Escondido Teacher wrote on Dec 22, 2007 7:22 AM:We Need More schools like these. Not everybody can or wants to go to college and learning a quality trade is an excellent option. Let's bring back classes and schools like these.

Vista Teacher wrote on Dec 22, 2007 7:45 AM:Dittos on Escondido Teacher's comments. However, VUSD management has thus far done everything in their power to throw up roadblocks to the opening of this school. You have to understand that this school was not their (or the Union's) idea, and so it must fail! Unfortunately, VTA Leadership, and certain members of VUSD Management (and the Board), are far more into themselves than the success of students. We teachers know who the problem children are and we know how to help them. But, as for the "Problem Children" of VUSD management, that will take a lot more work. Let us focus on getting a NEW Board in this next election. Then they can start working on cleaning up VUSD Management, and we Teachers can start working on cleaning up our Union Leadership.

Sell outs.... wrote on Dec 22, 2007 10:44 AM:This is just the system tracking "troubled" children toward non-productive labor markets. On the menu for possible careers are cobbling and barrel making. This is just another ploy by the racist classist system to remove minority kids from the system instead of actually teaching them something.

So much for Free Speech wrote on Dec 22, 2007 11:17 AM: This is perhaps an excellent option for the thousands of students who DROPPED OUT of school or those whom have graduated with no skills at all. As far as a “ninth- through 12th-grade school,” this is scary to say the least. It is impossible to predict from a parent or student stand point of view if the student is going into college or a blue-collar job. At this age students don’t know what they want out of life and neither do thousands of second- third year college students. A ninth grader cannot make that choice and a parent would be cutting his/her child’s choices pretty short at such a young age. Because of its lack of monitoring VUSD should be the last school district in the state that should have charter schools. VUSD is more or less like a strung out crack addict taking care of babies.

WhoWhat wrote on Dec 22, 2007 3:26 PM:The establishment school districts are owned by the unions. When sitting in the closed door meetings it was common that the discussions would lead to how can we shrug off a charter school and make it as difficult if not impossible to operate. We need impartial uncompromising board members to team with administrators who are not afraid of the unions - to back charter schools even if they will lose a few students and their precious $$$ remimber it's all about the children!

Vista Teacher to "Sell outs" wrote on Dec 22, 2007 7:53 PM:Presently a large portion of the minorities of which you speak don't ever finish High School, let alone receive any education that would aid in their becoming productive members of our community. So, if you see a Trade School that will teach such things as Machine Operations, Drafting, Business Management, and other "trade" and technology related education (supported by such Companies as Northrop Grumman, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing) as being a racist classist ploy to remove minorities from the system, then you are obviously missing the current racism and classism that already removes many of these very same students (along with many others) from the potential to succeed in everyday life. Unfortunately VUSD, and the CA Public School System, is already failing such a large portion of our student population that it is very hard indeed to claim racism. Dumbing down the system to the lowest common denominator is a surefire method of ensuring only those of the elite class are able to escape the monotony of serfdom that our current education leaves as being the standard of living that most students will be forced to accept.

My Gosh one more charter school in VUSD wrote on Dec 23, 2007 6:36 AM:You are all going to be in for a big surprise if you think you are going to teach these kids some sort of trade. You have to teach them how to READ, WRITE and CALCULATE first!!! Why do you all think these kids drop out? Because they CANNOT READ, WRITE or CALCULATE!!!! This charter school is going to be in for a big surprise becuase these kids will NOT be able to pass a STATE TEST to get thier STATE CERTIFICATES!!!The last thing VUSD needs is more charter schools, don't we have enough charter school problems?

Vista Teacher to "My Gosh" wrote on Dec 23, 2007 10:25 AM:Where there is a will, there is a way. When students have desire and are provided encouragement they tend to learn such things as reading, writing, and math. This Charter school will focus on those areas of curriculum that are required for the Trades, including READING, WRITING, and MATH! So, since these students will be attending this school "WILLINGLY" I can assure you they will be learning what is needed for them to succeed in their chosen Trade. By the way, you'd be surprised to find just how well most of the major Gangs in Vista/Oceanside are managed. They know how to budget their moneys and when they need to get more. Many run very successful operations, illegal, but successful. So, when it comes to the basics of running a business you will find people can be quite resourceful. Shouldn't we take advantage of this resourcefulness and foster individuals who will be a positive addition to our society? Currently, our system is seriously failing in this area. So, what's wrong with a Trade School? Typical Public Schools have completely removed the Trades from their curriculum in favor of Social Engineering. In the end I'd be willing to pit any one of the graduates from Trade Tech against the average kid at VHS or RBVHS (I see these kids every day, and know how lost many of them truly are!).

This country is full of socialites, politicians and government workers. wrote on Dec 23, 2007 8:32 PM:Vista Teacher- you are absolutely correct teaching kids how to READ, WRITE and CALCULATE is not very hard to do. Here is the problem these same students went to VUSD for about TEN YEARS with a full set of neurons and for what ever reason they came out ILLITERATE. Now how is this tech school going to teach them (a) TRADE, READ, WRITE and CALCULATE in four years? By the way these kids are LOST because the SOCIAL ENGINEERING is picking the wrong kids for 4-year Universities. They are typically picked based of social and economic status lastly race I guess this is what they call “institutional racism.” My own kids refer to these folks as the “flat liners.” They pick conformist and little mimics. In the end they become socialites, politicians and government workers. I guess Plato and Socrates were right on mark…who needs scientists, engineers, doctors and mathematicians when we can IMPORT them from other countries that TRULY VALUE a full education for concrete and right hemisphere thinkers.

Vista Teacher wrote on Dec 24, 2007 9:33 AM:As stated before: where there is a will, there is a way. Willing students learn. Indoctrinated students mimic. Regardless of the fact that the students that will head off to Trade Tech attended 8 to 10 years within a failed system, 2 to 4 years in a school of their own choosing, teaching the subject they are interested in will result in educated graduates. That is the difference between Educating the willing, and indoctrinating the masses. The question remaining for you is this: “Would you deny these students the opportunity to achieve simply because the system that was foisted upon them has failed them?”