Whitewater’s high school has the whippet as a mascot, following the tradition of many schools to choose impressive animals as symbols. There are, though, some schools in Wisconsin that have chosen tribal leaders or tribes as symbols, including some nearby (the Blackhawks of Fort Atkinson come to mind). Governor Doyle has signed legislation that allows…
School District
School District
On Science Night at Whitewater High School
by JOHN ADAMS •
On Tuesday evening, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., there was a science exhibit night at Whitewater’s high school, at which hundreds of people watched dozens of science experiments and demonstrations. For the student volunteers, and the teachers who staffed the event, the story of the evening might have been the wide number of exhibits. Anyone…
School District
On a Charter School
by JOHN ADAMS •
Whitewater has the chance for approval and funding for a charter school. Our school district’s website lists the next Charter School listening session as taking place tomorrow, March 30th, at the Cravath Lakefront Center, from 4 to 6 p.m. Libertarians have long favored charter schools, and a video that I posted last week, from Reason.tv…
Laws/Regulations, Libertarians, School District
Reason.tv: Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey, Ep. 2 (Fix the Schools)
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve posted before on the Reason.tv series from Drew Carey, entitled, “Reason Saves Cleveland with Drew Carey.” Today, I’m posting Episode Two from that series, about the Cleveland public schools. I’ve not posted recently on our schools, and for that lack of attention, I’m surely culpable. (There are no column-inch limitations in cyberspace — there…
Libertarians, School District
Reason.tv: Unlocked and Cracking the Education Monopoly
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s video Thursday at FREE WHITEWATER, and here are two videos on parental choice in education. The first is entitled, “Unlocked,” and describes the fight of parents for a better education for their children. It now has a companion film called “Cracking the Education Monoploy,” about that same fight. I’ll post both videos, in order.…
School District
Janesville Gazette: Families debate lawsuit against Whitewater schools (Part 2)
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Gazette has more on the pending lawsuit against the Whitewater Unified School District, about which I posted earlier today. See, Families debate lawsuit against Whitewater schools. There’s lot of new information in the story. Interesting questions, too. 1. Behind Eyes or Ears. Most of what defense counsel, Lori Lubinsky states is conventional, and to…
Press, School District
Janesville Gazette: Families debate lawsuit against Whitewater schools
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Gazette has more on the pending lawsuit against Whitewater Schools, about which I posted earlier, today. I noticed the Gazette story only this evening, and it describes uncertainty in the family about how to proceed. (A letter to the court filed last week suggests that the lawsuit would be withdrawn, based on the departure…
City, School District
Most Plaintiffs Leave School District, Voluntarily Withdraw Civil Rights Lawsuit
by JOHN ADAMS •
Late last week, court filings indicate that most of plaintiffs in a civil rights lawsuit against the Whitewater School District and other named defendants had left the district, and consequently had sought voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit they had filed in early September. A letter from plaintiffs’ counsel filed with court contends that most, although…
City, Press, School District
Janesville Gazette: Whitewater High School Students Sue Over Racist Threats
by JOHN ADAMS •
City, School District
Does Anyone in Whitewater Ever Make Admit a Mistake?
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ll consider our municipal and school district budgets over the coming months. What does it say about us, though, that a quarter-million dollar shortfall is described as a “budget anomaly” occurring “for the first time in known history of the District as can best be remembered?” That’s the preface to the admission that there was…
City, School District
Poll Results: What’s the best, first option for budget cuts for a city or school district?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here are the results from my highly unscientific, not-at-all professional poll on options for budget cuts for a city or school district. What’s the best, first option for a budget shortfall for a city or school district?(poll) Reduction in benefits came as the leading answer — far above employee layoffs, tax increases, salary reductions, or…
School District
Dr. Steinhaus vs. Student: Student Wins!
by JOHN ADAMS •
Despite her condescension toward a student’s message sent to this website about staff layoffs at our school district, a review of Whitewater District Administrator Steinhaus’s own compensation shows that the student — not Steinhaus — has the better argument. It’s quite a match-up — Fancy administrator and Doctor of Education, Leslie Steinhaus versus Decent, all-American,…
School District
Dr. Steinhaus’s Glass House
by JOHN ADAMS •
District Administrators in glass houses… On Monday, I posted a letter from a student who felt that staff cuts should not have been made without reductions in administrative compensation. Dr. Steinhaus now complains that the administration has not received a pay increase, as the student suggested. She’s foolish to highlight the issue. Too funny, really,…
City, School District
Poll: What’s the best, first option for budget cuts for a city or school district?
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s almost always resistance to reductions in the size of government — once having achieved a certain mark, government seldom recedes. In this deep recession, with a loss of state aid to cities and public school districts, reductions in local budgets are more likely. I’ve created a small poll, asking which first option to address…