I can only repeat what I have said before, "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
Today's CCT editorial came out strongly in support of the Superintendent's propsal to limit access to the pool area during normal school hours. I don't recall ever using "CCT", "Superintendent", and "support" in the same sentence before!
An interesting quote:
One might think that the only remaining question would be why on earth it has taken eight years to institute what most would consider a common sense approach to protecting Sandwich's children. That, however, was apparently not the first question on the minds of the Sandwich School Committee.
Yes, the committee allowed Johnson to move forward with her plan, but the group also voted 4-2 to table further discussion on the topic until April 6, when it will presumably have more input about other options.
We would respectfully submit that the only thing left to discuss is how this practice was permitted in the first place and why it has been allowed to continue for the past eight years. The person or persons who initiated this arrangement and who authorized it to continue should be held to account for potentially endangering the safety of students, as well as for putting the town at great financial risk.
That's probably not a quote you will see on anybody's re-election ads this year!!
There was also a letter from what I assume is a very nice lady from Marstons Mills who talked about her pool fees being used to support the swimming program and to supply scholarship funds to young people. Somebody should point out that her fees don't even cover HER usage of the pool -- let alone any scholarships for anybody!
19 comments:
Mark my words, once MEJ has left the building and Matt Bridges has been annointed, we will see that policy change again. Somehow, someway, Sherry and Crossman will finagle a bagel and find a way for all the happy little pool people to swim during school hours! It would be nice if the CCT would take a more in-depth look at some of our candidates and perhaps take a peak at some of the "conflicts" that our front runner may have.
9:49 You are correct thats why Marshall tabled the issue so once MEJ is gone all the past few years changes will return to the 1972 ways, including naked adults showering with our naked children, uncertified teachers will be rehired.
So, now that it's out in the open and the Chief of Police, BOS, Town Manager have all been made aware in writing of this serious safety issue, don't they have a personal and professional responsiblity to step in to prevent a potential sexual assault on our children?
Has the insurance policy holder been notified of the past complaints and that nothing was done about it by the administrators.
When Marshall and gang put the old policy in place again, I can't imagine the insurance co. wouldn't cancel the liability on the pools and shower rooms. Then there will be no swimming for anyone.
Maybe that's how this insanity will end. The insurance company cancels the liability policy then you have to drain the pool.
Keeps our children safe, we can then shut the main entrance to high school down, relocate the comm school and saves $100,000's in costs for running the pool.
Shari Marshall was always a huge proponent of site visits, I recall her saying it was a big piece to the whole search process. So why is she not pushing for site visits? Oh that's right the site is Sandwich/Matt Bridges, no need for site visits people.
Why do you think she doesn't want site visits. She does not want to slow THERE process down, so they can pull the wool over the taxpayers eyes before the election. Given just what has played out in the past few days I would say Sandwich needs to budget some big bucks for legal. It is all truly unbelievable. Thank goodness we have blogs to vent on, much healthier, no need to hold it in.
I subscribe to the Catch-22 Theory of Sandwich School Superintendents:
If you really want this job, you are probably crazy and therefore should not have it.
What this SC vote to table the pool discussion illustrates, is the majority four's brazen pandering to their own special interests and the unwillingness to listen to other opinions. Throughout the past year, this divided school committee has been disastrous and painful to watch. Whether the discussion is the pool or the superintendent or anything else, the majority four seem to come in with a predetermined agenda, leaving no wiggle room for compromise. Part of being a good board member in any organization is being able to listen to more expert others and then make informed decisions. Repeatedly, this board has snubbed their noses, (literally for Ms. Kangas, who should be reprimanded by the chair for her off-camera eye-rolling and smirks), at common sense explanations and advice. It's most frustrating to watch them dismiss the comments of seasoned professionals.
This board majority is not only on a power trip, but they fancy themselves knowledgeable on every topic. A dangerous combination!
Keeping school children and the general public separated in a pool changing room is a no-brainer. If people were blinded by the majority four's orchestrated railroading of Dr. Johnson, this pool debate ought to open some eyes as to how they operate.
How can we change things? Go to the polls in May and VOTE!!
Poolies.......good one
Where was the 30 minutes at the end of Tuesdays meeting when the committee discussed the need for site visits in the tapes that aired last night on t.v.?
Well said and true anon. 7:22. I found it interesting that the local candidate claims he will champion compromise and reasonableness of the school committee, when looking at this from the outside he appears to be the slam dunk yet least qualified candidate this committee seems balanced to favor. One thing that I wonder, is if the local candidate truly had ambition to be a Superintendent why is there no evidence of that in his academic pursuits of the past decade or more.
Don't tell me they are tapering with SCAT now?
10:34 I meant to write Don't tell us they are now tampering with SCAT Now? What the heck is going on in this town?
SCAT is a good word for it all. Cable station aside...
Ok, so this morning we have two letters and a "my view" about Sandwich Pool policy in the Cape Cod Times. One letter is literally captioned, The Kids Will Be Alright Showering at the Pool". Wish I had that crystal ball. Another one is from the, "it's about the policy" perspective. The my view is a real pip, this reader says that the Sandwich Pool safety issues are about not understanding the benefits of swimming for aging folks. It is entitled "Values of Swimming Down the Drain."
So can we stick with the sensible policy and use it to help create a more efficient operation along with increase safety for the kids. This is not about what hasn't happened. It is about best practice and safety and the world being a different place in 2011 as opposed to when the policy was established.
More letters in today's Cape Cod Times about the new pool policy. Another one from someone who doesn't live in Sandwich who claims children safety is a red-herring. One from the mom of a Sandwich High School Swim team captain. She is a swim instructor as well on the Cape. While the swim parent doesn't say it, following the public conversation on this subject would lead me to believe swim parents are concerned the pool will close for lack of revenue. For years without actual data, the swim parents have been told this. Has anyone tried to find away to increase revenue besides opening the pool during the day over the years. Oh that's right they were going to fund raise and try to get some money despite the already millions and million of fund raising projects in the works in Sandwich.
And last but not least a letter from the, "a deal was made with the town in 1972 to use the pool located in a public school as a community pool" crowd. I would like to know if anyone who signs up to that thinking has done anything to create a way to sustain the pool or add the construction of additional locker rooms and entrance. No disrespect, but if we want 1972 operations back, let us seriously revisit the issue of call fire. Many in town would love to see that line item go away. It is still the topic of conversation at parties. Clearly many would like to see it much easier to add additions to homes and businesses without paying for them. Not to mention the sweet deals.
You can't have it both ways. We can't go backwards, in my view.
The Truth Maker would add that given all of the security problems being faced by the school, it would seem appropriate for the outside users pay the cost of reconfiguring and building of a better mouse trap.
The taxpayers money has paid for this pool from its enception, but the non taxpayers get a free ride and seem to be the most vocal about the prersent change of policy.
I say let them pay for the changes in increased pool fees and then perhaps some one can address it, if the will is there. The daily fee needs to be changed for those that are not taxpayers in our town who have payed for this use with our taxes. In both cases a fee change is needed and it should be double what we taxpayers are charged.
You watch and see where they will swim once they are told you no longer are going to be subsidized by the taxes we all pay here in Sandwich, just so you can get a free ride on the backs of the residents who have been paying your bill.
Anon 6:43am
Sorry, but it is pretty hard to imagine a way in which you can cut out over 30 hours of pool programs per week and not impact revenue at the pool. However, I think what many people are saying is let's take a look at what can be done to allow the programs during the day AND safeguard the high school students. People have offered to work on this, but it doesn't seem that anyone in the administration is interested in taking them up on it...
The new schedule I saw cuts out around 6 sessions not 30. Seems to me that they have actually created some cost efficiency. Of course their is an adjustment for those adults who want to swim; that I realize. It seems to me that cost efficiency and increased ;programing on the weekends is key to saving the pool as a whole. The school budget can't sustain it. And the Community School's management has been based on one way of thinking.
At this point I see the glass as half full. Time for a new way of thinking and while we are at it let's get the management and policy in line with creating a way to sustain the pool. I would like to see the additional locker rooms built and a full time pool on the weekends and in the summer. It is filled with water then. That will take conversations about how to manage it and who will manage it potentially.
Anon 3:08 pm:
I said 30 hours, not sessions. How long are the sessions you refer to and how many times a week do they meet? Also, have you thought about what happens to programs when the swim teams use the pool from 2:30-4:30 in the fall and winter and then close it for additional hours when they have a meet???
I cannot see how you can call closing the pool for 30 hours per week a cost efficiency. There is still overhead. The pool has to stay heated, etc... You cannot charge as much for a lap swim membership when the opportunities for lap swim are reduced. I guess maybe the group of people willing to work on this could hash this all out if they were invited to do so.
Anon 1:17pm
There was a group of "volunteers" that wanted to be involved with fundraising for pool operations -- including coming up with the $30,000 + which will be needed shortly to re-grout the pool.
Any idea what happened to THAT group of "concerned citizens" ?
Probably sitting home in Barnstable writing letters and waiting for the Sandwich taxpayers to fund more repair work.
I don't think the pool is closing for 30 hours per week, but I'll check. If there are hours lost, hours can be found at other times to include the weekends. The hours lost we to staff too. A schedule that works with the swim teams would have to be worked out. Again though if it is hours and opportunities we need, let's find them. I still think policy that makes the most sense for in consideration of the mission of the school is best for all. For many this is a situation that needed addressing for many years. But I do understand the disruption. And I am sorry for that. However sometimes out of such things there better solutions.
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