By Mike

Aug 13, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this

I look at it this way....all other arguments aside, (race, WISD abandoning east Waco, the leadership on the school board, and in the community etc...) this school would have been eventually closed due to cost. The cost per child was way out of line when compared to the spending, and results at other campuses.

I truly believe that this is the best deal for both the tax payer, and the students, but they just do not know it yet. when they start the new year they will see all of the oppertunities that will be available to them and forget all about Wiley, unless their parent won't let them forget.

To The REAL Mitch Rapp
Ignorance has nothing to do with your ideology. If you would have substituted "liberalism" with "Rush Limbaugh , your definition would still hold true. The ditto heads have been brainwashed just as much as some of these "leaders" in E. Waco.

By AHA!! And You Were Saying...

Aug 13, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Can I be the one to get things back on track, please?
Everyone has made some mistake or another. Please forgive the Gibsons for standing up for what they believe in even though they are not perfect. More of us need to follow suit. My hat goes off to them for not hiring a high profile lawyer to "hush" their son's situation. Contrary to what you may believe - this is NOT about the Gibsons. This is about G.L. Wiley Middle School. No, the TAKS scores were not perfect, neither are you...No, not all of the parents are perfect, neither are you...No, not everyone performs excellent under pressure...neither do you.
I am a product of Waco, G.L. Wiley, Waco High School. Yes, Waco can produce success. I am not dumb. I am very well educated - currently pursing a Ph.D. while married, working full-time, serving as a parent, mentor, and remaining very active in church. Some of us are really headed in the wrong direction. I urge you to take the time to actually READ the reportings of TAKS. Wiley was not far from the mark of the same schools that these children are now migrating to. I work with the children of WacoISD, as well as surrounding areas. (I will not even begin to mention top graduates of Midway ISD barely graduating because they could not pass the TAKS.) Some of the brightest children have problems with test anxiety. What worse pressure is there when you wait 12-13 years for the one moment that opens up the doors to your adulthood? The area (East Waco) is not the problem. What we all need is patience and determination. Those are the only traits that will get us - all of us - where we need to be. It would give me great pleasure to see everyone who is commenting take the TAKS. Most of these "free-willed" people would not come close to passing. Anyone who had the opportunity to take the TAAS or TAKS can tell you, standardized testing does not tell you much about a student. I have personally witnessed very intelligent students drop out of school because of these tests......not to mention the teachers who no longer desire to educate because of this MESS. When my brings home his preactice TAKS, WE not HE, WE take it together because I strive to lead by example.
The state said, one more year....Waco Independent School District said, CLOSE IT. We didn't even have faith in what was our own. After hearing the pleas of the children who addressed the school board, I can truly say that because the school closed, the board member's minds were already made up.
Enough with the bickering! I have vowed to mentor. What is your solution?

By Dr. Bombay

Aug 13, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this

James,

Do you have a time maching, are you really in the Future 2009 as you comments state?

If so go forward to 2010, and answer these questions please?

1. Has Baylor Made it to a Bowl Game?

2. Is Margaret Mills still in prison finishing her 60 year term?

3. How many of Lester and Coque's children are in prison?

4. What ever happened to Roland Hernandez, after he left Waco in shame having SET UP the African American Community with the bond issue and then closing 2 East Waco Schools?

5. Are there any whites left in the WISD? Since Waco High was renamed Barak Obama Prep. School?

Please James tell us what is going on in the year 2009 and beyond?

By James

Aug 13, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

When I moved back to Waco 4 years ago, I wondered why this city had not progressed much in the past 38 years. Better paying jobs? No! New technology? Very, very few! New architecture? Here and there! All in all, shameful! Oh yeah,the same old ALICO building is still here sticking in the air like the middle finger. I wondered why train tracks still exist where trains havenıt travelled for many moons. I wondered why stop lights remain red for extended periods of time, even early A.M. when thereıs no cars within miles, as oppose to cities that installed sensors to keep the traffic flowing. I wondered why the same old primitive buildings are downtown, empty and loaded with asbestos. I wondered why a great percentage of Wacoans talk, talk and talk and know absolutely everything about every subject and when you ask them for their email address, they reply ıI donıt have a computerı and this is 2009. I wondered why the attendance is nil at the City Council meetings, I wondered why PTA meetings had few to none, I wondered why thereıs basically no attendance to ANY schedule business meetings pertaining to Waco (especially the Community Visioning Project-many voices, one vision) held at the Convention Center a couple of months back. I could continue on and on but I will end this section by saying, then I go to football games and the stands are at capacity, thousands, regardless if itıs a home or away game and it hit me. The priority in Waco is to attend sports events #1, argue #2 and the last priority of all is to change. All other things are bottom dwellers. It is sad but I do understand why the rest of the country addresses the City of Waco and the people as Wakoans! A very very few falls outside of whatıs noted here. I can vision the replies to this message now. Waco people has what they call PRIDE which highlights being afraid to change.ıI donıt need to changeı, which actually says I need to change. FEAR, which means Iım afraid to take the risk of changing, therefore, itıs OK to hang on to something average than to step into something new. REBELLION, I donıt want to change, which is the sin of witchcraft. LAZINESS, which reflects the attitude...I donıt feel like changing(these terms are not from me)but we all need to view them.

When sensitive issues surface in Waco, people has the desire to attack and has absolutely no idea or experience in problem solving in a constructive manner. Out of all the statements pertaining to the closure of Wiley, very few comments are pertaining to the should be subject (how to eliminate the closure of ANY school in the future). Itıs a problem that we own and should fix by any constructive means. Name calling and finger pointing takes us back to the 30ıs and 40ıs, therefore, it is my wish to say "when we were kids, we acted like kids, now that we are adults, we act worse than kids". Five years ago, all of ıUSı should had have a major concern, got involved and mapped out a strategy to assure weıre not in the situation weıre in today, name calling, negative commentsıthings of absolutely no value! Now, let the attack on me begin!!!!

By honest

Aug 12, 2008 11:37 PM | Link to this

this is being blown out of proportion. instead of people getting on here and doing whats right, yall are on here arguing with each other. this is about these children,and whats right for them, not about anyone else. who cares what people think as long as the people know whats right and whats right is not being done. i sure hope they win this case and maybe then everyone who doubted the school will see. its sad when the state believes in the students, but its own town members dont believe in them i personally see something wrong with that. bless these students and the teachers that helped them.

By The REAL Mitch Rapp

Aug 12, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this

That's actually pretty funny, "Mitch." I guess that's one of the disadvantages of this type of open forum which requires no authentication to post under other people's user/screen names.

However, if you actually knew me, you would know that there is not a cowardly bone in my body and I routinely speak my mind directly to the person with whom I am having a conversation or disagreement. I have absolutley no compunction about hurting their feelings if what I say is accurate. I speak truthfully and I speak directly. If it offends you, that is not my problem.

I did not know that well-reasoned opinions were off-limits in this forum? I'll have to go review the terms of the visitor agreement before I share my opinions again. From now on, only stolen screen names and ignorant rhetoric. You and I will get along famously!

Please tell me if anything I have written is factually inaccurate. I do not have time to make stuff up or figure out how to game the system. I rely on facts, logic, and reason to formulate my opinions, and I back up my opinions with more facts, logic, and reason.

I guess that goes back to my formal training in logic and philosophy, but I have no interest in stacking up my academic credentials against yours. I'm sure you are equally bright in your own right as evidenced by the quality of your writing.

You have once again provided the best example of the ignorance that is liberalism: when liberals don't like the content of the message, or cannot formulate a counter-argument that is grounded in facts, they resort to ad hominem attacks, race baiting, or outright lies to put a stop to all substantive dialogue.

Well done, sir. Well done.

By Mitch Rapp

Aug 12, 2008 10:01 PM | Link to this

I am a coward. I just never had the guts to admitt it. I apologize for my cowardness, but i just have a hard time looking a man in his eyes or anyones eyes to be honest and tell them how I really feel. I just feel comfortable getting on my computer and sharing my thoughts and opinions. I wish I did have just a little courage. I also will start doing research to get my facts together so that I can stop giving opinions. I tried to re word and express my feelings differently than I did earlier. I hope that helps. Gosh I am such a coward. Sincerley Mitch Rapp

By class of 89

Aug 12, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

There are so many irrelevant comments here it is silly. This whole situation is about the children and what are we as a community going to do for them? The children are not dumb, low achievers they need and want the same things as other WISD students.
It just gets to me that we all know that there is some racism, and classism involved here. East Waco parents , all parents stand up for your children. Demand the best for them.

By class of 89

Aug 12, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this

It is unfortunat that Wiley will possibley be closing. But the main issuse should always be what is in the best interest of the children. I am happy to see people standing up for something and not just accepting what was chosen for them. No matter what the children deserve better than what some in WISD has been giving them. I have personally seen the differences in the resources at some of the schools. The aim should be equal resources for all of the schools and not just the magnet schools.
WISD, be fair and equitable. Parents need to participate on every level of their child's education. The partnership is simple home, school, and community equals a succesful child.
People is that not the main ; objective a successful child.

By Mitch Rapp

Aug 12, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this

Hey Mike, how am I a coward for discussing one of the most glaringly obvious underlying reasons for the failure of G.L. Wiley in particular and the detritus East Waco in general?

You can fill in the blank with any name you wish: Lester Gibson, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc.

When _______ frames the argument in the context of racial discrimination, as they always do about any issue, he/she/they do more to alienate and divide the populace than anything that's actually being done about the problem.

Everything is not a racial issue, and there is no cowardice in saying so. I would say that to your face and anyone else's if given the chance. IT'S NOT ABOUT RACE!

As long as these idiots frame every discussion in the context of racial discrimination, there can be no unity or progress.

As mentioned earlier on this blog, you cannot promote racial harmony and equality on one hand, and say you want an all-black school on the other.

The Gibsons, Sharpton, Jackson, Jeremiah Wright, and any other moron who pits black against white and constantly blames their failures on 'the man' has no business holding public office or any other position of power.

If it was up to me, there would be no box to check when filling out forms. There would be no discussion about race in any context of quotas, appointments, or statistics.

That is the only path to a color-blind society.

Mitch Rapp