Quakertown school board approves $84.4 million budget

Rotting in Richland wrote:

<quoted text>
Read the article, dimwit! To reinforce Lauren's position, when you go to college, you are expected to take some arts courses to broaden your academic experience.
Obviously, you went to automoton school!

Actually I went to a private college, own my own business, and easily make 6 figures.

Rotting in Richland wrote:

<quoted text>
Read the article, dimwit! To reinforce Lauren's position, when you go to college, you are expected to take some arts courses to broaden your academic experience.
Obviously, you went to automaton school!

Once again, Rotten, you have shown how uncivil you are. Does anyone who disagrees with you deserve to be berated with name-calling?

Being a well-rounded individual is one of the resume items college admittance boards consider- not that the applicant has taken arts courses in school. They consider proven ability and don't consider how you got there unless you can prove you overcame a hardship. Signing up for an elective doesn't count for much. Activities outside school are considered to be equally important. An Eagle Scout probably weighs higher because of proven character and community service than a student who took a photography rather than a trig course. Opportunities outside the schools abound if students and their parents take advantage of them.

Tell It like it is wrote:

if you people really want lower property taxes, you have to realize that true relief can only come from the state. As your costs are increasing so are the school districts costs therefore taxes will continue to increase. You cant get through this problem locally, it is a statewide issue. The best solution is a sales tax of 6.5%. So go to the school board meeting and ontinue to complain and continue to see board members get people's hopes up by saying they are going to cut taxes when in reality, they can't.

The Best solution is an "attempt' at fiscal responsibilty in QCSD, PA and USA. It's simple economics...there is no endless money tree.
A Tax is a tax is a tax. The more money the govt. takes in the more gets squandered.
We never catch up! So quit thinking throwing money at the problem is the solution. When has a Govt. entity ever use FREE(ours taxes)MONEY efficiently? Name one program, subsidy or earmark that is cost effective? ENOUGH!
Rendell promised us reform for property taxes...
Where is it?

Well said

Fiona wrote:

Crap the links didn't all come over....
here they are again
http://specialneedseducation.suite101.com/art...
http://www.supportmusic.com/2007HConRes121.pd...
http://www.cep-dc.org/press/Curriculum%20Rele...
There are so many more sites. Please learn the facts about what music and art can do for our children before you decide it is pointless.

It's a matter of priorities. I not saying music and arts aren't important, but English, History Writing math and Science are most important. the arts & music can be provided outside the school. A simple sketch pad or oils and canvas plus a trip to the art museum was worth more than all the art classes I ever had. Most band members stop playing after HS or only play for pleasure later. These course really only benefit the few.
My appreciation for Classical Music and the Arts came from my Parents not from school.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

Well said

This was directed toward Taxpayer.

Tell It like it is wrote:

if you people really want lower property taxes, you have to realize that true relief can only come from the state. As your costs are increasing so are the school districts costs therefore taxes will continue to increase. You cant get through this problem locally, it is a statewide issue. The best solution is a sales tax of 6.5%. So go to the school board meeting and ontinue to complain and continue to see board members get people's hopes up by saying they are going to cut taxes when in reality, they can't.

AND where does the STATE get the money? AND where do GRANTS get the money. IT stills does and always will come from my pocket. The education of the average student DOES not match the cost to under education him or her. ALL educators should have a real job before public education. AND ALL taxpayers should work in a public school as a non teacher to see just what goes on.

Maybe-Then wrote:

<quoted text>
It's a matter of priorities. I not saying music and arts aren't important, but English, History Writing math and Science are most important. the arts & music can be provided outside the school. A simple sketch pad or oils and canvas plus a trip to the art museum was worth more than all the art classes I ever had. Most band members stop playing after HS or only play for pleasure later. These course really only benefit the few.
My appreciation for Classical Music and the Arts came from my Parents not from school.

These course really only benefit the few. YEA THE TEACHERS

Maybe-Then wrote:

<quoted text>
It's a matter of priorities. I not saying music and arts aren't important, but English, History Writing math and Science are most important. the arts & music can be provided outside the school. A simple sketch pad or oils and canvas plus a trip to the art museum was worth more than all the art classes I ever had. Most band members stop playing after HS or only play for pleasure later. These course really only benefit the few.
My appreciation for Classical Music and the Arts came from my Parents not from school.

It is obvious you did not take the time to view one link. If you had you would have read that it is proven tht music helps increase learning abilities not only in the average child but also for the learning disabled. It has also been proven that schools without arts programs have higher drop out rates. What the real corolation I have no idea, but regardless it IS keeping kids in school.
I keep reading the arguement that not many use the arts as a career after graduation. That is FALSE! MANY students in today computer world are using the very things that have been taught to them in potography, digital media/art, music ect in the fields of marketing, video/gaming, advertising, journalism, choreography, TEACHING, I could go on. I can count on one hand how many times I have used anything I learned from history and science in my field. These programs are not NEW they have been around for as long back as I can remember and to say now that they are needless when it is being proven they are is beyond wierd to me.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Actually I went to a private college, own my own business, and easily make 6 figures.

Your point is...?

Maybe-Then wrote:

<quoted text>
The Best solution is an "attempt' at fiscal responsibilty in QCSD, PA and USA. It's simple economics...there is no endless money tree.
A Tax is a tax is a tax. The more money the govt. takes in the more gets squandered.
We never catch up! So quit thinking throwing money at the problem is the solution. When has a Govt. entity ever use FREE(ours taxes)MONEY efficiently? Name one program, subsidy or earmark that is cost effective? ENOUGH!
Rendell promised us reform for property taxes...
Where is it?

We, the people of PA, have to push the state to help fund education. The more people push, more ideas will be generated and solutions are possible. taxes aren't fun for anyone, but we have always had them and will continue to have them.

Rotting in Richland wrote:

<quoted text>
Your point is...?

Remember, you thought I went to Automotive school "Obviously, you went to automoton school!" and spelled it incorrectly. I guess you were wrong, and can continue to rot in Richland. Have fun!!!

Fiona wrote:

<quoted text>
It is obvious you did not take the time to view one link. If you had you would have read that it is proven tht music helps increase learning abilities not only in the average child but also for the learning disabled. It has also been proven that schools without arts programs have higher drop out rates. What the real corolation I have no idea, but regardless it IS keeping kids in school.
I keep reading the arguement that not many use the arts as a career after graduation. That is FALSE! MANY students in today computer world are using the very things that have been taught to them in potography, digital media/art, music ect in the fields of marketing, video/gaming, advertising, journalism, choreography, TEACHING, I could go on. I can count on one hand how many times I have used anything I learned from history and science in my field. These programs are not NEW they have been around for as long back as I can remember and to say now that they are needless when it is being proven they are is beyond wierd to me.

Fiona, you are obviously biased toward these programs or you wouldnt go to such lengths to defend them. You may care a whole lot, but most people dont. Thats why these programs are the first to be cut. They dont matter much in life. I see your point about how art can help with certain jobs, and I actually work with agencies directly out of NY. I can tell you this, while there are careers in art, they are some of the lowest paying (and thats in NYC). I can only imagine how little they pay elsewhere and how scarce the jobs are. Compare that to a comp. science degree and you can name your price in any major city. To close, lets compare art/music to HS football. Ever see 5,000 people show up and pay to see art? No, but that happens every single Friday in the fall for HS football.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Remember, you thought I went to Automotive school "Obviously, you went to automoton school!" and spelled it incorrectly. I guess you were wrong, and can continue to rot in Richland. Have fun!!!

Sorry, I did spell it incorrectly. I meant "automaton" school, as in learning to be a robot without creativity.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Fiona, you are obviously biased toward these programs or you wouldnt go to such lengths to defend them. You may care a whole lot, but most people dont. Thats why these programs are the first to be cut. They dont matter much in life. I see your point about how art can help with certain jobs, and I actually work with agencies directly out of NY. I can tell you this, while there are careers in art, they are some of the lowest paying (and thats in NYC). I can only imagine how little they pay elsewhere and how scarce the jobs are. Compare that to a comp. science degree and you can name your price in any major city. To close, lets compare art/music to HS football. Ever see 5,000 people show up and pay to see art? No, but that happens every single Friday in the fall for HS football.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I can say that I don't think it's about being biased toward one subject or another. It's about making sure that THE KIDS have a wide variety of opportunities so that they can be as well-rounded as possible and have options for their future.

The point is made pretty frequently on this forum that jobs in the arts are low-paying... but it's not always about making a career out of it. These programs develop skills in our students that aren't easily found in "core" subjects and that can benefit them in any career they choose.

That being said, some kids aren't naturally skilled at math or writing and need something like the arts or votech or any number of other things so that they have some idea of what they'd like to do as a career.

I think a lot of times, whether we are concerned about our programs or we're concerned about our taxes, we lose sight of the fact that it's really supposed to be about the kids and we we are doing for them.

Anyway, I do like that there is (generally) healthy discussion going on about the topic.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Actually I went to a private college, own my own business, and easily make 6 figures.

Everybody on here owns their own business and makes six figures.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Fiona, you are obviously biased toward these programs or you wouldnt go to such lengths to defend them. You may care a whole lot, but most people dont. Thats why these programs are the first to be cut. They dont matter much in life. I see your point about how art can help with certain jobs, and I actually work with agencies directly out of NY. I can tell you this, while there are careers in art, they are some of the lowest paying (and thats in NYC). I can only imagine how little they pay elsewhere and how scarce the jobs are. Compare that to a comp. science degree and you can name your price in any major city. To close, lets compare art/music to HS football. Ever see 5,000 people show up and pay to see art? No, but that happens every single Friday in the fall for HS football.

That's Right. My 2nd kid left QCSD in HS because of the poor support for certain sports programs and lack of acknowledgement by guidance for sports as a viable way to pay for higher education. Well my kid was funded 100% plus books at very good Division 1 University and virtually got a free degree because of sports. There were many other kids in other schools who also took this same route for full or partial funding. That why Emmaus and Parkland have such strong sports programs. It is the $$$ ticket to College. The Athlete's on my kids College team average GPA was over 3.0 and there were many 3.6-4.0 GPA's in pre-med and other great fields. Oh, But not Q'town Only Music and Art are most important.

Tell It like it is wrote:

<quoted text>
We, the people of PA, have to push the state to help fund education. The more people push, more ideas will be generated and solutions are possible. taxes aren't fun for anyone, but we have always had them and will continue to have them.

I'm not against taxes! we must pay taxes.
I'm against handing our hard earned money to fiscally irresponsible school boards and legislators who think it's free and endless and
who refuse to stay within a reasonable budget.
We need bold and fresh people who are not tied to unions, lobbyists and political parties that want to hold on the their power and the status quo.

The Greatest Generation didn't have schools like Strayer to attend, yet they lead this country to greatness. Now we have liberal elites who disdain our nation and way of life on their way to the presidency.

We pay because the power has gone to those who whine the loudest. Look at that crank who posted above "think of the children". Typical over-indulgent parent. Blecch.

Lower taxes, let the parents who want new band uniforms hold cake sales.

Bucks County Resident wrote:

<quoted text>Remember, you thought I went to Automotive school "Obviously, you went to automoton school!" and spelled it incorrectly. I guess you were wrong, and can continue to rot in Richland. Have fun!!!

The moniker I use refers back to Hamlet, Act one, scene four. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," or in our case "something is rotten in the township of Richland" and it reeks of Rick Orloff!

The 'rot' is the state of affairs and political corruption and cronyism that goes on here.