I'm angry

[xmas74]

On Tuesday, our local school district had a bond issue on the ballot. Included in the funding was an increased amount of storm shelters for the school district and work on the local schools to make the entrances more secure. It failed. There were other things included in the bond initiative (increased funding for a performing arts center, updated science labs) but first and foremost was about keeping our children safe during our numerous storms and keeping the schools secure from intruders.

Today it was proven that the bond needed to pass. At 7:45 an 18 year old high school senior parked his vehicle at the local high school parking lot with a shotgun in his vehicle. He had left a message on his Twitter account stating that "4/11/14 will be an amazing day" and "kill your enemies". A staff member spotted him sitting in his vehicle, saw the gun and immediately called district offices, putting all the district schools into lockdown. He left, the police followed him to a local car wash near the university campus, where he then took his life.


There were no other injuries because staff was so observant. Any other way and this could be much, much worse. Parents in our local district are all thanking staff for the marvelous job they did protecting our children. So why am I angry? Because, as a parent of a child in this district, I feel that we are expected to possibly sacrifice our children's safety so that some don't have to pay a couple of dollars extra a year on property tax.

Here's a link to an article, if anyone's interested.

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/11/4952540/shots-reportedly-fired-outside.html

I feel awful for his family but I'm pissed almost beyond words for the lack of give a damn about our children's safety.

[Heidi]

1. Kick!

[regnaD kciN]

2. And do you know what's most maddening...?

This will be held up by the "you can't solve school problems by throwing money at them" brigade as proof that "the system worked" -- and that, instead of funding such safety improvements, all you need to do is to require teachers and staff members to do extra work patrolling the premises in addition to their current duties (for no more salary, of course). There will probably be further suggestions that this approach could be even more effective if all faculty and staff are armed.

[Timez Squarez]

4. MO/KS legislature will be thrown out

in favor for more progressives and sound legislation.

Republicans are fucking up everything they touch. They need to be removed and thrown into prison for the rest of their remaining lives.

[Arugula Latte]

12. Will this happen though? Seems like Republicans in those parts just keep getting re-elected.

It's depressing.

[xmas74]

8. Already been made.

It's all over Facebook. A few others are already fighting to get the bond back on the ballot for November. Between today's event and the tornado warning two weeks ago during school transport it might just win.

[ancianita]

3. You should be angry as hell. This is that cost/benefit exposed for the bullshit it really is. The

public have bought the 1%'s PR about how they don't need to throw money at education when that is exactly what the 1% do for their children with no questions asked. They know, unlike the public, who they lie to about the real costs of good education, that you get what you pay for.

The public cannot, must not believe that districts can't afford safety measures for their children. They must threaten to eliminate these riggers of board voting if they don't spend money on direct services to children.

[xmas74]

9. I'm very, very angry.

There is no reason for an event like to happen and even less reason to not fund better security.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. Why protect the kids?

If a storm hits and they get tossed around the county like a salad you can sue the school and make a million.

[yourout]

7. I understand the scarcasm but you went to far IMHO.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

14. That would have involved a Picasso reference.

[xmas74]

10. Unfortunately, someone probably

isn't too far off in its thinking.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. It's like thinking of your kids as dependents on your taxes.

[geckosfeet]

6. I know he was 18 and probably permitted to buy and own a shotgun in your state.

But what were his parents up to? No supervision what ever?

But yeah - funding for education and school related infrastructure has to come from somewhere. Often, people with no kids in the public schools just don't see value in it for themselves.

[xmas74]

11. Probably the family gun or something.

This is a big hunting community.

[oldandhappy]

15. Teachers are real heroes,

and, should not be expected to shoulder it all. You need that bond. I understand. I was shocked when during the news coverage of the tornadoes in Oklahoma we learned that most schools do not have shelters. duh That makes no sense. I hope you get that bond. Last Tues or next Tues? Your kids will do better all their lives with the arts programs and the science labs. Gives them broader minds for all their encounters. Sending good thots.

[xmas74]

17. It was this week.

We voted on Tuesday.

[TBF]

16. The GOP have worked their asses off

demonizing public schools. I believe they did it initially because they want to take down the teachers' unions. Now, however, I think they are just attacking at will in order to not only bust the unions but also make tons of $$$ off standardized testing and charters schools. All of their "bad public schools" PR in the press has definitely taken it's toll.

This is what they spend their time doing & it is deplorable.

[Jefferson23]

18. Recommend.

[hfojvt]

19. take heart

in my experience the school bond people always win in the end.

[xmas74]

20. Not here they don't.

Unfortunately, our local farmers tend to vote against it, as do the military. (Military families are stationed here for two years and then leave. Oftentimes, they spend the time complaining about the lack of services in the area and then gleefully vote against any bond issues or other tax increases. Why? Because they'll be reassigned soon and don't want their taxes stuck paying for things that they'll never use.)

Hell, two weeks ago we had tornado warnings and golf ball to baseball size hail. It happened as school was let out for the day and the redirect was proof enough that the shelters available were not able to handle it. Storm shelters were part of the bond and it lost.

[hfojvt]

21. most military cannot vote in local election, or in national ones locally

officially they are still residents of their home state and home town.

http://www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6413

[xmas74]

22. They tend to register here

and it's not uncommon to see the spouses run for local offices.

Military is very, very involved in the community. Spouses can choose to change their voter registration and it's not that uncommon around here. I've worked local campaigns with plenty of military volunteers who are registered in this county.

[hfojvt]

23. some of them volunteer here too

but changing registration seems like a fair amount of work considering they will move again in a few years.

I am surprised that so many retire here. That it's their last duty station and they just stay here. I guess it is a decent enough place and they want to be near a VA and a post. But they can go wherever they want, and a lot of them choose to stay.

Then again, we don't see the ones who leave.

[xmas74]

24. We do have quite a few who choose to retire here, which always surprises me.

The ones I hear who change their voter registration and even run for office as the same ones who complain that the town is "too liberal". (It's not.) They are the same people complaining about how the college ruins everything. The problem is that, even with running for local office they cannot do all that much about the college. It's a state university.

I notice the ones who retire here tend to mellow out a bit but those who are here for an undisclosed amount of time tend to complain the most. They would complain if they weren't military-it's just that being military is what brought them here.