Somerset ES putting in turf field

[Anonymous]

Gee 7:39, what's wrong with it? How about many schools have crowded or dilapidated facilities, and portables, and Somerset ES is funding a turf field. This isn't Georgetown Prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee 7:39, what's wrong with it? How about many schools have crowded or dilapidated facilities, and portables, and Somerset ES is funding a turf field. This isn't Georgetown Prep.

Yeah, but it's Somerset's money. MCPS is not paying for it and it doesn't do anything to enhance actual learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee 7:39, what's wrong with it? How about many schools have crowded or dilapidated facilities, and portables, and Somerset ES is funding a turf field. This isn't Georgetown Prep.

But Somerset ES isn't funding an artificial turf field. The Somerset ES PTA is funding an artificial turf field. And I would rather have the Somerset ES PTA busy raising money for an artificial turf field than with time on their hands to push for a change to MCPS fund-raising rules so that the Somerset ES PTA would be allowed to buy extra teachers for their children.

[Anonymous]

What is the point here?

That rich parents shouldn't allocate their resources towards their children's quality of life?

That schools in poor part of town should have it just as nice or nicer than the rich part of town? If so who pays for that?

Even if the county was paying for it wouldn't the parents be entitled to a little extra after paying extra into the system? This isn't communism for fucks sake.


It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.

All are welcome to attend, as long as they can afford to live there. And yes, I'm sure that Somerset is a lovely place to live for people can afford to live there. At those real estate prices, it would be really disturbing if it weren't.

[Anonymous]

These fields don't last forever. Are the parents committing to paying the disposal costs when it outlived its useful life? Who pays the added cost of insurance? Will the field be locked against community use on the weekends?

[Anonymous]

As always, lots of jealous people on this board. If the PTA is raising all of the money, it's really no one else's business. By the way, have you seen Potomac Elementary School? It's probably the most dilapidated elementary school in MCPS. It has continually been put at the bottom of the list for improvements because the county would get a earful from the same people who complain when a PTA raises money for their own student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As always, lots of jealous people on this board. If the PTA is raising all of the money, it's really no one else's business. By the way, have you seen Potomac Elementary School? It's probably the most dilapidated elementary school in MCPS. It has continually been put at the bottom of the list for improvements because the county would get a earful from the same people who complain when a PTA raises money for their own student body.

That's not really completely accurate. What would be more accurate: if the PTA is raising all of the money, AND THE FUNDRAISING COMPLIES WITH MCPS POLICIES ON FUNDRAISING, it's really no one else's business.

However, it's the Board of Education that ultimately decides whether the fundraising complies with MCPS policies on fundraising, and the Board of Education is an elected body accountable to the public, so everything the Board of Education does (including approve or disapprove PTA fundraising efforts) is everybody's business.

As for Potomac ES, the MCPS Capital Improvement Plan recommends a revitalization/expansion with a completion date of January 2019, funding permitting.

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/cipmasterpdfs/CIP16CH4_Churchill.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the point here?

That rich parents shouldn't allocate their resources towards their children's quality of life?

That schools in poor part of town should have it just as nice or nicer than the rich part of town? If so who pays for that?

Even if the county was paying for it wouldn't the parents be entitled to a little extra after paying extra into the system? This isn't communism for fucks sake.


It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.


This post is so ridiculous where can I begin?

Isn't public education supposed to be equal for all students? Sure the area is affluent but if the families aren't happy with what the public school can provide, shouldn't they be considering sending their kids to private schools? The Board of Education has been discussing for years the discrepancies between schools that arise from large donations by PTA and School Foundations to individual schools.

The underlying issue about private groups like MSI is they "donate" large sums of money then expect to get preferential timeslots for public use of the fields. Their donations come with strings attached and then use the pubic school fields for a profit making enterprise. It is unclear from OP's post if MSI is behind the scheme to fund artificial turf at Somerset but they were in back door talks at Churchill High School last year. Everything was "approved" before anyone in the community knew what was going on and there was a pubic outcry after the fact. The artificial turf field subsequently has not been built and there is no word when and if it will. I hope it never will be if nothing else because of the lack of transparency behind the deal and the heath effects those types of fields cause kids. Besides the cancer issue, artificial turf fields are less forgiving and lead to more concussions and orthopedic injuries than regular grass fields.

[Anonymous]

10:18, I really wish your butler would punch you in the face right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the point here?

That rich parents shouldn't allocate their resources towards their children's quality of life?

That schools in poor part of town should have it just as nice or nicer than the rich part of town? If so who pays for that?

Even if the county was paying for it wouldn't the parents be entitled to a little extra after paying extra into the system? This isn't communism for fucks sake.


It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.


This post is so ridiculous where can I begin?

Isn't public education supposed to be equal for all students? Sure the area is affluent but if the families aren't happy with what the public school can provide, shouldn't they be considering sending their kids to private schools? The Board of Education has been discussing for years the discrepancies between schools that arise from large donations by PTA and School Foundations to individual schools.

The underlying issue about private groups like MSI is they "donate" large sums of money then expect to get preferential timeslots for public use of the fields. Their donations come with strings attached and then use the pubic school fields for a profit making enterprise. It is unclear from OP's post if MSI is behind the scheme to fund artificial turf at Somerset but they were in back door talks at Churchill High School last year. Everything was "approved" before anyone in the community knew what was going on and there was a pubic outcry after the fact. The artificial turf field subsequently has not been built and there is no word when and if it will. I hope it never will be if nothing else because of the lack of transparency behind the deal and the heath effects those types of fields cause kids. Besides the cancer issue, artificial turf fields are less forgiving and lead to more concussions and orthopedic injuries than regular grass fields.

Life is a series of quid pro quo, why are people surprised when people who foot the bill are given access and audience before and after the fact? If you only had time for 4 meetings why would you book people who brought nothing to the table to negotiate with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the point here?

That rich parents shouldn't allocate their resources towards their children's quality of life?

That schools in poor part of town should have it just as nice or nicer than the rich part of town? If so who pays for that?

Even if the county was paying for it wouldn't the parents be entitled to a little extra after paying extra into the system? This isn't communism for fucks sake.


It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.


This post is so ridiculous where can I begin?

Isn't public education supposed to be equal for all students? Sure the area is affluent but if the families aren't happy with what the public school can provide, shouldn't they be considering sending their kids to private schools? The Board of Education has been discussing for years the discrepancies between schools that arise from large donations by PTA and School Foundations to individual schools.

The underlying issue about private groups like MSI is they "donate" large sums of money then expect to get preferential timeslots for public use of the fields. Their donations come with strings attached and then use the pubic school fields for a profit making enterprise. It is unclear from OP's post if MSI is behind the scheme to fund artificial turf at Somerset but they were in back door talks at Churchill High School last year. Everything was "approved" before anyone in the community knew what was going on and there was a pubic outcry after the fact. The artificial turf field subsequently has not been built and there is no word when and if it will. I hope it never will be if nothing else because of the lack of transparency behind the deal and the heath effects those types of fields cause kids. Besides the cancer issue, artificial turf fields are less forgiving and lead to more concussions and orthopedic injuries than regular grass fields.

Life is a series of quid pro quo, why are people surprised when people who foot the bill are given access and audience before and after the fact? If you only had time for 4 meetings why would you book people who brought nothing to the table to negotiate with?

Some of us think there are some things that shouldn't be for sale. MSI wants to buy or rent private land and build soccer fields? That's fine. MSI wants to use public lands for their soccer league, and get preferential treatment in scheduling? Not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, lots of jealous people on this board. If the PTA is raising all of the money, it's really no one else's business. By the way, have you seen Potomac Elementary School? It's probably the most dilapidated elementary school in MCPS. It has continually been put at the bottom of the list for improvements because the county would get a earful from the same people who complain when a PTA raises money for their own student body.

That's not really completely accurate. What would be more accurate: if the PTA is raising all of the money, AND THE FUNDRAISING COMPLIES WITH MCPS POLICIES ON FUNDRAISING, it's really no one else's business.

However, it's the Board of Education that ultimately decides whether the fundraising complies with MCPS policies on fundraising, and the Board of Education is an elected body accountable to the public, so everything the Board of Education does (including approve or disapprove PTA fundraising efforts) is everybody's business.

As for Potomac ES, the MCPS Capital Improvement Plan recommends a revitalization/expansion with a completion date of January 2019, funding permitting.

http://gis.mcpsmd.org/cipmasterpdfs/CIP16CH4_Churchill.pdf

And the Potomac ES completion date has already been pushed back to 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And the Potomac ES completion date has already been pushed back to 2020.

How many years was the Seneca Valley HS project moved back, one year per year, year after year after year? MCPS does not have enough capital funds to do everything that needs to be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the point here?

That rich parents shouldn't allocate their resources towards their children's quality of life?

That schools in poor part of town should have it just as nice or nicer than the rich part of town? If so who pays for that?

Even if the county was paying for it wouldn't the parents be entitled to a little extra after paying extra into the system? This isn't communism for fucks sake.


It is a public school all are welcome to attend so there really shouldn't be any bitterness by the people who choose not to go there. And it is absolutely a choice, you may say that it is so exspencive to live there (plenty of condos) but you are the one who chose not to study, work harder or picked the right entry position etc. going down the line. What did you think would happen when you moved to less affluent parts of town? What do you think affluent means and how does that manifest its self in application. News flash, somerset is a nice place to life if you can swing it.


This post is so ridiculous where can I begin?

Isn't public education supposed to be equal for all students? Sure the area is affluent but if the families aren't happy with what the public school can provide, shouldn't they be considering sending their kids to private schools? The Board of Education has been discussing for years the discrepancies between schools that arise from large donations by PTA and School Foundations to individual schools.

The underlying issue about private groups like MSI is they "donate" large sums of money then expect to get preferential timeslots for public use of the fields. Their donations come with strings attached and then use the pubic school fields for a profit making enterprise. It is unclear from OP's post if MSI is behind the scheme to fund artificial turf at Somerset but they were in back door talks at Churchill High School last year. Everything was "approved" before anyone in the community knew what was going on and there was a pubic outcry after the fact. The artificial turf field subsequently has not been built and there is no word when and if it will. I hope it never will be if nothing else because of the lack of transparency behind the deal and the heath effects those types of fields cause kids. Besides the cancer issue, artificial turf fields are less forgiving and lead to more concussions and orthopedic injuries than regular grass fields.

Life is a series of quid pro quo, why are people surprised when people who foot the bill are given access and audience before and after the fact? If you only had time for 4 meetings why would you book people who brought nothing to the table to negotiate with?

Some of us think there are some things that shouldn't be for sale. MSI wants to buy or rent private land and build soccer fields? That's fine. MSI wants to use public lands for their soccer league, and get preferential treatment in scheduling? Not so much.

I wouldn't call it public land so much as community land. Beside most people on here and in the greater area have never been to Somerset, know anybody who lives there or could find it on a map. Why should they have any input on the ongoings there? It isn't like they are subsidizing it when it is really Somerset subsidizing so many others.