Education
“Bloody Monday” Set For Garden Valley School Staffers
It looks like a Monday Night Massacre is set for the regular meeting of the Garden Valley School District. A GUARDIAN reader sent us the agenda and said “the majority” of staff–including teachers–will lose jobs if the measures on the agenda are passed. An insider tells the GUARDIAN it breaks down like this: “There are […]
More Student Exploitation Concerns
A concerned parent sent us the following message, raising concerns about using students for fundraising causes. It certainly is worth discussing the propriety of of turning students into mini sales forces, regardless how noble the cause. “I just got my weekly email newsletter from Discovery Elementary, and they are doing a fundraiser “to help kids.” […]
Students To Be Exploited For Revenue?
(8) The state board of education shall promulgate rules authorizing local boards of trustees to sell advertising space on school buses. Such rules shall provide for the safe placement of such advertising and shall provide for reasonable restrictions on advertising content. Idaho’s Senate passed a bill (S1111) Tuesday that will allow advertising on school buses. […]
Civil Unrest Looks The Same In Boise or Pakistan
Two images of civil unrest looked shockingly similar Friday. The Guardian shot of teachers and students in Boise doesn’t have the same passion as the Google News/Reuters image in Pakistan, but then again, the education folks weren’t protesting about murder either.
Tom Luna: Was He Duper or Dupee?
The GUARDIAN listened to Idaho School Super Tom Luna’s speech Friday at the City Club of Boise and came away somewhat sympathetic to his education reform plan. That was before we read a damning piece by John Miller of the AP This pro is one of the best journalists in the state and he certainly […]
Meridian School Uses Parent E-Mail List For Political Effort Opposing Luna Plan
Looks like the principal of Meridian’s Renaissance High School is using confidential parent e-mail addresses for partisan politics to oppose State Superintendent Tom Luna’s latest plans to revamp Idaho education spending. GUARDIAN reader Chuck Everett was contacted via e-mail from his child’s school with the following message and attachment. From: McGrew Wendi [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, […]
Paramedic School Hit By CWI Competition
Editor note: Despite the GUARDIAN name, there is no connection between the blog and the school in Meridian. As the economic woes continue in Idaho and the USA, we thought this piece was worthy of a post here. It demonstrates the difficulty of the private sector in direct competition with the government–CWI in this case– […]
Land Board Defends Private Venture
After the GUARDIAN broke the story about the Idaho Land Board going into the private storage business last, Director George Bacon offered up a damage control missive in the DAILY PAPER Sunday justifying the need for the state to enter the tax exempt rental business. In addition to their $85,000 contract with the Guv’s election […]
Boise-Ada Taxpayers Suffer In State Land Deal
The Idaho Department of Lands sent us a well presented defense of their financials regarding the purchase of Affordable Self Storage in Boise–a state owned retail business. What it means is that Boise-Ada taxpayers get screwed out of tax revenues, but the schools get a boost. The IDL sent the details–and we agree with the […]
State-Owned Private Business Venture Draws Split Decision From GUARDIAN Readers
Businesses–especially the lucrative self storage sector–can expect to see more State-owned competitors in the future. Land Dept. Deputy Director Cathy Opp talked with the GUARDIAN Wednesday following our post about the Department purchasing and operating a retail self storage facility at 450 S. Maple Grove in Boise. She said the goal of the endowment fund […]
State Owns Tax-Exempt Commercial Storage, Competes With Private Business
Politicos are fond of attempting to “run government like a business” in these hard economic times, but how about government flat out running a business? The State of Idaho recently created a front company which discreetly operates a tax-exempt commercial public self-storage facility hiding behind the assumed name of “Affordable Storage” at 450 South Maple […]
Poet Paul Fans Flames of BSU-U of I Feud
Boise State”s prez, Dr. Bob, has backed off a bit on his ill-thought comments about not playing ball with our northern in-state rivals. The legacy media has been all over it and Poet Paul has weighed in as well. BSU’s Kustra has lately been able To give the U of I a well-deserved label His […]
Open Forum Weekend
We don’t have much to offer, so it is YOUR turn to come up with some comments and topics. Here are some seeds. –Summer school principal brings her infant to school. At least one teacher complained to the GUARDIAN for fear of recrimination. Claims it interferes with job. Distric rep says no violation of policy […]
BSU Finance and Land Use Planning 101
This post was originally sent to the GUARDIAN as a comment from a reader. We felt it worthy of a full blown post. By DEAN GUNDERSON BSU has held an A1 Bond rating by Moody’s for its last few issuances. This puts it on a relative investment risk on par with the countries of South […]
Agency Leery of BSU Private Building Scheme
As financial shenanigans on the part of public agencies have come to light on projects ranging from university housing to urban renewal projects, it becomes increasingly clear they depend on “flying under the radar” of public scrutiny. A report in the Saturday Daily Paper quotes BSU Prez Bob Kustra saying, Moody Investor Services, “Came along […]
Statehouse Workers Decry Nasty Students
Spring is the traditional season for educational field trips to the State Capitol in Boise, but recent events have left Statehouse employees feeling less than hospitable toward education. One GUARDIAN reader thought it a bit hypocritical that schools are pleading poverty during the legislative session with claims that all field trips will be cancelled while […]
Status Quo As GV Retains Elmore
Looks like folks in Garden Valley are mostly happy with their school board after talking. Terry Elmore was retained as the school board member; vote 108 against recalling her and 75 for recalling her.
Caldwell To Buy Furniture For Oregon School
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Caldwell Urban Renewal folks came up with a plan to bail out Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College with money to furnish a Caldwell rental property. CALDWELL GUARDIAN Paul Alldredge chased this one down in what has become a long line of spending that raises red […]
GV School Board Needs Major Re-examination
When Garden Valley School District voters go to the polls on Thursday the 15th to vote in the recall election to unseat board member Terry Elmore they need to take a broad view of what they want in a school district and who they want to deliver it. The late Senator Frank Church, as chairman […]
Unrest In “Peaceful” Garden Valley
GARDEN VALLEY– A political undercurrent is shattering the tranquil facade of this scenic valley 40 miles north of Boise which has led to the recall of a school board member and an April 15 recall election of another board member. It appears to the GUARDIAN that people are at odds over a bunch of issues […]
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