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SCHOOL DAZE AT L.A. SCHOOLS

 

By Rabbi Nachum Shifren
June 26, 2010
NewsWithViews.com

[Rabbi Shifren is a Candidate for California State Senate]

Educator, Veteran teacher for 22 years in L.A. Schools

Poor Steve Zimmer, board member of L.A. Unified School District (Jewish Journal, 6/18). How much courage did it take to come up with yet another pathetic whimper about more school funding--at a time of record unemployment, unprecedented tax burdens on Californians, massive foreclosures, and a whopping 50% drop out rate in the District! Hey, this takes guts! (or chutzpah?)

The effrontery of board member Zimmer and his colleagues is beyond embarrassing to those who have been following the abysmal, some say criminal, record of the worst school district in the nation. This time even the voters who are usually unaware of District machinations on our pocketbooks, turned them down in a clear slap in the face of these bureaucrats that could not care a drop for our students.

This district is sitting on a powder keg ready to go off. If a martian were to land at many of the campuses, the interplanetary visitor would correctly assume that the mission statement of our academic genius administrators would be: maximum confusion, minimum effort, near-total apathy and dysfunction.

The San Francisco Chronicle (6/21) reports that in a study by "Educational Week", between the years 1997 and 2007, graduation rates went down NEARLY 5 %, making LA schools the second worse district in the Union.

The Chronicle continued: "But what's not up for speculation is the cost of lower graduation rates for the future of Calif. (Note: in a study by the University of California, Santa Barbara, $45 billion is the price tag associated with our student drop-outs). Today's high school students are tomorrow's workers and taxpayers; if the students aren't graduating, the state cannot make progress. The less educated our population is, the more our communities will struggle--fewer grads equals a lower standard of living."

The educrats love to play the "point- the- finger game", reminiscent of the infamous "Tweed Ring" classic portrayal of political corruption. Somewhere out there, not sure where, lies the problem, is their attitude. Meanwhile, the gangs, graffiti, dumbing down of curricula, and palpable political correctness instead of raising the academic bar, are the order of the day. It is estimated that FIFTEEN PERCENT OF OUR GRADUATES ARE READING AND CALCULATING AT GRADE LEVEL.

Then there's the race baiters in the educrat camp. They claim that our history and English courses are not "relevant", not "culturally sensitive" to our "children of color!"
Guess that's what was the cause for Jose Saenz, LA school drop-out and present narco-terrorist assassin, using skills he acquired from LAUSD to bump off rival gang members, kill his girlfriend (no-witness program), and scoot off to Nuevo Laredo for advanced narco terrorist training (L.A. Weekly, 6-18).


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What's funny (tragic?) is that Saenz WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS WAY BACK WHEN!. As I recall, I sent him out of the classroom with a referral to the dean for the usual threats and "inappropriate, off-task" behavior. Guess if we had more basket weaving and rap sessions, Jose's trigger finger might have reached homeostasis.

What's not funny is the mood of the taxpayers in this election year. They are overburdened with just trying to stay alive, and one step ahead of our legislators that seek to take everything they've worked so hard for. Food is now an issue, many families are working two, three jobs, and it's not enough. They are demanding an accounting at the schools, and this time, NO EXCUSES FOR LOUSY PERFORMANCE.

Question: If the drop-out rate is 50%, why are we being told we need MORE money for minimal performance and results? Where in the world do these teacher unions think they live?

I am asking voters who are tired of excuses and lame explanations by people that could care less about our students, to look at my candidacy and my educational platform. The unions have total control over our students and their lives, refusing to let them go to their school of choice, sentencing them in essence to an inferior education in environments that are often unsafe. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! We spend $12,000 a year per student, and the grades keep falling, while drop-out rates keep rising!

Here's my plan:

-- separate boys from girls.
-- uniforms
-- students purchase their own textbooks, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM
-- no homework--no graduation, no football, no cheer leading
-- mandatory tutorials (before,after class, weekends) for less than passing grades. If after all opportunities have been given to student, and class is not passed, the student pays back the school district for the cost of that class.
-- ROTC on every campus
-- mandatory physical fitness program in every school
-- Title I benefits, school matriculation, free lunch and breakfast, upon proof of US citizenship
-- mandatory proof that student is reading, calculating, at grade level before electives are offered
-- bullies and bangers have three strikes for threats to teachers, staff, and other students
-- students pick up own trash--no more janitors
-- graduation upon demonstrating proficiency of Constitution and Bill of Rights
-- a flag placed in every room,with Pledge of Allegiance daily IN ENGLISH (I requested a flag for two years while at Dorsey High, no luck)
-- graduation upon completing community service (a little less narcissism, get to know and appreciate our neighbors)
-- graduation upon demonstrating the uniqueness of America among the nations
-- EVERY COMMUNICATION WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN ENGLISH

The above requirements represent the vision and hope of each generation of Americans, passing the torch to those that will be our leaders and citizens, ensuring that the birthright of this union is safeguarded, where excellence and altruism are part of our national mosaic. Anything less is to the detriment of that vision.

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One man can make a difference for our state. I remember a time of excellence and splendor from our public schools. We can make this happen, together.

I need your vote and your support! Thank you for considering my candidacy.

[Dear NewsWithViews readers, patriots and friends of Rabbi Shifren. Your help is needed at this time to elect Rabbi Shifren to State Senate in California. Please attend his special Campaign event on May 16, in the City of Orange, California. Cong. Dana Rohrabacher will be the keynote speaker. THE NATION YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN. Rev. Jesse Lee Petersen said: "If we had 10 more teachers like Rabbi Shifren, we could turn around America tomorrow!" To RSVP go to: www.RabbiForSenate.Com]

� 2010 Nachum Shifren - All Rights Reserved

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Rabbi Shifren is a southern California native. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Spanish and German literature. He has been a language teacher in LA City schools since 1992. He is also fluent in Hebrew. Having lived in Israel for nearly a decade, he has been an observer and commentator of developments in Israel, the Israeli and foreign press, and the recent rise of Islamic Jihad.

He is also the dirctor of "surf and soul" surfcamp, where teens learn self-discipline, proper attitude, and physical fitness. A Malibu surfer since 1962, he is known universally as the surfing rabbi. Through his seminars and classes, he has taught thousand the challenge and thrill of wave riding and the postive aspects of the surfing life style.

Rabbi Shifren has declared his candidacy for the Calif. State Senate in 2010, and is the only candidate to openly pledge to oppose the advent of Sharia law in the United States. He is a tireless supporter of individual freedoms and preserving the distinctive greatness of America, her language, and culture. Known for his no-nonsense approach to education and prison reform, Rabbi Shifren is in his own class of patriotism and staunch conservative values.

Rev. Jesse Lee Petersen said: "If we had 10 more teachers like Rabbi Shifren, we could turn America around tomorrow."

E-Mail: rabbi.shifren@gmail.com

Website: rabbiforsenate.com/


 

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This district is sitting on a powder keg ready to go off.