**** This is a cross post of a recent MCT article I think fits the RightMI vibe ****

Seems like a liberal nerve was struck by a recent MCT post illustrating the insanity of the Detroit Public School district plan to create an urban farm at an abandoned school campus. Via MCT:

Detroit Public Schools officials plan Thursday to announce details of a project to turn the sprawling site at the corner of Van Dyke Road and I-94 into a 26.9-acre urban farm.

The announcement will come as part of a real estate developers conference on what to do with Detroit’s dozens of vacant former school buildings.

The school district plans to build eight hoop houses and start growing vegetables on the new Kettering Urban Agricultural Campus in 2014, with later phases to include food processing and distribution to students and the community, officials said Wednesday.

As pointed out here @ MCT this effort is a colossal waste of time and sure money loser for the school district. Given the district’s chronic academic under achievement and the fact Detroit Public Schools have their very own Emergency Financial Manager, you would think most people understand the school district needs to get the basics under control before embarking on an urban farming boondoggle. If you thought that, you would be wrong.

Via MCT Twitter Feed:

@stevemct Actually urban farming is enjoying a lot of success in Detroit. Has been for a while. Education should precede snark.

— Paul Scozzari (@edwood_not) March 17, 2014

“Education should proceed snark.” Really?

How about financial responsibility to taxpayers before embarking on a “hip, green” boondoggle? Or, more importantly, how about teaching children in your district to read and perform basic math before wasting time growing carrots at an abandoned school?

In case you are unaware of the scope of the Detroit Public School district failure to its students, here are a couple of eye-opening statistics outlining 8th grade student performance in math:

• The percentage of students in Detroit who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level as 3 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (4 percent) and in 2009 (4 percent).
• The percentage of students in Detroit who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level as 24 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (29 percent) and in 2009 (23 percent).

DPS student performance in reading is just as poor:

• The percentage of students in Detroit who performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level was 9 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (7 percent) and in 2009 (7 percent).
• The percentage of students in Detroit who performed at or above the NAEP Basic level was 46 percent in 2013. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2011 (43 percent) and in 2009 (40 percent).

Detroit Public Schools (complete with an Emergency Financial Manager in tow) should reconsider their ‘urban farm’ pipe dream. When only 9% of their 8th grade students are considered at a ‘proficient’ reading level and a staggering 3% are considered at a ‘proficient’ level in math, failing to focus all their time and resources on the children in their classrooms is shameful.

So, who precisely, is putting snark ahead of education?

You Betcha! (9)Nuh Uh.(0)

The projected multi-year $1.3 billion dollar surplus will give lawmakers something to ponder. While the governor has proposed yet again taxing the citizenry, us common folks for the $1.2 Billion he says are needed for our roads.

The legislature, bless the hearts was so kind in allocating a paltry $215 Million out of this $1.3 Billion so-called budget surplus (Taxpayer Money) to repair the potholes that quit frankly are beyond repair. So I guess that is to tide over the problem till after the elections so they can pass a gas tax and vehicle registration fee increase without immediate election year repercussions!

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You Betcha! (7)Nuh Uh.(0)

As Michigan’s economic comeback gains steam and the dismal decade of staggering job losses becomes just a bitter memory, along comes a group of people with good intentions – but terrible ideas – who would take Michigan backward. A coalition called Raise Michigan is launching a legislative initiative petition drive to raise Michigan’s minimum wage to $9.50 an hour. It’s a crowd-pleasing proposal for sure. The trouble is that it’s also a job-killing one.

Now let’s stipulate that academic research on the subject of how minimum wage increases effect employment levels are rather equivocal. It’s surprising that a subject that’s received this much attention has research findings that are so unclear. But let’s put that aside, because there’s actually little that studying minimum wage increases in the 70s, 80s and 90s can tell us. We’re simply in a different time.

Never has it been easier or more cost effective to substitute automation and self-service for employees. We see it all around us.

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You Betcha! (4)Nuh Uh.(1)

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You Betcha! (3)Nuh Uh.(0)