Are a Lancaster principal and public relations officer spinning a threat at the High School?

SheliaS, says:

I must admit, your vivid description of the “happenings“ at the high school yesterday, although outlandish and preposterous, was quite dramatic and intense; it bordered on the unbelievable and could compete against some of the grandest novelists of today. But I would be remiss if I did not set you straight on some very important issues and share with the readers of your article and this website, the “truth” behind you and your opposition to anything positive happening in this wonderful, thriving school district. Might I add, and with all due respect, YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE!

How dare you spew your unfounded rhetoric against our school district and spread false information like you shared with your readers as if you have received your “information” from any parents in this school district, least of all, any parents from the high school? Your article would lead its readers to believe that you play some significant part in the school district and you are an involved parent of a student within the district and/or have been for some time now.

When the truth of the matter is, you do not have any children in the school district nor are you an involved citizen with the school district, other than publicly opposing absolutely anything that pertains to growth, in this town. Your article would also lead the readers to believe that you have “inside” information on this illogical mess you pass out as fact or first-hand information. What the readers really need to know is that you and your friend and fellow co-hort, have vehemently opposed anything resembling growth in the district. The two of you have, single-handedly, tried to shut the district down with your hyperbole.

Isn’t it true that you were no where to be found when LISD was considered a poor school district and staggering on the edge of becoming a “Wilmer Hutchins” district? Where were you when our students’ scores were not worth the paper they were recorded on? Where were you, Mr. Allen, when we had students graduating and unable to read? Where were you and your fellow co-opposer when “our children” (and we all know they are “our children” -- right Mr. Allen?) were teetering on the level of poor self-esteem and full of self-doubt and had no pride in themselves nor the system which educated them, and had no hope of a prosperous future, least of all, a decent college education? I ask you again, Mr. Allen, WHERE WERE YOU?

Were you in the schools reading to our kindergartners? Were you at the football games cheering “our children” from the sidelines? Were you out cruising the neighborhoods keeping an eye out for “our children”; watching so predators were not lurking around every corner? Were you out protesting the diminishing conditions in which “our children” have to live, learn and thrive in on a daily basis? Were you serving on PTA boards throughout the district and asking what you, too, could do to help the progress of this district and “our children”?

Since the reader cannot hear your answer, I will help you out. The answer is an unequivocal and profound NO!

Isn’t it true that you have appeared from the infamous abyss to protest against absolutely anything that resembles growth in this community because you have become afraid that the racial makeup of the Lancaster Independent School District does not match what you see in the mirror everyday? The truth is, Mr. Allen, you protest anything that resembles growth in this district because you could care less about the progress our district has made, is making and will make. You oppose anything that shows that we, as a predominantly African-American community, are steadfastly progressing and there is, indeed, hope in “our children‘s” eyes.

Isn’t it true that your immediate co-opposer has several children that are home schooled and are not students in the district? I will share with my readers that this writer does not oppose home schools nor those who choose to home school their children. What this writer does oppose are those that sit back on their permanent seats and distort and embellish the truth and attempt to pass it off as fact.

The truth is, that although there is ‘freedom of speech,’ I am positive that our founding fathers of this great country did not intend for this unalienable right to misused and abused through the use of words that are intended to confuse the reader and to maim the character of those entrusted to the education of “our children.” The truth is, Mr. Allen, that Dr. Larry Lewis has made a difference in the lives and education of “our children;” he has seen the potential in “our children” and extended himself beyond the realm of his position and serves as an example to “our children.” He does not lead from the sidelines, but can be found cheering “our children” on from inside the classroom, in the board room, and serves as an extension for the parents of “our children.”

You even had nerve enough to attack the credibility of the Community Relations Director for the school district. When in fact, Ms. Wilson, has always been respectful to you and your public opposition. She has served tirelessly for our school district and has been a visible force in the lives and education of “our children.” Again I say: SHAME ON YOU.

Now that Mr. Allen has caught the attention of his readers with such false information, let us now address the truth about what really happened at the high school on yesterday and let us address the truth behind this apparent ‘nay-sawyer’ of anything positive that is happening our school system. To Mr. Allen, how dare you distort the truth to those who rely on the written word to inform them of the happenings in our great city and with our wonderful school district?

I have been an involved, I repeat: “INVOLVED,” parent of this district for some 18+ years. I am the proud mother of three (3) daughters, all of which attended (one still attends) LISD schools. Two have graduated from the high school and have gone on to college and are very productive citizens. Might I add, my oldest was a product of the previous administration and my second and youngest daughters have been blessed to be under the guidance of this present administration.

I tell you the difference in the education of the #1 daughter and that of my #2 daughter are night and day (and they are only three years apart in age). I have seen this district and its students come from a sense of self-doubt and despair with no hope for a prosperous future, to one that is thriving and exploding with possibilities daily. I say to the ‘nay-sayers’ of our city, SHAME ON YOU! Shame on you for filling your readers and fellow citizens with false information and added fuel to the infamous fire.

Mr. Allen would love for his readers to think there is some bending of the truth going on from the district’s Community Relations Director; he would have his readers to believe that there is no growth happening in the district; he would even have his readers believe that the bond elections are not needed. The truth remains that our district is bursting at the seams. The truth is that our children, to this day, have to learn in conditions you would not want to send your pets to. The truth is that this town NEEDS to pass the upcoming bond election. We need to continue to provide a quality education for our children and give them the same quality education that our neighbors to the north’s children get. Don’t they deserve the best we can provide them? Are their futures no less important than our neighbors’ children?

The truth is there was a hoax telephone call made to the local police department that there was some sort of threat at the high school. Our leaders took action, made sure that the safety of “our children” were paramount. There was a search of the campus, nothing was discovered and the children returned to class after a short time. That’s it.

Mr. Allen would have his readers to believe that there is an influx of gang activity in our schools. There is no foundation for this information. You might ask yourself, Mr. Allen, what campus have you been on lately that you witnessed this apparent gang activity? What campus do you frequent in which you have the first-hand knowledge of the true happenings in our schools?

I have watched you and your co-opposer sit back and, just as our district is progressing and accomplishing things that were unheard of some 5+ years ago, tried to halt any possibility of progress in our town. Again I say, SHAME ON YOU.

I challenge you to put your actions where your infamous mouth is. If you are truly vested in the children of our town, I extend a challenge for you to give back to “our children” in the form of supporting the staff at your local campus; I challenge you to walk your neighborhood and talk about the positive things that are happening with Dr. Larry Lewis, his administrative staff, and the staff that adorn our campuses on a daily basis. If you really desire to make a difference and to be heard and seen, I challenge you to be heard reading to a class of pre-kindergartners and kindergartners or cheering our football team on to victory; I challenge you to volunteer your services during the lunch hour at any of our campuses; I challenge you to make your presence known by allowing the children of our district see you volunteer as a Booster Club member and work the concession stands at the basketball, football, soccer games or track meets.

Mr. Allen, there are so many ways I could challenge you to make your voice be heard, but somehow this writer does not think that you want to make that kind of a difference.

Because of the Children of Lancaster, Texas,

Shelia Stanmore

interestedcitizen, says:

There was an error in the news article. Police were still monitoring entrances to Lancaster High School at 11:30 a.m., not 11:30 p.m.

At 9:30 a.m. there was a long line of traffic, and only one lane of traffic was being allowed to pass through. Cars seeking to turn left into the LHS entrance were being blocked. Cars waiting to enter the high school premises appeared to be those of parents seeking to pick up their children. A note from the principal indicated that children would have an excused absence if their parents picked them up, which tends to confirm that parents were picking up their children from school early in the day.

I personally observed the traffic, the helicopters, and the police monitoring the school entrances at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.. I also personally observed the helicopters, and I heard that the incident was reported by Teri Wilson as a threat. It is also a matter of public record that a 19 year old felon, referred to in media reports as a "Lancaster gang member", linked to a "clique" in Lancaster, was sentenced to life in prison on the very day the so called "threat" or "prank call" was made. He committed the offense at the age of 17. Was he a student at LHS or was he a high school dropout? We need to know.

The fact that information is so sketchy leaves us wondering. Let the person who knows the whole truth come forward. If the incident at LHS had been so trivial as Shelia Stanmore would make it sound, why were so many people blocking the streets, apparently seeking to pick up their children? Why would the principal issue a statement to the parents, excusing children if their parents picked them up that day?

We must assume that the prank caller was a juvenile, because he or she was apprehended without being identified by name, but, isn't it at least relevant to report his age and whether or not he was a student at the high school? If it was just a "prank call," why was Teri Wilson quoted as calling it a "threat." What was the nature of the "prank call?" The mere fact that information is so sketchy has the appearance of spin.

Chestertonian, says:

Thank goodness "the happening" which was very dramatic (I saw it in progress) is unusual for our town. When was the last time you saw Wintergreen barricaded with police everywhere and parents parking their cars on Dallas Avenue and running toward the high school. I was on my way to Dallas and with all the activity, I wondered if this was a hostage situation or worse whether someone had been shot. I immediately turned on the radio and heard that a threat had been made earlier in the day. Upon arriving in Dallas, I saw a Lancaster police car leaving the criminal courts building. Later, I read in the DMN that a Lancaster gang member had been given a life sentence, and I wondered if the Lancaster police were there to give testimony. I also wondered if the threat had anything to do with what went down at LHS. Normal people ask questions about things like that unless they live in Marxist countries that punish its citizens for asking questions. Later, I heard that the whole thing was a prank. I guess a prank similar to the one purportedly pulled by some Lancaster student who earlier started a fire in a school bathroom to see if the sprinkler system worked. Only this time the prank certainly got more attention. Oh, well why should we make such a big deal out of it. Kids will be kids and it only cost a few hours of learning, and it only took the Lancaster police away from patrolling our neighborhoods to keep them safe. And the bottom line is that the public really has no need to know anything about this or to ask questions. H'mm, Mr. Franklin, so we have a Republic, if we can keep it.

SheliaS, says:

Again, hear-say news.

What does the fact that this 19 year old person who happens to be from the city of Lancaster, Tx. has to do with "gang activity" or the incidence at the high school. THE FACT IS, HE IS A CRIMINAL AND HE WOULD BE A CRIMINAL EVEN IF HE WAS FROM DESOTO OR NORTH DALLAS OR NEW YORK. What does that have to do with any of the nonsense you erroneously print and newsworthy.

Although you have now mentioned that the information you previously reported as fact, actually came from another "news" source, why are you giving that off as valid information? Do you not owe your readers the truth at any cost? On what grounds are you basing your information as fact?

If it was all the "traffic" and helicopters, that would hold truth that it was a call made (we are not disputing that fact). There was in fact parents present because of the information that was out -- I would pick up my children from school if I thought there was danger; but the truth remains that the incidence was a hoax and there was no evidence found that indicated anything other than that.

If parents were there to pick up their children, they are within their right to do so if the media put out a bulletin about the call. But what you need to clarify is that after the incidence became clear, that school went back to normal mode and some parents did go home with their children. They do have that right, you know.

Let's just keep the facts straight and not try and confuse your readers that there is more to this than there is.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Anjelica Floyd:

After a series of mayhems in Lancaster, TX, Mr. Thomas Allen has jumped to the conclusion that Lancaster is gang-ridden and is hiding information from the students, so that the district will stay big. I am a freshman at LHS and have been apart of the district for 9 years and I disagree that Lancaster is gang-ridden and hiding information.

It’s unbelievable how you can judge us over a series of unfortunate events. You sit there from the sideline and only write false information about LISD. Where were you when our track team swept the State Championship for the 6th time? Where were you when our high school put on an awesome performance to The Wiz for 3 days in a row? Where were you when students and the district were making a name for themselves? You were no where to be found. But you have the audacity to basically say the LISD is trash.

After years of struggling and the district going down the toilet, we pulled ourselves up and made a name for ourselves. What places you in the wrong, is that you just sit there finding ways the tear us down, instead of supporting us. Almost everybody in Lancaster is color-blind. But here you come judging us, basically saying that LISD has turned in the “hood” or “ghetto.” You are against anything that show that we, an African American community, are heading toward success. First of all, can you prove that the phone call was even related to anything even gang-related? Lancaster and gang banging sound funny together, because here there are no real thug or gang. We just have wannabes, and you are just trying to put their name out there.

We are not prefect a district, no district is. So what you need to do is first get your facts straight, before you to talk about our district. You need to look at the good instead of the bad. Last, but no least, I hope you have a blessed week and reflect on the truth.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Fatima Greer:

Mr. Allen I am a senior here at Lancaster High School and I would like to set straight a few things you said regarding the incident that occurred on April 3, 2007. What you said was unfair and judgmental because you have no idea what type of students we have here at Lancaster High. The media has always displayed all the negative things that went on at our school district and not enough positive. On the day in question, the students at L.H.S handled the situation vary well. We did what we were told and everyone was calm and just waited while the adults took care of things.

I arrived at L.H.S my junior year. Although I’ve only been here a short period of time, I can tell you that as a student at L.H.S. I have never been threatened nor seen any gang-related incidents and I have always been encouraged by students and teachers to do my best.

The school district has made a lot of progress since I’ve been here. They got us out of a building that had no ceiling and was too small and put us into a building that has plenty of room and even a ceiling. The district also remodeled the old high school for the junior high students, now tell me that is not progress. Our students are very talented too from the athletes down to the performing arts students and we do our best and have fun doing it.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Shelton Isaac:

Mr. Thomas Allen is under the belief that LHS is an unsafe learning environment that has gang-related activity. He even went so far as to relate Tuesday morning’s incident with the conviction of a 19 year old Lancaster resident, an incident that is completely separate from the threat. I have attended LHS for all four years of high school and I have never had to fear for my life once. Over the years, LHS has strove to educate the minds that will one day be the future of this great nation. The education that you receive in life comes from the willingness that you have to learn and grow as an individual. I feel that my experience in the district has been a very positive one, which has prepared me for life. I can live contently knowing that those that aided in my learning process didn’t share the same views as Mr. Allen, a man that seeks to discredit a prosperous predominately African American community. As a student that has been with LISD my entire life, it hurts that people have such a low opinion of the students of the district. Maybe Mr. Allen, you can realize that the students at LHS are on the path of success and will let nothing inhibit our potential.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Christi Sanders:

I totally disagree with the comments that Mr. Allen has made about Lancaster High School. Mr. Allen has stated that the teachers and principals are holding back information about the school so that our parents will not withdraw us or send us to another school. He also seems to think that what happened on Tuesday morning at the school was gang related and linked to the life sentence of a 19 year old who use to attend Lancaster High School.

For one, I am really upset that a human, better an adult, would be so childish as to write an article about a school that is working really hard to help students. Mr. Allen gives information that he heard from someone else, instead of waiting for the officials to say something. Mr. Allen seems to think that what happened was possibly gang-related. But when all of this was going on, he was nowhere in sight trying to help me and my fellow students to see if we were OK.

Secondly, if you don’t know anything about LHS, why criticize us about something that was no one’s fault. Mr. Allen, you try to make our school seem so bad and so out of hand. I am a sophomore and I personally like LHS because of my teachers and how they are so helpful. Even though the school has problems, which is like any other school, they can be resolved.

Lastly, if you’re going to sit up and write, at least tell the truth and get the right information. If you’re going to talk about Lancaster, why don’t you talk about what’s happening in the neighborhoods, how they’re building new buildings and businesses. Talk about the good things that are going on, but don’t bore us with your fake stories.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Josh Graves:

After a series of unfortunate events at LHS, Mr. Allen has decided to put his opinion in against LISD. He believes that our community is plagued by gang violence and is plummeting into a slump. I believe that the progress of our community, as well as the district is surprising to him because of how well it is going.

As a mostly African-American community and district, he expects us not to have any type of positive influences. Mr. Allen doesn’t know that inside of our community and school district there are children whose parents are full of confidence for their future. Dr. Lewis has done so much more than what his job requires to make sure that we as students have the best possible future that he can help to provide. He makes it a second job to come to the sidelines of our games and academic programs. This is coming from Joshua Graves, a freshman at LHS and I have been in the district for five years.

This district has grown into a thriving community and there are no words that you can say to change that. We as a whole, as a group have came together to make Lancaster a better place. I don’t know where you come from or who you think you are but our community is just as good as yours. I may be a black male and much younger than you but what right do you have to try to put us down? We are people regardless of color and regardless of what goes on in our everyday lives. It seems that you may be stuck on a color issue but to tell you the truth, I’m color-blind.

For you to have that type of narrow-minded thinking process, it’s a shame. You may not be able to deal with the fact that an African-American community is growing into something great but we as people have emotions and feelings like you. Have you ever been to Lancaster? If you have any time, come on down so you can really see for yourself how we act. To tell you the truth, you’ll leave surprised because of how wrong you are about all of us. This school has been a success since I have been here, and there’s only one difference now that wasn’t there back then--we didn’t have a new high school.

Our community has some of the most talented and kind people that you will ever meet. You never hear about a gang riots in Lancaster, nor do you hear about shootings going on every five days. Lancaster is a beautiful place and you as a person need to understand that. As you spread your lies and falsehoods about Lancaster someone is watching you. It’s not a student or parent from our community, it’s God. We both know, you and I. He’s watching you as a person and weighing the things that you are doing. The comments that you have made about our district are hard to believe when I hear it out loud. It’s so hard to believe because Lancaster is the exact opposite. The children in this district are thriving to become better and get somewhere in life. Our students are destined for greatness and their futures are bright. As long as you believe that we as a community will fail, we will continue to exceed the color boundary that has been set by so many stereotypes.

With my four years in the district I have seen parents that care for their children, children that care for their parents, teachers that actually give back to the students as well as the community. We as people help each other to get by when times are hard, our teachers care for us, our superintendent cares for us, and we care for each other. Lancaster isn’t perfect but we have room to grow and we’re not just sitting back letting that space get bigger but we’re filling in the empty space with success.

There are a few flaws here and there but they will be fixed and it will make Lancaster better than it is now. The accusations you’ve made were aimed at our confidence and our success, but you as a person, even in a group; you can’t shoot down what we’ve built and what we have. I want to wish you a nice day and a blessed week just think on what has been said.

sonyahamilton, says:

The following was written by journalism student, Christian Jackson:

I went to talk to my teacher about running for senior class president when I heard her reading a commentary written by Mr. Allen, he was addressing the threat we had at Lancaster High School the previous day. I quickly became upset when all I heard were negative comments.

I haven’t been in Lancaster’s district all of my educational years, in fact this is only my second year in the high school. I was surprised when I saw that even in the conditions of the old high school; the students were always making the best of the situation.

I came from Duncanville High School, and when I walked in the doors of LHS I went into instant shock, not because of the dark hallways, not because of the over crowded classrooms, and not because of the conditions of the old building that had been there for years, but because I came in contact with some of the nicest, most creative, and driven students I have even met in my life, not only the students, but the teachers also.

Instead of writing about a negative image of Lancaster High, try writing about the teachers who stay to tutor students until 9 o’clock pm on a Friday just to make sure you understood the lesson that had been taught.

Write about the cafeteria staff that makes sure they always address you by name when you receive your lunch. Write about the janitors who keep the restrooms and hallways clean, and the ones who will sit down and listen to your problems.

Write about the principals who everyday remind that you “CAN” even when you feel like you “CAN’T.” How about writing about the police officers who are on campus everyday to create a safe learning environment for us, and when we had the threat, they were quickly on it and got everyone to safety.

Write about the students who strive day in and day out to make something of themselves and their future. Write about the hundreds of students that train and prepare with every breath to become athletes, journalists, teachers, chiefs, and lawyers.

What about the seniors who got accepted to SFA, Sam Houston, U of H, and TSU, the students who received scholarships, and will receive scholarships in the future. You, Mr. Allen, are trying to make Lancaster seem as if it is full of gangs and thugs, when the reality is that the majority of these “thugs” go home to a three bedroom house with a flat screen television and a two car garage. So, before the you sit down at your computer to write about Lancaster, you should really consider the positives, the good that the district and the community is doing for the youth, instead of taking one incident and running with it.

commiebuster81, says:

To SheliaS, Lancaster's children are not "my" children. They are not Mr. Allen's children, except in the fact that people like us pay for their education. As for the status of Lancaster Highschool, it is not a good school. I have a black friend who goes there. He has been to several well-run public schools in his life and is a senior at 17. He moved to Lancaster with his parents and has often complained to me about Lancaster's poor education standards. According to him, going from a good public school in Chicago to one in Lancaster, Tx has been a bad experience. Also, I go to Cedar Valley College on dual credit. There are a few Lancaster Highschool graduates who go there. They make terrible grades. Professors at Cedar Valley often praise homeschooling as being the ideal form of education because 15 and 16 year old homeschoolers regularly ace their classes. The public system is corrupt. IF a teacher offends a student, he risks losing his job. The real world doesn't work that way. Using your language, do want "our" kids to go out into a cruel world unprepared? Lowering educational standards is not the solution. The kids need to be disciplined, as they will be in the real world even when they make small mistakes.

To Sonya Hamilton, You say that your school has won in many athletic and performing arts competitions. Your football team is amazing, and your band is not half bad. However, how about their SAT scores? How many of them make A's on their tests? Maybe the reason teachers have to tutor students until 9pm is (1. they’ll get fired if they do otherwise. (2. Lancaster students spend less than an hour a day studying. If you and your friends wish to graduate with a 3.5 GPA, I recommend studying at home for at least 4 hours a day. Athletic and arts accomplishments are not the mark of a good school. It is the educational standards students must meet in order to graduate.

To anyone who reads this article,

Public school is a socialistic endeavor designed to influence students by preaching government propaganda to them. The government says to them: you're a different color than he is, so you have something wrong with you. Students at public schools soon start believing this fiction. Highschool is an emotional time. I am a Junior in it. It is easy to feel depressed. The government makes the students believe they are doomed to fail and that everybody is responsible for everyone else. This is a lie. It is nice for people to take care of someone else. However, it is not their utmost responsibility. Students are kept from expressing their opinions about subjects such as illegal immigration, gay rights, and abortion because they fear hurting someone's feelings. Public school is a way for the government to gain control of people’s minds. Go to www.cpusa.org and you will understand what I am talking about.

I have some very smart public schooled friends. One of my friends, a junior, is taking calculus at a public school in Richardson. Therefore, although I disagree with the concept of funding other people’s education, I am impressed that his school has high standards. I am forced to concede that, through observation, Lancaster Highschool is defunct. It does not hold its students to high students. I recommend an immediate push to oppose the school bond. 270 million dollars is a lot of money to spread out over 20,000 people(I am assuming there are quite a few people in Lancaster who don’t pay taxes and who abuse welfare.)

It always enrages me when I apply for a scholarship or academic test and it asks me to mark which race I am. We are going back to step one. I have seen on scholarships, “you have a better chance of receiving this award if you are a minority.” That is pure racism. It says to Blacks, Mexicans, and women of all color, “You can’t succeed on your own because white men are super smart. We’ll give you an unfair advantage to help compensate for your lack of intelligence.” Also, when it is a crime for a white person to call a black person a n----r, why do I always hear them call each other that hateful word? It seems to me that minorities have kept themselves unequal.

SheliaS, says:

I will allow your opinion to speak for itself. Your ignorance shines like the noon-day sun.

Steverino33, says:

It's just sad that the state of the Lancaster schools requires a full time security force and always has. Since 1996 or earlier. I don't remember how many superintendents we've had. But Lancaster has always spent twice the state average on security. More than five times what my neighbors in DeSoto spend. It's almost $100 per student here, and under $20 per student there.

Every school policeman on payroll means one fewer teacher in the classroom. Every investment in squad cars is that much less money for roofs or airconditioners. Every dollar for police uniforms, ammunition and liability insurance and please God don't let us need THAT but it's all money away from choir robes, supplies and field trips. With no disrespect to the dedicated officers who patrol the hallways and playground, it's simply discouraging that one prankster has more impact on the progress of the school day than all the police in our district. How much more money must we divert from teaching and supplies to policing and surveillance technology?

If we fund and staff and guard our schools like prisons, do we teach our students the attitudes and habits of prisoners?

MarjorieMorningstar, says:

commiebuster sez if teahcer makes a student mad that he'll lose his job. but really bad is if a schoolboard member makes dr lewis mad. then that board members spouse will lose a job. need a law to keep families of employes and people who get contracts with the school off the schoolboard.

El_Presidente_2020, says:

In our day and age, public schools are being used to indoctrinate our children. They are promoting illicit sexuality, or at least the leading schools in my area are. Religious freedom in the public school system of the U.S. is non existent, and the theory, and allow me to say again THEORY of evolution is taught as fact. Also, and most disturbing to me, is the fact that homosexuality is openly embraced by the public school system, integrating same-sex relationships into traditional sex-ed. Since when does the public school system have the AUTHORITY or the RIGHT to teach our children as they wish. In Massachusets a couple of years ago, a man protested a school's authority in teaching his child about same-sex marriages and relationships. In the course of his protest, he was arrested and thrown into jail for one night and afterwards fined. Sex education is best left to parents. The family is meant to function as a unit, and with the public school sytem telling children what and what not to believe, its functionality decreases. Now dont get me wrong, I fully support sex-ed. I think kids should be taught how they can stay clear of STDs like syphilis and AIDS...but a condom isnt the way. How do you think people avoided dying out in the middle ages from sexual diseases??? Easy. They practiced abstinence. The reason so many are dying in Africa is because of a refusal to see abstinence as the ONLY way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS; Yes, they have their condoms, brought to them by the U S of A, but really, if condoms were one hundred percent efficient then we wouldnt have a problem, but the only one hundred percent sure way to stay clean is abstinence. I would like to propose a scenario: Let's parallel the school teaching kids things their parents dont necassarilly want with the patriot act: You hippies and druggies and commies and libs out there are screaming bloody murder over the goverment "Intruding into your lives" but arent the schools doing just that? Isnt telling kids what and what not to think intrusion on private life? isnt that the task of the family, first and formost??

Also, XENOPHOBES 4EVR

El_Presidente_2020, says:

Shiela, i have a very interesting quote you should read:

"True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance." by Akhenaton

XENOPHOBES 4EVR

queensheeba, says:

I applaud the Lancaster city police for taking the 911 call from a high school classroom telephone seriously. Even though it was terrifying to hear students talk about how the police put on their bullet proof vests, pulled assult rifles from their cars,yell for students to get away from the building, staff bringing out students in an orderly fashion from the building, I thank God this was only a prank call. Next time it might not be a prank.

PS anyone in their right mind should know that when police officers do all that, it must have been a pretty serious and believable phone call.

Chestertonian, says:

queensheeba,

Thank you for your input. I appreciate hearing information that no other source, including major news media, has been willing to provide the public. A forum like this where all citizens can participate makes a people truly free. When citizens of every race and creed get involved, we have the makings of a healthy Republic. Thomas Jefferson once said that if he had to choose between government and a free press, he would choose a free press. This incident, whether threat or prank, demonstrates the absolute necessity for a free press, not filtered information from a government bureaucracy and its controlled press.

Steverino33, says:

David's Today news also has <a href="http://www.todaynewspapers.net/articles/2007/04/05/lancaster/news/lnnews2.txt">news</a> about the missing financial report, that Shelia might be interested in.

To put it terms Shelia is sure to understand: the Lancaster school district has failed to balance its checkbook. And so it seems to have written some insufficient funds checks. The law takes a very dim view of all this, considering a bad balance the same as theft; regardless of the intentions of the check writer. With me?

Next Monday the district has to take whatever steps necessary to try and make the check good and get the law off their back. But even if they do, they're still going to have a blotch on their financial record.

Consider this explanation of the news an anniversary present.

If only the district's citizen's oversight committees had done a better job of overseeing the maintenance and bond projects ...

interestedcitizen, says:

LHS Journalism Students think LISD is gettting wealthier and Shelia Stanmore thinks the district is thriving. Let's check the facts. Go to www.tea.state.tx.us for original source material. Look at the AEIS. Look at the years from 1992 to the present and build a table.

Here is what the data show: The closest we've ever been to the state in wealth per student, was in the 1999-2000 academic year, when we only had $5,392.00 less in wealth per student than the state as a whole. In 2005-2006, we had $52,402.00 less wealth per student than the state as a whole. Our wealth per student grew at the median rate per year of 2.94%, while wealth per student statewide grew at the median rate per year of 4.20%. The gap between wealth per student in LISD and the state is widening at an increasing rate.

Let's look at SAT scores. In 1996, Lancaster's mean SAT scores were 985, only 8 points less than the state, and 26 points different from regional SAT scores. In 2005, LISD SAT scores were 189 points lower than the state and 205 points lower than the region. They were 182 points lower than their 1996 high.

The city likes to brag about building tax base to take the burden off of homeowners. Let's look at how well it's done. The original source for this information is the Dallas Central Appraisal District website www.dcad.org. Using raw data from there, we can build tables that tell us an interesting story.

In 1999, the ratio of school taxes paid by commercial properties to school taxes paid by residential properties was roughly 1:1. By 2005, the contribution of commerical property to residential property had fallen to 5:8. What that means is that,in 1999, for every $1.00 in taxes paid by residences, commercial property paid $1.00. In 2005, for every $.50 paid by Commerical property, residences paid $.80. The cause of this declining ratio is rapid housing construction. Growth in commercial property value had a healthy median annual growth rate of 3.56% per year, yet total valuations due to residential growth rose at a median rate of 13.86% per year. Clearly, housing growth outpaced commercial property growth, leading to the declining wealth per student values.

We can also examine the growth in taxes over the period. The bottom line is that the annual increase in taxes paid by the typical household outstripped annual inflation, until the recent tax shift passed by the legislature.

To say that we have healthy, balanced growth in Lancaster is to deny reality.

Before you use words like "incredible," "novel," or "hyperbole," go to the various websites, pull down the data, build the tables, and do the math. If you can't build the tables or do the math, the declining SAT scores tend to explain why. Don't go off on a tirade, though, until you've done the analysis and can show why these conclusions are wrong.

MarjorieMorningstar, says:

I hear another school shooting happened today.

interestedcitizen sees gang members on the DART buses. he sees them hanging around the high school. But the school shooters in the news aren't part of gangs. They are kids who get picked on BY the gangs.

Instead of gangs, Lancaster has --wanna-bees--. Are Lancaster wanna-bees going to fight real gangs. No. But they might pick on the loners.

If the school does not protect the loners from the wanna-bees what happens? How bad does it get before it gets bad enough to be worried?