By A. Lang. The key to turning around our school district is to make it serve its citizenry. When the children of the vast majority of voting parents have no opportunity, the whole population suffers. What will be good for them will be good for all.
If our young women are offered professional courses, if our young men have access to vocational courses and to get an adult high school diploma, if our kids got a chance for real education, then everyone will win.
If we bring back say, auto-shop in Lakewood High School (LHS), to provide for a livelihood for our young men during afternoon hours, then that same auto-shop is available in LHS during school hours for its regular students.
If the district accommodated its citizens with separate gender vocational classes after school hours, then the LHS metal shop, wood shop, ceramics, and auto-shop, would never have closed down.
It was a mistake to close down the LHS community school four years ago. The superintendent and administrators did not care or understand that we could have had the biggest and most important in the state. They went home to their own towns every evening; their kids got diplomas; their kids had all the opportunity in the world. All the while, a whole class of citizens, indeed, the majority that pays their salaries, are never considered and accommodated for educational opportunity.
A future LHS targeting the citizens of Lakewood will teach the thousands of private school teachers about standardized curriculum, accountability and professional practices, and offer professional development. It will offer GED testing during a convenient time of year. It will provide young people with SAT application forms, guidance counseling, drivers education classes and perhaps, free, separate boys and girls general studies classes during afternoon hours.
Too many people have too little vision.
We can immediately start with the following professional courses for women during the early evening in the D wing of LHS:
1) Microsoft Office Suite–Access (data based), Excel, Word and Power Point.
2) Web Design–Dreamweaver (Adobe Creative Suite), Photoshop, and Illustrator.
LHS has state of the art machines, teachers certified as Microsoft Office Specialists who can teach Core and/or Advanced (Macros etc.), web design using Dreamweaver, including more advanced applications such Flash Movie Making for use on web sites, and Photoshop and Illustrator.
Private courses run up to $1400. We can do the courses for free or for a nominal cost. The cost to the taxpayer will be the $40 an hour stipend for the teacher, one of whom was ready to begin last year.
Additionally, last year LHS put all core curriculum courses and some electives online. These courses can be uploaded into non-online servers such as those currently used in girls’ high schools and provided with instructional support, so that all 28,000 of our children have equal access to our courses. LHS has the know-how, the technology, and the staff to make education a reality for all our children without using the Internet.
With the right leadership, we will save teacher jobs, turn around our district, and provide education opportunity for our young people.
Another great article mr. Lang. As a public school teacher I think your ideas can only strengthen the course offerings for both public and non public school students.
First off, blaming the old board for closing the community school and saying they “went home to their towns” is disingenuous. It was local leadership who took the action that was penny-wise and pound-foolish. In any case, all these “ideas” are wonderful and logical, but if they don’t come with a concomitant commitment to admit EVERY child, don’t look for public dollars to support your internal apartheid.
When every child matters and mothers are not left to wring their hands in despair mere days before the start of school, then come with your ideas and you will find a more receptive audience. At least, at this address.
Federal law allows single gender classes. See C.F.R. §106.34(b). See also Federal Register /Vol. 71, No. 206 /Wednesday, October 25, 2006 /Rules and Regulations 62543
I wrote the following to the assistant superintendent in September, 2008, when my son could not get into any school:
“[T]he belief that all students can learn . . . is about opportunity and inclusion. It means to give every student the chance to succeed. It implies the willingness to accept every student put into your school and into your classroom. It means not to predict the achievement of a child by subjective and vague impressions of motivation and attitude. . . . This is the service with which the public and community have solemnly charged us.”
MR. LANGE I AM WITH YOU 100%. I WAS WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT AND NOW RETIRED WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED. THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL WAS THE BEST ESPECIALLY FOR GD TESTING. I ALSO AGREE THAT THEY SHOULD BRING BACK THE VOC TECH END OF IT THE AUTO SHOP WAS THE BEST. THE COURSES THAT WERE PROVIDED FOR NIGHT TIME PEOPLE WAS A BIG HELP. I OFTEN TOOK MANY MYSELF. BRINGING BACK THESE SERVICES WOULD CERTAINLY BE A BIG BOOST TO THE DISTRICT AND BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY. I AM A SENIOR AND WOULD WELCOME IT BACK WHO CARES ABOUT TAXES, IT WON’T MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS AND HAS TO BE A MUST.
single gender is fine with me. The selektzia process of the private school owners is not. Can you resolve that? That would be a purpose worth getting behind.
“When every child matters and mothers are not left to wring their hands in despair mere days before the start of school, then come with your ideas and you will find a more receptive audience.”
The public school system, which this article is about, has room for everyone, regardless of race, creed, or color.
My parents could not afford to send me to a private religious school, so I attended both the Lakewood public schools and went to religion classes also. Worked out fine years ago and could also work now.
itsa differentgeneration, I dont think itll work, you have no idea what lurksin LPS today, in your days it was probably mjority jewish
A. Lang is an absolute genius & knows what he is talking about so keep your stupid comments & ideas to your self and trust A. Lang
if the boe would stop worrying about taxes and start wondering aabout kids all would be good
These services are offered in Toms River and i believe Howell as well. Just for gender seperation is not a good enough of a reason to bring it back.
What can be done to do this? is there a number? Who do we call to advocate for this?
First Mazel Tov on passing the NJ Bar. An article well written & ideas that should be implemented yesterday.
to all especially # 8. If th board stopped worry about taxes no one would be able to live in Lakewood. You obviously rent. Do you realize busing costs are approaching $20 million dollars. Where do you think this money comes from. I do agree with Mr. Lang programs that were canceled by the previous administrations are some programs (vacational in nature) is what the current board is looking to redevelope. If the sig grant comes through I would expect every high school student to be working from an ipad instead of test books by the end of 2013 school year.
Lets get real, things are moving in the right direction for the children
I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Lang’s ideas last year and they are solid in what he is proposing. A class of 22 girls, for instance, would cost $40 per hour for the teacher…that is just about $3 per day for 3 hours per girl. The women work in the private community while the men attend school; imagine their marketability if they took the Microsoft Office Specialist exam and passed. Arthur has been working hard to bring a broader education to the private sector at the least possible cost and he is passionate about this cause. People of public and non-public schools need to give him a chance.
Nicely written, Arthur and CONGRATULATIONS on passing the bar! I knew you would do it.
To Number 13: I find it hard to believe with the spelling and grammatical errors that you work in the public schools. Despite our numbers, the teachers are dedicated, educated, and intelligent people who remain here because we love our kids. It definitely isn’t for the money or love of politics (which permeates throughout the buildings), but because of the kids.
If we don’t get the SIG, I hope the board will commit to continue to move forward in the right direction.
Excellent idea. Where I work, there is a shortage of trained mechanics, as in today’s economy, even people who work on the shop floor are expected to know detailed and skilled knowledge. While not all of these places are suitable for an Ben Torah, many a yeshiva guy has made a living fixing cars, being a chef, etc. With proper training in both technical and business areas, this could be a career path for those who are not inclined to work in an office all day.
I speak as a very excessively real estate taxed individual. Where is the kehilla to stand up and demand this right to education from the Board of Education for the frum community. We need to collectively march on to the Board of Education and register our children , starting in Westgate which is a community of its own, and all the way down the line to include every neighborhood orthodox child. .
I have thirteen grandchildren who should be eligible for high school vocational training and GED programs . It is time for the orthodox population to band together and demand reform.
Enough with catering to the education of ethnic populations with our tax money.
And by the way , there are still 150 boys out of school on the opening school day for them, locked out of entering other schools because Nesivos Or shut down and they have no place to go to school. 150 boys is a very significant number.