Laurie Paine
By Laurie Paine
47 percent.
What do you think of when you hear that number? As a parent, I can tell you that if that was my child’s grade I would be heartbroken, concerned.
“How can I help?” would be my next thought.
Well…
47 percent is roughly how many Oak Ridge students are economically disadvantaged. This is one of the most frequently quoted statistics recently, and sadly, it is often used to justify spending for less-than-stellar results. Rarely, the children behind this number are even given a face or a name…
So who are the 47 percent?
Athletes, dancers, bookworms, musicians. They are also future scientists, soldiers, doctors, welders, and teachers. And guess what?
Four of the 47 percent are my children!
These children are not an excuse for poor performance, they are not a financial burden! They are our future. I am running for the Board of Education to give these children—my children—hope and a voice.
According to the most recent TCAP scores, 41 percent of our third to eighth graders tested below proficient in reading and 43 percent below in math.
Also, around 84 percent of our students graduated last year, with only about 78 percent of our economically disadvantaged students graduating.
They say you get what you pay for.
Is this what we get for over $12,000 per student? Is this what we get for outspending nearly every school system in the state?
Oak Ridge schools are still some of the best in the country, yes. But we can do better. And we should.
To do so, we must work smarter, we must work together, and we must advocate for our teachers against those in Nashville who may think they know better.
We must start making the children our top priority in our community.
I am proud to be an Oak Ridge High School graduate, and I’m proud of one recent and three future graduates.
If elected to the Board of Education, I will work to ensure that we more fairly allocate resources to the benefit of all our students, not just those that will make us look good in the newspapers.
Our students are not burdens, they are our future and the sooner we start pouring into them, the sooner they will pour back into our community.
Never in my life did I imagine I would be a candidate for any type of political office. However, when my family suffered an unimaginable tragedy in 2007, the Oak Ridge community came together in a totally unexpected and heartwarming way.
They supported my family in a very dark time when it was needed most.
I feel that now I have the opportunity to reciprocate that gesture by stepping up and offering to serve on the board. I feel that our schools need quality leaders, and I hope that I can be a part of that.
Paine is a candidate for Oak Ridge Board of Education.
Mike Mahathy says
I’m proud of my stand for the children of Oak Ridge. My support and involvement speak for themselves Vote wisely. It matters.
http://mikemahathyoakridgeboe.com/2014/10/28/the-good-campaign-for-education/
Matt Bailey says
Good morning:
As we approach the last weekend, I would like to ask the same questions I’ve asked previously, please. There is still plenty of time to influence voters. As in past articles, I’ve pointed out the lack of specifics re: your proposals. Your signature issue is the walk zone / bus program. Your supporters claim you’ve studied the budget and claim you have a better fairer and safer plan. Above, you propose a reallocation of funds to benefit all students, not just the ones that make us look good.
Why wait to propose a better walk zone plan?
What is that plan?
How would you reallocate funding?
You appear to be very happy with your own child’s graduation from OR and her performance in college. Congratulations. While I’m positive there was a strong dose of parental responsibility (for which I’ve advocated previously for all), I just can’t understand why you’re so unhappy with the support ALL kids get when you’re so happy with your own. Didn’t yours, as part of the 47%, get quality assistance? Did anyone in the schools ever reference her financial situation and deny her the help she required?
We’ve gotten very few specifics from many candidate this year, even some I favor. That’s disappointing to me and I’ve expressed it to them. Yet I sense that you believe that financial standing influences how much assistance a student receives in Oak Ridge. Personally, I don’t see it.
So, my 3 questions remain very simple. Let’s start that community wide conversation with specifics. Why wait? Thank you.
Dave Smith says
I’m amused by Paine’s contradictory assertions that the 47% are composed of “athletes, dancers, bookworms, musicians, future scientists, soldiers, doctors, welders, and teachers” and yet ORS is achieving “less-than-stellar results” with the same 47%. How can this be? It appears for all intents and purposes that the 47% are indistinguishable from the 53% non-economically disadvantaged. The offensive lie that is presented is that ORS neglects the economically disadvantaged. The reality is that the $12k/student cost is achieved in large part by disproportionate – but not unwarranted – spending on disadvantaged students.
You nailed it. This column is buzz words and catch phrases without substance.