I'd Like Your Opinion

My friend, Rebecca Taggart, is on a mission. And I'm helping out. She'd like to see if our local elementary schools can go back to a K-5 format.

I'm posting a copy of her letter below. (I've edited out the specific names of the elementary schools for privacy/security reasons.) I also have a hard copy of the letter that I'm getting signatures on. So here's the deal . . . If you're from my neck of the woods, let me know your thoughts on this issue. If you agree with Rebecca and me, I'll drop by and get your signature. She'll be turning the signatures in to Principal Gary Thomas who will spearhead the discussion with the school district.

Here's Rebecca's letter. My own personal specific thoughts will be posted below it.
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We, the undersigned, are in favor of returning to the K-5 configuration at our local elementary schools for the following reasons:

1. Every year between 80 – 90% of a child’s classmates change. This means two or three students from a class will be together the following year. This happens year after year after year for a child’s entire grade school experience. Emotionally and socially it’s almost like moving to a new school every year! This lack of social continuity has been one of the unintended consequences of our present division of grades. If students attended all six grades in one school, there would be half the number of classrooms per grade level. This would mean more peer continuity.

2. Students move to a new school every three years. When a child moves from one school to the other, not only are classmates new (again), but also the principal, secretaries, lunch workers, custodians, librarians and other support staff. This constantly changing environment does not foster stable relationships, feelings of community, or a sense of well-being.

3. Students would spend less time on buses with the K-5 configuration. Buses would not be stopping at both schools for loading and unloading, and more students would be able to walk to school.

4. Siblings would attend the same school. This would not only be more convenient, but would also foster better partnerships between families and school personnel.


Some parents may be concerned about bullying. Well-managed schools have scheduled, supervised recess periods that accommodate different grade levels. Bullying most frequently takes place on buses. A K-5 configuration would reduce bullying by reducing busing.

A K-5 configuration would foster a more stable environment for our children by providing more continuity and reducing time spent on the bus. We would appreciate your consideration regarding this matter.
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Remember when I got fed up with my daughter's elementary school making the kids stand outside in lines until 9:05 AM? (Click this sentence for a refresher.) Having our local schools on a K-5 configuration would solve her school's early bussing headaches.

My oldest daughter began second grade in a class where she didn't know any of the other students. The teacher was wonderful, the other students were friendly, and Loula Belle is my most outgoing child. But the situation gave her chronic stomach aches all year. We had her tested for lead poisoning. (We were living in an old rental home at the time.) I took her to the doctor. Nothing turned up. Looking back, I believe the problem was anxiety caused by a lack of friends in her school class.

Rebecca discovered that the K-5 format would eliminate the need for three school buses, saving time and money. I also learned that the third grade will have eight classes next year. Eight classes! The format would also simplify PTA membership (by the way, our schools are the only elementary schools in the state that have two seperate PTA boards for split schools), back-to-school nights, and Parent/Teacher conferences. I'm all for simplicity!

Sure, we'll miss meeting some of the parents and students that currently attend our elementary schools. But that won't last forever, we'll run into them when our children go to middle school. And by then our children will be more mature and ready for not only a new school, but the opportunity to make new friends.

I say lets give our kids the school configuration that is healthiest for them. In my mind that's the K-5 format.

What do you think? If you'd like to sign Rebecca's letter, write "sign me up" somewhere in your comments. And if you've got your own ideas, that's great too. Let us know how you feel.

Our New President . . .

I have just a few things to say about our new President, Barack Obama. First, I didn't vote for him, but after I saw how overcome other African Americans were when they heard he'd been elected, I became profoundly grateful that he would be our next president.

Second, I don't agree with all of President Obama's past policy decisions, but I'm behind him 100%. Meaning, I pray for him. I believe that he'll try his utmost to make decisions that will be best for America, but he can't do it alone. America doesn't rise and fall because of the influence of just one man. It's the many that make us mighty, and I intend to take personal action that will build and strengthen our nation.

In his inaugral address President Obama said, "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."

I know that many people are happy to see George W. Bush leaving office. I have mixed feelings. I don't believe that he alone brought our nation to where it is today. Again, I think that the individual decisions of millions of Americans will alter economic stability and our country's moral fiber more than the political decisions of the President of the United States. George W. Bush isn't the bad guy, just the fall guy. I take him at his word when he says that he did what he thought would be best for our country.

What would happen if the rest of America did what they thought would be best for our country instead of doing what they think would be best only for themselves? What if more of our politicians did this as well? Where could we be in four years? Only time will tell.

The World is in God's Hands. But what about government?

My last post generated a considerable amount of thoughtful commentary. I spent a long time reading and considering your ideas and opinions. I took detours of thought that led me down previously untrod cerebral pathways. Thanks for all the mental stimulation!

But alas, now I am left with not much time for posting. So in consideration of today's list of to-dos that I have yet to dent, I'm posting my comment to my last post as today's main post.

As always, I'm interested to know what you're thinking!

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Oh my brain cells, they are a firing! These comments have given me a lot to think about. And because I filter everything through the lens of the gospel, I'm left wondering, What will Jesus do? We're told that at his second coming he'll rule temporally as well as spirtually. What will he make of this fine mess?

I believe that we should do all in our power to support and encourage government to best meet the needs of its citizens. That's one complex task! I'm glad Linda mentioned her example of sharing a lane and how it relates to government. I like to simplify complex things, and I do that by relating large and complex things to a scale that I can understand, knowing full well that complexities multiply as size increases.

So here's the thing. I've been thinking about writing another letter to my federal representatives encouraging them to take a close look at the "economy" of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Remember when Time Magazine did that report entitled, "Mormons Inc.?" One thing I remember is that Joseph Smith received revelation early on to get the church out of debt. I think that our government would do well to follow the same advice. Yes, it will be difficult to whittle away at a trillion dollar deficit, but difficult doesn't mean impossible.

[Note: I re-read the Time article. It didn't say anything about Joseph Smith getting the church out of debt. But section 64 of the Doctrine and Covenants does. This talk by Franklin D. Richards also mentions other scriptural references to debt.]

I can see that STM has her heart in the right place. Along with her, I've noticed that ultra-conservative policies seem uncaring and hands-off in a 'we don't care' kind of way. That's not right either.

I like to think of myself as a compassionate conservative, but what does that mean? I'm idealistic and a Christian too. And in my heart of hearts, I know that the Lord is aware of each individual person on this earth. He knows our needs and knows this earth, His creation, down to every milliliter of oil. He has created this world to support our lives with enough and to spare. I'm sure he weeps to see how some have hoarded resourses and sold them off to the highest bidder. But he does not over-ride agency. Ever. Not even when it was His son they were hanging on a cross.

Our United States government was founded on providing freedom for its citizens. This means that some will use that freedom to exploit those underneath them. It also means that every one of us is free to "lift where we stand," as Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf expressed in his talk in the General Priesthood session of General Conference.

I believe that when more of us lift, we need less government. I'm going to do what I can to spread the good news of the gospel to those in my circle of influence. It lifts in ways that government can't.

We are in the hands of the Lord. I'll be praying for our leaders and supporting and encouraging them to look for ways to provide the greatest good while preserving the greatest amount of freedom.

This and That . . .

My sister-in-law forwarded this photo to me. It reminded me of a friend whose sister just found out she's got breast cancer. I'm joining the fight against breast cancer bandwagon. In fact, I'm up for fighting all types of cancer.

And now, before I forget, here's a link to the report created by the consultant hired to look into the costs of a County Wide Library system. I'd love to know that you think about having a county-wide system. My gut reaction is that there's no time like the present to work toward providing library coverage for every county citizen. But I haven't read the report. I don't know what tax increase would need to be made to fund a county-wide system. Give me a week to read the report and do a little thinking before you hold me to my opnion. :)

Finally, let's not forget that is Money Management Monday. USU economics professor, Tyle Bowles, wrote a letter to the editor that appeared in Thursday's edition of the Herald Journal. I think it is great food for thought, and I'm reprinting it here. Let me know what you think.

Bailout Gets More Disturbing

To the editor:

In this paper (Oct. 31) and in a series of radio interviews, I spoke out against the $700 billion government response to the nation's financial problems. My opposition was based on the economic merits, or lack thereof, of the specific legislation. As it turns out, I did not fully appreciate the most negative aspect of this legislation. This grandiose extension in the role of government has resulted in a substantial movement of the line in the sand that separates resonable from unconscionable proposals for government intervention into the economy.

Now, U.S. auto companies are asking for a $50 billion handout. (This is in addition to the $25 billion already promised.) They are not even going through the fiction of making the arguement that their failure would constitute a systemic failure. Rather, the auto companies are being slightly more honest than were the financial firms. They acknowledge that government money would be used to fund, among other things, the health costs and pension benefits of members of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). And here is the rub: this proposal has immediate and considerable political suport, and few are pointing out the immoral nature of this proposal.

Democratic government derives its strength from its moral legitmacy. When the primary function of government becomes thinly veiled policies that take from the politically unpowerful (and who could be less politically powerful than unborn future voters) and give to the politically powerful (e.g., UAW, teacher's unions, the ethanol lobby, Fannie Mae, etc.) it loses that legitimacy. The effect on society is corrosive and dangerous.

Although our democracy has been gradually sliding toward this corrosive state for a generation, the recent dramatic increase in the pace is remarkable and deeply disturbing.

Tyler Bowles, Weston, Idaho

Economy may lead to another 'Greatest Generation'

Don't look now, but yesterday I received my very first political vote. My friend Linda went to vote early. Not knowing any of the candidates for School Board, she wrote in my name. I feel victorious already. (How did she know that I've been entertaining political ambitions?) Anyway, this paragraph is the start of my official write-in campaign for school board. I won't be campaigning anywhere else, and I don't plan to win. But if you feel the need, you can write me in as a candiate for the School Board.

In other news, I read this morning that Senator Orrin Hatch has been in the U.S. Senate since 1976. That is way too long! Let's do something about that next time he comes up for re-election. If we as Americans are really serious about stopping politicas as usual, we ought to eject members of Congress who have made careers out of being politicians. I don't think that's what our Founding Fathers had in mind when they set up our government. A good motto to remember is, "Out with the old and in with the new!"

Switching gears now . . . Let's discuss the economy. I know, everyone's favorite subject of late. We're all getting sick to death of the doom and gloom of the market crash and the billion dollar bailout provided by the government. But here's the thing -- what was the outcome following the Great Depression? Only one of the most prosperous eras in U.S. history. Could that happen again? I'll lay out a plan that raises the possibility of just such a thing happening.

First of all, the marketing arm of the Live Within Your Means movement needs to kick their message into high gear. I consider myself a member of the Live Within Your Means movement, and there's nothing I love like a good marketing campaign! The challenge is how to get the American consumer on board and excited about good, sound fiscal managment.

I say, play to everyone's desire to be good parents. If we as American's bite the bullet and tighten our belts, we could very well be setting up our children to become another 'Greatest Generation,' akin to the men and women who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II.

Will it be easy? Is raising children ever easy? Is it easy to let actions speak louder than our words? No, but it is possible.

Start by listening to Big Band music. It's fun. It's peppy. It's what The Greatest Generation listened to. I've got some '40s era music playing as I write, and it never fails to fill me with positivity! Positivity! Just what America needs.

Of course it's going to take more than positivity to turn America around. It will take action. No more sitting on our big behinds and letting the media dictate what we think. Blog for goodness sake! Get real information out there.

For example, did you know that 24% of Americans carry no debt? I saw that statistic in my paper yesterday. The source was the Federal Reserve Board. The AP article quoted Greg McBride of Bankrate.com as saying, "This entire credit crunch is a wakeup call to anybody who was attempting to borrow their way to prosperity."

There you have it. Borrowing is never the way to prosperity. We've got to give consumers new standards to look up to. It's time to re-read The Millionaire Next Door and rediscover what wealth is all about. Another good resourse for anyone trying to find ways to save money is The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. I own a copy, and she changed my attitude about saving money. Ms. Dacyczyn (prnounced 'decision') made saving money into something fun, a challenge to rise and conquer. You can borrow my copy, but spending the $16 and reading the book from cover to cover could change your life.

The organized labor unions would have you believe that the rich are getting richer because 'the man' is keeping the workers down. But the truth is that the rich are getting richer because they're out of debt. Americans have been trying to look prosperous by living a consumer credit lifestyle. Repeat after me, "borrowing is never the way to prosperity."

Look at those who came through the Great Depression. They avoided debt like the plague. And what eventually happened to the American economy? It was incredibly stable because people were purchasing what they could afford. Purchasing with cash.

You can't be a victim of the economy or anthing else if you take action and DO SOMETHING! The government isn't going to solve our problems. We ARE the government. It's our money they're spending. Currently our government encourages citizens to live on credit. That must change. Living on credit is no way to live. Not for citizens or for government.

As long as we're going through a market correction, let's get things correct. Households aren't the only ones who should be tightening their belts. Let's demand the same of our government. No more pork. Let's hold the government to the same standards that we have for ourselves. Imagine what the dollar would do against the other currencies of the world if the U.S. opperated without debt. We truly would be a world super-power.

To achieve a more stable economy, there are four little words that all American's need to learn, understand and repeat often. They are, "We can't afford that." It's good for kids to hear from their parents. It's good for couples to say to one another. It's good for congress members to say when discussing new and old spending.

In his book, The Greatest Generation, Tom Brokaw found that those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II could attribute their successful lives to the values of "duty, honor, economy, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself."

It's time to revisit those values. Time to live lives that will strengthen our families and our country.

Best Analysis of the Billion Dollar Wallstreet Bailout

Americans everywhere are watching to see what Congress will do about the proposed 700 billion dollar bailout. We've taken the Wall Street Journal for years, but I've never read it like I'm reading it now.

My gut reaction is that the bailout is bad news for America. I wrote to my U.S. representatives over a week ago urging them to use caution and discretion.

In all my reading and watching of the news, I found the most thoughtful and convincing analysis from my local newspaper this morning. Kim Burgess, of the Herald Journal, interviewed USU professor Tyler Bowles. You can read his take on the bailout by clicking here. (It's at http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2008/10/03/news/news02.txt)

My favorite quote from Professor Bowles is, "We do know that the world only ends once, and this probably isn't it."

Politics and Economics: Cartoons for Thought

Here are some cartoons that say a lot about our ecomonic climate.

Real Life Adventures has found something positive in our ecomomic downturn.

And Holbert, a political cartoonist for the Boston Herald, illustrates a paradox of politics and ecomomics.

These cartoons would be really funny if the reaility they expose didn't make you want to cry.