I have to admit that I don't think Kansas City education issues are as interesting as Alice Goodwin dressed as a naughty professor . . . However, voters seem to want Mayoral Candidates and elected officials to take a greater role in local education issues.
Mayor Funky's "Schools First" nonsense FAILED and other candidates have noted their intention to focus on education.
Today Kansas City Mayoral Candidate Henry Klein offers his local education plan with an interesting suggestion . . .
Klein Campaign Proposes Office of Education With Specific Goals
Just as the Henry Klein did four years ago, the Klein proposes to change the nature of interaction between Kansas City and its 13 school districts. The vehicle for doing this will be through the establishment of city sponsored Office of Education.
Improving Kansas City schools must be part of the city’s mission. Klein’s proposed Kansas City involvement includes: implementing citywide early childhood education; accelerating grant procurement; formalizing communications of city needs to the school districts and promoting learning by doing via an expanded Bright Futures program.
“Many Kansas City politicians ignore the problems in our schools, saying that supporting Kansas City schools is not in their job description,” Klein said. “In listening to the voters, it is clear they want leaders who will make improving the schools a part of their jobs. As a community, we must take steps to understand the needs of the 13 school districts impacting Kansas City and carve out a role we can play in meeting those needs.”
The Kansas City Office of Education
Klein said if he is elected Kansas City Mayor, one of his first actions will be to create a Kansas City Office of Education. The office will act as a liaison between Kansas City and the 13 school districts, community colleges, vocational schools and 4-year colleges. The office will be charged with the following:
1. Develop a plan to implement citywide early childhood education. This will include a study to determine the best way to implement early childhood education in our city and request funding and other resources from private and public funding sources.
2. Assist school districts in applying for educational grants to support after-school programs, technology and other educational resources.
3. Increase communication between the city’s educational institutions. This will result in higher education institutions working more closely with area high schools to prepare students for their post-high school education. It will also communicate to our educational institutions the type of labor force employers need to grow their companies and that will attract new companies to our city.
4. Expand the city's Bright Futures program of summer internships for high school and college students here in Kansas City with area employers. "We will continue working with the Chamber of Commerce to encourage employers to establish internships in the program but as mayor, I will personally be asking employers set up more internships. I will also be asking the council and other city entities to do the same."
5. Study the social and economic cost of the problems the city faces when our children are poorly educated. We cannot solve our educational problems if we don't understand their impact on our city and its citizens.
Klein said the formation of the Kansas City Office of Education will be a signal that the City must get serious about involving itself in the education of its citizens. “Building a strong education system is simply too important for Kansas City to continue abdicating all responsibility,” Klein said.
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He totally misses the point.
ReplyDeleteKCMO government has proven it cannot effectively manage basic city services like police, fire, roads, bridges, water, development, jobs.
He just lost the votes of parents in 11 of 13 school districts that are well run. Having KCMO government involved in your school district would be poison.
Seems like a nice guy, just posturing for the camera. If I knew him, what I would say is this ...
It isn't just about doing things well; it is also about doing the right things. First perform your basic responsibilities well, and only after you demonstrate that, maybe take on additional responsibilities.
He can't be any worse than Funkhouser.
ReplyDeleteDumb shit-should run for school board!
ReplyDelete3;03, is right, much better idea than running for Mayor. He ran 4 years agofor mayor - what has he done since. He's so entrenched in the KCMO School District problems - but did he attend even one forum when they were trying to decide if schools should be closed??? No. He needs to slither back to Habitat for Humanity...his ONLY claim to charity.
ReplyDeleteNews flash:
ReplyDeleteKansas City, Mo., School District to establish Department of Snow Removal on City Streets
City services in Kansas City suck.
ReplyDeleteAll you who think this city sucks, why don't you just shut the hell up and move? Oh, because it costs more to live somewhere else?
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest. The problem isn't with "the 13 school districts."
ReplyDeleteIt's with the KCMOSD, along with dash of Center and Hickman Mills.
Let's be honest. The problem isn't with "the 13 school districts."
ReplyDeleteIt's with the KCMOSD, along with dash of Center and Hickman Mills.
Let's be honest. The problem isn't with "the 13 school districts."
ReplyDeleteIt's with the KCMOSD, along with dash of Center and Hickman Mills.
The schools are a major problem, to be sure, but no city departments are very effective or efficient. He should straighten them out first.
ReplyDeleteLet the MO DEPT OF CORRECTIONS run the KCMO SD's MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. That's Early Childhood encarceration, er, Education, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteGive society a HEAD START to reduce street crime, lower the killing fields, reduce the burden on the courts, etc.
Just put YELLOW lines in middle school hallways and build fenced 'dorms'.
That white boy isn't going to fix the school district.
ReplyDeleteScrounge up some money and book Bill Cosby, and a few black heros who don't have drug convictions or make their living off of rap music.
Put em in the downtown hall, provide free bus rides, serve lots of pizza and make it free for anybody who brings their KCMOSD kids.
The last thing the ailing urban culture needs is more 'leadership' lectures from white people.
Some good jobs in the urban core wouldn't hurt either. Now some white people might be able to do that, don't ya think? Call that guy Boehner in Washington to get some of his rich friends to spring for some of that saved up profit money and build some plants east of Troost along the bus lines.
Paying $15 an hour.
All the rest of it about fixing KC schools is just political bullshit and we all know it. This Klein guy? Talker, not a doer.
Put another way, if we're going to have a white guy save the city, it needs to be somebody like Jesse Ventura to come in, kick some ass and make some people squirm.
Doubt he'd sit around sipping tea at these meet and greets to suck up to the south siders from Brookside, would he?
Do the city a favor. Vote against the eTAX, sell your house and move to the suburbs.