Region One: No Future Without Kids
December 22, 2006 on 4:27 pm | In Local, Main |Nice column today by Hartford Courant writer Rick Green, who has picked up on the shrinking school age population in the Northwest Corner and the need for affordable housing.
When he first embarked on his new career as a columnist earlier this year, Rick visited The Lakeville Journal and got an earful about our concerns. And Rick and I have exchanged emails on the topic over the last couple of months.
To his credit and unlike most people in Hartford, Rick has shown a great deal of interest in the exodus of the working class from Litchfield County. Maybe this will help get the attention of the Capitol focused on our problem here. We can only hope.
22 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
Powered by WordPress with Pool theme design by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
Valid XHTML and CSS. ^Top^
I take issue with Green’s statement about the “elite” that send their children to private school.
I can name, off the top of my head, about 20 local families that have opted out of Housy. Our taxes still pay for Housy, heck some of the families taxes pay for the K-8 program, since they send their children to IMS. We choose not to send our children to Housy. Since I know these families, either personally or through local contact, I can state categorically that none of them qualify for Mr. Green’s “elite” status.
As I have told my 2 oldest, both of whom graduated from Housy, If I knew then what I know now, they would not have gone to Housy.
We seek out financial aid, and make sacrifices, financial and emotional, to ensure that our children get the best possible education.
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 24, 2006 #
Paul, you are correct about the “elite” tag. But..it is your decision not to send youir child to public school. School taxes for the district you do not send your child to attend are less the two kids…
that being said, yes, you do support the school system with a portion of your taxes!
So what?!
I have no more kids in the system, and I pay taxes! I don’t support every inititive that our local, state, or federal government funds, but I pay my taxes.
I press for change in what ever way I can, and enjoy the fact, that I live in the greatest place in the world…warts and all!!
By the way, the only time I think of you as an elitist is when you wear your chef pants….I bet you even drink Starbucks coffee when you wear them!!
The article makes some good points but, is to general in its characterization of the bigger problem we have….a real rift that has developed between the have and have nots, or those on the way to have nots!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!
Marshall
Comment by Marshall Miles — December 24, 2006 #
Paul,
I guess it depends on what you mean by elite.
I myself went to an elite private school on a full scholarship (my father was on the faculty at the school). There is no way (financial aid or not) that we could have afforded it otherwise.
My diploma from that school gives me a certain pedigree on my resume that some might interpret as “elite,” although the reality is it certainly doesn’t feel that way.
Reg 1 and Housy can’t be that bad, Paul. I’ve met three of your kids and they are among the brightest and best motivated people I’ve ever run across. Hey, even good parenting can overcome a less-than-ideal schooling situation.
Cheers to everyone.
Comment by Terry — December 24, 2006 #
Some guy in a red suit and a sleigh on wheels woke me, so, since I’m up…
Marshall, I am not complaining about paying taxes for Region 1, although that could be an interpretation. However, your point does raise the issue of SCHOOL CHOICE and vouchers that would allow competition. Let me get my body armor on.
Terry, my point, part of which was addressed in Jack Mahoney’s defense of Region 1, is that the system has changed. Yes, there are amazing bright and motivated students. Just about every child begins that way. Over time it changes, and the system has apparently morphed away from its educational goals. Standards are lower. CAPT, NCLB, all feel good measures that accomplish nothing.
All one need do is look to the “real world” where our graduates find their way: remedial English and Math courses, not just at college, but businesses are funding the education that the graduates never received.
Is it all the fault of the NEA, CEA, and the rest of the education monolith? No.
The problems begin at some homes, some schools, etc.
The system is not working. It needs a change, a radical change.
To address Marshall’s point, I want the choice to take the taxes I pay to support a school system that I have no faith in, and apply that money towards any school that I believe will do a better job. No one, except those that can pay the taxes and foot the bill for a private education without financial aid, has that choice.
Why do my chef pants make me elitist? What is Starbucks?
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 25, 2006 #
i think starbucks is some kind of beverage establishment..one that you can only afford to buy their coffee if you can afford to send your kids to private school.
Or if you speak Italian.
Either one, they will welcome you with open arms and cash registers.
Now on to the subject of our area becoming an elitist community…. there is something to be said about us working class still in the area. It’s an elitest feeling in itself knowing that “we” are the only people left here that work at the pharmacies, grocery stores, and gas stations. I think that Without us… this town would come to a stop. (no matter what day of the week it is). Could that be the key to getting the goverment to realize that it is getting harder and harder to stay here?
Comment by fred — December 25, 2006 #
As Paul’s oldest daughter, I do feel compelled to contribute.
I did attend Housy, and believe that I got as good of an education there as I could have at Hotchkiss, Berkshire, or any number of “elite” private schools. What you put in is what you get out, as far as education is concerned. If you make the effort, you can have a great education anywhere. I believe that my father, who attended an inner-city high school (my mother did as well), can attest to that.
Comment by Amy — December 26, 2006 #
Amy,
I agree. As I wrote in a previous post, I think the value of a private school education is somewhat overrated. Still, the advantage of private schools is that they can be dynamic, whereas public schools are typically beset by a static bureaucracy. Plus public schools have the built-in advantage (actually a disincentive to change) of receiving revenue no matter how poorly they perform. And teachers get automatic raises even if they are doing a lousy job.
As is your father, I am an advocate for private school vouchers. Unfortunately, however, Paul and I are titling at windmills. Polls show most people think the public system is failing us, but they tend to think their own system is OK. This is pretty much how people view their own congressman as well. But they rose up in November and threw a bunch of the bums out. So maybe there’s hope.
Fred S,
Reverse snobbery! No you’re talking my language. As a working stiff who makes his home in Lakeville full time, I do take a certain pride in telling weekenders I live here all the time. When I was in fundraising I had to travel to the city on business all the time and I must admit I miss it a little. But if I had to choose between living here and never going to NYC again, I think you know where my preference would lie.
Comment by Terry — December 26, 2006 #
Dear Cowgillites,
I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and/or whatever holiday(s) you celebrate. As for me, I am spending the last week of the year at home with my older daughter, who has contracted the chicken pox! Despite having had all the vaccines, etc.
I’m thinking about my New Year’s resolution, but haven’t decided yet. However, I’d like to float a candidate: No More Labels. You know, like “elites,” “liberals,” “conservatives,” “Republicans,” “Democrats,” “DINOs and RINOs,” etc. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: They’re all just distractions from real issues.
Some of the nicest people I know are “working stiffs” — whatever that means — what is the opposite of a working stiff, an unemployed contortionist? Is there some dollar amount at which you graduate from the working stiffery to the petty bourgoisie? — perhaps now you see how fast choosing labels gets absurd….
Some of the other nicest people I know are comfortable trust-fund babies, educated liberals, young republicans, Walmart shoppers, wine drinkers, artists, computer geeks….the list is endless, is it not?
This is not to suggest that we shouldn’t form opinions or judgements about people, only that we might try doing so based on their actions, not who they are, and what the consequences of those actions are. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, oh the places we’ll go!
Now, I have taken issue in the past with certain characterizations of teachers, and I will continue to do so. Only for teachers do we habitually use phrases such as “lousy.” I suppose someone will cite a few “lousy” doctors or lawyers here and there, but I doubt anyone goes around suspecting a whole subset of those professions as populated with “lousy” people the way we do teachers.
The other day it was reported that the disgraced head of Pfizer (the drug giant) was leaving with close to half a billion dollars. Yes, that’s “B” for “billion.” That’s what happens when you are a “lousy” CEO in Corporate America.
Teachers work for a pitiful fraction of that amount — and deal with the myriad complexities of human behavior and learning, factors over which they have very little control — and yet we are ready to blame them for “failures” in education and assume that they are in it just to collect a salary and pension — while the rest of us pure-at-heart “working stiffs” — oh such impure thoughts would never cross or minds, no no not us!
Get off it, folks!! If we really cared about education, we might start paying to make it better. I know where we can find a cool $120 billion or so — in the next Iraq destructo-authorization bill.
–Fred–
Comment by Fred Baumgarten — December 26, 2006 #
Fred B,
You may be above using labels, but the rest of us working stiffs need some form of idealogical shorthand.
You yourself have painted with a broad brush. Statements such as “disenfranchised people” and “I prefer being mindful of the consequences of my actions to burying my head in the sand” are really just labels, the latter used to describe people who have a different take than you do.
In fact, “terrorist”, which you have used several times, is a label. After all, one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
And I don’t have a problem with your use of any of those labels. But when I disagree with them I’ll let you know. And we all know you will do the same. Maybe you can explain to me why it is mostly those on the left who get so upset about labels.
As for teachers, I myself was one for more than a dozen years and so think I have some idea about the complexities they face. I have heard the word “lousy” used not only in conjunction with teachers but, with cops, politicians and (dare I say) journalists. Anyone in the public eye is more likely to incur public wrath than an overpaid and incompetent CEO blundering along with some measure of anonymity.
Come to think of it, I have heard lousy (or its equivalent) used to describe high-profile CEOs such as Bernie Ebbers and Ken Lay. For a complete list of really awful and disgraced CEOs, click here.
Comment by Terry — December 26, 2006 #
Rather than back away from the problems our public schools face, we should try to find solutions. Without a functional public school system, we in the United States cannot have a functional society. All U.S. students should have access to a well-rounded education; until they do, our country will continue to suffer in the competitive global market, and the disparity between rich and poor will continue to grow.
Comment by Janet Manko — December 26, 2006 #
More money is not the solution for public education. An example or two:
War on Poverty, 1964, untold billions spent: No discernible positive result.
War on Drugs: 64? 65? untold billions spent: Result? Read the police log in any newspaper, including the Journal.
War on Smoking: not sure when it officially began, one of those wars that just exists. Untold Billions given to states to “stop the scourge.” No discernible positive result.
The first rule of government is spend all the money. Its codicil is ask for more money next year because…
Monopolies provide inferior products at an inflated price. Public education in this country is a monopoly, not controlled by the taxpayers.
Can anyone on this blog explain to me how educatiion tax dollars, sent to DC, funneled through NCLB, gives me more bang for my buck? I won’t ask for you to show me where in the Constitution education is a responsibility of the federal government.
Our education system is dysfunctional, broken, a mess, pick your own description. It is not providing the results we are paying for.
BTW, I am a working stiff, and the average teacher in Region 1 makes more than I do in salary. don’t get me started about their pension and insurance plans.
Mo, teachers are not the sole problem. Some, however, are the embodiment of the problem.
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 27, 2006 #
No fred, it doesn’t give me fits. you raised the point about spending more money on education, to quote you:
“If we really cared about education, we might start paying to make it better.”
Teachers are not underpaid; they agreed to work for the salary and benefits offered. Just like all of us.
BTW, your socialist streak is really starting to show. How many jobs do you provide fred? When you bash Wal-Mart have you ever considered opening Baumgartenmart and putting your platitudes into practice? I don’t think so. It’s much easier to throw bricks than build with them.
The companies you mention are all part of my 401(k). I am doing quite well with those investments, thank you. Let them make their profits!! The goal is to keep the wealth redistribution crowd, of which you appear to be a founder, away from free enterprise and market forces.
Long Live the ideals of Milton Friedman and may Kenyesians such as yourself spend eterinity in your “worker’s paradise.”
Happy New Year Fred.
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 27, 2006 #
Not sure I have a dog in this fight (single, no kids), but it’s hard to stay out of such a good tussle.
- Paul, your points are spot on. Particularly the point about 401Ks. If you have a business I can patronize on my next trip through the NW Corner, let me know. I’m there.
- Fred, what’s the matter with education money “following the student”, rather than the school? “Follow the student” education funding has produced the best university system in the world here in the States. Similar systems have produced vastly superior secondary schools in other countries (Belgium, for example). Our centralized, politicized and top down (dare I say Soviet style) secondary school funding system has produced one of the worst.
The great irony in all this is that many who object to “vouchers” are the very people who exercise “choice” by sending their kids to private school. Does it bother you, Fred, that Democrat politicians are keeping vouchers out of the hands of African American mothers in Washington DC while the politician’s kids are attending St Alban’s or Sidwell Friends? (Can anyone say Chelsea?) I know this is really about Democrat=Union, but is there no shame?
Unless you are willing to make public school attendance mandatory, how about letting those less fortunate have the same choice that people with money have.
Comment by Jake — December 27, 2006 #
Interesting. I never said I was against vouchers. Call off your dogs.
I think there are pros and cons. I haven’t made up my mind where I come out on the issue.
To be continued.
–Fred–
Comment by Fred Baumgarten — December 27, 2006 #
Fred, every time “more money for education” is the topic, the first rule is: MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS!! Not, better classrooms, updating science, art, music, and phys ed facilities and equipment.
Regardless whether you base teacher salaries on “school year,” which does inflate the salary and benefit, or calendar year, you cannot escape the fact that 80% of every “education” dollar goes to salaries and benefits. Debt service chews up about 5%. Mainteneance costs about 5%. So, out of every dollar for “education,” about 10 cents goes for education.
IF a charity came to ask for a donation, and said that 90% of your money does not directly aid those in need would you give? That is why when people start with “more money” I get annoyed.
Fred, based on your comments about the various CEOs making such salaries and bonuses, it would seem that YOU are the one that is having fits. As I asked, how many jobs have you created? How much opportunity have you given someone to better their life through job advancement, etc?
People bash large companies all the time, yet these companies do spread the wealth. In your eyes, it may be “not fair.” Too bad. That’s life. If WalMart, Exxon/Mobil, Ford, etc are such terrible companies to work for, why do people spend their lives working for them?
As an aside, Ford recently offered buyouts to about 60,000 employees, as well as the option of continuing to work for the company. One woman took the buyout, about 100k. She thanked Ford for the opportunity to work for them, which allowed a single mom to raise 2 kids, and pay for one to go to college.
In order for Ford to pay that kind of money to its work force, there had to be something that the public wanted. Apparently the stockholders did not find the salaries and bonuses a problem, so why do you?
Or would you prefer the Beijing method? Their economy is growing about 20% per year. Yes, my 401(K) is there, as well, courtesy of WalMart and other AMERICAN companies that are investing in China. However, the leaders fear inflation, leading to a slowdown because their finished goods will be more expensive. Their solution? No company can increase their production of goods next year, UNLESS sales this year exceed prior sales by more than 20%. In effect, they are limiting the amount of goods available for sale.
Want this bet? Prices for goods in China and their exported goods will rise because of the government intervention. The artificial limit on production, with the economy, domestic and export, growing, will create shortages of products people want to buy.
Remeber the Carter oil shortage? Inadequate supply of oil, higher prices, higher inflation, and so on.
A government monopoly is a program doomed to failure. For more information look at Social Security.
BTW, why can’t I determine where that money goes?
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 28, 2006 #
One thing I forgot to mention about the war on smoking.
The money extorted from the tobacco companies was to be used for programs to reduce and eventually remove smoking from Amerika. I don’t know of any state that has not taken tobacco money and used it for other purposes. Yes, a portion is used for its intended purpose, but the greater share is for political gain. Just like the CT Lottery.
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 28, 2006 #
Well, we have seen a nice list of pet issues trotted out and identified as “the” cause of diminishing school enrollment and the loss in our area of the working classes.
My daughter and her husband, on the way back to the airport after their Christmas visit here, asked me a question that nobody has directly posed: “What do people DO here for a living?”
No matter how good the schools are (and we have more GOOD options here than almost anywhere I can think of), no matter how superb the quality of life is (and it is really good), no matter how affordable the housing is (and, relative to plenty of other places it is still downright cheap here), if there are no DECENT JOBS with the possibility of growth, then people with kids simply aren’t going to live here.
Face it, folks. No decent jobs for parents = no kids in schools.
It’s really pretty much that simple.
Happy New Year to all!
Geoff Brown
Comment by Geoff Brown — December 29, 2006 #
What do people “do” here? I don’t know, work at BD, pizza shops, Bicron, Big Y, Stop & Shop, run independent businesses, educate children, you know, the same sort of elite stuff Geoff and his daughter and her husband do.
So, Geoff, what is a “decent job” for someone?
Fred, no one has blamed the teachers for all the ills.
However, why is our educational system in decline? Yes, there are many factors. But, with all the money spent on various programs and teaching methods, try Chicago Math for an example, why can’t kids do basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division? Why do children use calculators for their math tests?
Why do people in the education system send their children to private schools in the area?
Fred, how much faith do you have in our public school education system? Would you send your children to Sharon Center School?
Comment by Paul Bartomioli — December 29, 2006 #
Terry: This blog ties in nicely with your article of December 6 about the diminishing numbers of full-timers in the area, an article which prompted me to compose a passionate letter to the editor (never submitted - but see next paragraphs). While education and diminishing numbers of kids in Region 1 schools was not the main point of the Dec. 6 article, the educational system is just one facet of life that will suffer if the community and/or the State does not address the loss of middle and even upper-middle income families in the area.
I agree wholeheartedly with the conclusions in the article and found myself nodding and exclaiming, “Yes!†as I read it. My family’s recent experience bears witness to the fact that what happening in Cornwall is happening in other locations in the NW corner.
My family is solidly in the demographic cited as being in flight away from the area: 35 - 45 years old with children. We moved to this area this past year for a job and a salary that, in nearly any other community, would be considered very healthy. I am appalled that, even at an upper-middle class income, well above the median for the state of Connecticut (source: http://www.census.gov), most housing in the Lakeville/Salisbury/Sharon area remains firmly out of reach (despite the efforts of an excellent real estate agent), leaving us to question whether the community could feasibly be home for us in the long term.
I grew up in Darien, CT, in the ‘70s and ‘80s (oh, yeah, and went to Hotchkiss - does that make me elitist? :-)) and saw that community become so expensive and exclusive that all but the wealthiest fled to other communities. As a result, Darien lost a lot, including a kind of vigor that other, more economically diverse towns (Fairfield, for example) preserved. It is always a shame when those who make up the backbone of the community – teachers, police, firemen, professionals and trades people – cannot afford to live in the community they serve.
The very things that make the NW corner a hot real estate market attracted us: peaceful, rural living, abundant natural beauty, good schools (public and private) and a slower pace of life. The fact that the real estate values have gone up 85% in five years attests to the area’s attractiveness. I am all in favor of free markets; they have a beautiful way of regulating themselves and generally are the very best way to serve the greatest good.
However, I urge the local communities to seek out ways to make the area attractive and affordable in the long-run for middle-income families or else risk becoming a homogeneous, über-exclusive community, devoid of the diversity, the way that much of lower Fairfield County has.
PS: As an illustrative footnote, allow me to introduce myself: I belive I am your neighbor - renting a house up the street from you in a neighborhood I would LOVE to stay in (quiet, cul-de-sac, low traffic, etc.). But, unfortunately, in this neighborhood, even a moderate ranch or cape has become exhorbitant - and these aren’t the Salisbury mansions, ya know!
Comment by Laurie Ellington — January 4, 2007 #
Laurie,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. You have summed up the sentiments of many in the NWC. We don’t want this to become another Fairfield County.
However, as you will see in next week’s (Jan. 11) print edition. There are two distinct camps with differing reasons for sharing that vision.
Middle-income people such as you and me don’t want the cost of housing to soar to the point that we have to move and our town becomes 75% weekender. We badly want affordable housing and are looking for answers.
Others, who tend be people of greater means, are more focused on open space preservation and making sure big-box stores and strip malls are kept at bay.
As you will see in a story that’ll run next week, the Salisbury Housing Trust has its eyes on some property behind Town Hall as a site for 5-6 affordable homes. But some people who live in the neighborhood are objecting on the grounds that their property values will likely go down, the visual impact will be too great and the environment could be adversely affected.
This is the clash of cultures we are seeing. Both sides mean well and share some of the same goals (e.g. this shouldn’t become Darien) but their desired outcomes are remarkably different.
BTW I am happy to have someone as insightful as you as a neighbor. Are you the one I see taking the toddler for a stroll in the babyjogger? Do stop by for coffee someday soon.
Terry
P.S. David Grossman was the guy I interviewed for the story you referenced (and there was also an editorial). You might want to hook up with him sometime. A great guy who started out as a weekender but is very concerned about the direction we are headed.
Comment by Terry — January 4, 2007 #
Laurie, Please consider mailing that letter to the editor you wrote. It’s great to get the discussion going in as many venues as possible. There are those of our readers who use the Web site, and those who still, believe it or not, stick with the print edition only. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
Comment by Janet Manko — January 4, 2007 #
Janet: I just emailed it to the editor@lakevillejournal.com address, in the event you would like to publish it.
Terry: Stroller Woman, that’s me. I’ll ring the doorbell next time I’m on the prowl in the neighborhood!
Comment by Laurie Ellington — January 6, 2007 #