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When I first realized the global socialists wanted to take over our schools, that was back in 1992 when the Clinton's (Hillary) had introduced goals 2000, everyone said "follow the money" and I didn't believe it. Now I believe it. I understand it.

Our Superintendent bragged to someone we know that he had gotten a grant for troubled youth and was using it for other things- mmmm. He has turned Helena upside down and inside out trying to get 500 student schools and close neighborhood schools. He wants to disperse our poor students for "diversity", but it is really to get each of the seven institutions he wants to create to the magic 50% free and reduced lunch so that they will be total Title Schools. This will give him the opportunity to get all the Federal grants for free food for all (no income requirements- this includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and in some cases dinner if he can get the after school programs that keep children at school until nine o'clock at night "to help them with their homework".) It will also give him the opportunity to get Federal Grants for mental health care, physical health care, daycare and who knows what else. The community centers purport to want to serve the elderly and the homeless, so who knows what these free for alls will turn into.

If he gets to build the new structures his resume' will be ready for him to move on to bigger and better things. That's how it works these days, get the money and get the promotions. Helena is in a terrible fiscal mess as so many of the three or five year Federal Grants have gone away and the district has had to pick up the extra assignments, increased wages, and programs. The focus is no longer on good schools, in fact, our district is at the bottom in state testing and our teachers are paid the highest in the state AT THE TOP- not at the bottom- AT THE TOP- making way for administrators who get paid more than top to get all the raises.

Meanwhile the excuse for all this is "good schools for children". The Common Core boondoggle is sucking the very life out of our teachers who still want to do good teaching. Common Core is a big experiment that comes down from a central dictatorship. Common Core is copyrighted. Some say they want to "reform" it - P L E A S E!! Do you not know what central control does ? Do you not follow the money and the corruption that is destroying education in America? Dictatorships can get their way efficiently but they kill everything else in their path- freedom, creativity, innovation, pride, individuality, local control and focus. Every state needs to choose their own education and every school district needs to choose their own curriculums and books. Every teacher needs to teach to their own teaching style.

If we really want good schools in Helena we will expand a little in the valley, keep up with maintenance and use best practices in the classroom- that is direct instruction. Higher level thinking comes when you are old enough to utilize it and have the information to do it with. Good schools will happen when the Federal Government butts out and school districts get back to taking care of their schools and teachers and students and finances responsibly. It would help if the colleges would start focusing on best teaching practices and requiring academic excellence (i.e. actually knowing, math, science, geography, history and literature) for prospective teachers.

My suggestion- take the Federal money away and get the dollar signs out of everybody's eyes.Get the focus back on kids instead of $$$$$. Teaching is a vocation and should be treated as such. Parenting and healthcare are a vocation too-they should be practiced in their legitimate places and that is not at school. REINFORCING general principles of behavior is important in any institution but you don't go to a restaurant to get your teeth fixed!!