District 518 faculty, staff discuss potential move of fifth-graders

Tom B.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 3:38 PM

Before I am lashed at, I believe there are good immigrants and bad, just as there are good Americans and bad, equally.

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Tom B.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 3:37 PM

Dean, thanks; and I think you are correct, it is a immigration problem and a parenting problem. At least the immigrants have a excuse with ESL, but lets not make it a crutch. But there are a lot of white kids out there that have been brought up sitting around and doing nothing but play games. Mom and Dad baby them to much. Kids need to learn respect, good work ethics, and everyday ethics from the parents. Teachers can teach them all day, but when the kid goes home and see's the parents being worthless and getting by, only adds to the cost of teaching a child in school. Which in return raises out taxes and steels from our children's education and future.

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Jennifer R.
Manly, IA     08/11/2009 1:02 PM

I know that this isn't about immigrants, but it seems that most of the classes are mainly non-cuacasian children. So what happens if INS shows up again and all these extra children are gone...have we wasted tax payer money to add on? You know, when I was in school in Worthington, I went to elementary school at Central (too bad it is gone)...and it was K-6...I don't ever remember having any problems with big kids picking on little kids or vise-versa. I think a lot of the problems with kids these days stems from home. Don't take this comment wrong, it is wonderful to see the town growing, but all of the changes in town in the last year or so could have been done differently and I think this situation can as well. There are many buildings in town that could have been used for other things, but instead they demolished them. By the way, how did Worthington schools rank in the statewide testing...were they one of the 900+ that are failing?

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E A.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 11:18 AM

Dean, is there always a need to bring the immigrants into EVERY comment you make? No one else on here commented about immigrants and the article has nothing to do with them. Everything has to be about race to you. In your own words, NO MORE, THAT'S ENOUGH!!!

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Tom B.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 11:18 AM

Dean R. My taxes have gone up too. Over 30% in 3 years. but that is not all due to Dist. 518. When the Federal level cuts down at the local level, they raise taxes. but that money does not all go to the schools. Some for bridges, very nice desk for Mel, and other stuff. lets keep the facts straight here Dean. You are usually pretty straight, do not make it sound like the Dis is getting all the money. Nobles county get a ton more. Or else we can get together and I will show you how to read your Residential tax statement! by the way, you told me once how to change my Status, and I did, but when the globe switched over a few months ago it went back to St. Peter. thanks

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John E.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 10:12 AM

I would still like to know why Prairie Elementary is at capacity so recently after having been built.

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Tom B.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 9:16 AM

I say go a head and build the addition to either one of the schools. I am pretty sure that the Classroom Curriculum is going to be staying pretty much the same, so the chance of the additional homework I think will be minimal. To build a additional building would be idiotic. Why add more of a cost to a project, not to mention the additional Maint. cost of have a separate building. Davis R. if you axes went up that much I think you have a pretty darn nice house for living in the Worthington School district. I have a nice house ($200,000.00 + range) and mine did not go up that much. They add on somewhere, if it is about maturity; maybe the parents should start first. Cheeky I do not get this sentence: "I know of a couple instances where the youngest students at kindy or 1st grade were the instigators of problems with older students on the bus. Age isn't an indicator or maturity." Are you complaining that the little kids are picking on the bigger kids. If so how does that fit in. The point is that we smaller class sizes if we want our kids to succeed. I have a idea, lets start another school district; one for the kids who's parents would like to see them succeed to there fullest potential where they get what they need to be successful, and another for the kids that there parents are OK with packing them into a noisy, humid, crowded classroom. that sounds good to me.

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tim g.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 8:31 AM

Funny thing about taxes, they never go back down! Please...... no new taxes! There is going to be a point, at which people are simply going to stop paying them.....then what? I believe that there are other ways to solve this without increasing taxes or moving the 5th graders. If the 5th graders are moved, the principal better have plenty of time on his hands, because I will be at the school EVERY time my child regales me with a story of sex, drugs or violence that he has seen at the middle cesspool. Ultimately, if taxes are raised for this “problem”, it had better involve an addition at Prairie rather than the middle school.

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Gina H.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 8:28 AM

You know if they really want to jack money out of the tax payers (those of us who pay taxes in this town) why don't they do something smart with it like other towns. Such as having a school for the lower elementary middle elementary and a junior and senior high school for the older ones. However I belive they have already made some vital mistakes in this town when it comes to our youth it would take an act of god at this point to turn it around.

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David R.
Worthington, MN     08/11/2009 8:07 AM

Jason B. is correct; Mr. Landgaard can pay my extra taxes too! Last time the tax increase was going to be minimal my taxes went up $450+ per year. This is unfair to the local tax payer, we were duped just a few years ago, by our 518 staff, into thinking we needed all new schools and here we are again. Enough is enough make due with what you have. As for 5th graders interacting with 8th graders, it is a terrible idea! These kids have to grow up too fast as it is without being exposed to it early. The middle school is not like any place else, kids are going through puberty and they all handle it differently. With the additions of different cultures, whose belief systems are different than those I adhere to, there is additional opportunity for naive children to be taken advantage of. I do not want my fifth grade child seeing all the sleazy behavior that takes place at the middle school. Is it going to be different as a 6th grader? Well at least it would be one more year of innocence that won't be stolen by local leaders who don't see what Worthington is becoming.

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