Chad’s Morning Brief: School Uniforms in LISD, AZ Gov. Jan Brewer Endorses Romney, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of February 27th, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.
1. Lubbock ISD Considers School Uniforms (link)
Remember a couple of years ago when LISD changed the dress code for the High Schools and relaxed the rules? Parents and Teachers said it wouldn't work and the idea was bad. Well, it looks like LISD might be changing again, but only for the Middle Schools.
A few middle schools in the Lubbock Independent School District are considering a standardized dress code.
According to a letter sent out from the Lubbock Independent School District on February 1, 2012, the district set up 3 different meetings with parents this month, to hear their thoughts on possible school uniforms.
Atkins Middle School was one of the schools that sent letters out to parents, and is currently discussing the matter with the district.
According to LISD officials, the standardized dress code being contemplated would give students the option to wear a variety of colors and styles of shirts, skirts and pants.
When I was in school, we didn't have uniforms and I probably would have hated it if we did. However, I've heard from many teachers who say that uniforms are great and cut down on distractions. That's probably true since everyone would be dressing alike and you wouldn't have to bother with having teachers decide what is good or bad. Those in gangs would be forced to wear a uniform cutting down on the chances of fights breaking out because a kid was wearing the wrong color.
In my opinion, the pro's out weigh the con's big time. Parents would be able to buy slacks/skirts and shirts and be done. The argument that the uniform is too expensive is just silly. One grandparent in the article said pants cost $40 and she is right unless you shop around or buy online. You can buy pants for a lot less than $40 bucks. They don't have to be designer you know. Also the excuse that a kid should be free to express themselves is silly. Let the kids express themselves in P.E. or Art class. That's it. When they are at home kids can express themselves all they want. At school, you go by the rules, do your work, and learn.
On a side note, most of the time when I hear parents say that their kids are expressing themselves it's normally when their child is running around a restaurant terrorizing other people. When I was a kid, my mom would have let me "express myself" for about a minute before I was hauled off.
So sure, bring in uniforms but don't limit it to only Middle School. I say make all the schools go to uniforms. The High Schools could really use them.
2. Lubbock Music Festival is Back (link)
It looks like the Lubbock Music Festival is coming back.
Following a three year absence, the Lubbock Music Festival — now called Lubbock Music Fest 2012 — will return with a three-day affair on Sept. 27-29.
New producers Civic Lubbock Inc. and Broadway Festivals Inc., represented by board presidents Mark Bass and Clifton Wilkinson, respectively, merely wanted to announce the dates Thursday.
No musical acts were announced. But the festival is expected to feature multiple concerts in varied genres at multiple locations.
While the source of financing has changed, Don Caldwell has been hired to manage the festival.
Caldwell also produced the 2005-2008 Lubbock Music Festivals.
I enjoy festivals and I really hope that Lubbock can have a successful one. Whether it be wine, music, cigars, whatever it is, I'd like to see Lubbock host a great festival. With that said, I'm not going to hold my breath. In the past, the Lubbock Music Festival has been... well... boring. Pat Green and Cross Canadian Ragweed are great, but can't we do better? Also, please don't brand acts like Three Dog Night and K.C. and the Sunshine Band as headliners. Look at other music festivals across the United States, Three Dog Night isn't a headliner.
Bring some excitement to the line-up. Maybe a rock band or two? Set up different stages with different acts. I would even let local bands play in the festival. You don't have to have to have a battle of the bands, but show off your local talent. We have a lot here in Lubbock. If Caldwell and crew need any ideas for local bands, I have a few in mind. If the LMF brings some talent to Lubbock, I will be 100% behind it and encourage everyone to go. If their big headliner was someone who should have performed in Lubbock 40 years ago, I'll stay home.
3. Brewer Endorses Romney (link)
Arizona Governor and conservative favorite, Jan Brewer endorsed Mitt Romney on Sunday.
Brewer, in Washington, D.C. for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, said Romney had “carried the day” and that she was going to work on his behalf.
“I have had my debate there in Arizona, and I have looked over all the wonderful people that have put themselves up for nomination, and I have decided that I am going to publicly endorse Mitt Romney,” Brewer said. “I think he’s the man that carried the day, and I am going to get out there and work as hard as I know how to make sure that he wins Arizona and work in other places of our country to see that he wins those places, too.”
Brewer cited his business prowess and past political history as her reasons for the endorsement.
“I think that he handles himself very, very well, but more than that I think he has the pro-business background and he has that political history that I think that he would serve America the best of all the candidates,” she said. “So it was a difficult decision, but I think Mitt is by far the person that can go in and win.”
This could be the bump Romney needs in Arizona to carry the state. I am a bit surprised that Brewer endorsed Romney though.
4. Is the Voting Rights Act Outdated? (link)
Interesting editorial out of the National Law Journal this week. Texas redistricting and the Voting Rights Act is the subject and the author explains why he thinks the Voting Rights Act is outdated. He's right by the way.
The Voting Rights Act has served its purpose but is now outmoded and unworkable — and is thus itself now unconstitutional.
To understand why, let's review the background of this case, Perry v. Perez. Not surprisingly, it arises out of the redistricting that all states engage in after every decennial census: People move around, and states gain or lose congressional seats, so election maps need to be redrawn. Some activist groups challenged the Texas Legislature's maps, alleging racial discrimination under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. At the same time, Texas sought the Section 5 "preclearance" it needs to implement them.
Originally conceived as a check on states where discrimination was prevalent in the 1960s, Section 5 requires certain jurisdictions — a bizarre list that includes some of the Old Confederacy, plus Alaska, Arizona and certain counties or townships in eight other states, including (only) three New York City boroughs — to get federal approval before changing any election laws. To obtain this preclearance, these jurisdictions may propose only changes that do not result in "retrogression," a reduction in minority voters' ability to elect their "preferred" candidates.
Section 5 was a valuable tool in the fight against systemic disenfranchisement, but it now facilitates the very discrimination it was designed to prevent. Indeed, the prohibition on retrogression effectively requires districting that assures that minority voters are the majority in some districts — an inherently race-conscious mandate. The law, most recently renewed in 2006 for another 25 years, is based on deeply flawed assumptions and outdated statistical triggers, and it flies in the face of the 15th Amendment's requirement that all voters be treated equally.
What do you think?
5. Dumb story of the morning (link)
Father arrested after his child draws a gun in school.
Jessie Sansone and his family are reeling after he was arrested and strip searched by police after his four-year-old daughter drew a picture of a man with a gun in her Kitchener, Ont., kindergarten class.
The 26-year-old father of four said Saturday the sketch was supposed to be him, getting the bad guys and monsters.
The school must have thought differently, as after Nevaeh drew it Wednesday, the school contacted Family and Children’s Services and they called police.
Waterloo Police met Sansone at the school when he tried to pick up his kids he was told he was charged with possession of a firearm. He was then handcuffed and put him in one of the several squad cars waiting outside, he said.
While Sansone was being strip searched at the police station: told to disrobe, lift his testicles and bend over, his wife was home with their 15-month-old daughter.
“They came to my house, told my wife that I had been charged with possession of firearms, that she would have to come with them, and that Sundae (their infant daughter) would have to go with the social worker,” said Sansone. Stephanie called her Mom who rushed over to take Sundae instead. …
Sansone said police searched his house and found a plastic toy gun that shoots foam darts.
I'd say only in Canada, but I could see this happening here.
Other Top Stories:
Guests Appearing on LFN Today:
Congressman Randy Neugebauer at 7:37am
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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