Over the weekend we were working on a post about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64’s replacement of all its 2,782 Chromebooks after more than half of them underwent repairs just this year alone, according to an article in last week’s Park Ridge Herald-Advocate (“All Chromebooks to be replaced in District 64, officials say,” May 2).
But then we received an over-the-transom gift: a forwarded e-mail from D-64 Supt. Laurie Heinz announcing “a new style of online forum called Thoughtexchange.”
With apologies to The Who: Meet the new cooked survey, same as the old cooked survey.
That caused us to look at the Report for tonight’s Board Meeting, where we discovered even more propaganda about this new Thoughtexchange survey in Appendix 4 – starting with all the usual buzzwords and phrases designed to excite and mesmerize the usual simpletons, like “very innovative new format,” “online outreach tool,” “various stakeholder groups,” “360-degree online dialogue” (Wouldn’t that be talking in circles?), “very engaging,” “fresh approach” and “engage them in the process,” all of which we’ve highlighted in yellow for your convenience.
According to Heinz and the District’s propaganda minister, Bernadette Tramm, the Thoughtexchange process got an “enthusiastic response” from Heinz’s handpicked “Community Relations Council.” And we would expect no less of the CRC, which we wrote about in our 10.08.15 post. In fairness, not every one of those CRC members are stooges or shills for Heinz, but you can be sure that one of the reasons Heinz picked them in the first place was that she subscribes to the “We don’t want nobody that nobody sent” Chicago-style of politics – as do most bureaucrats in this corrupt state.
And the reason Chicago-style bureaucrats pick stooges and shills is that they tend not to have the ability and/or the desire to detect all the “bullsh*t” – as Jon Stewart so keenly and eloquently elucidated it in his final monologue (see the video here, read the transcript here) last August – that is regularly dispensed by the likes of the D-64 Board and Administration. Or to actually possess the courage to say something even if they did detect it.
Notwithstanding all of Heinz’s and Tramm’s buzzwords and phrases in Appendix 4, we’ve highlighted the real b.s. in orange, starting with calling the result of this goat rodeo “a satisfaction survey that can be used primarily with staff and parents.” [Emphasis added.]
That’s because this survey is being designed to pander to the basest concerns and desires of the folks with the most to gain from manipulating the process to justify spending even more money with no better results: “staff,” who already appear to be overpaid based on D-64’s lackluster (if not declining) performance – as measured by standardized testing, not intramural havel-gazing – yet are in the process of negotiating for more, more, more; and “parents” for whom money is no object so long as they can get away with paying only around 25 cents on the dollar in RE taxes for the D-64 $14-15,000 education for their first kid, and ZERO for every additional kid.
That’s one big reason why “[a]ll parents and staff will receive direct email invitations to participate” in this survey “through May and into early June.” That way, D-64 can hope to receive as many of those special-interest responses as possible (and as few of the regular taxpayer responses as possible) before the District announces the latest sweetheart contract it has been negotiating in secret with the teachers union – a report about which is listed on tonight’s meeting agenda as one of two items scheduled for a special two-hour secretive closed session, starting at 5:30.
Will dinner be served…at taxpayer expense?
And don’t think it’s any coincidence that neither Heinz’s e-mail nor Appendix 4 lists any of the “3 open-ended questions about our schools and District” the Thoughtexchange survey allegedly will be asking, even though those questions must already have been vetted by the Board (or at least we would hope so, although we can’t find any evidence of it) and are locked and loaded if the plan is to collect all the responses “through May and early June.” By not listing the questions, it’s a lot tougher for our flummoxed local media (or any pesky bloggers and taxpayers) to shoot holes in them before the answers start rolling in.
So we’ll offer three open-ended questions of our own, just for grins:
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Why has D-64’s standardized testing performance been stagnant-to-declining compared to other districts with similar economic profiles and per-student spending?
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How will D-64 schools help Park Ridge taxpayers maintain and increase their property values in the face of those stagnant-to-declining comparables while RE taxes keep increasing?
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Why does the D-64 Board keep rewarding administrators and staff with more money for stagnant-to-declining student performance?
Don’t expect those questions, or anything like them, being asked by Thoughtexchange.
And as best as we can tell from perusing the Thoughtexchange.com website, what we can expect is another typical collection of easily-manipulable anonymous data points collected through a process that might not even be immune to the kind of “ballot-box stuffing” – multiple responses by the same people – that characterize all those half-baked SurveyMonkey surveys and Change.Org. petitions so many of our local elected officials and bureaucrats prefer for their finger-to-the-wind management decisions.
The sad truth is that this isn’t even intended to be a legitimate “community” survey focusing on what two-thirds (or more) of Park Ridge households who DON’T have kids in D-64 schools think about D-64. It’s a charade and a propaganda exercise by a dishonest Administration conspiring with a bumbling School Board to cover up the District’s pitiful lack of educational, managerial and financial competence.
And, worst of all, it cheats both the taxpayers AND the students.
To read or post comments, click on title.
36 comments so far
A great post that saved the best point for last: What they do cheats the kids they profess to be serving.
We all learned that if the score is being kept,there will be winners and losers. If standardized tests are being given, there will be winners and losers. And beating Franklin Park, Des Plaines and Wheeling isn’t the same as beating Hinsdale, Wilmette, Glenview and Northbrook.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Don’t tell that to the D-64 Board and Administration.
what we can expect is another typical collection of easily-manipulable anonymous data points collected through a process that might not even be immune to the kind of “ballot-box stuffing” – multiple responses by the same people – that characterize all those half-baked SurveyMonkey surveys and Change.Org. petitions so many of our local elected officials and bureaucrats prefer for their finger-to-the-wind management decisions.
Kind of like this blog – though your blog is less honest
So you are against soliciting input from the parents who have children in the schools?! Or I guess you being the omniscient being that you in your own mind believe you are, know exactly the motives behind the survey?
You complain when (insert governmental entity you decide to complain about on any given day) does not seek input on issues and you also complain when that same entity does seek input finding a way to impugn their motives bc of course only you pubdog want what is good for our citizenry. Unbelievable. And you have mindless sheep (anonymously commenting mind you -though you like to berate certain anonymous comments) congratulating you for such posts. No wonder The Donald did so well in the popular vote. Unbelievable indeed. Your blog is like watching a car wreck only more disturbing.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Then don’t watch…or come out of the closet, Silly Drivel, and identify which D-64 Board member you are so that our readers know who’s defending D-64’s incompetence, dishonesty, profligacy and secrecy.
Apparently anyone who receives email can share with anyone else. I just received mine from my relative in town. You can identify as parent, or even community member. One of the three questions is “what concerns you about —- school?”
So it appears if declining test scores are a concern this survey allows people both parents and non parents to do state. Next question is “what do you appreciate about —school?” Final question ” what are your thoughts about strategic planning”.
Maybe you are being too harsh. Take the survey yourself. Hopefully one of your many commenters will add your email to the “forward list”.
EDITOR’S NOTE: So EVERY parent/household of D-64 kids will receive the survey by targeted e-mail and EVERY staff member will receive the survey by targeted e-mail, but the other 10,000 or so households will have to rely on somebody else “hopefully” forwarding them the survey?
Yeah, that’s going to provide a balanced view of things.
…or come out of the closet, Silly Drivel, and identify which D-64 Board member you are
So why do you only call on those that disagree with you to identify themselves?
EDITOR’S NOTE: We don’t. We only call out those with the dumbest, silliest, most irresponsible and most freeloading opinions – whom we can tell are hiding in anonymity because they know their opinions are the stuff of Jon Stewart’s bit.
So a two decade Park Ridge taxpayer like me who sent his three kids to private schools will have to hope somebody forwards me a survey while the users and earners off the school system get theirs directly?
That is dishonest and certain to lead to skewed results. But as you say, that is what D64 intended.
EDITOR’S NOTE: And if it didn’t intend that, then those D-64 folks are really really dumb.
Yeah, that’s going to provide a balanced view of things.
If they were as conniving as you allege they would not have allowed people to forward. Besides are you advocating that the district spend taxpayer dollars on a method to collect all non parent community resident emails? Or maybe we can pay a district employees to knock on every door in park ridge and ask or better yet they can ask you to disclose all the emails you track (ala tricky dicky Nixon style)?
EDITOR’S NOTE: That’s EXACTLY the way connivers operate – especially when they hire professional information manufacturers/manipulaters like Thoughtexchange.
Direct e-mail targeting of around 4,000 households gets them (a) parents who want to spare no expense for their kids in the schools, and (b) teachers/administrators who want to preserve the status quo except for getting more money. Those are, predictably, the friendliest targets most likely to buy the District’s b.s.
And because birds of a feather tend to flock together, encouraging those friendly targets to forward the survey is highly likely to result in surveys forwarded to people whom the forwarders believe share their views.
It’s actually a very well-conceived, albeit diabolical, propaganda strategy. Too bad D-64 – under Borrelli and Heinz – appears to have become even better at propaganda than under Heyde and Heinz’s predecessor. And better at propaganda than it is at education.
Your last comment was
dumbest, silliest, most irresponsible and most freeloading opinions –
They already have a collection of parent and teacher emails right? So no cost to collect those. You avoided the question about whether d64 should spend money to collect every residents’ email or to pay for a flyer to be delivered to every door step.
Oh wait -if they did that (even though it would reach out to you and your sheep) you And your sheep would then complain that it is wasteful spending. Lol. You are a piece of …work yeah work mr lil bob peep!
EDITOR’S NOTE: We think you’re swell too, Silly Drivel, albeit in your own cowardly and foolish way.
If D-64 put more effort and competence into teaching rather than propagandizing, they wouldn’t need any of these surveys – whether by e-mail, post-card, flyer, or carrier pigeon. But if they wanted meaningful input, they could hold public hearings where real people show up and give their opinions in a public forum that can’t be as easily manipulated and kinked as these nameless surveys.
The three “open ended” questions are:
1. What are some concerns you have about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?
2. What are some things you appreciate about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?
3. What are your thoughts about the areas of focus within the strategic plan? (There is a copy of said plan within the survey)
Postcards are being sent to every residence in town with information about the survey and how to participate.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks, Joan.
Great questions…virtually guaranteed to bring in answers so all-over-the-lot that the manipulators at Thoughtexchange wlll have virtually a blank slate on which to interpret the information any way they (and D-64) want.
And we absolutly love how one question pointedly and shamelessly seeks only positive responses – “What are some things you appreciate…” – without any companion question seeking only negative responses (“What are some things you dislike…”).
The route for the “We’re wonderful!” victory lap is already being mapped.
I have yet to read a government survey that is worth the paper it is printed on, or worth the electrons it is e-published with. They always are designed for a purpose that is part of an agenda, usually of the politicians or bureaucrats who commissioned it. I see nothing that would lead me to believe that this is different.
See “Join Thoughtexchange conversation” link:
http://www.d64.org
Or click here:
http://bit.ly/SD64RegisterNow
https://tsu015.thoughtexchange.net/prnsd64/TS/app/signup?to=6c51f46259724a2e9594dba013d79b1d
Share links on Facebook, in church bulletins, on @PRPL…
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks.
But if they wanted meaningful input, they could hold public hearings where real people show up and give their opinions in a public forum that can’t be as easily manipulated and kinked as these nameless surveys.
Really?! You mean like the meaningful input that results from the mass amounts of people that attend regular board meetings. You know as well as I that usually speaking to an empty room like at city hall library board etc unless a hot topic like banning tutors or changing the school mascot are on the agenda. At least come up with credible arguments dog!
EDITOR’S NOTE: D-64 and D-207 regularly have the lowest community attendance at their meetings. Maybe that’s because D-64 has the most and longest-lasting CLOSED SESSIONS, with most of the important discussions being conducted in those CLOSED SESSION where the community can’t even be present, and the minutes of which are not made available to the community.
The City and the Library have held very well-attended public hearings on things like flood control (City) and tutor policy (Library), most recently, and various other issues over the years.
The biggest attendance I have ever seen or heard about at a D-64 meeting was when the PREA showed up in force in support of the 2012 contract discussions. And the biggest attendance I can remember at D-207 was at a meeting when it was discussing laying off a large number of teachers in 2010.
So in my mind the City and the Library are doing far better than the school districts in running meetings and hearings that are well attended.
Another garbage in garbage out survey asking meaningless warm and fuzzy questions
PD:
I am also very much against the amount of closed sessions officials tend to fall back on, but to say that the lack of attendance is linked to closed sessions is a bunch of crap.
When people make the decision to not go you think it is because of closed sessions?!?! I think half the people don’t even know when the meetings are.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You may be right.
On the other hand, people are far less informed about both school districts – and, therefore, disengaged from them – in large part because the media does far less reporting about the schools. And one big reason for that is because of how many controversial issues are discussed in closed session, leaving only the tip of the iceberg visible to the media during the open meetings.
PD:
Holy reach Batman!! So the coverage is connected to the closed meetings which is connected to….yada….yada!!
Bottom line is people are a combination of busy and apathetic. Hell most people don’t even vote let alone actually go to a meeting. A meeting takes several hours and voting takes 5 min and they won’t even make time to vote!!! But it’s the closed sessions that are doing it??….hahahaha!!!
You and another poster make the comparison to city council meetings and that there are more people going to those meetings. Guess what? More people may go to council meeting but attendance still sucks!
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The back bone’s connected to the hip bone,
the hip bone’s connected to the thigh bone,
the thigh bone’s connected to the knee bone,
Now hear the word of the Lord.
Attendance does still suck, but the City Council meetings probably get triple the attendance (or more) than the either school board, even though D-64’s budget is about the same as the City’s and D-207’s is closing on double. And since both schools’ performance keeps sliding, they’ve got to be doing something to keep attendance suppressed – so we’re still sticking with closed sessions.
See “Join Thoughtexchange conversation” link:
http://www.d64.org
Or click here:
http://bit.ly/SD64RegisterNow
https://tsu015.thoughtexchange.net/prnsd64/TS/app/signup?to=6c51f46259724a2e9594dba013d79b1d
Your own friendly commenters are showing that D64 is openly advertising the survey so that greedy anti-school bc my kids went to private or are too old people like you can comment too.
Certainly doesn’t seem like the villains you try to make them out to be.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Day drinking clearly does not work for you.
the Library are doing far better than the school districts in running meetings and hearings that are well attended.
Really?! D64 and other Apperance commission animal commission etc advertise per open meetings act and have regular meetings so anyone can and should attend if they care about that particular boards work/mission. To say that it is the boards fault that people don’t show up is ridiculous – tutor policy people showing up was similar to your PREA example -anger.
Come on. Be honest.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re always honest – that’s why you dislike us so much.
One more example PD.
Let’s take a smaller group. Rather than the total population of PR, let’s just look at people who read this blog. I think you would have to agree they are generally more involved politically than most (I bet they all vote at least) and most of them agree with you.
SO you write posts essentially saying the school board is screwing the taxpayer and these folks read it and agree with.
Guess what?? Even after that with a smaller group who agrees they are getting screwed, they still do not show up for board meetings.
You believe that closed sessions keep attendance down (even though there is not one bit of fact to back it up). I would submit that you have it backwards. It is the low attendance that allows the board(s) to get away with closed sessions. If people showed up and made some noise and were vocal when they went to closed sessions you can bet the local rag would be forced to write about and the boards would have some pressure not to just run and hide.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Your assumptions are built on false premises.
Approximately 1,000 unique individuals read this blog on a weekly basis. Even if all of them were from Park Ridge, no more than 100 or so actually comment; and not all of those agree with the positions we take.
So unless every one of them would show up at D-64 meetings with torches and ropes – a misdemeanor, if not a felony – there’s no way Borrelli & Company won’t keep running into and hiding in closed session. They know they can get away with it legally – and there’s no over-riding sense of honesty, integrity, transparency or accountability to counterbalance that sense of legal entitlement.
Finally, expecting “the local rag” to bring pressure on D-64 or D-207 is like expecting Bozo the Clown to stare down Clint Eastwood.
always honest – that’s why you dislike us so much.
Really? So why don’t you and your sheep actually attend board meetings and express your “concerns” rather than belly aching about how few people attend meetings -if you aren’t part of the solution you are part of the problem.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This editor’s got a blog to write so that fools like you have a place to comment anonymously. It’s a thankless job, but somebody’s got to do it.
This editor’s got a blog to write so that fools like you have a place to comment anonymously. It’s a thankless job, but somebody’s got to do it.
Again be honest…if your above comment were true you wouldn’t constantly belly ache about asking those that disagree with you to disclose their identities. Geez. You walked into that one.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Getting called out for being an anonymous coward is the price fools like you have to pay for the privilege of writing stupid things anonymously. Get over it.
Finally, expecting “the local rag” to bring pressure on D-64 or D-207 is like expecting Bozo the Clown to stare down Clint Eastwood.
The same can be said about Expecting your blog to bring any pressure on D64 or D207, especially since none of your readers show up to meetings.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You’ve just said it. Huzzah!
Upon reading that one of the three questions is “What are some things you appreciate about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year? I immediately realized that you are right about this being a propaganda effort. The only question that could more loaded than that is “List every reason why you think District 64 is wonderful?”
EDITOR’S NOTE: That pretty much nails it. Meanwhile, educational quality and performance not only slides at D-64 but it likely is dragging down Maine South’s performance as well. And the fiddlers on the D-64 Board play on.
I don’t think it’s reasonable for you to jump on anonymous contributors when you have it in your power to remove the ability for the anonymity of responses. If you find it so offensive, simply disallow it.
Why has D-64’s standardized testing performance been stagnant-to-declining compared to other districts with similar economic profiles and per-student spending? Why do you think that per-student spending is connected to performance on standardized tests? Reduced parent involvement in the educational process (often due to economic challenges faced by families), student engagement (or lack of engagement) with testing, and an outright disconnect between curriculum presented and testing content can certainly be factors in performance variance.
How will D-64 schools help Park Ridge taxpayers maintain and increase their property values in the face of those stagnant-to-declining comparables while RE taxes keep increasing? School districts are set up to educate children. Property tax increases, decreases and freezes are part of a larger political game. Perhaps Mr. Rauner can help the community some day if he can manage let go of his own personal agenda?
Why does the D-64 Board keep rewarding administrators and staff with more money for stagnant-to-declining student performance? Hopefully the administration and the teachers are working together to enrich the lives of the children and advance their learning. A good score on a standardized test is likely to impress you, but parents are impressed more by the daily achievements of their children. Standardized testing provides a number which can be used to classify a child. A child is not a number, just as we are more than the numbers we represent. The Doctor who is unable to cure a patient a patient with serious challenges doesn’t charge less to work with the patient because they were not cured. Lawyer who loses his case does not take a pay cut the following year because of his loss. Why would you expect people to work harder and harder to their respective careers to settle for making less money?
Unfortunately, I suspect that if standardized test scores were through the roof you would suggest lowering teacher and pay because the students would have demonstrated that they need less teacher support.
Sincerely,
Not a D64 teacher or Administrator
EDITOR’S NOTE: And why exactly should we believe that you’re “Not a D64 teacher or Administrator”?
We made the choice to allow anonymous comments when we started this blog, on the theory that the public benefits from hearing ideas and positions irrespective of who voices them. But we also reserve the right to ridicule ideas and positions we think are stupid, as well as the commentators who submit them.
If the D-64 Board and Administration had any honesty, integrity, transparency or accountability, THEY would be the ones publicly explaioning why performance has been stagnant-to-declining. And THEY would be the ones pointing to “[r]educed parent involvement,” or on the District’s presenting a curriculum that has “an outright disconnect” with the standardized “testing content” if they truly believe those are significant causes. Saying nothing while doing the same thing and getting the same stagnant-to-declining result is beyond idiotic and cowardly – which explains why it’s D-64’s S.O.P.
If doctors and lawyers did their jobs as poorly and as unaccountably as a significant number of D-64 teachers and/or administrators appear to be doing theirs, they’d be sued for malpractice and selling Streetwise. And some do, which is why they ARE sued for malpractice and held accountable – while teachers get another step (and lane?) pay increase and more accrued pension benefits.
Let the record show that I’m going on the record with my real name.
Still waiting for my postcard, per the comment above by Joan Sandrik, but in the meantime I clicked the link someone else provided and registered to receive an email. Looking forward to participating.
That said, there is clearly a bias (not a political one, but at least a lazy one) toward staff and parents. I have explicitly and unambiguously observed to Board chair Tony Borrelli that the Board and the school administration faithfully seek involvement from the (appx.) 1/3 of households that send children to D64 schools, and make little or no effort to recognize the 2/3 of households that are mainly paying the bills.
This survey continues the pattern. That they’re sending a postcard and that someone is passing around a link doesn’t show anything new. Of COURSE we’re all in favor of educating the children, and that includes me. But of COURSE those who directly benefit from the schools (the 1/3) will not hesitate to ask for more, not realizing that they are really asking 2/3 of their neighbors to pay more.
EDITOR’S NOTE: And the District, led by Borrelli and Heinz (or is it the other way around?), keeps spending more and more time, and more and more money, on selling the sizzle because the steak is “select” trending to “commercial” grade.
Postcards are being sent to every residence in town with information about the survey and how to participate.
Mine arrived today. Wow guess they were seriously about getting everyone’s input. Guess pubdog was wrong that they were just soliciting comments from parents.
Not surprising that pubdog is wrong -he usually is
EDITOR’S NOTE: You keep sounding more and more like a D-64 Board member or administrator, so we wonder how you missed Heinz’s/Tramm’s May 9, 2016 memo to the Board wherein they state: “We have been working to create a satisfaction survey that can be used primarily with staff and parents…. And although that same memo stated that “we are mailing postcards to the Park Ridge-Niles community members,” it didn’t say that postcards will be going to “every residence in town.”
Now start working on the survey, especially your answer to Question 2 – “What are some things you appreciate about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?” – because we know you’ve got a novel to write on that one.
“This survey continues the pattern. That they’re sending a postcard and that someone is passing around a link doesn’t show anything new. Of COURSE we’re all in favor of educating the children, and that includes me. But of COURSE those who directly benefit from the schools (the 1/3) will not hesitate to ask for more, not realizing that they are really asking 2/3 of their neighbors to pay more.”
The survey gives every resident (able minded or otherwise (this means you pubdog) the opportunity to state what you think is being done well and what you think is not being done well. Those are open ended questions allowing you to say “my tax dollars are being wasted bc test scores are declining” and you can further say “I don’t think anything is being done well bc if so many closed sessions and no bid contracts -bc I drink pubdogs cool aid” …. Yet you bozos are still complaining?!
when they didn’t solicit comment you called them a star chamber, now they solicit comment and you initially sAy they aren’t soliciting from everyone -now that you realize THEY aRE soliciting from everyone you complain they questions are too open ended?!
If they provided more specific questions questions you would have complained that the questioned were not open ended enough. I see a pattern-you and your sheep simply want to pay less taxes so you will complain about everything until you get lower taxes -you and gov rauner seem to be on the same page -and it’s working so well for him.
EDITOR’S NOTE: As we said in response to your last stab at this same misinformation, nowhere it any public document we can find did D-64 say it is “soliciting from everyone” via direct e-mail (staff and parents only) or postcard.
You and Mike Madigan seem to be on the same page. We’ll take Rauner any day.
Pubdog — first Google search (you fancy yourself good at those right?). See link “inviting all community members via post card”. Guess you like being dishonest and not getting anything done -like Rauner.
http://www.d64.org/news/District-64-invites-local-residents-to-join-an-innovative-online-conversation-about-schools.cfm?grp_id=16803
EDITOR’S NOTE: In typical Laurie Heinz/Bernadette Tramm/Tony Borrelli fashion, “District 64 is inviting all community members to join a conversation” but only directly contacting – via e-mail – parents and teachers. But you already know that, don’t you?
Just in case pubdog you are too lazy or too dishonest to read the link. Here is a quote (again you were wrong about them not mailing to all residents) guess d64 is not as conniving as you want your cool aid drinking sheep to believe?
Postcard invitations with a direct link to the District 64 Thoughtexchange are being mailed to all local residents. The link also may be accessed via the District 64 website. Current parents and staff were already emailed direct invitations to participate in a conversation at their schools.
EDITOR’S NOTE: And your link for this “quote” is where exactly?
Link to postcard quote -same link – go to paragraph 5 lazy dog
http://www.d64.org/news/District-64-invites-local-residents-to-join-an-innovative-online-conversation-about-schools.cfm?grp_id=16803
EDITOR’S NOTE: Next time make the effort to actually quote from the linked text so we don’t have to waste our time looking for it – especially since your obsession with this blog suggests that you’re getting paid to troll it (“Hello, B. Tramm”?) or else you’re doing it as CYA as a Board member.
And pardon us if we reserve judgment on whether those postcards actually go out to ALL residences.
My last posted quoted it. You are getting senile old dog.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ever hear of “quotation marks”? You should try using them whenever you are quoting something.
“In typical Laurie Heinz/Bernadette Tramm/Tony Borrelli fashion, “District 64 is inviting all community members to join a conversation” but only directly contacting – via e-mail – parents and teachers. But you already know that, don’t you?”
PD, do you think that this is some conspiracy? Maybe they did it this way because of the data that is available
D64 maintains a database of available e-mail addresses for parents of D64 children. It is easy to collect when parents fill out the annual paperwork. There is a space for it on the form. SO it is easy for them to send this invite via e-mail
Does the district even have a database of every e-mail address for PR residents?? Hell, believe it or not there are actually people in PR who do not use e-mail. Some days I wish that were me but I digress. My neighbors kids have been out of D64 for 25 years. He has an e-mail but why would D64 have it?? Why would D64 have your e-mail?
Mailing a document to all PR residents is pretty easy. The address data is already out there but how would they get a list of all PR e-mail addresses?
EDITOR’S NOTE: Of course it’s a “conspiracy” – based on the understanding that e-mails will draw a higher response rate than postcards that many/most people will treat as junk mail.
Just like it’s a “conspiracy” to slant the survey with a question like “What are some things you appreciate about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?” without a companion “don’t appreciate” questioh.
“1. What are some concerns you have about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?
2. What are some things you appreciate about Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 this year?”
Quotation marks this time. First question asks about what concerns you have about D64.
And post cards were mailed. So muddog your whole post is based on false facts. “Near meaningless” post -to quote some bonehead that said that a little while ago.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Good to see that you’re trainable.
“Concern” is not an antonym of “appreciate,” if that’s what you’re getting at.
Did you mail them?
It’s quite understandable that D64 naturally has email addresses for teachers, staff and parents, and probably not for other residents, to whom it only sends snail mail. So why not conduct a more scientific survey and only send postcards to all residents, skipping the emails to seek a more representative sampling of “the community”?
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Answer: The D-64 Board and Administration don’t want “a more representative sampling of ‘the community’ on a survey that is intended to generate applause lines rather than boos.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Answer: The D-64 Board and Administration don’t want “a more representative sampling of ‘the community’ on a survey that is intended to generate applause lines rather than boos.
BY THE QUESTION ON 05.21.16 4:57 PM
The real answer …is most of the community doesn’t give a monkeys butt about what happens…hence the low turn out at boards meetings or whenever they try to rally up a community committee. Same thing for city council meeting or library Board. Low attendance relative to the 37k population.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If that’s true, the only reason “most of the community doesn’t give a monkey’s butt” is that both D-64 and D-207 have been masterful at (a) controlling/suppressing information through regular closed sessions; and (b) handling a complicit local press.
By hiding all of the really important and controversial discussions in closed sessions – like the ongoing D-64/PREA teacher contract negotiations – there’s nothing for even the complicit press to report.
I still didn’t get my postcard about the survey and neither have my neighbors on either side of me. But thanks to reading this blog I know how to find and take the survey. It’s too bad that more people don’t read this blog, and worse that d64 is not walking its talk.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re shocked – shocked – to find out that survey postcards aren’t being received!
Or maybe yours (and your neighbors’) got lost in the mail, along with those of other non-D-64 households we’ve heard from.
“Of course it’s a “conspiracy” – based on the understanding that e-mails will draw a higher response rate than postcards that many/most people will treat as junk mail”.
OK….so let me get this strait. If they decided to not e-mail to parents/teachers etc but rather include them in the mail dump to all PR residents will that make you happy?
What do you think the response rate on that will be? Let me give you an idea. The parent population response rate will still be dramatically higher because they are more involved….period! The data will still be what you refer to as “slanted”.
EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s not a question of making anybody happy, it’s about doing the best to level the playing field by reaching out to the vast majority of households that don’t get paychecks or heavily-subsidized educations from D-64, especially when the survey is clearly “slanted” to produce happy talk for D-64.
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