[Southsider2k12]

Interestingly enough, we weren't the only one to vote down a similar proposal

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-...,0,828093.story

Voters across Indiana turn down school projects

Associated Press
10:02 PM CDT, May 19, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS - Voters rejected millions of dollars in school projects in special elections in central and northern Indiana.

In the Mooresville school district south of Indianapolis on Tuesday, voters rejected a proposed $50 million middle school 2,689 to 1,674 and a $45 million high school renovation 2,564 to 1,780.

And in the Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson school district that straddles Johnson and Morgan counties, a proposed $26 million elementary school failed, 1,622 to 647.

Meanwhile in northern Indiana, some 68 percent of those voting opposed a proposed $39 million bond issue for a new career center in Michigan City.

A state law requires voters to sign off on building projects costing $10 million or more for kindergarten through Grade 8 pupils and $20 million or more for Grade 9-12 students.

[ChickenCityRoller]

SS'er, that was a good letter you wrote. Good work!



Does anyone know what percentage of students graduate from the local public high school? I couldn't find that stat online.

[Ang]

I was just reading through all the Anvil Chorus letters posted here, and there was one thing that stood out to me.

All the people voting NO have stated very clearly why they would vote no, using past examples and other statistics to justify their opinion.

All the people who wanted to vote YES have insulted or cut-down those who oppose, accusing them of not "caring about our children" and blah blah blah. They haven't used examples or statistics FROM MICHIGAN CITY to support their yes vote. Telling me what's going on in Carmel,IN means nothing to me as MC is 200 miles away and the demographics are completely different.

Just shows us NO voters are smarter than the YES people.

[Southsider2k12]

SS'er, that was a good letter you wrote. Good work!



Does anyone know what percentage of students graduate from the local public high school? I couldn't find that stat online.

Thanks for the kind words G.

Our graduation rate about 2/3 right now. I don't know the exact numbers off of the top of my head.

Of those graduates, about 50% go to college, and about half of those dropout within their first year.

[lovethiscity]

SS'er, that was a good letter you wrote. Good work!



Does anyone know what percentage of students graduate from the local public high school? I couldn't find that stat online.

The numbers used by MCAS careers for kids is 70% In the real world it is lower as over 51% of the ninth graders can not read at grade level.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=44344.66

After Tuesday's career center vote, what comes next?

Craig Davison
For The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Now that voters have shot down the idea of a new career and technical center, parties on both sides of the issue are considering what the next step is.

Charlie Morgan, who helped lead the opposition and filed the petition to have Tuesday's referendum on the ballot, said Wednesday he's not against career education. He just wants a better plan.

"I do believe in a career center," he said, "and I believe we need to do something."

Voters, by a 2,578-1,223 decision, chose not to allow the Michigan City Area Schools board to enter into an up to $39.5 million bond agreement to build a new career and technical center next to Michigan City High School.

Morgan plans to meet with proponents of the new career center, such as Careers for Kids chair Tim Bietry and Mayor Chuck Oberlie.

"I just thought we should get a constructive proposal together and start working on it," Morgan said.

Betsy Kohn, MCAS director of communications, said the school system is still working on a program to offer comprehensive career and technical education to students.

"It's not going to stop our planning," Kohn said. "We're just going to have to regroup."

The day after the election, Kohn could not go into detail about what the plans may be. Any new plan, she said, likely won't be similar to what voters decided against Tuesday, at least not for a year.

A state law that took effect last year allowing for public referendums states "the same or a substantially similar project may not be submitted to the voters earlier than one year after the date of the election."

Lisa Tanselle, Indiana School Boards Association attorney, said, "They can't reintroduce the exact building program within a year. It's possible to come up with a new plan, a modified plan."

Any new plan for a bond issue regarding the career center or an extensive renovation of the A.K. Smith Career Center still would require the same process that brought about Tuesday's elections: hearings, public notification and allowing for a petition to create a referendum, Tanselle said. A referendum could be sought, for example, if a career-center project exceeds a bond issue of $1 million.

[Southsider2k12]

If there was any doubt that the ND's opinion page is a tool of the Chamber and the MCAS adminstration, this cinches it. The community votes 2:1 against something, and WE are the ones who don't get it.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=23377

The Issue:

Foes thought many questions were unanswered.

Our Opinion:

Some opponents don't trust the schools. MCAS must win the public's confidence.
Referendum dies
Proposal fails for many reasons

Editorial

A number of reasons could lie behind the lopsided vote Tuesday that rejected a proposed $39 million bond issue for a Michigan City High School Career Center.

The one discussed most often was the pricetag - opponents often said it was too much spending at a time when many taxpayers are out of work, fearful of losing their jobs or having a tough time paying their own bills during this recession.

While the price was high, advocates said paying off the bond issue was affordable at an estimated $4 a month in additional property taxes for someone with a $100,000 home.

Nevertheless, the bond issue proved to be a difficult sale to voters, who rejected it two-to-one, despite a well funded campaign by a political action committee.

Another reason was many people felt they didn't have answers to their questions about a new career center - what courses would be offered, how would it differ from the vocational curriculum now provided, how many new teachers would be needed and at what expense, and how much would the new facility cost for utilities and maintenance?

And a lingering question remains - why can't the existing A.K. Smith building be renovated?

The political action committee addressed many of these issues, but in the end failed to be heard or failed to persuade the public.

One other reason underlies the vote Tuesday - and that's the sometimes toxic climate when it comes to Michigan City Area Schools. Many people regard the school board and administration with more than a healthy dose of skepticism. Unfortunately, some people simply don't trust this institution, a fear played upon by some naysayers who rely on oversimplification of issues and don't want to be bothered with complexities and nuances.

The school administration needs to come back with a plan that can win the support of the public, but that's going to be hard until the administration and board win the confidence of the people.

[Ang]

One other reason underlies the vote Tuesday - and that's the sometimes toxic climate when it comes to Michigan City Area Schools. Many people regard the school board and administration with more than a healthy dose of skepticism. Unfortunately, some people simply don't trust this institution, a fear played upon by some naysayers who rely on oversimplification of issues and don't want to be bothered with complexities and nuances.

Exactly just what the (bleep) is THAT supposed to mean?

[Southsider2k12]

Exactly just what the (bleep) is THAT supposed to mean?

It is pretty arrogant when at least two people who have run for school board, plus three who are on the school board now, were against this plan. I guess the 2/3rds of us who were against this were the idiots, and not the group who can't understand why this isn't a good idea today, especially with the half-hearted job they did on preparing this $70 million plan.