Despite whatever concerns you have about the past, we hope you and others will share your educational success stories. Our project's goal is to celebrate and replicate success. We will need the community's participation to achieve our goal.
I would like to thank Edith Ann for asking the question that should be asked. I personally believe that issue about the so-called Crossroads Commission on Education is purposely being forgotten. Speaking about the Crossroads Commission, all of the members of the commission are from Victoria County. Well when you have the word “Crossroads’ in the mix, it should represents Cuero, Yoakum, Hallettsville, Edna, Refugio, Gonzales, and others. We cannot just look forward just cover up past sins and embarrassing mistakes.
Observer, Do you think all high school graduates ought to be prepared to the level where they could attend college if they so desired? If so, how do we as a community work together with our schools to make that happen? That's the crux of our proposed project. Our brainstorming group discussed the point you raise that a four-year college degree is not for everyone, but some advanced training is increasingly necessary for employment in the 21st century. In terms of vocational training, I'm not the best source on that, but I think VISD does have some programs aimed at this. We wrote about the Career and Technology Institute recently. Here's a link: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/...
There are two local issues that merit your attention. First, if the VISD insists on continuing its mindless (and, I would argue, brainless) insistence that every high school graduate attend college, then you should direct your attention to the number of VISD graduates enrolled at Victoria College and UH Victoria who require supplemental education. If these supposedly college-ready graduates are unable to compete in college, then they are, by definition, not college-ready, despite having a high school diploma.
The second area that could use some of your attention is vocational education. While some of the vocational education courses currently offered by Victoria College probably do require a high school diploma, others could just as easily be offered by VISD as part of a high school education. The mindless (see above) focus of VISD on all graduates attending college is short-changing students. Rather than receiving an education that prepares them for a job upon graduation, at no cost to the student, these students are now paying tuition to Victoria college. This is just not right.
You may have missed my point. I think you guys do need to do something. Education is in very sad shape in Texas. I'm not sure of our number, exactly, but we're down in the bottom five of the list.
My opinion of the CConE is actually formed by information from your paper. Y'all reported on the formation of this group. Y'all reported on the mission of this group. Ya'll reported on the main activity of this group. But we haven't heard a word about anything this group has done since their failure to switch University systems.
Now, I am really trying to give the paper an out here--I'm guessing there is nothing to report because the CConE work was done and they are no longer meeting. If the paper is aware of anything else they have done to positively impact (hello Riverboat) education in the Crossroads area for folks birth throught post secondary, and this paper hasn't reported it, why haven't you?
I absolutely, like I said, support the paper's efforts in this direction. We can't continue to rank at the bottom of education! It is not acceptable. But--based on the press that surrounded the CConE, it is fair to include them in the discussion. Yep. It is.
Your opinion about the Crossroads Commission on Education seems fully formed without the need for any additional reporting about the group's efforts or lack thereof.
Our public service project aims to look forward rather than back. We welcome the involvement of all who care about this issue and recognize we need to work closely with the many experts who have been working their careers on this complex subject. We see our role as getting the entire community and not only those working in the field involved in education.
While I absolutely applaude your notion that the Advocate can have a hand in this venture--you are well established with the Newspapers in Education program--how about you do a real, true, honest story about the Crossroads Commission on Education?
As I recall from the beginning, this Commission was formed to address the very issues you mention 'from birth through post-secondary'. With the exception of a couple of members traveling upstate to look at some school's program, the only thing this Commission has accomplished is embarassing this city with the UHV/TAMU/Texas Tech fiasco.
Had they actually done what they promised, and met like they promised, they may have had a handle already on some of these issues. There is no need for the Advocate to put forth any effort if this is being handled by the Crossroads Commission on Education.
Oh, go ahead with your plans--we know this commission failed in their mission and won't be taking on any new projects for a couple of years.
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Despite whatever concerns you have about the past, we hope you and others will share your educational success stories. Our project's goal is to celebrate and replicate success.
February 21, 2012 at 6:04 a.m.We will need the community's participation to achieve our goal.
I would like to thank Edith Ann for asking the question that should be asked. I personally believe that issue about the so-called Crossroads Commission on Education is purposely being forgotten. Speaking about the Crossroads Commission, all of the members of the commission are from Victoria County. Well when you have the word “Crossroads’ in the mix, it should represents Cuero, Yoakum, Hallettsville, Edna, Refugio, Gonzales, and others.
We cannot just look forward just cover up past sins and embarrassing mistakes.
Mr. J. Williams
February 20, 2012 at 7:33 p.m.This comment was removed by the user.
February 20, 2012 at 6:43 p.m.Observer,
February 20, 2012 at 4:59 p.m.Do you think all high school graduates ought to be prepared to the level where they could attend college if they so desired? If so, how do we as a community work together with our schools to make that happen? That's the crux of our proposed project.
Our brainstorming group discussed the point you raise that a four-year college degree is not for everyone, but some advanced training is increasingly necessary for employment in the 21st century.
In terms of vocational training, I'm not the best source on that, but I think VISD does have some programs aimed at this. We wrote about the Career and Technology Institute recently. Here's a link: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/...
There are two local issues that merit your attention. First, if the VISD insists on continuing its mindless (and, I would argue, brainless) insistence that every high school graduate attend college, then you should direct your attention to the number of VISD graduates enrolled at Victoria College and UH Victoria who require supplemental education. If these supposedly college-ready graduates are unable to compete in college, then they are, by definition, not college-ready, despite having a high school diploma.
The second area that could use some of your attention is vocational education. While some of the vocational education courses currently offered by Victoria College probably do require a high school diploma, others could just as easily be offered by VISD as part of a high school education. The mindless (see above) focus of VISD on all graduates attending college is short-changing students. Rather than receiving an education that prepares them for a job upon graduation, at no cost to the student, these students are now paying tuition to Victoria college. This is just not right.
February 19, 2012 at 2:05 p.m.Exactly my point. I suspected there was nothing to report. Thank you for confirming that.
I look forward to seeing what the paper comes up with. Anything forward will be a help.
February 18, 2012 at 2:01 p.m.To answer your question, I am unaware of any recent meetings by the commission. We would report on those if they occurred.
February 18, 2012 at 1:46 p.m.You may have missed my point. I think you guys do need to do something. Education is in very sad shape in Texas. I'm not sure of our number, exactly, but we're down in the bottom five of the list.
My opinion of the CConE is actually formed by information from your paper. Y'all reported on the formation of this group. Y'all reported on the mission of this group. Ya'll reported on the main activity of this group. But we haven't heard a word about anything this group has done since their failure to switch University systems.
Now, I am really trying to give the paper an out here--I'm guessing there is nothing to report because the CConE work was done and they are no longer meeting. If the paper is aware of anything else they have done to positively impact (hello Riverboat) education in the Crossroads area for folks birth throught post secondary, and this paper hasn't reported it, why haven't you?
I absolutely, like I said, support the paper's efforts in this direction. We can't continue to rank at the bottom of education! It is not acceptable.
February 18, 2012 at 1:40 p.m.But--based on the press that surrounded the CConE, it is fair to include them in the discussion. Yep. It is.
Thank you for supporting our intentions.
Your opinion about the Crossroads Commission on Education seems fully formed without the need for any additional reporting about the group's efforts or lack thereof.
Our public service project aims to look forward rather than back. We welcome the involvement of all who care about this issue and recognize we need to work closely with the many experts who have been working their careers on this complex subject. We see our role as getting the entire community and not only those working in the field involved in education.
February 18, 2012 at 1:22 p.m.While I absolutely applaude your notion that the Advocate can have a hand in this venture--you are well established with the Newspapers in Education program--how about you do a real, true, honest story about the Crossroads Commission on Education?
As I recall from the beginning, this Commission was formed to address the very issues you mention 'from birth through post-secondary'. With the exception of a couple of members traveling upstate to look at some school's program, the only thing this Commission has accomplished is embarassing this city with the UHV/TAMU/Texas Tech fiasco.
Had they actually done what they promised, and met like they promised, they may have had a handle already on some of these issues. There is no need for the Advocate to put forth any effort if this is being handled by the Crossroads Commission on Education.
Oh, go ahead with your plans--we know this commission failed in their mission and won't be taking on any new projects for a couple of years.
February 17, 2012 at 8:54 p.m.