The way things will be

I lived across the street from Adams Elementary School for four of the happiest years of my life.  My two young children were set to start school come fall when District 11 announced they were considering closing eight of its schools, including Adams.

I became hot and bothered, and made up my mind to persuade the District to reconsider -- nay; to change their mind about Adams.  I joined forces with my dear friend Sandy "Eagle Eye" Albertson, who had lived across from the school for thirty years, and whose children had attended.  Sandy was an avid District 11 volunteer, committee member, and one-time candidate for its school board;she saves everything, her age-old documents presented a veritable playground for us.  Together, she and I held ice cream social fund raisers, and pored over decades-old capacity, utilization and every which kind of report, policy, this, that, what have you:  we mainlined everything District 11, trying to figure out a way to foil them.

Well, we didn't.  But we learned a lot.  

The most illuminating moment for me was when I, despite my intense fear of math and numbers, dove into the District 11 checkbook register.

I stand by my contention that District 11 means to close Bates Elementary to make way for UCCS parking...and that District 11 has long had in place plans for a "University Park Elementary" up in that area behind UCCS; indeed, they have long funded it.  See my 2009 post, "Adding it Up".

So, I guess all I'm trying to say to the passionate ones, and the sentimental ones, and the idealists who believe they can and will make a difference and save their neighborhood school:  you can't; you won't.

Don't let that stop you, however, from taking a good, hard look at the District's finances.  It's the only way I found out about Jan Tanner's pizza deal; it's really the only way you can even begin to get your arms how big it is.  I mean, come on: they handle an annual budget of a quarter billion dollars, folks...of tax payer money; that's a hella lotta dolla dolla y'all.  Oh, money's tight, folks, unless we raise the levy a mill here, or a tax there....and now it's the budget cut, and now it's the declining enrollment, and now it's the under-performing school; why do we keep falling for the okie-doke?  They are already spending on things that they're just now revealing to the public, and it's the farthest thing from transparent or just.

As for Jan Tanner...maybe this independent article will help to persuade you of her far left intent.

I think it's high past time for us to wake up and smell the coffee and stop pretending that elections and voting and representation and committees and all that crap really matter at all; history has already been written, and the people representin' all come from the same pre-ordained pool; they already know the way things will be...and even if the people were to rise up and revolt, the same circles and cycles will continue their maddening turns...