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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Is Ro Khanna running for the right office?

Uploaded: May 19, 2016
Maybe it just runs in the DNA of Democrats, but why do Congressional candidates focus some of their campaigns on k-12 education?
Education is a state and local function--not a federal one. Since the feds got involved, they have forced lots of mandates on local schools. The transgender bathrooms is just the latest.
Take the campaign, for instance, of Ro Khanna who is in his second run to try and unseat long-time South Bay Congressman Mike Honda. Honda won two years ago with heavy backing from his allies in the labor unions. Ro had considered running against Congressman Eric Swalwell of Dublin before switching his attention to Honda.
One of Khanna’s latest missives concerns California per-student spending, which he puts at $9,200. The governor’s current budget revise calls for $71.9 billion in spending for kindergarten through community college education—an increase of 52 percent since the post-recession low. That means $3,600 more per student or about $10,600 per student.
It would be fair to ask how well the educational institutions are doing with that hefty additional funding or do student achievement and SAT scores still directly track socio-economic status. It does not in high-achieving schools such as Marilyn Avenue elementary in Livermore, but sadly, most public schools in tough areas, are failing the students.
Gov. Brown made a key adjustment in funding a couple of years ago to supplement funding for schools dealing with challenging student populations (low income or learning English). The jury is frankly still out, but the union-dominated large districts have yet to show much progress.
Please note: none of this has anything to do with Congress. Maybe Ro is running for the wrong office. If he wants to effect school funding, he should be in Sacramento, not Washington D.C.
It’s a shame that President Ronald Reagan was unable to eliminate the federal Education Dept. That would have been such an excellent step for the country.

PeopleSoft and Workday co-founder Dave Duffield has long supported programs for dogs and cats. According to a report in the San Francisco Business Times, he will take that to a new level this year.
The real estate agent marketing his Alamo estate (Fieldhaven) has listed it for $39 million with the proceeds going to the non-profit Duffield founded, Maddie’s Fund. It is the most expensive home ever listed in the East Bay and covers 22 acres with a 20,647-square-foot main house that was finished three years ago. There’s a separate two-bedroom guest house as well as a one-bedroom loft above the garage.
Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by American, a resident of Danville,
on May 19, 2016 at 4:35 pm

I agree with you 100% on the issue of education should be handled locally and at the state level, and the federal department only causes more problems and burdens on the local education providers.

Also, a shout out of thanks to Dave Duffield and his continued efforts to donate to worthy charities. He already donated millions to the new state of the art buildings at Monte Vista High in Danville. He is a true " good guy", especially compared to Steve Jobs who was notorious for not donating to charity, despite his great wealth. It is always interesting how the liberals criticize people like Duffield for being successful and making money, labeling them as the evil " 1 percent", although he donates so much to charities and creates thousands of jobs. It came out a few years ago that Joe Biden only donated $200 to charity in an entire year. We need more Dave Duffields in this world, and less Joe Bidens and less Bernie Sanders, who unfairly blame those who achieve success and give back as the " evil 1 percents".


Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on May 19, 2016 at 5:03 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

Generally, democrats by way of their incoherence, their babbling, their irrational thought and speech, do not know what district they represent, as in Swalwell. He votes the San Francisco rational.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on May 19, 2016 at 6:44 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

"...but sadly, most public schools in tough areas, are failing the students.
Gov. Brown made a key adjustment in funding a couple of years ago to supplement funding for schools dealing with challenging student populations (low income or learning English)."

I have to take exception to the theory that 'schools' fail students. Last I heard, all public schools are standardized to State requirements. Given this, schools don't fail anybody, it is the PARENTS of the students who are failing them. Sure, pour more money into "low income" and ESL programs, but unless you fix the parents, you're not fixing anything.

Sad, but true.

And I agree with Michael.

Dan


Posted by SHale99, a resident of another community,
on May 19, 2016 at 8:24 pm

SHale99 is a registered user.

How does one 'fix' a parent? If a child is having trouble in school or is failing it is automatically the parent's fault? guess I'm glad I'm not broken. Mehtinks the teachers are in that mix as well as the school and school district. AND, of course, the $$ is in the mix. When calif is not in the bottom of per student spending vs other states, then your opinion might be more valid. SAD, but true.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on May 20, 2016 at 7:01 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

Here's a simple thought experiment for you SHale;

Take the kids and parents out of one of our schools and put them in the worst school in another district. What happens?

Now take the kids and parents out of the worst performing school from another district and place them in one of ours in the district and what do you think happens?

If you're intellectually honest you'll admit the obvious.

The difference is the family, not the school and certainly not the funding.

And unless you are so completely obtuse that you don't get what I mean by "fix", then I can't help you.

'nough said.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on May 20, 2016 at 7:03 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

Oh and SHale, the point is you can't FIX the parent.

Perhaps I was a little too subtle for you?


Posted by SHale99, a resident of another community,
on May 21, 2016 at 8:05 am

SHale99 is a registered user.

oh WhomEverYouAre: so, your opinion that schools that under perform(ed) it's all the parents fault? That seems a pretty clear question with no attempted sarcasm. And that the parents of said schools are 'broken' and need to be fixed. And that there is no other variable in the mix
My opinion, which is not to be confused with yours, is sure it can be the parents but overall it is the entire system here in Calif. Under funding is a giant portion of it. I see you didn't explain why Calif ranks at the bottom of per child funding.
Try to focus and stay on topic.
And if you don't have grade school kids in school currently (not decades ago) you really don't have a data point to begin with.

and please, have a nice day. go outside and breath.


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on May 21, 2016 at 10:59 am

DKHSK is a registered user.

"so, your opinion that schools that under perform(ed) it's all the parents fault?"

Largely yes. I also think that bad teachers have something to do with underperforming as well, but with standardized teaching/testing this is less a factor.

"My opinion, which is not to be confused with yours, is sure it can be the parents but overall it is the entire system here in Calif."

So you agree, BUT...! Lol!

"Under funding is a giant portion of it. I see you didn't explain why Calif ranks at the bottom of per child funding."

I'll answer this: because that is what the democrat-controlled state government spends on education. Web Link

So if schools get, on average, the same amount per student, and they all use the same standards, what can be the outstanding factor that explains why school test scores are so different??

I wonder?

I have two kids in school; elementary and high school.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on May 23, 2016 at 9:35 am

All students are deserving of an excellent education. Unfortunately, there are so many parents that are waaaaaaaaaaaay ungrateful for the education that their children receive in CA schools. Not all students excel academically. However, there's more to living than performing well academically.

I know many adults who were not top students but who were/are successful adults. All of the oldies in my cooking group are in their 70's and they're happy, don't mind living on a fixed income, engage in multiple social activities and several of us are also artists. We all have regular contact with loving families, don't violate the law, and we all vote! yup...we all show up at the polls...

I don't agree that under funding is the problem. It's the countless nasty ungrateful parents who have nothing better to do but to be hateful and point fingers. Grow UP!








Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on May 23, 2016 at 9:41 am

ps When the pushy driven parents of students back off from their children and quit hounding them to earn high marks, the students will relax, experience a good nights sleep, mostly stay off junk food, stop drinking, smoking, and doing drugs, and learn what they're in school to learn.

A few of the parents that I've met at public meetings can't relax enuf to pass air...duh


Posted by DKHSK, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on May 23, 2016 at 7:43 pm

DKHSK is a registered user.

Well, there you have it, Cholo agrees with me and thinks its the parents.

Though he/she is wrong about WHICH parents doesn't make a difference.

I jest.


Posted by Have to agree, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on May 25, 2016 at 9:26 am

I have to agree that the parents are in large part responsible for the failure of their children.

Who gave your brat the latest iPhone?
Who gave your brat a car when it turned 16?
Who gives your brat all the spending money it needs so that it never gets anything like a work ethic?
Who allows your brat to spend countless hours a day texting and gaming?
Who writes excuse for your brat to leave school during the year on family vacations?
Who thinks that discipline is a dirty word?
Who expects that the teachers and the schools should teach your brat how to manage their time and learn the objectives?

Look in the mirror Pleasanton parents, you are raising a generation of ignorant fools with no work ethic at all. Who will support those fools for the duration of their useless lives? Look long and hard in that mirror.


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