The Observation Deck

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What upsets me, is by pulling these students that obviously have parents that care about their children's future from public schools, it makes the schools and the NCLB scores suffer. When parents point to better scores for students in private school, they leave out that they as parents are probably the reason, certainly more than the schools. They are taking a much deeper interest after paying $5,000, $10,000 or more for 6th grade, so they want to make sure it pays.

Jim,
I fail to see how sending children to parochial schools makes the Lakewood schools suffer. A family with four children in parochial schools throughout their grade school and high school years saves the public system hundreds of thousands of dollars. To paraprase a statement heard decades ago - logistically and financially what would happen to the Lakewood public system if all of the parochial students went to public school?

Stephen Eisel wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Stephen Eisel wrote:Glenn Beck is funny and right winger... just sayin...

Sounds like Jumbo Shrimp to me!

Right wing and funny!

Not while they drive the country to bankruptcy and kill our men and woman and anything else that gets in their way.

No joy, no laughter, no mas.


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Who controls Congress and the Senate?

Now when we are trying to get out, or before? This is the lamest argument that doesn't belong here. just sayin

I never thought about parents who send their children to private schools could or could not hurt the local schools, I thought the basis of the post sounded more like "can a mayor who sends his kids to private schools truly represent the public schools here in the same fashion as one who went through or had kids go through the public schools". Since I am relatively new here, Did Mayor George go to Lakewood schools or have kids go through them? I know I heard that Demro grew up in the schools, but know nothing else about Mayor George and the public schools.

Justine-- Tom George's kids went to St. Luke's school then both graduated from Lakewood High School and Ohio colleges.
Tom is a Lakewood High grad. His brother Mike is a Lakewood High grad. His brother Skip is a Lakewood High grad.
His Dad was a Lakewood High chemistry teacher (and mine, I might add).
His Mom was a Lakewood teacher.

I do think this conversation has merit but attendance at a private school certainly should not be a determining factor in the qualifications for a candidate.

I have so many friends who have attended the major Catholic schools in our area that I tend to forget any distinction other than athletic rivalries.

My own brother went to Gilmour Academy and it was based on what my parents thought were potential benefits to him. All parents make those decisions and hopefully based on their kids' needs, not in making any statement about another school or system.

And, in more or less conclusion, I think if you look at our situation in Lakewood as compared to other cities in the county, we have the benefits that competition and choice bring to our lives.

You have no idea how a potential game against St. Ed's brings out the best efforts of our kids!!!!!

Stan

Thanks Stan!!! I am trying to learn more and more about the candidates.

This may or may not be the right thread, but I was just out taking a walk on my street, talking with neighbors and the upcoming election, and one neighbor expressed a concern that a friend of hers went to a meeting held by Fitzgerald and came away saying "Wow I never knew how dangerous Lakewood has become!" That bothers me. I like other things I have read about him, but I do want better representation for my three kids in public school and I don't like scare tactics. She also said he was negative about the current mayor saying that he was giving the police an extra week of vacation. I know nothing of that and know little about Mayor George, but I have not heard him one time say anything negative about either candidate. Maybe I am missing it, but I haven't heard it.

In the end, whether or not your kids attend Lakewood public schools is really irrelevant to whether you'd make a good Mayor or Councilperson.

The Lakewood Schools and the City of Lakewood are two different government entities.

While they do have a symbiotic relationship, to try and infer that a person would make a poor Mayor because their kids go to a Catholic school is really an ignoratio elenchi

In my opinion, this would only matter for someone running for the school board.

Actually it is relevant.

If you look back through the posts you will see that I laid out a scenario of a mayor showing off the city to others. "We have a great town, (here list some of the things that could be pointed out) and wonderful schools" Other person "Oh, you have great schools, where do your kids go".

Now this scenario could be played out if a new business was scouting to relocate here. A realty group was assessing the livability of Lakewood and many, many other scenarios could call this into question.

I still think it's odd.

So do the private schools not add value to Lakewood? Are they not a "selling point" of the city?

I would say that they are a great asset to go along with our great city schools.

I am sure you know that the LCA has brought some great families to this city, just as the city schools have.

While I decided to send my kids to public schools, I would think that parents of kids in private schools would take offense to comments questioning their commitment to the city, and their ability to "sell" the city they choose to live in.

I am proud to live in a city that has so many options to offer its citizens.

[quote="Bryan Schwegler"

While they do have a symbiotic relationship, to try and infer that a person would make a poor Mayor because their kids go to a Catholic school is really an ignoratio elenchi

In my opinion, this would only matter for someone running for the school board.[/quote]

Never did I read or say that mayor would make a poor mayor, but residents agree and disagree on many things in this election and if some wonder if one could best represent the city when his kids go to private schools, then that is their right and ignorance has nothing to do with it. Any of the three candidates could do a great job running the city. Because of that, everything should be taken into consideration, and the truth is, this is what I hear people talking about, so it is relevant to them, even if not to some.

Ryan Salo wrote:So do the private schools not add value to Lakewood? Are they not a "selling point" of the city?

I would say that they are a great asset to go along with our great city schools.

I am sure you know that the LCA has brought some great families to this city, just as the city schools have.

While I decided to send my kids to public schools, I would think that parents of kids in private schools would take offense to comments questioning their commitment to the city, and their ability to "sell" the city they choose to live in.

I am proud to live in a city that has so many options to offer its citizens.

Once again, it feels like we are reading different posts. I didn't read Sharon's post accusing all parents with kids in private schools as not supporting the city. It sounded like she was questioning a mayor whose kids aren't in public schools. Let's not take this thread on some war about private school kids versus not. I didn't even read it like that and people will form their own opinions, and already do.

Ryan - read back on the thread.

I went to catholic school for 12 years.

I'm not putting private schools down, I'm saying for someone who holds public office it is odd.

By the way, I noticed the Y putting out info about scholarships, good job!

Justine Cooper wrote:
Never did I read or say that mayor would make a poor mayor, but residents agree and disagree on many things in this election and if some wonder if one could best represent the city when his kids go to private schools, then that is their right and ignorance has nothing to do with it. Any of the three candidates could do a great job running the city. Because of that, everything should be taken into consideration, and the truth is, this is what I hear people talking about, so it is relevant to them, even if not to some.

I wasn't really responding to you, just in general to the premise of the thread. Understandably people would view this differently. I'm just saying from a completely logical standpoint (and I'm meaning from the actual Logic field, not condescendingly) it would be a false argument in my opinion to even have this be a factor.

Of course, politics, especially local, is greatly affected by emotional processes so expecting true logical arguments to win out isn't going to happen.

I just restate my personal opinion that I could care less where the Mayor or any other city government official sends their kids to school. To me, that's only an issue for a school board candidate, not the city. I fully understand others could differ on that view.

Bryan,
I totally respect your view. I have heard other people talking that they have a different view. I don't even know what my view is as I am still learning more and more about the candidates. I ultimately respect them all for wanting to take on such a job. Incidentally, my father worked three jobs to put himself through a Catholic college and they lugged six kids to church every Sunday so I have respect for people's choices in religion and school. My son went to a Catholic Kindergarten and I have no plans for sending my younger two to private while in Lakewood but who knows what the future holds. And yes I would be just as involved in the community even if they went to private schools. I just thought Sharon's original thought or post got twisted around and defenses came out and the whole argument went in many different directions.

I would hope you would never call me ignorant since I love you so much!

Justine Cooper wrote: I would hope you would never call me ignorant since I love you so much!

Ha, you are probably one of the people on here that I would say is the farthest from ignorant as can be.