BusinessReport.com

Head of the class

To the Editor:

Baton Rouge Business Report Executive Editor J.R. Ball’s column, entitled “Our Stupid State,” (“Random Thoughts,” Aug. 14) exaggerated one of the points that I made in an integrated and brief speech to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club. I did not characterize Louisiana’s public schools as an abysmal failure. I agree with his observation that my speech was a sobering assessment of how far we have to go. I have made similar comments to education and business groups across the state since taking office in March.

I made four points to the Rotary Club.

First, I am determined to make our public schools a world-class system of education.

Second, we have much of which to be proud. 1) We have seen steady progress in our academic achievement since the onset of the Accountability Program, recognized as the leading education reform effort in the country. 2) We have an outstanding 4-year-old education program for at-risk children. 3) Our teacher quality program is recognized as one of the best in the country.

Third, even though we have made much progress, we have a lot more to do.

Fourth, the official rating system of the state’s school districts is a “star” rating system, with five-star districts designated as the best and one-star districts as the worst. I tend to equate the stars to letter grades, so I view five stars as equal to an A, four stars to a B, and so forth. I pointed out that there are no four- or five-star districts in the state, and only four three-star (or C) districts—one being Zachary Community School District. While these three-star districts have done a fine job of improving and are relatively the best in the state, the Department of Education nonetheless rates them as average on an absolute basis. My point is that if we really want a world-class system, we must do better than this.

In closing, based upon my detailed knowledge of the reform that is beginning to take shape in New Orleans, I predicted that it is developing into the makings of a world-class system.

I have met with every district superintendent in the state and have pledged that the Department of Education will work hand-in-hand with them to achieve the goal that we all share, to create a world-class educational system for every child in this state. I expect excellence from our staff as well as from everyone who works on behalf of the education of the children of Louisiana, and it will take all of us working together to succeed.

I am excited about this opportunity and humbled by the responsibility as I work to make Louisiana’s schools something that will make us all proud.

Stay tuned…

Paul Pastorek, State Superintendent of Education

To the editor:

As the mother of three boys who all went through the public education system in EBR, I can tell you from personal experience that Mr. Ball is right on target in his assessment of our school system. I was one of the fortunate few who had a chance to send two of my sons through the short-lived charter high school and still existing charter middle school. Those two schools were by far the best educational experience my children had. Two of them attended the so-called “gifted” program, which was a total disaster. The only “gift” was when they were released from those prisons. My youngest will graduate from a “regular” high school since BESE saw fit to shut down the charter high school, and I am counting down the days until May when I will no longer have to endure the broken promises of a school system that has failed in so many ways. I can almost guarantee that my sons will all leave Louisiana as soon as they graduate from college to live in a place where politics and sports aren’t more important than training our future generations.

Stephanie Triche, Baton Rouge

To the editor:

I’m a native Louisianan who attend high school in Pineville in the late ’70s and UL Monroe in the early 1980s. Must say that your article entitled “Our Stupid State” was impressive. Sadly, the state is in disarray with a future that is as frustratingly bleak as it is blatantly scary.

Tim Holcomb, Tallahassee, Fla.

To the editor:

My family and moved to B.R. from Houston 13 years ago. Back then, my friends joked that I was improving the average IQ of both states by moving. We all got a good chuckle out of it.

Little did I know at the time how accurate they were. Louisiana is blessed with some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Unfortunately, they have been content with electing people who have not been willing to make the difficult or unpopular decisions necessary to improve the standing of the state. The general impression I have is that people are really only concerned with their own “little world.” As long as the poor ranking in various statistics doesn’t impact them directly, their only thought is one of mild embarrassment.

Until people decide to elect leaders that are concerned with making real changes, Louisiana will continue to be looked down upon by others. I pray that your writings will help to light a fire under people to look beyond their own world and recognize that changes need to be made.

Bill Watson, Baton Rouge

Fields’ dreams

To the publisher:

Cleo shouldn’t be allowed to run because he does not live in his district (“Publisher’s View,” Aug. 28). His residence is next to the Country Club of Louisiana.

David T. Perry, Baton Rouge

Subprime surprise

To the editor:

I was very disturbed to see the overwhelming results of the subprime mortgage poll on the Daily Report (Sept. 4). While there is a certain amount of greed that has created this debacle, the vast majority of evidence to date places the responsibility at the feet of government, because the necessary monitoring and rules to protect the public have either been eliminated or relaxed.

When the savings and loan industry began to decline in the early 1990s, former President Bush stepped in to prevent a collapse of that segment of the financial markets, thus preventing a deep and potentially catastrophic recession from developing. This event was also caused by the failure of government to monitor and protect. However, the necessary steps to minimize the damage were taken.

We pay taxes to support the efficient management of our financial markets, infrastructure, foreign policy, and governance. When that government fails in its responsibilities, then we are not receiving value for the taxes we pay. Responsible government would step in to minimize the damage and prevent the foreclosures, which are currently at a rate not seen since the Great Depression.

Continued greed will cause further damage. It is our responsibility as citizens to ask the current administration to immediately develop a program to reduce instability in the financial markets and protect those who were taken advantage of. It behooves us morally as a community and for our own financial benefit as stockholders and investors.

John B. Welch, Baton Rouge

Feeling loopy

To the editor:

I do agree that street connectivity is an important element of a well-designed city (“Random Thoughts,” Aug. 28). But to disregard the necessity of a loop by many leading officials is very unfortunate. This city needs well-connected streets integrated with a well-developed external loop. Not only aren’t the two mutually exclusive, in every aspect of design they need to be combined.

I ask you and others opposed to development of this loop to examine your own motives. Even as cities throughout the country have successfully developed loop systems our city, in staunch resistance, has stood opposed. Can you actually feel that a loop isn’t an important component in curbing the traffic gridlock that has taken hold of our city? Are you even open to being wrong?

There is an important fact that remains regardless to whether we want to face it or not: Our city is growing. If we expect to attract business, we have to build an infrastructure to accommodate them. Development is not a dirty word; it is poor development or no development that caused the Band-Aid approach that our city has taken.

Please, please folks we have an opportunity like never before to make our city into a place where our sons and daughters will want to live. Don’t drop the ball again.

Phillip Achee, Baton Rouge