable. We can cross-breed. We can genetically engineer through our breedings, we can do a lot that supports evolution as fact. Now, whether or not we came from apes or whether men simply looked more ape-like is insignificant. Evolution is observable.

But evolution doesn’t explain how the Earth got here. Okay, so then we have the Big Bang theory where something exploded and from it the sun and the planets were formed along with the rest of the known and unknown universe.. But  what was there before the universe? We don’t have those answers – at least not in a scientific way. Some believe that God created it. Some don’t ever think about it. And, I’m sure there are hundreds of other theories in other religions and cultures. The bottom line is we won’t know until we meet our maker – unless we have faith.

The problem exists with that. Just because you believe doesn’t make it fact. At one time people believed the world was flat and that you would fall off or get eaten by dragons if you went too far - and that was disproven by fact. Beliefs, as diverse as they are, are not the public schools responsibility to teach. It is the church’s responsibility, and the parent’s responsibility. Public schools are not the end all for everything. This country was founded on people fleeing England because they didn’t want the Church of England’s beliefs forced on them. Their decendants shouldn’t have to fight against the same thing. We are privileged in this country to have the freedom to believe whatever we want – and to insure that we maintain a separation between church and state. We can’t expect schools to pretend one religions principles are fact and impose it on all. For those that feel others should be exposed to their beliefs, may I respectfully recommend creating an elective class in world religions or beliefs?

I didn’t agree with vouchers or even charter schools when they were first proposed. I still believe they only exist because it’s the extreme right’s way of trying to destroy public schools - weaken the base, take away the dollars and move the young minds into schools they can control. However, they are missing a very unique opportunity.

If their intention was to provide a better education, how come you have never heard once how they can do it better? Have they offered up any new ideas, new ways to deliver information or help kids learn skills? No. They do it the same old, tired ways the rest of us do it. They lecture in classrooms full of rows of desks and test kids on rote information.

Charter schools and private schools could win over everybody, if they were only willing to be adventurous. Set up a new school that uses proven application techniques. Overthrow the current curriculum for one that better prepares kids to be successful in the real world - less talk and theory and a whole lot more of doing. There are examples around. Some outstanding academies have been set up based on occupation interests. These could be used as a spring board.

It is hard to justify the current charter and voucher schools when they don’t have to meet any real standards - including FCAT. Now if they were doing something experimental, maybe we could forgive them that scrutiny - or at least measure their success differently.
What a wonderful opportunity to reinvent education, but it’s been wasted