Feasibility Study: Adding Insult to Injury
Guest Commentary by Ivan Butcher II
I am sure many other teachers, caregivers and providers of our youth here in the territory cringed after reading this article, like I did.
Senators Look to Cure for “Spiritual Cancer”
BY LISA SNOWDEN-MCCRAY — AUGUST 16, 2010
“Senators met Monday evening to consider the possibility of bringing an after-school program and vocational school to the territory in the hopes of empowering the most at-risk members of the territory’s population.
Bill Strickland, winner of a MacArthur Genius Award and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and Bidwell Training Center in Pittsburgh, Penn., appeared before the committee of the whole to discuss his nationally recognized plan to empower low-income families by teaching them arts and technology.
He said the territory would need put up $150,000 to fund a six-to-eight-month feasibility study, during which Strickland and his team would talk to local leaders and investigate what kind of school would best suit the needs of the territory. He would help in the selection of a board of directors for the program, and help find someone to run the program. He said in all, he and his team would be committed to working here for five years…”
Many feel that many of those in authority are just Paper Pushers. Millions of dollars have been spent already.
What has happened to all of the information that has been submitted over the decades, by those who have attended on and off island enrichment seminars to provide Feasible approaches to improve our educational and social programs here in the Virgin Islands?
The monies that would be spent to do a Feasibility study would be better spent on those proven after-school and enrichment programs that are already here in our community. With a Feasible amount of money these programs would not only be able to sustain themselves but they would also be able to expand their offerings to more of the children.
My recommendation / suggestion to those government officials responsible in this area, is to meet with all those enrichment providers, established and aspiring, register all of the Feasible programs available and then do just like what is done with class scheduling of students at the beginning of each school year, but for after-school activities.
Students will be given a choice of what they would be interested in doing. Since everyone Feasibly would not be able to all attend a specific activity, based on what is available you give them a first, second, third or even a fourth or fifth choice.
There are many vocational (instructors)/ teachers, (who), if their classrooms were supplied and equipped with the resources to provide the extra time after school, would not have to go elsewhere to supplement their incomes. I know as an Art teacher, I would have had no problem working with students after school and in the evenings.
Is this suggestion Feasible enough, or is this more paper for them to push to the side?
You have to wonder who is getting paid off on this one……..the senate is so out of touch with reality it is pathetic.
More money going off island for yet another ‘study’ to a consultant when the answers are here and the money could go directly into the program(s) for the children.
Have our elected officials not heard of the internet to glean information as well as utilize the previous several studies that have been done?
We need a wake-up call in September/November and vote these clowns out of office that continually waste our money with their hand’s out to consultants.
They who approve the nonesense are the ones being paid.
When I saw the senate hearing in regards to this issue, I was outraged. It appears that the senators in the legislature are a bunch of renegades!
Where was the Commissioner of Education and the Superintendent? It seems that the individuals with the expertise are always left out or placed in the dark.
Though this individual introduced by Hill seems quite knowledgeable and capable, he should have had a chat with the commissioner and superintendent first, since they are always held accountable when things hit the fan.
Again, let people do their jobs.
This administration needs to stop micro managing…….
It appears that the senator(s) who invited Mr. Strickland to the islands to present his dog and pony show need to be questioned about his/their motivations. Oh my bad, its an election year! I’m no MacArthur Genius but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is wrong with the alternative school programming in the territory. There is not enough qualified individuals (i.e. trained)nor enough funding to produce the outcomes required for positive social change with our youth. Senators who believe that paying a consultant 150 thousand dollars just to do a feasibility study and using “selective” private entities for financial support are “unknowing and uncaring”.
Lets don’t damn the senate if they do damn them if they don’t. However we should consider funding individuals and programs that have shown to be effective. In the past we have had certain individuals (few but they have existed) who have done great things with young people and had great successes. They were doing it out of their heart. Unfortunately they aren’t the ones who were politically connected so their programs never got support or promotion like the politically connected failures. I think that was a big lost to us.
Another person comes to the Virgin Islands to milk the cash cow. O my God help us all.
Who’s the Sherlock Holmes who requested this one?
Federal funds pay for our schools. Why is it we are so against a mainlander getting some of it back. No one has complained about how much we get from federal tax payers like Mr. Strickland. Also anyone have a better plan than this awarded black genius. We send our children to the main land for instruction using pell grants funded by main land tax payers. But oh yeh our children stay therein the states with their degrees they receive from main land federal funded universities. When are we gonna wake up. What other after school programs? All I see that is proven is “Murder Capital in the US Virgin Islands”. Most of those murdered and/or committed the murders are our young children who happen to stay on island after dropping out of high school or UVI. We waste funds given to the schools because our kids aren’t taught anything. They are behind every school district in the states even Mississippi. Wake up people one day we have to accept help. We don’t have alot here because we dont want main land people to make the money but we take their money and waste it.
What will we do without federal funds? We are gonna have to show some appreciation for what we get from the US some day soon because times are changing. How about that constitution that the congress pretty much thru back to us like a balled up piece of paper and they refused to pay for reconvening that junky convention that created that garbage constitution. We will never make it without the US.
With federal funds that we got for reforming our voting system and bringing it into compliance with federal law, this is what we did:
Nothing. We took the money. Kept the machines and we do not provide a voting receipt that the funding and the law required.
So question is not so much what we will do without federal funds. Its what we will not do when we get it.
Lord, please send help.
@ Realistic One
while I have no desire to refute your assertions one by one, I suggest you peruse the original article again. I don’t believe anyone suggests That Mr Kirkland should not receive Federal dollars as I am sure he is doing quite well already with his mainland programs. The question is whether or not their exists a way to develop programs or expand programs that exist within the VI community.BTW the initial seed money to fund the “feasibility” study would be provided by “mainland” companies doing extremely well while receiving significant tax breaks in the Virgin Islands.
But your condescending tone is little hard to digest, as if the Virgin Islands has not produced anyone or thing of value unless it came as a benefit from Pell grants or mainland taxpayers.What afterschool programs? You cant be serious? All we need need are people who believe in the mission of the many programs that exist here and support them with time and money. Instead we find it so easily to ignore what already exists to recreate the wheel. If you would have us believe that only the US can save us then you should really question whether or not you want to live in the VI. Why, because only the people that live here can solve the problems created here.
@ Mr. Muhammad
I believe there is a article on Demmansay about a similar program that our governor started.governor Dejongh signed a contract with a Maryland company to basically do the same thing. This program was not brought before the public because no mentioning it was included in the contract with this Maryland corporation. Anyhow my point is that we have had these programs already and nothing has yet to be done with them. Why are we bringing them up now? If they were in place we wouldn’t have Mr Kirkland here talking to the Senators. Also the problems the VI has aren’t new the negativity expressed about Mr. Kirkland is not new. I only question when are we gonna do something to save ourselves instead of just talking about it. We don’t have alternative energy because we didn’t want a state side company to be the ones to provide it. This started years back. Doesn’t seem kind of funny that we offer proposals for bids for this and anything to do with education and the only companies that bid for them are stateside companies? I believe a vocational school will be a start to saving ourselves because our children that decide to not attend a four year college will have technical skills that are taught by these vocational schools. Technical skills like automotive mechanics, masonry,chefs, electricians, alternative energy, etc. Accepting some assistance is a step towards solving our problems. Less dependency on the US is a step towards solving our own problems. Sir I am a native Virgin Islander and I have lived here all my life and all my life we have depended on the US for everything even the hurricanes. So please don’t question my faithfulness to our home here because I speak the truth.
@ Realistic One
Forgive me if you feel that my comments questioned your faithfulness to to our island home. I do, however, have issue with the term “truth”. Often many have spoken “truths” based on limited data and biased research. Some even ascribe their version of truth to being factual without ever testing it.The U.S. relationship to the Virgin Islands has never been as gracious as you seem to suggest. Again, no one has suggested that the Bidwell Training Center would not be a welcomed addition to the community, but to suggest that these ideas, programs etc. can’t exist “mainlander” consulting or mainland money. Have faith that there are individuals on island with the desire and the skill to do what is right to address the needs of the community.
@ Mr Muhammad
If you read the vi daily news articles the past couple of weeks. These articles were about the govt departments and their 2011 budget needs. In all those articles/department there were maybe two departments that didnt directly receive federal funding and one of those depts was parks and recreation. Hell the health dept had to pay back 400,000.00 in penalties to the feds. So I feel they have been very gracious when we dont pay federal taxes but receive federal money. Senators were drilling those depts that hadnt filled federal funded jobs. wanting to know why they werent filled. I dont think we ever got the answer. But we know the answer. There is no one qualified on the Island . All our qualified Virgin Islanders are stateside. Let us not accept any more federal money and test ourselves. Where are the skilled individuals or programs that can provide this vocational school something the community needs? How come they didnt make a bid for this community need?
@ Mr Muhammad
If you read the vi daily news articles the past couple of weeks. These articles were about the govt departments and their 2011 budget needs. In all those articles/department there were maybe two departments that didnt directly receive federal funding and one of those depts was parks and recreation. Hell the health dept had to pay back 400,000.00 in penalties to the feds. So I feel they have been very gracious when we dont pay federal taxes but receive federal money. Senators were drilling those depts that hadnt filled federal funded jobs. wanting to know why they werent filled. I dont think we ever got the answer. But we know the answer. There is no one qualified on the Island . All our qualified Virgin Islanders are stateside. Let us not accept any more federal money and test ourselves. Where are the skilled individuals or programs that can provide this vocational school something the community needs? How come they didnt make a bid for this community need?m
Bad public management does not equal a lack of competent, skilled individuals. There are many Virgin Islanders that could fill these positions, unfortunately we aren’t playing ball with the gatekeepers for government jobs or just aren’t interested in working a dysfunctional system.
If you have been following the salaries that have been published all week, we are giving the high pay jobs to unqualified (90% of the time) to UNQUALIFIED family members and political appointees.
80% of all budgets go for salaries……..there are no more services for the employees to do, so why not take the lay-off now??? Yesterday WMA stated both of the pump trucks were down, despite having a motor pool. Bottom line, one driver was caught by Senator Nelson reporting to work and then sleeping due to no truck! AND it would be against his union to do other work.
Wake up people. Trim the fat now and get rid of the unions that are hurting us.
@ Mr. Muhammmad 12:48am
You have made some very good points and touched on the real issue. We need to get up and take the hard pill. We have to get up and save ourselves. The mentality that we can’t get up and do what needs to be done is the biggest hinderance we have. We can’t be a respected people by our children or the world if we only rely on the tit of the US government. We get what we are entitled to as a US territory but we still must get up and be responsible. What will happen when the US refuses or can’t deliver us from evil due to apparent impending financial woes of its own. A previous poster said that all qualified Virgin Islanders are stateside. Many are stateside but not all. You mentioned some are not willing to play ball with the gatekeepers and some don’t want to get involved in a dysfunctional system. In the end only we can save ourselves or we will be lost.
@ Realistic One
Don’t you wish all discourse on this blog could be civil and insightful. There is hope yet!
@ ‘Muhammad’-
I’m not sure I’m understanding your comment of 11.41.as it relates to the discourse you were having with ‘Realistc One’.
Are you suggesting he/she wasn’t ‘civil and insightful’ in their discourse? I just don’t get it.