Comments»

1. don sivyer - April 24, 2008

Disheartening

2. Pixelmaster - April 24, 2008

Newt, is the last person who should be talking about moral authority. He is one of the most polarizing political figures we have in our country. His actions while majority leader caused a lot division between right and left, which is why our government is failing. Politian’s are elegant to the party and not the people they represent.

3. Skeptimal - April 24, 2008

If this is true, then the Detroit school system has some answering to do, but this story is so outrageous-sounding that it is probably rife with half-truths and factual omissions. Gingrich offers no support for his inflamatory claims, and he has a history of mistaking neo-conservative fantasy for fact.

4. Pixelmaster - April 27, 2008

Rest assured Skeptimal, if it is out of Newt’s mouth it is full if half truth’s, I don’t know if he knows anything different.

5. Nancy Scott - April 28, 2008

It probably IS true. A similar article if not the one Gingrich is referencing, concerning Detroit schools, was run April 13, 2008 in The Flint Journal. Here is the link if you are interested.

http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/voices/index.ssf/2008/04/detroit_education_could_have_u.html

I am sure statistics on the population and employment of the Detroit populace are also readily available.

6. Anthony Shamoun - April 29, 2008

Actually, Newt’s stats are generous, if not accurate. The actual population of Detroit is likely to be between 750k and 800k in the next census. Further, per a study conducted by the Michigan Virtual High School program, the graduation rate for Detroit Public Schools is 23% while the completion rate for GDA programs in Michigan’s Juvenile Justice system is 92%. What does that tell us? That the schools in Detroit are no longer equipped to educate children, but our prison system is?? It’s frightening. The story about the donation of $200 Million to build charter schools is 100% accurate and the teacher’s union went as far as to threaten strikes if the schools were built because it threatened their institution, not because it would adversely affect children in Detroit.

Further, Pixel’s response is the typical one from Detroit. Instead of saying that Newt may just have a point, instead defense mechanisms and personal attacks kick in. Hey PIXEL, why don’t you try to deal with the content of Newt’s message instead of disparaging the messenger?

Education is one of the best tools we have to combat poverty, yet when we draw attention to some of the failures in our society, we have the masses circle to protect power bases and self interest. When will the children enslaved by the failings of the education that is being provided be heard in places other than the lead story of the evening news or police blotters????

7. Pixelmaster - April 30, 2008

Paul,

I have asked this before but I wonder if you have given up on this blog???? I have a comment here from 3 days ago and it still doesn’t show up for the public to see. This kind of approval will certainly drive people away as they don’t see any changes from the last time they visited.
Would you consider allowing posts without approval?????? I like this blog but not when it doesn’t seem like there is activity.