Test time-Eight tries at graduation exam?

This article in the RJ about our education system is sad. How can we call it an education system when it doesn't educate.

The article states,

Cutting through the politically correct code talk, some of those failing the tests don't speak enough English to read the instructions, and an actual majority may have learning or behavioral disorders. With these populations now taking the test for the sixth or seventh time, "You're going to see a low pass rate," explains Mr. King.

School Board President Terri Janison recently attended a pep talk for May test-takers who were given incentives such as free movie tickets and restaurant coupons to encourage them to do well on the test. She encouraged the kids, but told them, "At some point, you have to do it for yourself."

Ms. Janison believes the district already offers students an "inordinate amount of help."

That's an understatement. Kids who meet even modest attendance requirements should be able to ace these tests. A second try may make sense, in case a test session caught a kid who'd missed a night's sleep or for some reason failed to take the exercise seriously.

But six tries? Seven or eight? Over a two-year period?

I don't know what you call this, but it isn't teaching. We have to fail children who don't pass. We have to hold them accountable.

More on Business

In a letter to the editor in the RJ, the writer asks,

Well, friend, trust me. It is not time, but policy that is prohibiting economic growth. If you own or run a business, you understand. If you don't, pretend you did and ask yourself this: Is this the time to hire? Will my profits expand in the near future? Won't it cost me more money in taxes and insurance due to the new health bill?

An expanding government has a direct link to a shrinking economy. Only our great private capitalist system with limited regulation can get us on the road to recovery.

Small business is already having problems just surviving. They are having sales and trying to promote their business, but it is too expensive to advertise so the public doesn't know about their sales and promotions.

That is why I initiated the Businesses and Neighborhoods Unite program. Candidates can help small businesses as they campaign, businesses can advertise for free on the ecouponfile.com coupon site, and the neighborhood people can save money by using the coupons. In this way, we can help to stimulate the economy.

Small Businesses need help.

Today, I went to a well known Las Vegas mall. It has been about 2 months since I visited this mall. I noticed 5 more stores closed and at least one of the independent stands was missing.

Several of the stores in the mall advertise on my ecouponfile.com coupon site. One of the stores that was out of business was the store that I wanted to visit because they had not been using my site for coupons.

I went to one store that advertises on my site and talked to the owner. He said that he "was just hanging on. He felt that he may have to close.

Then I visited 3 stores that had indicated an interest in advertising the last time I visited the mall. They all indicated that they were going out of business within a few months if things didn't improve.

That is why I am trying to help small businesses as I campaign. The main issue in this election is the economy. If the current legislature is not replaced with people who will fight to prevent tax increases and who will fight to reduce government spending, we will have a big tax increase in 2011. I am afraid that we will have a payroll tax on business which would cause small businesses, like those mentioned above, to close.

Things will only get worse.

My May report on my campaign.

This month, I started the "Businesses and Neighborhoods Unite" program. It is a program to promote local businesses to the neighborhoods as candidates campaign. . Leonard Foster, candidate for Assembly in District 13, Warren Markowitz, candidate for State Controller, and Mark Andrews, candidate for Assembly in District 4, have joined me with this program.

On May 29th at Mark Rich’s New York Pizza and Pasta at 11710 W. Charleston Ave., Leonard and I held the first Businesses and Neighborhoods Unite event. The businesses in the Vista Commons Center participated by putting signs in their windows announcing the event. With local entertainment, drawings, free CDs, free coffee or soft drinks and free pizza, the event was a success and everyone had a great time. Leonard and I contacted over 3000 people by phone and over 1000 people as they canvassed the neighborhood. Mark Rich’s Menu was distributed as they canvassed. I also promoted the event on my radio interviews and on my web site at www.electtomjones.com.

Earlier on May 3rd, I had an interview with the "Nevada Concerned Citizens" group. Steve Ziser was the Chairman. They were very well informed and it was an interesting interview. I do not have a tape of the interview because it was not taped. I wish to thank the NCC for this opportunity.

On May 20th, Steve Wark of "The Q" radio, 670 am, interviewed me. Along with my platform, we discussed my "Businesses and Neighborhoods Unite" program (BANU). I appreciate Steve and "The Q" for the opportunity to announce my BANU event on the radio. As soon as I receive the tape, I will put it on this site.

On May 25th, Raye and I attended the Nevada Credit Union League's "Meet and Greet". They did a great job of decorating and planning this event. I meet many nice people including Governor Gibbons.

Barry Klor recorded our version of "What's New Pussycat?" which we call "What's New Democrat, What's New Republican". You heard it on our site and we have put is on our new CD. This CD contains the new song, a 6 minute speech by me, and the song "The Government Can". We are giving it away free.

During the month, we also produced our brochure, bought new signs, and prepared for our Mark Rich's event.

Americans Unite, We MUST Save Our Country!!!

Your Government at work.

Bold thinkers in the USA Today editorial room picked apart similar data this week and concluded “paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year.”

At the same time, government benefits – Social Security, unemployment, food stamps, you name the program – set a record high during the first quarter.

Unfortunately, “the feds don’t really have any money,” Bill Bonner mused in The Daily Reckoning. “They don’t make anything. They don’t create any wealth. So they can only send us checks by taking the money from us – one way or another.

Soon the private sector will not have enough money to keep this ponzi scheme going. We have to stop it now before it is too late.

Campaign Events

Tomorrow, I will be interviewed on the Steve Wark radio show on 670 am at 8am. Please listen in.

On Saturday, May 29th, I will at Mark Rich's New York Pizza at 11am til 12:30pm. It is located at 11710 West Charleston Blvd. at Desert Foothills in the Vista Commons Center. Please stop by to discuss your opinions and suggestion.

We plan to schedule a meeting every Saturday except the Fourth of July weekend. Check my web site regularly for details.

Clark County teachers get a special deal

This NPRI article by Karen Gray states,

In January 2009 the Nevada Retirement Board notified all public employers of a rate increase for Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) contributions. For CCSD, that increase translated into a 1 percent rate hike for teachers, administrators and support staff, and a 3.5 percent increase for school police.

The June 25 informational material given trustees says that,

"Salary schedules have been adjusted for administrative, school police and support staff personnel to reflect a division of the required increase in contribution rates to be shared equally between the district and the employee under provision stipulated in NRS 286.421,"

The article points out that,

Close inspection of the trustees' backup material, however, reveals no mention of any comparable cuts to teacher incomes. And the website of the Clark County Education Association — also known as the teacher union — indicates that there were none. Instead, reported the CCEA on its website, a "Contract Deal [had been] Reached" with "No Cuts in Salary & Benefits."

The budget has to be cut, but they are still spending.