45 replies to this topic

[ducky]

Maybe it's just me, but this doesn't seem right.

There's a story on channel 3 about Folsom Cordova throwing away instructional materials and
cleaning supplies and office furniture. Some of the instructional materials and janitorial supplies were
still wrapped in plastic.

When I get teacher's wish lists that include lab stools and the news story is done in front
of a brand-new building for administration and I am asked to make a donation every year so
the library can stay open something is wrong.

I'm not buying the story that there was a roof leak and they were worried for health concerns.
A mop wrapped in plastic can still be used. So can a sponge.

Why couldn't the furniture have been sold?

[jpow5]

Perhaps if it was a roof leak then the insurance covers the cost of the items lost so they didn't really care about throwing things out? Or the lawyers were afraid of getting sued if mold/etc were to be discovered after the items were used/sold. That could end up costing way more than replacing the "damaged" items. This kind of story drives me crazy!!! I'll have to go find the story and watch it as I missed it last night. http://www.kcra.com/...981/detail.html

As a contrast, I was in an office yesterday that had recently been flooded. They had moved all the furniture, tables, cabinets, etc into a conference room where they could be disinfected. They had to replace the flooring and baseboards, but were saving everything else they could -- not just throwing everything out.

[ducky]

Perhaps if it was a roof leak then the insurance covers the cost of the items lost so they didn't really care about throwing things out? Or the lawyers were afraid of getting sued if mold/etc were to be discovered after the items were used/sold. That could end up costing way more than replacing the "damaged" items. This kind of story drives me crazy!!! I'll have to go find the story and watch it as I missed it last night. http://www.kcra.com/...981/detail.html

As a contrast, I was in an office yesterday that had recently been flooded. They had moved all the furniture, tables, cabinets, etc into a conference room where they could be disinfected. They had to replace the flooring and baseboards, but were saving everything else they could -- not just throwing everything out.

After looking at your link, it looks like the dumpster was behind The Granite Center down on Mormon St. I think
they are selling that property so maybe they were cleaning things out.

It's still wasteful in my opinion. Still not buying the water damage story, at least not for all the materials. They were still shrinkwrapped.

None of the schools can use surplus chairs or sponges? They couldn't send the books home with children? I know they can, because I've had my kids come home with books before saying the teacher gave them to them because they won't be using them next year.

[jpow5]

*snip* Still not buying the water damage story, at least not for all the materials. They were still shrinkwrapped.
*snip*

Yep, according to most of the comments on the kcra site, not many other people are buying it either. Here's one of the more funny comments: "Yeah those unopened mops got water damage".

[ducky]

Yep, according to most of the comments on the kcra site, not many other people are buying it either. Here's one of the more funny comments: "Yeah those unopened mops got water damage".

I didn't see any comments when I looked. I'll have to revisit.

Out of curiosity, what's the "snip" in my quote?

[The Average Joe]

The do it because it's not their money. Kind of a pisser when they ALWAYS say they don't have enough money though. COnsidering all the money we currently spend on schools, and we constantly hear how broke they are....where is all the money going?

[Terry]

The do it because it's not their money. Kind of a pisser when they ALWAYS say they don't have enough money though. COnsidering all the money we currently spend on schools, and we constantly hear how broke they are....where is all the money going?

This is very interesting because it had to be 10+ years ago when the school district advertised in the Folsom Telegraph that they were having a 'yard sale' at Granite Center of unused equipment/supplies and the proceeds were to go to employee parties (retirement, holiday, etc.). I raised heck with the district back then and was told "don't you have employee parties where you work?" and I replied "yes, but the employees are the ones who pay for them!".

Very, very interesting!

[nomad]

This is very interesting because it had to be 10+ years ago when the school district advertised in the Folsom Telegraph that they were having a 'yard sale' at Granite Center of unused equipment/supplies and the proceeds were to go to employee parties (retirement, holiday, etc.). I raised heck with the district back then and was told "don't you have employee parties where you work?" and I replied "yes, but the employees are the ones who pay for them!".

Very, very interesting!

And don't forget that next week is "Teacher appreciation WEEK." No, not just one day like Mother's Day or Father's Day or Administrative Assistant Day, an entire week of tribute must be paid with gifts and praise for doing what most people do everyday - their job!

[ducky]

And don't forget that next week is "Teacher appreciation WEEK." No, not just one day like Mother's Day or Father's Day or Administrative Assistant Day, an entire week of tribute must be paid with gifts and praise for doing what most people do everyday - their job!

To be fair, I don't think all teachers feel comfortable with the week-long gift thing. It's usually some of the parents that get carried away with that.

[jpow5]

I didn't see any comments when I looked. I'll have to revisit.

Out of curiosity, what's the "snip" in my quote?

The *snip* is just to show others that there's more to your quote, and that I cut/snipped it to make the reply shorter. It's used a lot on another forum I participate in so I thought it was one of those common short cuts. Sorry for the confusion.

[asbestoshills]

There are so many closets of electronics in Rancho (a student teacher friend told me) that houses smartboards and student ipad type products but the teachers weren't trained on the equipment so it just sits there! You would be surprised at the gross amount of over-spending. Yet, in Folsom, there aren't even enough computers for each student. I mean really, 2012 and you can't get rid of the books and assign everyone an ipad? Really, there are no field trips in middle schools unless you are in band? Really, do kids just stop learning after 5th grade and can't benefit from any guest speakers at their school unless it has a bully or drug theme? This is Folsom, not SOuth Central. How about having a physicist, doctor and perhaps an elite athlete come for a talk and show the possibilities of careers in each field. Our schools really lack in Folsom. You think just b/c there aren't lock downs, that your child is getting a progressive education. Well, if you call going from class to class doing busy work all day and not learning any computer programs (funny, b/c in elementary they had to, but then in middle school they decide they don't need to learn Word or Powerpoint etc). My children take band and spanish, but if you are on the elective track, you get three months lite of various subjects and you don't learn much. Just pathetic compared to Australia, Europe and Asia curriculum. And forget about teacher accountability. THey give As on all the homework and you think your child is doing great, then they get a C or D on a test. HMMM, I don't think they deserved an A on all the homework, do you? But this is public school adn the only way they can pass the masses is if they give As for effort! Just review your students online edline and you will see how the grading is for the teachers benefit, not the students' comprehension.

[fromhnl]

Kind of a pisser when they ALWAYS say they don't have enough money though. COnsidering all the money we currently spend on schools, and we constantly hear how broke they are....where is all the money going?

+1! I agree. I had a reason to run an errand into the new Folsom-Cordova School District office a couple of weeks ago. The new District office is off Folsom Blvd across from the Auto Mall main entrance. If you are tired of wondering what is going on with the District finances and where their priority is...take a stroll through the plush, state of the art multi-story swag office. Teachers are getting furloughed, alleged budget cuts, layoffs, etc. I would love to have been able to peek into some offices, IE superintendent's. Someone told me San Juan Unified District's Office was built in the 60's (?) and is still the main District office. All about priorities.

[giasmom]

To be fair, I don't think all teachers feel comfortable with the week-long gift thing. It's usually some of the parents that get carried away with that.

I know...I remember several years ago when a teacher at an elementary school was given a Louis Vuitton purse...my child was a student there at the time, but it wasnt her teacher who got the purse...parents chipped in.

[cw68]

And forget about teacher accountability. THey give As on all the homework and you think your child is doing great, then they get a C or D on a test. HMMM, I don't think they deserved an A on all the homework, do you? But this is public school adn the only way they can pass the masses is if they give As for effort! Just review your students online edline and you will see how the grading is for the teachers benefit, not the students' comprehension.

Half of the grading is motivated by parents. Parents complaining that their kid deserved to do better, blah blah blah. Parents generally don't support the teachers anymore, they promote their children.
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[awood]

Not exclusive to this situation, I find the comments about shrink wrapped mops and sponges hilarious. I can't say that I disagree but I do recognize that any such effort to "salvage" items deemed to be for sanitary / cleaning purposes would open the District to severe criticism from the parent of every kid that comes home with a sniffle or a pimple.

Were the people complaining about shrink wrapped sponges paying attention when the kid with the peanut allergy sued the school district? Can you imagine the outfall as soon as one kid had a rash diagnosed as mold related and it was discovered that the FCUSD was using "contaminated" cleaning supplies? You can say that it wouldn't be an issue, but based on past experience I would say that is naive.