Pennsylvania governor vetoes bill that would let parents have easy access to curriculum (1 Viewer)

[parasaurolophus]

To paraphrase....

I am vetoing this bill because parents already have access to this info. Oh and also if they have access to this info they will cause trouble. 

 

[Nugget]

Seems like a better idea at a school district level. Surprised they didn’t propose a method to pay for it. 

 

[tymarsas]

For the life of me, I can't understand why you'd need a law for this. Seems like over-regulation.

 

[timschochet]

Absolutely a good idea to veto. 

 

[parasaurolophus]

Absolutely a good idea to veto. 

Of course it was a good idea for a democrat that is being term limited out to keep his future employment options in good standing. 

 

[-fish-]

Weird that conservatives would support an unfunded mandate. 

 

[Insein]

Weird that conservatives would support an unfunded mandate. 

Grandstanding legislation is stupid and pointless from both sides. This was unneeded and while I think Wolf is an incompetent moron, his politically motivated veto worked out in this situation. 

Politicians need to stop proposing new laws that do or oppose something already on the books. Simply focus on enforcing or repealing the thing we have. 

 

[Snotbubbles]

I'm here in PA and had no idea this was a thing.  If I want to know what my kids are being taught all I have to do is ask them.  I have access to their homework, their books, their test, everything is online and I have my own username and passwords to track everything they are doing.  My kid does go to a charter school so I'm not sure this applies to me anyway.  But if some schools are already providing the information, why not just standardize it and give state-wide access for all parents.  

 

[joffer]

maybe just ask their kids

 

[parasaurolophus]

maybe just ask their kids

Maybe just give easy access? 

This information already exists. If this is hard for a school they aren't capable of teaching your kids. 

 

[Chaz McNulty]

Is this the thread where we ##### about a problem that really isn't a problem?

 

[The Commish]

maybe just ask their kids

Maybe just give easy access? 

aren't you two saying the same thing here?  seems like it.

 

[The Commish]

So dumb question.....was this a law requiring access to curriculum guidelines or to lesson plans being taught in schools?  I'd likely agree that the state could easily throw up the high level curriculum guidelines and requirements.  I doubt that is what is actually being asked for though and I haven't run across any states where every school district/school/teacher do their lesson plans the same way.

 

[Amused to Death]

So dumb question.....was this a law requiring access to curriculum guidelines or to lesson plans being taught in schools?  I'd likely agree that the state could easily throw up the high level curriculum guidelines and requirements.  I doubt that is what is actually being asked for though and I haven't run across any states where every school district/school/teacher do their lesson plans the same way.

The bill would have required school administrators to post and periodically update course syllabuses, course summaries, the state academic standard to each instructional course, and title or link to textbooks used in the school, unless it violated a copyright law.

Sounds like the sort of things that would be distributed at a parent/teacher conference or back to school night. Also, this seemed to odd to me. Why target only public schools?

Private and parochial schools would have been exempt from the bill.

 

[joffer]

Is this the thread where we ##### about a problem that really isn't a problem?

That’s pretty much the entire GOP agenda

 

[parasaurolophus]

The bill would have required school administrators to post and periodically update course syllabuses, course summaries, the state academic standard to each instructional course, and title or link to textbooks used in the school, unless it violated a copyright law.

Sounds like the sort of things that would be distributed at a parent/teacher conference or back to school night. Also, this seemed to odd to me. Why target only public schools?

Private and parochial schools would have been exempt from the bill.

Cool. So pretty easy to make available online. 

 

[Amused to Death]

Cool. So pretty easy to make available online. 

Maybe, but I've never hosted web servers or maintained a website. Point being the schools aren't hiding info by this bill being vetoed. Seems like its just a manufactured OuTRaGe! against public schools. Want to know what your kids are learning? Talk to them and their teachers, like its been done for centuries.

 

[Pickle Rody]

Cool. So pretty easy to make available online. 

That isn't necessarily true. Not every public school district is flush with cash in PA. Not every household has access to the internet. Do you know what every school district has? Brick & mortar buildings with flesh & blood teachers that make themselves available to parents.

 

[The Commish]

Cool. So pretty easy to make available online. 

Maybe.  If they have the funding.  I sort of agree that this is something that should be provided at "meet the teacher and/or parent/teacher conferences".  

Of course the easiest thing to do here is talk with your kids, if you are genuinely interested in what they're being taught.  Every single day on the ride home from school I ask the kids what they did, what they learned, what the cool parts of the day were, how their grades are coming etc.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Maybe, but I've never hosted web servers or maintained a website. 

It's easy.  Hosting companies have software to help you design and manage your website. 

I looked up Dauphin County school district's website. One of the counties listed in the article.  They are hosted by Blackboard.  Here is a link to help you add content to the website. 

https://help.blackboard.com/Web_Community_Manager/Administrator/Create_Content/Section_Workspace_Overview/Create_and_Manage_Sections

Ta-da!

Maybe.  If they have the funding. 

And it's cheap.  Adding a page with links to content wouldn't increase the costs of what they are already paying for.

It is the 21st century after all.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

That isn't necessarily true. Not every public school district is flush with cash in PA. Not every household has access to the internet. Do you know what every school district has? Brick & mortar buildings with flesh & blood teachers that make themselves available to parents.

I bet every district has a website that wouldn't cost them a thing above what they are already paying to add a page with links to content. 

I don't live in PA, but, I find it hard to believe most people don't have cell phones now days.  I see homeless people with cell phones.

Get it online, it's not the 20th century anymore.

 

[The Commish]

I bet every district has a website that wouldn't cost them a thing above what they are already paying to add a page with links to content. 

I don't live in PA, but, I find it hard to believe most people don't have cell phones now days.  I see homeless people with cell phones.

Get it online, it's not the 20th century anymore.

Yeah, if it's district level curriculum outline, this shouldn't be difficult.  That's the perfect place for a list of the classes and their descriptions.  If they expect schools to be doing this, none of them in Florida have this technology.  Some districts don't have it either, but not a bunch.  Textbooks vary from school to school and even class to class, so that would get cumbersome as would each class syllabus.  That they are asking for these later things leads me to believe a district site merely with the classes, their descriptions and the objectives they are attempting to meet isn't going to fly.  Just a gut feel of course....I've seen this many times in the past between NC, OH, SC and FL.

 

[Pickle Rody]

I bet every district has a website that wouldn't cost them a thing above what they are already paying to add a page with links to content. 

I don't live in PA, but, I find it hard to believe most people don't have cell phones now days.  I see homeless people with cell phones.

Get it online, it's not the 20th century anymore.

I don't live in Florida. So, while I read that thread, I've never commented nor opined on how Floridians should handle their politics or school districts.

 

[tymarsas]

I look at it different. Yeah, it should be easy enough. But is this important enough that it needs to be written into law? Remember "remove 2 old regulations for each new regulation"? Is this more important than other regulations in the books. Just seems completely unnecessary for the government to regulate something like this. Should just be handled at the school/board level. 

 

[Nugget]

I bet every district has a website that wouldn't cost them a thing above what they are already paying to add a page with links to content. 

I don't live in PA, but, I find it hard to believe most people don't have cell phones now days.  I see homeless people with cell phones.

Get it online, it's not the 20th century anymore.

What are the looking for?  Syllabus, learning outcomes, daily lessons?  You want teachers to take more time to upload their daily lesson plans?   I don’t think that will help retain teachers.  They are already doing more with less. 

 

[PhillipPhoto]

I don't live in Florida. So, while I read that thread, I've never commented nor opined on how Floridians should handle their politics or school districts.

People in PA don't have cell phones?

 

[Pickle Rody]

People in PA don't have cell phones?

Not all cell phones have the ability to access the internet.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Not all cell phones have the ability to access the internet.

1990's called and they want their cell phones back.  I swear you guys will argue anything.  

 

[JIslander]

1990's called and they want their cell phones back.  I swear you guys will argue anything.  

  mmkay Tony

 

[PhillipPhoto]

  mmkay Tony

Most bizarre world forum I've ever been in.

Argument is people don't have access to internet even though every single person on the planet under age 95 has a smart phone.

And then you following me around.  Have fun I guess.

 

[Amused to Death]

It's easy.  Hosting companies have software to help you design and manage your website. 

I looked up Dauphin County school district's website. One of the counties listed in the article.  They are hosted by Blackboard.  Here is a link to help you add content to the website. 

https://help.blackboard.com/Web_Community_Manager/Administrator/Create_Content/Section_Workspace_Overview/Create_and_Manage_Sections

Ta-da!

And it's cheap.  Adding a page with links to content wouldn't increase the costs of what they are already paying for.

It is the 21st century after all.

Without the law, do you feel parents are being denied info of their kids education?

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Without the law, do you feel parents are being denied info of their kids education?

To be honest I didn't even read it.  Nor have I looked into the subject matter.  I was just commenting on the ridiculousness of stuff not being available online in the 21st century.  

 

[Pickle Rody]

1990's called and they want their cell phones back.  I swear you guys will argue anything.  

I'm in agreement with my state governor that this legislation should have been vetoed. This proposed legislation is unnecessary when there are multiple other avenues readily available to parents who wish to find out this information about their childrens specific studies.

School districts aren't being limited by the veto of this bill. Any school district is free to provide as much info as they deem appropriate on their websites. Each school district has a school board, with members being voted on by the citizens of the district. Concerned parents can address their school board if they feel this is something that needs to be done. 

 

[Pickle Rody]

To be honest I didn't even read it.  Nor have I looked into the subject matter.  I was just commenting on the ridiculousness of stuff not being available online in the 21st century.  

  I swear you guys will argue anything.  

 

[PhillipPhoto]

People with flip phones though, right?

 

[Amused to Death]

To be honest I didn't even read it.  Nor have I looked into the subject matter.  I was just commenting on the ridiculousness of stuff not being available online in the 21st century.  

Sure, it should be easy enough. But does it need to be mandated by law? I'd be shocked if this info isn't readily available for any interested parent. If it isn't, then I would agree its a problem. Show up to back to school night, be there for parent/teacher conferences, maybe join the PTA, and be involved in your kids education.

 

[PhillipPhoto]

Sure, it should be easy enough. But does it need to be mandated by law? I'd be shocked if this info isn't readily available for any interested parent. If it isn't, then I would agree its a problem. Show up to back to school night, be there for parent/teacher conferences, maybe join the PTA, and be involved in your kids education.

Ok  I read it and thought about it a bit during the commute home. No it's not a need as in we wouldnt make due without it. We dont need cars, we'd survive riding horses to get where we need to. But everything is available online now days, everything. Why not this?  The excuse the governor gave doesnt hold up. Hes afraid of censorship and restrictions?  I think making things widely available is the opposite of censorship. Unless they are teaching things they shouldnt. Unless they are trying to hide something.  Hes worried about teachers being bullied? By who, the parents? The teachers are supposed to be grown ups, not children themselves. 

 

[Pickle Rody]

People with flip phones though, right?

I know several people who own the types of cell phones that aren't capable of accessing the internet.

 

[matuski]

I know several people who own the types of cell phones that aren't capable of accessing the internet.

Seems like a weird choice.

30 second google says 85% of us own smartphones.

 

[Pickle Rody]

Seems like a weird choice.

So what? It's theirs, not mine, nor yours.

 

[matuski]

So what? It's theirs, not mine, nor yours.

I wasn't criticizing the choice?

If you choose to not have a smartphone....... you don't have a smart phone.

 

[matuski]

If I choose to not have a smart phone, please do come at me when I complain about it.

 

[Pickle Rody]

A parent does not need a smart phone to access their child's curriculum specifics as there are several avenues currently available at every school district in PA. This legislation simply did not need to be enacted, thus was intelligently vetoed.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I know several people who own the types of cell phones that aren't capable of accessing the internet.

So what? It's theirs, not mine, nor yours.

So those people can drop by the school or call the teacher.

 

[Pickle Rody]

So those people can drop by the school or call the teacher.

Might you have skipped over a few posts of mine?

I stated that this legislation was unnecessary as there were several other ways for parents to access their childs curriculum information and I supported the governors veto of said bill. 

 

[Sabertooth]

Grandstanding legislation is stupid and pointless from both sides. This was unneeded and while I think Wolf is an incompetent moron, his politically motivated veto worked out in this situation. 

Politicians need to stop proposing new laws that do or oppose something already on the books. Simply focus on enforcing or repealing the thing we have. 

Both sides many sides.  

 

[The Commish]

I look at it different. Yeah, it should be easy enough. But is this important enough that it needs to be written into law? Remember "remove 2 old regulations for each new regulation"? Is this more important than other regulations in the books. Just seems completely unnecessary for the government to regulate something like this. Should just be handled at the school/board level. 

Well no....it's not that important and it's a relatively obvious example of government overreach.  Of course the irony there is rich, but pretty much SOP these days.

 

[The Commish]

To be honest I didn't even read it.  Nor have I looked into the subject matter.  I was just commenting on the ridiculousness of stuff not being available online in the 21st century.  

This is really a comment on the inequality in funding for schools and a pretty good piece of evidence for why school funding methods need to stop.  There's no question it's a stupid problem to have, but it's one we have nonetheless.  There's a reason the government wants to put money towards getting our internet access out there for everyone.  It's a large piece of the equality puzzle.  

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Might you have skipped over a few posts of mine?

I stated that this legislation was unnecessary as there were several other ways for parents to access their childs curriculum information and I supported the governors veto of said bill. 

Idk if I saw them all, but I saw some.

 Id have no problem with it being law. It’s easy and inexpensive and very convenient for parents. 
 

Our district has had this for many years, and our district is far from flush with extra cash 

 

[parasaurolophus]

I look at it different. Yeah, it should be easy enough. But is this important enough that it needs to be written into law? Remember "remove 2 old regulations for each new regulation"? Is this more important than other regulations in the books. Just seems completely unnecessary for the government to regulate something like this. Should just be handled at the school/board level. 

Yes it is important enough.