Open Forum. You can E-mail me and response to any issues about
FIL-AMERCICAN Experience.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------From: christine
To: DNTG66A@PRODIGY.COM
Subject: ANONG ORAS NA?
I agree that the composition of government (as well as other sectors)is
not reflective of the diversity represented in the general population.
However, electing ethnic minority candidates to ameliorate the problem
of under representation does not solve anything. Let us look at the
issues. When trying to determine how to cast my vote, it is the
candidate's platform that I evaluate and take into consideration- NOT
the candidate's ethnic background. I would not vote for Linda Mayo
based solely on the fact that we are both Filipinos. I would NOT vote
for Linda Mayo because of her support for charter school and school
vouchers.
Your claim that Schundler's voucher program would "sit well with us
since most of us send our kids to private schools." What a careless and
ignorant statement!!!
1. Do you have any empirical and statistical data to support your
claim?
2. Allow me the indulgence of being too particular, but if by "private"
schools you mean schools like St.Joseph's or St.John's, I think the more
appropriate term is "parochial" school. "Private" schools, like Exeter
or Dalton in Manhattan aren't even calling themselves "private" schools
anymore, but "independent" schools.
3. Charter schools and private schools are BAD. More money to improve
the infrastructure and curriculum of public schools is where the
government should be directing money to. A strong public education
system, accessible and welcoming to all people (from all socio-economic,
ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds), is the key to an
educated, aware, conscious and able citizenry- which is the basis for a
free, democratic, tolerant and compassionate society.
Who benefits from a public education system? We all do. While I
have read about the many improvements that Mayor Schundler has done for
Jersey City, charter school and school vouchers is not one of them.
The arrogance and ignorance in your article, reeking of affected
middle-class elitism, and the cheapness of Linda Mayo's nationalistic
slogans, is insulting.
Emmanuel Raymundo
raymundo@mto.gov.on.ca
----------------------------------------------------
RESPONSE:
To:
Subject: ANONG ORAS NA?
Hi!
I wish we all have strong feeling on issues as you have. I would like to correct you, however. Linda Mayo did not run on the school voucher issue. I pointed this thing out that it is very ironic that most of the candidates who won on the Public School Board did not even send their kids to public schools.
Her slogan "panahon na" I think is taken from a civil right crusade to Washington DC few months ago. It seems appropriate for the time or "about time". Please don't blame her for that. Again she ran on public school board member and had nothing to do with private voucher.
I do not need to read any statistical data to make a statement that most of the Filipinos in Jersey City send their kids to nonpublic school. I see them everyday. The kids are in uniform. Just go inside a "parochial" school here in Jersey City and you will see that almost half of the students are Pinoys. As I indicated, whether you agree or disagree (please read my article again) with the voucher systems we should get involved. It is a waste of Pinoy's hard earned money to pay to private school because it costs a lot. Plus we have to pay for public school kids too is a fact. We should demand.
Private schools are not that bad. I spent about 2,000 dollars a child per year (thanks, I have only 2) before they went to top colleges (which happen to be private again) in this country. Again it is very expensive because it is private but for some reason the government helps us out a little sending our children on the college level. Parochial schools could cost more without the contribution and the support of the parishes in Jersey. In spite of the fact that the parishes in Jersey City belong to the poor and working immigrants. Honestly I am not even a religion driven person myself. I thank the church itself since they paid as much as I did. The private school teachers are paid poorly in comparison to the public school ones. (it is a statistical fact that public school teachers in Jersey City are the highest paid in the nation). The best school in Jersey City is probably the Academic School which does not even have any building or infrastructure of its own. It is a public high school.
I have been in Jersey city now for over 20 years and I know the school system. I even work part-time in the Public school system as Assistant Treasurer to support my kids to school. I never voice support for the voucher system because I might have been partial before. I only encourage Filipinos to voice their opinions because they are not very assertive. For those Filipinos who went to private school here..don't discount them yet. I have been tracking them and have nothing but pride for them. I am sure their parents do too. My next pages will be about them. Maybe we are all arrogant and maybe self serving as you indicated but the numbers are there.
Again, Linda Mayo's election was very ironic because most Filipinos here don't even send their kids to public school. There are times that I might agree with you that we should close all the private schools and send our young Pinoys to the public school system. It might even lift the program. Again, this is what I see here with my own eyes.
Even with these observations, the only thing that I want from fellow Pinoys is to get involved and to participate. I will even add your voice/comments to our web page unless you say otherwise.
Salamat.
Nestor Palugod Enriquez
e-mail: dntg66a@prodigy.com