Schools need volunteers, not just more tax money
Regarding the June 27 column by Joseph R. Bag O'Doughnuts III, anyone writing such a scathing attack on the value of social workers in public schools should have the courage to use his real name.
However, I agree with his point that public schools should not have to provide services that are the responsibility of parents, local governmental social agencies, etc.
Frankly, with tax rates increasing regularly in both the city of Greensboro and Guilford County, at some point we need to step back and examine just what the role of government should be today.
For example, why do we need to expand the zoo section of the Natural Science Center when the fine North Carolina Zoo is only 40 minutes away?
But I do want to say to Mr. O'Doughnuts that the schools need more resources to teach little Johnny to read. Therefore, I encourage him and others to volunteer to assist.
Communities in Schools' Great Leaps Reading Program has been very effective in improving the reading and comprehension ability of primary grade children in our community. So step up and be part of the solution.
Keith Hoile
Greensboro
Comments (4)
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Keith,
It's much easier for the folks like Dan and neoKitty to throw rocks than it is for them to "VOLUNTEER". All one has to do is read their posts, to KNOW they have not stepped foot in a school Other than to drop off someone. Oh, oh, I'm sorry! Dan did question a night clerk at the Hampton Inn in Little Rock, Arkansas. Does that count?
Posted on July 2, 2007 10:14 AM
Folks like Dan do more than volunteer. They fund this debacle with their tax dollars forcibly removed from them by our local leaders.
Keith, your response indicates that you work in the education system. What other business can fail miserably at what they are paid to do and then ask for volunteers to do their job for them. I know I can't.
And no, I don't blame the teachers. Although a few manage to rise above it, I'm astonished that anyone could succeed in the real zoo. And it's not 40 miles away, it's at our nearest public school.
Posted on July 2, 2007 12:14 PM
Nit,
They can always move...? :)
Posted on July 2, 2007 2:33 PM
I feel that with the state of far too many schools in GC, that the number of potential volunteers will only decrease. It does not take a rocket scientist or brain surgeon to realize that there are grave problems in the GCSS. People do not want to step into a potential "killing zone" to volunteer.
I substituted in an elementary school one year ago. I was forewarned by the guidance counselor about ONE student who was in the class that I was substituting. Before the MORNING was over, I had called for assistance with that very student. That ended it for me with that school. The pay to substitute is not worth the hassle to deal with problems such as what I had in that one class.
My question is why would ANYONE want to VOLUNTEER in a setting like that? The typical person is not geared to deal/handle that type thing. Yet these are most often the situations where volunteers are needed/requested.
nit, you pose a good point in your posting above.
Shalom
Posted on July 2, 2007 9:12 PM