OPS made the national news on CNN

[the observationist]

It is a sad day for those that have children in the OPS school district. As if the city isn't segregated enough, now the state legislature is trying to force the OPS school district to be as well. Talk about taking a step back to the 1960s. The odd thing is that Sen. Chambers sponsored the plan!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/04/14/omaha.schools.ap/index.html

[StoryTeller]

1. How is it segregation?

I've been trying to follow this--I've been out of town for a week and came back to this announcement. But as I understand it, it's not segregation. Segregation would be saying "If you are a certain race, you must go to a certain school or district." That's not what this plan is doing. I live in what would become, under this plan, the south district. I am Caucasian, not Latino. There is a great amount of diversity just on my block--Mexican, Sudanese, Asian, Caucasian, African American, etc. How is that segregation? Is anyone forcing me to send my children to a certain school on the basis of race? We chose to live here because of the diversity.

As I understand it, all districts would pool their tax base and the revenue divided evenly among the districts. Sounds fair to me. Creating three OPS districts also spreads out the control, too. Instead of one school board, you get three. That means that minorities in each district will have a greater possibility of having a voice on the school board. That's why, I think, that Ernie Chambers came up with the idea, or supported it, or whatever. I often disagree with Sen. Chambers, or at least his attitude, but this time...I think he got it right.

I like the plan. It answers the question of allowing the smaller districts to retain local control of their schools--which is understandable that they want to do this, and it answers the problem OPS has of needing more tax revenue. And splitting OPS prevents a "school district monopoly." OPS' "one city, one school district" comes off, to me, as basically being a power and money grab, and splitting the district into three prevents it from becoming too powerful. And it gives minorities a stronger voice in the school system their children attend.

I think this spin of it being segregation is basically OPS' way of trying to keep itself in power. But, to be fair, I don't know what the state laws already say, or if it actually is unconstitutional. So if the court throws it out, I'm prepared to be okay with that. However, I think it's just the sort of compromise the city needs right now. OPS comes off as being predatory and more concerned about businesses and its reputation than the needs of individual children. There's some dynamite teachers and some great things happening in the district, but this whole thing has been a PR nightmare from the start. I think a split is a good move.

[the observationist]

2. Ironic

I thought it was kind of ironic that OPS wanted all this power and now they may end up losing everything.

As far as segregation? I see your point that parents can choose to send their children anywhere in the "learning community" therefore it isn't really segregation. You also make a good point that smaller school districts allow the communities to have more control.

If you look at the makeup of each of the proposed districts they come out with a higher percentage of either white, black, or Hispanic (Latino). I read a comment from a 17 year old Asian student and she asked, "where do I fit in?". The city is highly segregated already. The most odd sociological thing is that we segregate ourselves voluntarily. There are a couple of black families in my neighborhood, but I would venture a guess that over 90% of the people in my area are white. I live in West Omaha.

So how is it segregation? Well, how many kids want to get bused across town? Some I'm sure, but when you have a friend that lives down the street are you going to want to go to a different school than them? I would be willing to bet that most children will stay in their neighborhood schools. Separate, but equal wasn't a very good solution 50 years ago. Maybe you're right though and we can do it better in the 21st Century. After all it is voluntary and not mandatory.

I think three districts will also cause us to spend more tax dollars on administration costs. In general, public education is poor compared to private schools. In private education parents pay around $3000 per year for their child. You and I pay about $9000 per year per student for the public system. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense and now you are going to create two more school districts with their own administration system? In my opinion, that is a great of example of how our government continues to waste our money.

We may disagree, but I concede that you make some valid arguments. Time will tell how this all pans out.

[TheFarseer]

3. People need to stop saying this is segregation

To be fair, kids probably already mostly go to their neighborhood school. The money is still equal. If the money was kept within the new districts (i.e., was unequal) then I would have a problem, but that's not the case. The only major difference I see is that black parents and latino parents will have more control over their kids education instead of someone that might not have the interests of their kids in mind and that's a positive. I like the plan as I understand it. Remember, it was Ernie's idea - the only black member of the legislature.

[the observationist]

4. Segregation by choice is still segregation, right?

Since when have liberals wanted more control at the local level? That's great if the party is changing its stance. I like the party even more now, I'm glad I made the switch.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

5. How is the money equal?

Millard and District 66 are still not paying into OPS. Equal funding can only come under one city one school district. Until District 66 and Millard pay their fair share the school systems in Omaha will be inherently unequal.

It is terrible to think that breaking up a school district into smaller and smaller portions will somehow make it more efficient. This whole localized control thing is a farce. It will lead to different standards for different schools, some will be better than others. What we need to do is make all of the schools stronger, and have uniform standards.

If this isn't racial segregation I don't know what is. Are you telling me that they just coincidentally broke the school district up into three racially distinct areas? Is that a good thing? You may have some diversity on your block, as do I, but go to South High, North High, or Burke and tell me what you see. That is not diversity, that is segregation, and under this plan it will only get worse.

I went to North High thanks to the busing plan that has since been eliminated. I loved the fact that I had all kinds of people around me. Now future generations will not be able to experience that.

This is a race issue, plain and simple. People do not want to send their kids to school with black and hispanic kids, and want to pen the black and hispanic kids up so that they can not come to "their" schools. Ernie played straight into the hands of his enemies.

When will racism stop being a winning election formula in Nebraska? That goes not only for white representatives, but also Ernie Chambers, in my opinion he is just another tool of the racist system.

[TheFarseer]

6. I don't agree with that

Have you seen the new school district boundaries? It's not like they are gerrymandered. It just looks like a natural division into thirds. People will still go to their neighborhood schools in most cases so I don't see the big deal that they are technically in different districts. I think what is really tragic is that it is just assumed that black parents and students can't have as good a school as anyone else given equal money. Besides, this argument is too simplistic. Not everyone in the 'black district' is black - not by a long shot. I can see your point that Millard not being in the district is unfair since they ARE in the city, but it has always been that way so that's not anything different. And just so you know, I'm not sure this is a wonderful idea, but I think it's worth a try if our elected lawmakers debated the issue and came up with this solution. I hope it works very well for the children.

[the observationist]

7. Millard School District

Not all the students in the Millard school district live within Omaha's city limits. What happens to those children if OPS were allowed to take over? That would have been a problem if the legislature hadn't come up with this new plan. Now that Millard is allowed to remain as a separate district the children outside the city limits are still taken care of.

Does anyone have demographics breakdowns on the new proposed school district? I haven't been able to find any. Surely someone did a study.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

8. So...

Just because not EVERYONE in the black district is black doesnt mean its segregation? Thats interesting...

The big issue I have with this whole thing is that that law was not made by people in Omaha. It was made by all the racist country bumpkins that have either never been to Omaha, or don't give a damn about Omaha. It is crazy to think that someone with no stake in Omaha can pass this sort of garbage. They do not know what is best for Omaha.

[the observationist]

9. I agree that the local communities should be

allowed to have a larger say on the education issue. One thing these people outside of the Omaha area say is that Sen. Ernie Chambers is black and he signed off on it so this proves they are right on this issue.