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Post by richardkelsey on Jan 28, 2007 11:13:18 GMT -5
I have been catching up on my reading -- and it seems many are surprised by the apathy of Freehold parents with respect to pressing school issues.
Sadly -- this does not surprise me. First of all -- let's not forget that many of these parents have no problem with lawful residents coughing up money to pay for the education of their children. Even if they did, immigrant communities, legal and otherwise, often are far less active for a host of reasons -- including lack of language skills, education, confidence, knowledge of issues, fear of law enforcement, etc. It happens in many communities.
The reason why these Board meetings are not packed with angry parents is probably even more troubling if one wants to peer into reality's eyes. Most active Borough parents don't send there kids to Freehold public schools -- or -- most who are sympathetic to this issue no longer have school age kids. This demonstrates the unfortunate effect of the invasion -- which is people have long been voting with their feet -- or choosing to pay extra to isolate their kids from the Freehold Public schools. I hate to say this, but if there was no St. Rose of Lima -- there would be two possible effects. More engaged parents -- or more parents who would long ago have left the Borough.
The problem you have here -- is apathy. As my little motto has said from the time I have joined -- "Fear Apathy." It is your greatest enemy. In reality -- this is not about apathy -- this is about a decreasing number of people who feel this issue effects them. They are leaving, or have long ago opted out of the schools.
This leaves an absentee oversight function that is seen in many urban school systems that decay and fail. A lack of engaged parent involvement is symptomatic of many problems to come in the system. For those parents struggling to make the schools work -- and to provide an education for their children -- this is so unfair. Unfortunately, it will continue to push those parents to leap from the schools. The cycle is self-fulfilling.
As I wrote in the "What would you do" thread, many people in the Town simply do not understand that the battle may already be lost. You are looking at the same symptoms of hundreds of towns that failed to take immediate action. Every day, those who might have fought leave -- and each day they do -- resolve and the ability to fight wanes. EVERY DAY.
The solutions to the problems the Borough has -- if there are solutions -- are not the patch-work type, by the book actions many towns have used as they face decay.
Someone -- somewhere -- has to make a very bold stand. Soon, there may be no one left to do so.
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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 28, 2007 19:02:54 GMT -5
A battle is never lost unless people no longer choose to fight it. If Asbury Park can return from the dead, Freehold Borough may only need a shot of B-12, because it has never sunk so low as it's shore neighbor. There is nothing wrong with FB that a little immigration reform can't help fix. Until then, we need to make the town shine for the most desirable kind of community oriented residents and visitors, who like spending their money in town.
Let's remain positive and slay our dragon, rather than succumb to its bad breath.
Marc
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Post by richardkelsey on Jan 28, 2007 21:31:11 GMT -5
A battle is never lost unless people no longer choose to fight it. If Asbury Park can return from the dead, Freehold Borough may only need a shot of B-12, because it has never sunk so low as it's shore neighbor. There is nothing wrong with FB that a little immigration reform can't help fix. Until then, we need to make the town shine for the most desirable kind of community oriented residents and visitors, who like spending their money in town. Let's remain positive and slay our dragon, rather than succumb to its bad breath. Marc Reminds me of the Monty Python Movie. "Bring out yer dead" "I am not dead yet!" |
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Post by admin on Jan 29, 2007 6:49:38 GMT -5
A battle is never lost unless people no longer choose to fight it. If Asbury Park can return from the dead, Freehold Borough may only need a shot of B-12, because it has never sunk so low as it's shore neighbor. There is nothing wrong with FB that a little immigration reform can't help fix. Until then, we need to make the town shine for the most desirable kind of community oriented residents and visitors, who like spending their money in town. Let's remain positive and slay our dragon, rather than succumb to its bad breath. Marc I agree about the comparison to Asbury Park. We are no where near where they are, and they are making a great comeback. AS far as immigration reform being a part of the Freehold solution, don't hold your breath. Immigration reform is dead. Freehold is on it's own and must find creative ways to avoid becoming a city slum. |
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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 29, 2007 8:49:11 GMT -5
Brian:
I must disagree. I think it will happen this year, but it will be a very liberal immigration reform.
Bush needs to divert attention away from Iraq and the 2008 candidates, both Dems & Repubs, would also prefer to do away with this other annoying issue before the next election. As an end result, the folks already here will gain a legal status of some kind. I am not yet sure what that will be - but hopefully, something that will make them more accountable to American society.
I DO suppose there is one common area of concern - the level of enforcement that comes with any strength of reform. This is most critical to any and all changes and is likely to be the biggest stumbling block to final settlement of the issue, as it effects average Americans.
Marc
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Post by admin on Jan 29, 2007 12:35:56 GMT -5
Brian: I must disagree. I think it will happen this year, but it will be a very liberal immigration reform. Bush needs to divert attention away from Iraq and the 2008 candidates, both Dems & Repubs, would also prefer to do away with this other annoying issue before the next election. As an end result, the folks already here will gain a legal status of some kind. I am not yet sure what that will be - but hopefully, something that will make them more accountable to American society. I DO suppose there is one common area of concern - the level of enforcement that comes with any strength of reform. This is most critical to any and all changes and is likely to be the biggest stumbling block to final settlement of the issue, as it effects average Americans. Marc I am going to push my acidic side a bit on this one. Before I do, I want to make clear that I do understand the value that legalization ( Amnesty) and guest worker programs should have. However, Marc, the liberal reform will only give us more of what we have now. Is that good? What incentive will there be to have the illegals take the amnesty? Very little. So far our liberal ways of dealing with this issue has allowed an entire sub culture to do as it pleases. And they know it. Do you think they really want to pay the taxes we do? No way Jose! Don't believe me? Go to the street corners and have these present illegals sign up for selective service and voluntarily pay taxes. I bet the line to do this will be very short. Now, let us say that amnesty happens. Let us take the optimist approach that it works out so very well. With a liberal reform, what are we going to do with the next five thousand illegals that pile into a small town. Their country of origin is not an issue. Let us pretend it is all Chinese. Are we saved yet? Nope. As far as the anti illegal reform movement is concerned, any liberal programs will only fuel the fire. Both the Dems and the Republicans know it. Which ever party seizes on this issue the right way will gain the upper hand. Remember, this issue was only lost due to Iraq. Not due to our population being silent. I have long believed in an enforcement first approach. We have had liberal attitudes for long enough. It is well past due for some checks and balances. If that does not occur, we are beating our heads against a wall, as a nation. The borders, security, accountability etc. are as good as dead. I do not believe the Dems will EVER be on the right side of this issue. I would love to be wrong. I stand by my previous statement that Freehold should not hold it's breath. Liberal policies will only hurt. We stand alone. |
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Post by Marc LeVine on Jan 29, 2007 17:19:38 GMT -5
Of course, enforcement is the key - it always has been and it has been sorely missed since well before it was ever mentioned back in 1986 (Immigration Reform Act).
I said that I felt that there will be immigration reform in 2007. I didn't say we'd like what we get from the Democratic Congress and the apologetic Republicans, now, in the minority.
Face it. Even with the Republicans in power, 15 million people were never going to be deported. We were just going to get a higher border fence, some fancy motion detectors and lots of lip service that benefits the hiring needs of big business and the emerging voting blocks that will elect people to government. To hell with you and me.
But, at least, if there is some kind of status given to illegal aliens , towns like Freehold have a better leg to stand on in trying to get laws and ordinances enforced. Currently, we can't seem to bring illegal aliens under laws (and ordinances) that only apply to citizens and permanent residents. Why? Because, you can't hold "ghosts" accountable for anything.
The way it is now, every day is "be kind to foreigners day." Who is kind to Americans that skirt the law? No one. They just threw a 90 year old revoked list driver, from Perth Amboy, in jail the other day for running over a pedestrian. Were there no advocates for an old sick man, likely to die in prison? Of course not, he is not above the law, at any age.
However, once illegal aliens are no longer ghosts you have a better chance of making them live up to the expectations their new found status requires. At this point, we need something to happen to get us off the mark. We are stalemated. No one should have to live in the Twilight Zone and it is WE who have been placed there.
Finally, I whole heartedly agree that Freehold Borough needs to move forward with its own plans to help itself. And we are. We have already discussed this fact and cited ideas in hundreds of posts on PEOPLE. There are committees working on this and council discussions about other steps to take to improve the town. My point is that, in the end, it will have to come down to the Feds to provide significant relief from a national issue that they will not allow us "little ants" to address on our own.
Immigration reform may come this year, but we need to pressure government into making it stick. It can't just exist on paper. It must be backed with clout.
Marc
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