Any Updates on Tanith | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Any Updates on Tanith

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Realistic, it's not an either/or. Yes, I have huge problems with this bill as well. I think it is plain irresponsible to cut some of the education programs it cuts; what gets to me especially are the cuts in after school programs. Don't you want to get kids into safe environments before they can get into trouble?! Anyway, back to topic. This bill did not pass because of Tanith. Her not getting her citizenship in time would not have added one cent to any of the cut programs. So, I am disgusted for the state of politics in America today, but at the same time happy that Tanith may get a chance to represent the US at the Olympics.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
So the bill finally passed. Like most of you, I don't like a bit of burget cut on educations, but congrats to Tanith.

But I have a question though. Where all these education burdget goes? Higher level education or lower level public/local school system? AFAIK our local school district system got almost all funding from local property tax.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Personally? I'd be happy if they disbanded or downgraded the DoE entirely, and got rid of HUD along with it, plus dumping the EPA from Cabinet level. So no problems with that aspect of the budget. Trim some sections of the DoC, too. The federal government is not in the education business, or rather it shouldn't be as our schools get billions per year from them and yet are some of the worst-performing in the world.

But that's as may be. I hope that Tanith and Max and all the other people waiting on this bill finally escape their bureaucratic nightmare.
 

swannanoa54

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
julietvalcouer said:
Personally? I'd be happy if they disbanded or downgraded the DoE entirely, and got rid of HUD along with it, plus dumping the EPA from Cabinet level. So no problems with that aspect of the budget. Trim some sections of the DoC, too. The federal government is not in the education business, or rather it shouldn't be as our schools get billions per year from them and yet are some of the worst-performing in the world.

But that's as may be. I hope that Tanith and Max and all the other people waiting on this bill finally escape their bureaucratic nightmare.

Frankly, saying our schools get billions per year from the government is inaccurate at best. Totally inaccurate.

Don't get me wrong. I AM happy not only for Tanith and Max, but for the others that this bill will help as well. That does make it a bright spot.

But I am dismayed when people think that our schools operate in the black all year long. And without federal aid, our children wouldn't get any type of education because the teachers are already overworked and underpaid. As far as HUD goes, who would you have do without lower income housing? And where would you put them? And what about the disabled who aren't able to work? What would you have them do? Never mind. I'd rather not know your answers because I'm sure I'm too close to both the education and the disabled part to even make an unemotional argument. So I'll simply disagree with you completely.

But Tanith and Max are still far from being citizens but much closer than they were. They still have to pass the citizenship test. Based on the different ways this is handled, sometimes it's just answering 4 questions, but the norm is a 100 question test that us, as those who are born in the states, would have trouble passing. I know that because I know people who I have helped study for the test. It's amazing some of the questions that are on that test. I wish them all the best and hope they are where they can get by with answering 4 questions.:clap:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Looks like the yay-sayers will get their way after all.

B&A better be grateful for this :biggrin: this is just so much luck in their favor.
 

STL_Blues_fan

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
The test is way easy!!

Are you kidding me? They give you the list of questions you need to study for. I am sorry, if you had American History in HS or college, then you would know the answers. Even if you didn't, how hard can it be to "memorize" 100 questions - most of each you would (or should) know the answer for.

My grandparents - who don't know English very well and were in their seventies at the time of naturalization - had no trouble passing the test!

I never even heard of anybody who didn't pass the test!!!

Yana

PS - actual test is actually 10 questions. I think you need to pass with an 80% or better score. That's 100 questions out of possible 100.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
STL_Blues_fan said:
My grandparents - who don't know English very well and were in their seventies at the time of naturalization - had no trouble passing the test!

I never even heard of anybody who didn't pass the test!!!

Yana

PS - actual test is actually 10 questions. I think you need to pass with an 80% or better score. That's 100 questions out of possible 100.
Yeah. I'm not as old as you grandparents. I passed 6 or 7 years ago. They have a web site where you can download the material to study for. And some questions you will be asked for and answers. You don't need reading the whole material, it is huge, I have no patient. Just read those questions and memorize answers....kind like preparing your written test for driving lisence. Actually easier than that. Since I knew one of my friends who got PhD and Post Dr but failed at driving lisence test first time tried. lol
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
realistic51 said:
But I am dismayed when people think that our schools operate in the black all year long. And without federal aid, our children wouldn't get any type of education because the teachers are already overworked and underpaid. :
It depends, in our town(district) I think teachers get paid pretty well. Couple of years ago the mid range salary was mid $80K, and just to think it is only 9 month job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for those federal fund goes directly to those schools and students who needs the help. I hate to see these funds got sucked in system bureustics.
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
realistic51 said:
As far as HUD goes, who would you have do without lower income housing? And where would you put them? And what about the disabled who aren't able to work? What would you have them do?
Actually, while I would not dismantle HUD, I would like to transfer a lot of that money from project style housing to section 8. Section 8 allows people to find housing in decent neighborhoods with decent schools, while projects are popular with the public because they concentrate the poor "out of the way".
 

Frau Muller

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Thanks for all of the other links to articles confirming my original 'hallway hearsay' that this was 'THE BIGGIE' that had passed.

CONGRATS, TANITH, MAX & any other skaters at the U.S. Nationals who may now have the chance to vie for a berth on Team USA/Torino 2006!

p.s. I'da given a million bucks to have been a fly on the wall when Mama Mitchell got this news. :biggrin:
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
mzheng said:
It depends, in our town(district) I think teachers get paid pretty well. Couple of years ago the mid range salary was mid $80K, and just to think it is only 9 month job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for those federal fund goes directly to those schools and students who needs the help. I hate to see these funds got sucked in system bureustics.

Much of the money goes to the bureaucracy, at least in my state, where there are over 650 school districts, each with a superintendent and full staff. On top of that, each COUNTY has a school superintendent with a full staff. The "supers" all make salaries of well over $100K+ and many of their "administrative assistants" make salaries higher than any teacher's salary in their district. And every year in the "super" job adds $$ to a guaranteed pension.

Any legislative proposal to control these outrageous overhead costs by merging school districts is soundly defeated because of intense pressure by the NJEA (teachers union) lobby.

Who funds all these bureaucratic leeches? Not the federal government, but the hapless citizens, who pay directly via the highest property taxes in the US.
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
chuckm said:
Much of the money goes to the bureaucracy, at least in my state, where there are over 650 school districts, each with a superintendent and full staff. On top of that, each COUNTY has a school superintendent with a full staff. The "supers" all make salaries of well over $100K+ and many of their "administrative assistants" make salaries higher than any teacher's salary in their district. And every year in the "super" job adds $$ to a guaranteed pension.

Any legislative proposal to control these outrageous overhead costs by merging school districts is soundly defeated because of intense pressure by the NJEA (teachers union) lobby.

Who funds all these bureaucratic leeches? Not the federal government, but the hapless citizens, who pay directly via the highest property taxes in the US.
Seems we are in the same state. In our school district, we only have ONE school from kg to 8th grade. Housing total no more than 1,000 kids. But we still have the full staffed district....even we send our HS kids to a top notched public HS in a neighbore town (pay them 2mil a year) but still about half of our HS aged kids shosen to go some private prep schools....it's just unbelievable where all those money gone.
 

swannanoa54

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
STL_Blues_fan said:
Are you kidding me? They give you the list of questions you need to study for. I am sorry, if you had American History in HS or college, then you would know the answers. Even if you didn't, how hard can it be to "memorize" 100 questions - most of each you would (or should) know the answer for.

My grandparents - who don't know English very well and were in their seventies at the time of naturalization - had no trouble passing the test!

I never even heard of anybody who didn't pass the test!!!

Yana

PS - actual test is actually 10 questions. I think you need to pass with an 80% or better score. That's 100 questions out of possible 100.

Actually the citizenship test here is 100 questions not 10. I know about that because our adult education area helps people study for the test. And it is true that most (and I said MOST), US born citizens would NOT pass the test. I've taken it and I'm proud to say that I did pass it only because I'm a freak about taking American Government in college and American history as well. I did it on a lark. I can now be naturalized if they ever decide to take away my US born citizenship.:laugh:

And, mzheng, there are few teachers here who make $80 plus for teaching. Maybe I should tell them to move to other states.
 
Top