Sunday, December 28, 2008

School Fundraising Disgust: A Follow Up to the Ozark High School's Taxpayers' Abuse


Property taxes are rising across the United States, as the nation's schools claim they aren't receiving enough money to provide quality education. All my life, money has been the answer for improving schools; yet, year after year, education quality falls regardless of increased spending. Politicians promise to improve the failing schools each election cycle. (It's funny how issues in government never get fixed, but remain to give candidates issues for the next election.)


Ozark High School, like many of the nation's schools, teach salesmanship through fundraising for a number of causes, including buying test computers for the classrooms. Fifth graders carried around order forms selling cookie dough and other foods to help make up the deficit needed for additional computers. These forms constantly sit our break room at work. Schools should focus on the 'three Rs' not fundraising, which is obviously left up to the parents in many cases. What an insult considering the parents are paying property taxes to help fund the schools!


As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Ozark High School funded a beautiful new sports facility complete with a section of stadium seating, live video scoreboard, a luxury field house, weight facilities that rival college and NFL teams, artificial turf, and I could go on and on. Ozark High School, like many schools, has its priorities in the wrong direction.


My cousin's children attend Ozark schools. I asked her about the constant fundraising. She rolled her eyes and told me her kids are no longer allowed to fund raise. I think this should be the attitude of all parents who already pay the rising cost property taxes. Parents should send a message to their school by sending empty forms back to the teachers in protest. Demand your children are educated beyond the sports arena. Don't get me wrong, physical education is important, but it's not the priority. Make academics a priority and quit this endless spending on high school athletic programs. It's out of control.


Ozark Tiger Stadium and High School


Ozark Tiger Football Stadium with the high school a few yards behind the
stadium.



Ozark Tiger Football Scoreboard


The Ozark Tiger scoreboard with live video play back.



Ozark Tiger Football


The press box and the section of stadium seating.



The Ozark Tiger Stadium Field House


Apparently the walk to the high school was too much for the kids, so they
spent more of Christian County tax payers' money to build a field house.



Field House Camera, Big Brother


Of course, you can't go anywhere without Big Brother watching these days.
Ozark residents aren't allowed to use the facility they paid for. They can't
walk on the track for exercise or use the field for a pick up game. The gates
are locked and there are security cameras everywhere you look. Keep in mind,
Ozark and Christian County residents and business owners pay the stadium's bill, while the
students raise funds for classroom computers.



Ozark Tiger Football Concession Area


The concession area




Ozark Tiger Baseball


Even the baseball field was built beyond the basic needs.

Posted by Bungalow Bill
Labels: , , ,

44 comments:

  1. i home school and i still pay high axes here in texas. the schools look like palaces and the stadiums...well...i did say i was from texas.

    kw

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  2. you fucks need to shut the hell up you dont know what your talkin about if you dont like high school sports and dont support them get the hell out of ozark you people make me sick...your the fatases that sit at home and dont have a job and complain about athletics...pathetic fuks couldnt even get out of your house to go take pictures of the field you get them off the computer ps. eat a dik

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  3. u people are pathetic if you dont like high school sports leave ozark its obvious that the people here love it if your too much of an idiot to enjoy high school sports you should get slammed in the butt

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  4. Proud Ozark Football playerMarch 27, 2009 at 1:32 AM

    pathetic fat people you make me sick sit at home and make comments about people who support being active with sports and having some school pride your a waste of life

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  5. proud ozark football playerMarch 27, 2009 at 1:33 AM

    you are pathetic criticizing sports the best thing in america...this is promoting working out not to mention you learn a life lesson you make me sick

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  6. proud ozark football playerMarch 27, 2009 at 1:35 AM

    ya well i think it was the best idea ever if you dont realize it was good for the community you can imagine what i want to say to you but i cant because of the filter

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  7. proud ozark football playerMarch 27, 2009 at 1:35 AM

    f this

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  8. The pathetic people you talk of go to work everyday to pay the taxes so you can play football on the new field. We don't appreciate seeing so much spent on the football field when Ozark Schools send home fundraisers with the younger students so they can buy computers for their classrooms. You are obviously a product of the Ozark School systems. It's obvious in your lack of critical thinking, your inability to put together a comprehensive sentence, and your spelling is bad. I don't have a problem with you playing football. I have a problem when football and sports are put above academics. I used to be a semi-pro athlete, so you don't have to preach to me about the lessons sports offer. You don't need your mini jumbo tron to learn those lessons. You don't need stadium seating. You don't need artificial turf. I am sure you were just as proud to be an Ozark football player when you played on the old football field. In fact, you guys were winners the last year you played. I even went to the games, but I refuse to go to the games now. How quickly one new field went to the head of the Ozark football team, huh.

    We do know what we are talking about. One day you will know what we are talking about as your property taxes skyrocket upwards to pay for all the cool needless gadgets you enjoy at Ozark High School.

    I have sat in conferences with teachers that aren't doing any of the students at Ozark any favors. Read this if you don't believe me. BBCW: Requesting Accountability from Ozark Junior High Teacher Leads to Teacher Insulting Me : Ozark, Missouri
    Of course, if you move on to college, and you are prepared, remember it was people like me who fought hard so that you may have a greater chance of getting through college. I have friends who teach freshman and college English at Missouri State who tell me the same thing after each new class of freshmen. The schools are failing preparing children for college. Of course, you know it all. You are on the Ozark High School football team.

    In fact you are so smart, you accuse me of not even getting off my butt to take the pictures of the field. Like I said in the blog, in case you didn't read it. The pictures show I was locked out. The people who pay for this facility don't even get to use the facility to walk to the track or play a game of touch football on. Hey Einstein, notice I am behind the fence because it was locked up. If these were official pictures that I lifted from the school, don't you think they would be from within the stadium. That goes back to the lack of critical thinking skills I mentioned earlier.

    Your arguments are all pathos based. Next time you play on the field, you need to thank the people of Ozark who are forced to pay for that stadium through their property taxes regardless of whether or not they have children. Free public education isn't really free. Have they taught you that in your school yet? If not, you will soon learn. If and when you have children, and week after week they are sent home with fundraisers to make money for a school that obviously stretched its budget too thin thanks to the luxuries they chose to invest in over education, then maybe one day you can add ethos and logos to your argument. Until then, you are arguing on pure emotion because Ozark football may be all you really have.

    It has come to the point, when we request accountability from Ozark School, even the superintendent won't answer our e-mails. Of course, they know football in Ozark. I hope you know it's not getting any easier in this country, and Barack Obama is overseeing debt that may raise taxes making it harder for you to acquire wealth in this country. Since the academics part of Ozark High School has obviously sold you short, I hope you are good enough to make the pros one day.

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  9. By the way, sports isn't the best thing in America. Yes, it's part of an America to celebrate, but family, love of God, Constitutional freedoms, and having a solid education that allows you to acquire wealth and support your family are for more important than high school sports. I hope one day you don't waste your life overlooking the obvious.

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  10. Concerned Ozark ParentMarch 27, 2009 at 6:29 AM

    I don't see where he attacks your football team in any of the blogs. Why are you so upset? He says the Ozark school board is the problem not the football team.

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  13. I see why you are upset. However, Have you taken a look at Ozark High Schools academic accolades? Just this year at their graduation ceremony the High Schools principal stated many facts about how each class in the past few years he has been there has raised the bar higher and higher. The class of 2009's GPA was higher than any other class in history. The 2009 class also earned millions of dollars worth of scholarships which is the most ever. Had the highest MAP scores ever. So I think your point that we need to focus on education is null. We are above and beyond most of southwest missouri educationally. That is a fact so check the records on that if you want.
    I believe you are upset the young ones have to fundraise to support other things in the school. What exactly are they raising support for? Do you know the specific needs that they are making up for? I would suggest you find out before you post another blog. I personally do not know but sometimes there are needs that are not met due to the budgeting of the school. Would we want to levy property tax so our elementary kids could go on field trips to the dickerson park zoo instead of constructing a larger safer facility for our athletic teams? I attended Ozark High School and played on Mcconnell field which was pretty run down, the field drainage was damaged and the track was in horrible shape, not to mention the bleachers were rotting and the facility was not large enough for the amount of people attending games anymore. I was a part of many championship teams for Ozark and can say even though I dont get to use any of the new facilities, it was much needed and well deserved to an athletic program that falls only short of our academic program in success. Ozark has the best athletic program in southwest missouri and yes they deserve this facility. Did they need to take out property taxes the way they have? I dont know what their options were. You probably don't either. However, it needed to be done and that is a fact as well. From an alumni I want to thank you for helping support the project if you did. If you have not supported in this facility, Complaining for something that is not your problem seems a bit silly.

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  14. Adrian Lee,
    While I appreciate your enthusiasm for Ozark Schools, you can raise GPA by dumbing down cirriculum. You obviously spent time writing your comment, now I suggest you spend time reading the other articles I have written.

    My step daughter came home with a fund raiser to buy computers for her classroom after the big celebration which opened Tiger Stadium and all its overpriced glory which obviously was more important than the computers they sent fundraisers home for the children to collect. This is my problem as it is every parent in the community, so for you to suggest this isn't my problem is just silly. This has nothing to do with field trips. I was clear about the computers they needed. Go back and reread it. I don't want to insult your Ozark High School education, but for God's sake you obviously need it spelt out for you. So let me ask you Adrian, what is going to get a child farther in this world in 2009--a football field with a jumbotron or access to computers? Wake up! This isn't about McConnell Field. I have no problem with athletics, but when I have to see a video scoreboard purchased with money while they send children home to raise money for computers is just wrong. Get over your Tiger pride and grow some balls to stand up for what is right. I don't give a damn about atheletics if the kids are being cheated by dumbing down the education process to raise GPS. I had an Ozark Principle tell me that Ozark accepts homework which is two-weeks late. Any child who is two-weeks later in homeworks shouldn't be on a football field. They should be at home with their nose in the books. I have children at Ozark. Do you?

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  15. If you read my post you would see I said those who supported the project, financially. Yes that includes you. I said to those who did not it is not their problem. No I dont have children at Ozark, but I did play there, carried a 3.7 gpa there while competing in 2 sports, won a state championship oh and im about to graduate college well above a 3.0 gpa and with honors....so maybe my "Ozark education" isn't doing too poorly. How is Ozark dumbing down the "GPS" as you call it? BTW GPS and GPA's are different. I do not know the policies they carry now, but i have been to schools around the kansas city and st. louis area and will guarantee we have a better educational system than the majority of the state.
    I am standing up for what is right. Yes, I would say I have learned far more on the football field about respect, discipline, unselfishness, teamwork, problem solving, and other concepts, than I have sitting on a computer typing a paper or tabbing through spreadsheets. I am pretty confident most ahtletes would agree with me on this point. As you may not be an athlete I understand if you disagree. I never meant to be hostile, but telling me to "grow some balls" is a bit much eh? It is pretty easy to say things like that typing on a blog tough guy.
    I agree a jumbotron may not be a necessity, but most of the rest of it was well needed, and now that they have it built it won't be needed for a very long time. So please tell your daughter thank you from the bottom of my heart for carrying the incredible burden of fund raising a small amount of money. Life is not fair sometimes, sorry. I do not really like paying taxes to a government that sucks and a president that plans to share the wealth and give my money to the folks who are too lazy to get a job but its happening. I think there are alot bigger things to worry about right now than waste time blogging about how upset you are that there is a nice facility for students to enjoy, and that your daughter has to fund raise. Better go write a child labor blog.

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  16. You will have to forive me for the misunderstanding. I am at work paying for student loans and such. Of course I meant GPA over GPS.

    Congratulations on your success in college. I am sorry that you don't have the insight into all of this that I have. You don't have children at Ozark, you obviously haven't seen the careless nature of homework and lack of homework from Ozark teachers, you haven't sat in conferences with principles and teachers as they justify homework policies that shouldn't be acceptable. Ozark Schools aren't what they are cracked up to be. Maybe one day when you have children you will take some time and invest in their education to find out what they are learning. When you do, you might find out the test scores and GPAs might not be earned, but assigned to provide the school a better image. I don't have the facts to prove that, but I do deal with three children who make As and haven't a clue how to think outside of the box with the education they are provided. This past year, I did something about it. I went to the school which opened my eyes to the realities of the blogs I write concerning your Alma Mater.

    First off, I would rather hear that Ozark is an exceptional academic school and believe it. I don't. I don't because I actually give a damn about education at Ozark, and I am fining out I am not the only parent who realizes the sub-par educatation at the school. Others have come to me after reading my blogs and shared with me similar experiences. One day when you have kids, you might have a better understanding.

    You brag about Ozark, and I know for a fact the media has been contacted about the school fixing grades to get certain players on the feild. Ozark Schools won't allow the media into the school system. Nixa has no problems allow the media into the school. Why? These schools belong to the tax payers.

    Finally, I mention the insight that I have that you don't have. I started college in 1989. Back then we didn't have Powerpoints spoonfeeding kids information in general education classes because they gave up on them reading, they didn't have open-book tests or take-home test, and other various easy paths to get kids through these classes. I went back to school later to take a few classes and I was amazed at how dumbed-down college had become. You are obviously a youngerster without this insight. I have friends who teach college classes that share with me how they have to shape their classes to get unprepared kids through. If your school is doing such a good job at preparing kids for college, then why are my friends who teach college so frustrated with these kids and their excuses, like but I was an A student in high school, semester after semester?

    I am trying to work, so please excuse any typos as I don't have time to edit this. Since you took the time to read this blog and reply twice, maybe you should look into the homework policy blog and the blog about Mrs. Houston who wrote me a nasty letter after I questioned whether or not she was properly teaching children in her junior high class. Her return to me was alarming, and every parent should be aware at the way this parent was treated by this teacher and what followed.

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  17. You are right I do not have kids and do not have the insight you do about the academic system as a whole from a parents perspective but i have been through the high school. I also believe it is easy to say we don't "work as hard" as you did "back in the day" until you have walked a mile in my shoes, or most other college students. I cant speak for everyone, and i know alot of college students get a degree and dont remember what they learned or why they learned it but as for me I do take some pride in my education. Anyways yes i will check out your other blog about the teacher reply. I do feel there is need for concern about the education, but i dont think it should be blamed on a new athletic facility.

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  18. This isn't about when I was a child compared to now. I expect change. What I don't expect is a child to be sued for fund raising purposes while the school goes nuts in their athletic efforts. You could have had a nice football field without the added amenities which are not needed for Friday night lights. Bleachers, a field, goldpost, lights, and a scoreboard provides state championships for many high school football teams. Do you realize there are college stadiums that don't rate to what Ozark built?

    Since you are concerned about this being a when I was in school argument, I finished my second cirriculum from Missouri State three years ago. I can relate to what's happening in college. I am not out of touch.

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  19. By the way that's used, not sued.

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  20. We are looking at moving to Ozark. The new stadium is a big drawing card for us. We have a son that plays football and has goals of playing college ball some day. Buying a house and supporting the local businesses will help pay for the needed upgrades. Ozark is growing and of course in turn has some pains from time to time, this is one of them.
    On a brighter note, we have been over to Ozark looking around the last few months and the folks are outstanding people. Everyone has made us feel at home and have went out of there way to be helpful.

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  21. Talk about priorities. Sports before academics.Hope your kid makes it in football so the name he wears on his shirt is on the back and not over the pocket.

    I'm from Nixa, Missouri. We may not have astroturf and a jumbotron, but we do educate our athletes rather than stick coaches in advance mathematics and science classes so the star athletes are on the field on Friday night.

    I moved from Ozark to Nixa because of the reputation for education is much better. It's all where your priorities are. Football is short and life is long.

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  22. We really don't put sports first. We live right now in a school first town for sure. We moved 5 years ago from the number one high school in Missouri in football for better schools and found the house we wanted. We are looking for the full package. We have been looking at Nixa and Ozark and like each town for different things. We have several teachers in the family and they have said they both have solid schools.
    I think the new stadium says Ozark is building for the future and a town that is moving forward is important to us, not to say Nixa isn't. We do understand sports in life are short that is why he still works hard in school(A student). I would stack his Map scores up against 97% of Missouri according to the test results.
    When you are looking for a place to live each thing is just one more factor. I didn't want someone to think that sports is the main things for us. We are looking over towards the South Springfield area for retirement(a ways off,ha) and better medical care down the road.

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  23. Are you aware Ozark was caught cheating on their MAP tests? Since then, Ozark is very careful about letting the media into their schools. Nixa is very open about letting the local media in the schools.Ozark is not the total package.

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  24. Of course you can see the quality of education reflected in the half of the Ozark football team that decided to comment on this

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  25. Sounds like sour grapes to me. Can you provide us proof of cheating? This would be a BIG DEAL for us.

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  26. Ozark Schools got caught allowing students to use calculators and not sticking to the test's time limits. It's not sour grapes at all. It was a big deal. You probably know those tests have the most basic of instructions for both the students and the teachers before each section. So for teachers not to comply shows there was an effort to possibly raise the scores by providing an advantage. It made the news, and since then Ozark schools don't like to cooperate with the media.

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  27. We have contacted two tv stations and thelocal paper. We are ready to call BS on this as not one person knew anything at all about Ozark being caught doing anything. I couldn't even tell you how many folks I talked to and none of them knew anything to support your "story".
    Again sounds like sour grapes. Be glad to eat my words with solid proof, not talk. My understanding is the former QB is now attending Harvard and doing well. Guess that puts an even bigger hole in the bucket your carrying.

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  28. That's my wife you have been debating. By the way, she works for the local NBC affiliate who ran the story of Ozark cheating on their MAP Tests. BS it's not. Perhaps, whoever you talked to didn't want to go back a few years to look up the facts. Ozark Junior High was caught, and the NBC affiliate did the story.

    As for the Harvard story, I went to to Strafford and one of my good friends went on to receive his doctorate at Northwestern. That didn't make Strafford a good school. Give credit to the student, which was the case with my friend.

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  29. I guess I misunderstood. I assumed your wife was talking about something that happened recently, not "a few years" ago. I would have said to them a few years ago and then they would have hung up on me.
    Not sure I understand your comment about Harvard. I guess your saying it isn't a top shelf school or that anyone with a cheated education can get in?
    I made my point, your wife tried to make hers, I asked for proof, none was provided. The fact that she works @ a news station she should know not to make such statements without any proof. Again I call BS, sorry, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree.

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  30. Ozark schools passed it off as a mistake. Are you telling me the teachers that get paid to teach students how to follow directions don't follow directions themselves? When I was in school tests like these presented a clear set of instructions for test prior to starting the timers. Remember, these are the types of tests that they ask a sample question before each section and then review how to fill in a bubble. It's hard to believe this was an honest mistake.

    Here's the story:

    Story Published: Apr 24, 2008 at 5:40 PM CDT
    http://www.ky3.com/news/local/18151919.html

    OZARK, Mo. -- Something happened here during Missouri Assessment Program (Map) testing this week that rarely happens. Ozark School District officials voluntarily notified state officials about it.
    Administrators say it was an honest mistake on the part of four teachers who were administering the test. The district says, in four of 20 MAP testing classroom at Ozark Junior Highs, students were allowed to use calculators on a section of the test where calculators are not allowed.

    The mistake means nearly 100 test scores could be disqualified.

    The test has three sections of math for seventh graders. In two of those, calculators are allowed. In the third section, they are not. Evidently, the teachers either misread or failed to read the instructions before that one section.

    The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says it is investigating how this happened. They say they won't know until June what will happen with the scores.

    As for whether the teachers will be disciplined, district leaders say it’s a personnel matter and they can’t comment.

    The district wouldn’t lose its accreditation but it could lose the tag of “accreditation with distinction.”

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  31. You should also considering this Ozark Junior High teacher's response when I asked her about her lesson plan, inconsistencies in a student's work, their A grade considering their lack of knowlegdge of the subject matter, and the teacher's own display of the subject matter. The letter was her reply to my concern. Think what you want, but we have not had a good experience with Ozark schools, and we aren't the only ones in the community who have also questioned what the priorities of the school district are, including the two-week late homework policy. This isn't BS. We want accountibility knowing children in the district are prepared for the future.

    http://bungalowbillscw.blogspot.com/2009/02/requesting-accountibility-from-ozark.html

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  32. Confirmed with kids. The same processes are involved in the pre-test instructions.

    This was fairly recent, and should be fresh in parent's minds and it was easy to find on the archives of the local media's Web site. I don't think you pursued this as hard as you did, and I am also starting to wonder what your true intentions are.

    We want the education improved at the school and for it not to be sacrificed for the benefit of athletics. Yet, in your rhetoric, you continue to try to make us look like the bad buy for our concerns. We have legitimate examples posed throughout this blog where education has been sacrificed. You don't sound in the least bit concerned. Ozark is a nice community, but that doesn't always make for good schools. If I still lived in Chicago, I would push for excellence in the schools as well. In fact, I have.

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  33. Look I called two stations and the paper. I wish they or someone here would have gave me a link or something when I asked for it. Tough deal for sure but sounds like it was far from covering something up or that they had been "caught".
    The main reason we are looking to move is the school system we are in now is doing poorly. Not going into details but education is the problem we have at our school now we have a good sports program.
    As for our "true intentions", they are to try to learn about schools in the area South of Springfield, that is how we found this board. How does anyone really know about the schools from the outside? We don't want to make a move backwards for sure. We are simply in the looking stage and have several towns in mind. We thought with the new stadium in Ozark that the school had the support of the community, but according to you and some here maybe not.
    Last post, as it seems like in Chicago you will find a fight where you can, when you can. Wish you well and as long of a life one can have with such a negative outlook.
    So good ahead and take as many swings at me that it takes to make you feel better about yourself as I will not have a responce.

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  34. You know, I hope you consider what I said, but at the same time, I can’t believe you are going to walk away trying to pose as a victim. Throughout your rants, you accused us of ‘sour grapes’ and ‘BS.’ I tried to politely ignore your insults hoping to help you with an educated decision.

    With each comment, it seems the football stadium is the selling point for you, yet you contradict yourself saying you want to leave your current school district because of their emphasis with sports. However, scroll up and you were once telling us the education in the school your kid was at is good.

    You attack me for being negative. Well, my purpose in looking at what’s going on is concern that the kids under my roof are getting an education that prepares them for college and life. It’s a real insult that after building a $10 million stadium, they sent home a fund raiser with the elementary kids to raise money for computers.

    You know what! I am not buying your story. On September 17 at 9:15 AM you said, “We really don't put sports first. We live right now in a school first town for sure. We moved 5 years ago from the number one high school in Missouri in football for better schools and found the house we wanted.”

    Three days later your school first town goes turns into this on September, 20 at 8:51 PM. “The main reason we are looking to move is the school system we are in now is doing poorly. Not going into details but education is the problem we have at our school now we have a good sports program.”

    Please tell me how your school goes from a school first attitude to doing poorly in a matter of three and a half days, and over a weekend at that?

    No one said Ozark tried to cover it up. However, Ozark doesn’t welcome the local media in their schools like Nixa does either. These aptitude tests have instructions that are supposed to be reviewed with the children before each section. There should have been no reason in the world why calculators were allowed for the test considering that fact alone. You have obviously contradicted yourself. I bet you live in Ozark and your butt’s perched in that nice stadium seating. That’s fine, but the school better never send another fundraiser home again to make up for the budget shortcomings. The students aren’t their slaves so they can build monuments to themselves to relive their Friday night lights glory.

    I really don’t expect you to reply, but if you do, please explain how your schools went down the hill so quickly in three days. A literary character you may relate to would probably say "Doh!"

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  35. Black&Gold FanSeptember 20, 2009 at 10:26 PM

    Looks like another troll busted! One would think you would come collect information and go. This sounds to me like a local who you ruffled their feathers.

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  36. I love how anonymous says it looks like you are looking for arguments and they keep coming back almost appearing to push your buttons. Really want to know what their agenda is. I dont understand how someone who is disgusted by the fact their own child brought home work to produce money for the school after seeing the waste built up before them can suffer such attacks. Really shows when it comes to education there are a lot of people with priorities in the wrong place like locker rooms.

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  37. I have cut him off. He is taking away from the main point, which is don't send my kid home with fundraisers for classroom computers days after you introduce your new football stadium to the public.

    I think this commentor is from Joplin. I assumed he might be from Ozark, since this post has angered many of the football players who don't have the reasoning skills to realize this isn't a personal attack on them or their team.

    You know he kept gnawing at this stopping short of calling me a liar. Yes anonymous from Joplin, I have an agenda--education for the kids under my roof. That seems to be a problem.

    I want the schools to improve and if people don't step up and put pressure on the schools nothing will change. I have had a real eye opening with Ozark schools from the principal telling me they find it perfectly acceptable to take homework that is two weeks late on a regular basis to a teacher chewing me out because I questioned her lack of professionalism in her own assignments. Trust me, I don't go looking for this stuff. I simply want the best, and we are considering leaving the community. (I know applause will follow, but it doesn't fix the problems that I have outlined.)

    These comments clearly contradict comments made eariler from the same person. They argued they were not contradictory, but it's clear. They moved away from a sports oriented school district to one that puts school first in hopes for an education. Now that the kid has talent he wants to get back to a sports community. Whatever...nothing in his argument addressed my concerns for the fundraising that takes away from homework time. That's the problem with each of the football players that cussed me out, and this person from Joplin who wanted to say it was BS and sour grapes. I simply want to know why are they looking for schools outside of their own community rather than working to make their school district better by saying enough! My kid isn't going to work to raise money for computers or whatever. We pay taxes, and I am going to hold you responsible. For this person, the solution is move from school district to school district while the kid has to suffer from all the issues with being moved. It makes no sense to me. Stand up for what is right and participate in the education process. When you see something you don't like happening in your school and with your kids while they are there, speak up.

    I just can't let this anonymous guy continue to steal from the point of this topic. He claims he called three media outlets to find information about Ozark teachers cheating on the MAP tests. I found in five minutes using a search feature on one of the media outlets. Then he said we alluded to a cover up. No, we said they cheated and pointed out what a dunce you have to be to mess up the instructions on these tests. The bottom line is I don't care where this person puts their kids in school. I really hope parents in the community come together and demand more from their school. These are tough times, and education is more important than a video scoreboard, astroturf, and a chair back.

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  38. Being this is just to you and not everyone on your blog I will waste time with you, why I don't know. Yes I'm from the Joplin area as you can find from my IP. I pointed out where your use of half truth made what I said into someting else but of course you are never wrong I would guess. My kid has always been a top football player. The first day of school my children brought home a note from the Superintendant about a possible take over from the State due to continued decline in grad rate and test scores. The rep of the school is top notch but when you get closer and do care you find otherwise. We pay a ton of money in taxes to be able to go to this school and frnakly the board and most of the parents here seem to be ok with the schools poor performance. When we moved here a few eyars ago the school was ran differently or again at least looked like it was. Thats why I ask how do you really know how the school really is untill you are in it?
    If you look back on my first post I talked about the stadium being a drawing card and ow it would be offset by folks coming in and buying houses and supporting local businesses. This will or should reduce fundraising of the schools. I think you said it was your wife that first called out Ozark getting caught on the tests. I guess I got pulled down to that level and you area right I should have stayed more on topic.
    Trouble is guys like you really don't want a healthy debate they don't want free speach and they don't want free thinking. By the way the reasons we don't stay here and try to fix what we have is many. 1. We would like to retire close to Springfield and would rather move sooner than later. 2. Most here seem to be happy with the way the school is doing, sad as that is. 3. I guess I just have more of a go along or get along attitude. If they are happy and I'm not then odd man out type of thing. 4. We are facing the real chance of a State take over and I want NO part of that. 5. While we are looking to relocate we are also looking to be closer to a bigger market for business reasons for us now and our children down the road. 6. While we are lloking for a new place to live we also need to keep sports in mind as it is important to one of the three children we have. I not saying anything here other than he wants to play for a good team. If all we wanted to do is move to a sports town it wouldn't be in Missouri at all of course. I have looked over several of your blogs and really we can agree on alot of things, we just can't agree on how to change things I guess. Look back here and see if you think I was treated with any respect from my very first post. I can take what I dish out but frankly it doesn't appear you can. Anyway again sorry it is always raining in your world. I would guess you represent a very very small voice in Ozark as everyone else we have ran across seems to be very upbeat and positive.
    It might make you feel better about the fundraising going on to start attending school board meetings and understand fund allocation and what can and can't be used for what and where. I think it will help you understand how you sound to some around you. I would guess you like the view from the cheap seats though and truely aren't interested in really "doing something" just ranting on and on. To be clear going down to the school and talking down to officals isn't my idea of helping either. I'm sorry both of us have wasted so much time going back and forth I told my wife I wouldn't continue as it supports hate and what you really stand for but just don't like someone that takes bits and parts and spins them...

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  39. Seriously sir, I have never treated you with anything but respect. I presented a side of the school which I have observed and would like to see corrected. Sure the football stadium is beautiful. I am not denying that. I can see where it can be a draw, but kids have made the pros playing on grass, a simple scoreboard, and with people on bleachers cheering them on.

    I have never once tried to be discourteous to you, nor have I violated your right to free speech. I fight for free speech every day, and I feel you like to keep jabbing.

    Why is my opinion considered half truth. You say I said the school tried to cover up the MAPs scores. I did not. I simply stated they cheated. I know you are probably familiar with how these tests are ran, and if not, I have taken the time to explain it to you. It’s hard for me to believe the teachers were unaware that calculators weren’t supposed to be used on the test. Throughout that, you kept this sour grapes/BS comments coming rather than engage in a conversation. I didn’t insult you and say you were full of it. I simply put out there what I felt was inconsistencies in your comments.

    So calling and engaging in conversation in your school officials isn’t a good idea these days? Please. Do you know when I called the principal at the elementary school and told him my concern for the fundraising after they built that stadium, that I wasn’t the only parent in Ozark to call and express this same opinion. Had every parent sat there and swallowed this, the school would probably think more fundraisers are in order.

    Communication is essential in the education process. Yet, the whole while you continue your insults with the cheap seats.

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  40. I could share with you all sorts of things I have done to make up for the lack education, but of course, you just said, I don’t do anything. I still don’t understand why you have spent this much time with this then if what I have said means nothing to you? It makes no sense to me. Yet, you never offer any solutions. You point out your own schools have been in decline. Perhaps, parents like you didn’t communicate enough to stop the decline in the quality. I don’t know that for a fact, but you seem to think I am shameful for questioning the curriculum in our school district while you run from yours hoping to find something better. I think that’s sad.

    You say the stadium will encourage people to buy houses and support local business. Guess what, I have friends that are local business owners, and I am preparing to open my own business in the coming weeks. The common complaint I have heard from them is the rise of property taxes for their commercial property over the past few years. Guess what? That gets passed on to people who want to do business in the community. In fact, we consider our purchases carefully considering the higher sales taxes we have to pay in Ozark compared to Springfield. We save a lot more money by shopping in Springfield. Things like this stadium have a huge costs to local businesses, especially in this economy where every penny matters for many people.

    So sir, is a healthy debate saying things like that’s BS? I don’t think Aristotle thought so. I haven’t denied you of a healthy debate, and I understand you wanting to get out of a school district that the state is about to have more control over. That’s one of the problems with education in general. There has been more control given to the federal government and less to the community thanks to federal dollars. Education has suffered since.
    Just like you are saddened by the general thought of the community you are a part of, I am saddened by the same at Ozark. I think it’s sad elementary students become little salespeople to make up for budget shortcomings so the school can purchase test computers.

    That’s what this blog is about in the first place. How is it school official have a conscious these days to invest more money in sports, which is clearly seen at Ozark when you visit the school’s athletic facilities and then send kids home begging for money. It’s really a sad statement about priorities, and I can’t figure out why that is so hard for people to digest in the blog.

    Unlike most of the people in Ozark who have lived in the community for most of their lives, I lived in Chicago, and I have a realistic reality of what these projects to due to your tax rates. While you want to accuse me of being negative, I know I don’t want to pay double and triple the taxes so the Ozark High School football team can play on a luxury field and have a weight room that most NFL teams would be envious of.

    I have lots of friends in Ozark and they are good people, but I am sure if you were to discuss the possibilities of more and more taxes, they are stretched as thin as everyone else. Therefore, there needs to be responsibility within the school. In case you don’t know, there is already talk of building a second high school. They obviously didn’t plan very well with this one considering its age. All this means the threat of more taxes. This isn’t negative—this is common sense.

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  41. Communities across the nation need to look at the costs of all these big federal government programs and the real possibility of cap and trade passing, and realize Americans are going to be squeezed more and more by the federal government. You can’t deny that trend. It’s time they tighten the community belt and lessen the amenities as well based on these federal trends. If they aren’t careful, they can chase people out of the community and a school district can easily become a victim of their own careless spending.

    As Ozark looks to a new high school to make up for the lack of room in their brand new school, this is a real possibility in today's economic climate.

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  42. it irks me my taxes are going up in ozark and they have that new track roped off so I can't use it

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  43. I'm somewhat encouraged by Adrian Lee. He seems to be a very well-spoken young person and he has given me a glimmer of hope for our Ozark educational system. I agree that an Ozark education is VERY dumbed down, but so is education as a whole. I think our new athletic facilities are wonderful and maybe slightly over the top, but the real issue is the way our public (who pays for it all) is not allowed access. The public needs to wake up and start electing school board members who aren't idiots fighting for their kids playing time. It seems we have a majority of board members who are clueless about running a school system.

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  44. I go to a private high school in Louisville, Kentucky that costs 22,000 per year, and continues to grow. We have a total of 700 students, 200 of which are high school level. Each grade has an average of 53 students and each class an average of 14 or less. Here is the rundown on our own athletic facilities: our elementary-middle school field hockey and soccer teams play on the same field in the center of the school. The field is grass with huge patches where obviously no grass is growing; for our high school athletes, we have three natural grass fields, two without any bleachers, and one with two small rows of bleachers and two benches on the opposite side for the athletes. We don't have our own track. We use the one across the street which belongs to another school. Here is the rundown on how we did in athletics this year: I can't really speak for middle school as well, but middle school lacrosse won the state championship, middle school soccer went to the state tournament, middle school field hockey had their best season ever, high school cross country won regionals and placed sixth at state (we only had seven runners compared to the other teams with twenty plus), high school soccer had their best season ever winning districts and competing in the semi-final championship, high school field hockey got runner up in the state tournament, high school swimming had their largest state championship team in the school's history, high school basketball won regionals and went to the state tournament, high school boys and girls lacrosse competed in the state semi-finals (this was the worst year for our boys team in the past four years), high school track won A and AA State Championships in their 4x400 relay and had showings in most of the track events (and as I said before, we don't have our own track). Here is the rundown on our academics: we had students going to college all over the country (here is a list of some of the schools our seniors are going to be attending: Vanderbilt, Cornell, Dartmouth, Northeastern, Northwestern, Eckerd, Georgetown, Duke, University of Colorado, Lehigh, University of Georgia, University of Alabama, University of Kentucky, Stanford, Rice, Wake Forest, Harvard; this is just a small list that stretches the entire spectrum of types of colleges), we are a school, chartered to be a chapter for the National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society; we had, out of 52 graduating seniors, 13 future collegiate athletes, all of which will be competing with scholarships, over 80% of the students won a scholarship(s), whether they we academic, athletic, ethnic, whatever; we had eleven national merit scholars, and eight governors scholars. This doesn't even touch how well we did in debate, science olympiad, quick recall, and every other academic teams my school offers. So to make my point clear, you do not have to have world class stadiums, turf, score boards, facilities, etc to have world class scholars and athletes. And in case you were wondering, the majority of our students attend my school on financial aid, a few on grants. So there was truly no need for such an over the top stadium to propel Ozark athletics. As far as I could tell, Ozark already dominated, so what was the point in wasting tax payers money like that. They could have easily replaced the fan seating and resurfaced or replaced the track for a fraction of the cost. The rest of that money could have gone to whatever needs the academic departments required and improving the curriculum. Athletes don't make the world, the world makes athletes.

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