Wicked Local’s Chloe Gotsis tweets:
Alderman @tedhessmahan tells second [c]lass of
#Newton North students to graduate from new building they are worth every dollar of that $197M
I appreciate what are no doubt Aldermen Ted’s sincere sentiments. (Isn’t one of his children among the darlings graduating?) But, they raise a question*: are the elementary and middle-school school children (past, present, and future) suffering with third-rate and worse facilities not worth the money we’re not spending?
And another: if they — the graduating NNHS students and, presumably, the students who will graduate before NNHS inevitably falls into disrepair — are worth the $197M, why is it such a touchy subject to pay for the building responsibly, with a debt-exclusion override?
I don’t mean to pick on Ted. Ted’s on the right side of the second question and probably the first, too. But, his words provided a nice blog hook.
*They raise a question, not “beg a question.” Begging a question is a technical logical fallacy where one assumes something as evidence that is not yet proved.
Sean has provided an educational opportunity here. This is a perfect example of a false dichotomy.*
Every kid in Newton is worth what we spend on their schools. And if it were only up to me, every school in the country would be as superb as NNHS, and teachers would be paid commensurate with the true value of their work–which would be a lot more than they get now.
For the record, I have come around on a debt exclusion for NNHS, which I voted in favor of when it last came before the BOA. I will also support a debt exclusion if the Mayor proposes it for Angier. Principal Jen Price made me cut my speech, which consisted of pearls of wisdom from the mind of Mark Twain, but I would have included the following if given more time:
Congratulations and best wishes to the Class of 2012 at Newton North and Newton South!
*Another logical fallacy.
I heard the comment differently, but wasn’t listening carefully or taking notes. I heard him say the building was worth the expenditure of $197.5m. Of course any one child is worth that amount of money and more. We’ve lost two young people in tragic accidents in the last 3 months, so we understand that tragedy of the life lost too soon.
That being said, elementary students are suffering in third-rate and worse facilities due to the $197.5m expenditure on a building that was not funded by a debt exclusion override. No question.
@jane, I was actually there–in body and spirit. For the record, I said to the Class of 2012 that THEY were worth every dollar of the 197.5 M we spent on Newton North.
if broken down: 198 staff members at NNHS = $198m spent. Doesn’t that equate to a million dollars spent per staff member? As the natural depreciation of the building occurs, so too does the value of each staff member. or as Mark Twain would say ‘ there must be something false about a false dichotomy’.
Ted-then you’re statement indicates that HS students are worth more than elementary school students. All students – elementary as well as HS – are worth $197.5m and the elementary students are not getting any where near the support that they need.
I was there in body and spirit as well – in support of some very special students who worked their hearts out to graduate from high school.
Oops, too tired. “Your statements”