In case you hadn't heard, we had a tornado in Joplin May 22, 2011.
It was the most horrific disaster to ever strike this city and it left a lasting impact even on those of us who were not directly affected.
The citizens of Joplin did not slink away and call it quits. Though some left, houses have been rebuilt, businesses reopened, and this city deservedly earned a reputation for its never-give-up attitude in the face of the worst destruction imaginable.
I am sure to some this will sound hypocritical coming from someone who has published three books on the Joplin Tornado, but enough already!
During my last year as a classroom teacher, that was the message I heard over and over from my students- Stop treating us like victims and let us live our lives.
Instead, a cottage industry has been created by some of our city and education leaders to keep the image of a battered Joplin alive and well in an effort to bring in more state and federal dollars.
As a case in point, you need look no further than the Joplin R-8 School District's Race to the Top application, which was short on facts, but loaded with mentions of the Joplin Tornado and, of course, the wonders that administrators accomplished to help the school district recover.
For city and school officials, it has been a constant refrain of "we don't want to rebuild Joplin the way it was; we want to make a bigger, better Joplin."
I am sure that what comes of this will be bigger. Better is something I have my doubts about.
There were things about Joplin that needed to change, no doubt about it, but I have not heard people talking about the new, shiny, and wonderful things that await us, changes that city and school taxpayers will still be paying for generations from now. What I have heard is talk about the things that will never be a part of this city's fabric again, smaller, more personal things that seem to have been forgotten by our leaders.
Obviously, the tornado is going to remain a part of this city's life for the foreseeable future, but please don't make Joplin residents into victims and try to play on people's sympathies to bring in more money, especially when the new Joplin you envision in your conference rooms and dream sessions, is a nightmare for the rest of us.
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12 comments:
Well, yes, it does sound hypocritical indeed that someone who has been milking the Joplin Tornado for all he can get is all huffy because the Joplin School Board and City council are getting to pull on the tits of the tragedy even harder.
That said, looks like the citizens sure love slurping down on some of the slop they bring in because they keep on re-electing the same old swine.
So quit pissing on our little pity-party. I need to get in mine while the gitting is still good. Now I'm going to go to my attic and write up my diary and how I believe people are good . . . and stupid
Randy, your comments are appreciated. Joplin went through an event filled with horror two and a half years ago and the effects of that will stay with the City for years to come. With that said, the City of Joplin did develop a perpetual victim mindset and, in my opinion also, lost their perspective when they became awash in recovery money. It seemed that the objective became finding ways to spend that money on projects of questionable value to the people. That money flow will soon come to an end and the City will have to revert to self generated income, so it is probably time to become a bit more realistic in City spending.
As far as the Joplin School District is concerned, it has always been a sore spot for all of the surrounding Districts. Joplin has somewhere around seven thousand students in a District covering 49 square miles. The District to the south has fifty-five hundred students in a District covering 232 square miles. Joplin has five times the tax base of that District, with a minimal cost of busing. Joplin has emerged with a massive building program and will certainly not be sending their students to study in trailer classrooms which is happening in several other Districts. All things considered, the Administration is correct in their assessment that the tornado did, indeed, have a silver lining.
For those who are truly concerned about the district's spending habits, as well as other concerns about the district, there is a problem solving meeting at Harmony Heights Baptist Church tonight at 6:00.
I'd like to know why the district paid three grand for CJ Huff's media event to announce graduation rates that had been out for months. He simply fabricated a staged event to try and create some kind of false positive news. I'd like to know why they're spending several thousand dollars to send staff to places like Phoenix and San Antonio when the reserves are dwindling down around the 8% mark. It's sheer stupidity and the board just lets them do whatever they want. That is not normal. What do they have on the board to get those 7-0 votes? What is more important than the students learning, which they aren't under the current management?
How about that German furniture? What about the kids in the schools that aren't being refurnished? I guess they learn the old fashioned way? Is that fair or is the furniture over hyped like the computers were? How are they going to replace the computers that are wearing out? Why do advanced kids get books but my kids don't? Their tests count for their grades. Seems like they should get equal support and equal chances. And why is it only about five kids at a time can use the wifi on those buses? Mine never got to do his homework on that bus ride last time. That's not much help for the money involved. I wish they'd just bought mine a book that always works. I'm tired of innovative. Waste of time and money, and I bust my butt for my money. Don't get to travel around all the time. Why should admin get to at my expense? And I really want more information about the career business before my next one starts at the high school. Who are these people who are making this up? Who says this is a good idea, and where's the proof? I no longer trust the administration of this district to tell the truth about these things, and I darn sure don't think the board knows enough to make any kind of informed decisions. They just don't want to admit they've been wrong so they just keep going along. It's all just wrong. I hope the rest of you parents show up and do your part to get the answers we need.
3:18 must be writing an autobiography about the stupid part...
I want to know why they don't teach basics in elementary school now. I want my kids to know the multiplication table and spelling rules and how to write in cursive. I could care less if they know how to use a computer until high school. Lots of recent studies have come out exposing how harmful it is for young children to spend their time looking at screens, and it's bad for vision to stare at computers all the time. Give us books, art equipment, musical instruments, and playground equipment. Throw in some science materials and you're talking education instead of job training. I didn't grow up with computers and I function just fine.
We did career paths in the 90s. It didn't work. The kids didn't learn anything. So we switched back to academics. Now someone wants to do career paths again. I feel sorry for everyone who has to participate in the grand experimental process we call education these days. Good time to be retired.
I want to know why they took away reading teachers while saying at the same time how important reading is. Another stupid idea. Or cover up. Hard to say with these people. I know we'll never get a straight answer from them. So the real question becomes, how do we get them out of here? Do we have to waste time all the way to Board elections? Another year lost. Ridiculous.
Actually it will take at least two election cycles to get control of the school board. Best advice would be to find a way to get your children into another school district as soon as you can.
I'd like to think that there is at least one, if not two, who would vote with the new members. We only need four votes to free the district and let true rebuilding begin.
Why should anyone pay one cent to support the drivel that you write? You have lied about a good man CJ Huff and a good woman Angie Besendorfer. You tormented Bruce Speck for years. If there had ever been anything to what you were writing, the Joplin Globe, a real news source, would have printed it. Your fellow teachers do not support you and it will not take too much longer before the students that you brainwashed realize what an eveil man you truly are. I can't wait for the day when this "news" site and your other sites vanish for good. No one is going to pay so that you can keep up your attacks on good people. Your days are numbered, Mr. Turner.
Golly gee whiz, 11:47, did you cut and paste what you think is brilliance on every blog entry? It looks just as stupid every time.
Calling yourself hypocritical doesn't make this sound any less hypocritical. Pot meet kettle.
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