When The Doors Close

**Unchained** · October 5th, 2006, 12:30 AM

You are so mistaken. You see some bad apples yes, but I promise you, me and MANY others from Wise are as down to earth as it gets. Heck, my 2 best friends on this planet are from Norton and Appy ( [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]GASP)

**LoneCrusader** · October 5th, 2006, 12:32 AM

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Look, what about the facts Counts posted about what a small school is. You consolidate our schools, they are still small. It's great to have a 2-1 ratio of teachers/students but this area and the population here can't afford it. Population is down by how much from when the schools were built? Cost of living is how much more? How much more does simple things cost? You say, with your heart, you wouldn't want the schools to consolidate. None of us want that. The simple facts are even if you want the corvette with all your heart, you have to pay for it. The cost isn't just the cost, but the insurance, the gas, etc. We would all love to keep the schools all open but you have to pay for them.

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1. Facts that Counts posted? More figures from some study made by who knows who from who knows where. Goes back to the point I made earlier. How are his facts superior to the ones I presented? And I'm still waiting for the response to the poor performance of KY consolidated schools. If consolidation is supposed to improve education, where's the proof?

2. You say that we cant afford the 2-1 ratio of teachers/students.. but one of the points made by many of the the pro-consol people is that they want to keep the same ratio of teachers/students. If this is so, then were are all the "savings?"

3. Cars (buses) and gas. Now here's another good point. A consolidated school will produce considerably higher transportation costs for the county. Where are the savings??

4. The pro-consol forces say they want to add a bunch of new classes and programs because were "behind".. guess what, that means more money spent on resources and teachers for those new classes.

It seems to me like the financial argument just doesnt add up either, because all the costs that can be cut by consolidating will be offset by a bunch of other mitigating circumstances.

Some of you might refer back to what swvacsas had to say about the financial side of this argument. Most of you never managed to answer him with anything meaningful.

Now, I think Im out for tonight. I shall return...

**aphrodite4ever** · October 5th, 2006, 12:34 AM

I am not saying that people from pound are perfect. I know there are a few pretty sorry people here who make us all look bad. And as far as repsecting people from different backgrounds and all that hogwash, respect is earned, not freely given and that is what I will teach my kids. I have seen consolidated schools in florida and trust me the kids do not get along, and are not "accepted" as much as everyone would like to think. And as I said before I will not teach my kids that consolidated schools is a great thing.

**aphrodite4ever** · October 5th, 2006, 12:37 AM

I am yet to see very many people from there that are as "down to earth" as you claim. If I do see them, then I might change my mind, but until then what I said still stands. Well I getting off of here for tonight. I have an early day tomorrow, gotta go have surgery [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] fun stuff huh? hope i dont miss to much on here.

**Unchained** · October 5th, 2006, 12:45 AM

Hope all goes well with your surgery. Keep us posted

BTW-you are meeting the wrong people from Wise-just like I had met the wrong folks from Pound before I met elp6n [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beer1.gif[/img]

**imported_NBK** · October 5th, 2006, 04:31 AM

"I have seen consolidated schools in florida and trust me the kids do not get along, and are not "accepted" as much as everyone would like to think."

As you said in another post we are not talking about China. We are not talking about Florida either. I doubt that you can find many people there that can even tell you the names of their next door neighbors. That is why you probably moved back here. The people in this area care more for one another and most will help you out if needed in most circumstances. Most people know who you are here in this area and they live several towns away, or in the next county even. I believe that will be one reason why our children will adjust better if the consolidation does happen. Because most of us have family or friends in the next town. Surely you don't think that because someone from Wise is in the same room with you they are thinking well he/she is from Pound so I know I'm better than them. You can't label any entire community because of a few bad people in the town. I believe that the only ones who are going to feel any kind of negativity toward someone from another school will be because it is taught to them to dislike the person, or the highschoolers (9-12) because they are already in "their highschool" years and have been competing with the "other highschool". But once they cycle through and you have new kids coming from grade schools to the new highschools, they will be on level playing ground and making new friends. It may not happen this way, it's just my opinion that it will.

October 5th, 2006, 06:34 AM

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This is beyond unfair for the students that cannot afford the tuition of a college class while in high school.

AP Classes provided by the public school system in the schools are free.

AP Classes should not be reseverved for the financially privileged. AP Classes provided for free in high school help the underprivileged (yet intelligent) students compete for financial aid in college.

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run the buses, and settle the whole mess

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A bus could get them there but tell me who's going to pay for that. If this is the grand solution you have an enormous hole in it. Who's going to pay the tuition? These classes should be free in the public school system.

[/ QUOTE ] I hate to yell but THERE IS NO TUITION FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT. County picks it just like AP classes, I'm a Dawg, but I ain't that dumb, it saves money- not wastes it. All you have to buy is the book, and if they are that poor...they are going to WORK when the get out of HS anyway. At least part time.

October 5th, 2006, 06:39 AM

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Lee High cost 12 million dollars, and has room for 1200 students.

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And Wise County is getting ready to spend 12 million on two gyms that won't be big enough to seat the entire student body at each school, much less host an athletic event.

I hope Pound gets to keep their school, as well as Appalachia, St. Paul, Powell Valley, Kelly, and Coeburn. We all can say that we want the best for the children of Wise County and have different opinions about what is actually best, but it's gonna boil down to one thing, money. I pay a pretty good amount in property taxes, and quite frankly, I can't afford to pay much more than what I'm paying now. I know there are a lot of folks that have a harder time paying them than I do. Baby boomers are beginning to turn 60 years old and that means more and more people are retiring. Retirees and others on fixed incomes can't afford to pay considerably more in property taxes, regardless of whether it is to fund renovations or build new schools.

[/ QUOTE ]Lee's property tax doubled in the 2 years after the school was built. What if the population of the county declines and the keep raising the rest to keep up , as lee has?

**Shoe** · October 5th, 2006, 07:58 AM

Not replying to anyone in general, but how long can Wise County keep 6 schools open? Renovations really dont do much to help. IMO all that is putting a band aid on cut that needs stitches. Useless! I dont understand the big deal about pound staying open or whatever. What the hell has pound got to shoe for itself. There is barely any business's there. Oh wait theres a Rite Aid and a Video world. Are you [censored] me that the High schools makes money for the town[img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wall.gif[/img]! How? What the high generates goes to the school. Granted the Wild cat or Chevron might get a few ppl coming but seriuosly come on. The same can be said for Appy and St.Paul! Hell St.Paul has to take a bus a mile down the road to their practice field in football.

I do think consolidation will be a good thing. Oh wait I better mention that I am from Norton and graduated from Burton. So I that makes me and outsider lol. But anyways. I dont think the class room sizes is going to greatly change, like some may think. Also you have more at advantage there. Better labs, better gym, cafateria (sp), facillities (sp), and more acadimics choices. But hey do I know I went to a school that is a breeding for future inmates [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

**imported_elp6n** · October 5th, 2006, 08:34 AM

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I hate to yell but THERE IS NO TUITION FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT

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Now you know better than to yell.
I just called the school board. The class has to be an approved dual-enrollment class and the parents/student are required to pay 20% of the tuition plus supplies (and we all know a single college text book can easily cost $50-90 - most of mine were). Any non-approved dual-enrollment (like something a student wants to take because it will be part of their college transcript) is 100% tuition.
The colleges specify that no financial aid is available for dual-enrollment.