This is an insane time of year for parents, kids and teens in the City of Cleveland. Besides the Ohio Achievement tests and the general chaos imposed upon our community by the senseless Transformation Plan--most are also scrambling for ways to keep their kids occupied during the summer.

Sadly, even jobs traditionally available to teenagers like camp counselors and lifeguarding are now desperately sought out by adults. 

Planning and predicting are part of every day--but just living should be part of the equation, too.  It's going to be a beautiful day.  Enjoy it.

Perhaps, my sisters can remember my ultra fine singing rendition of the Hoyt Axton/Three Dog Night classic, Joy to the World:)

For the uninitiated--here are the lyrics:

I was fortunate today to run into Gary Murphy--poet, troubador, griot--and always, the dapper gentleman. 

Mr. Murphy makes his living by helping folks find the words they need to express the joys, sorrows, trials and tribulations of life--weddings, funerals, birthdays.  He is a travellin' man.  We both enjoyed the ride today. 

Mr. Murphy has helped to work poetry sessions in my neighborhood--more to come.

Let's see--my name is Scottish-Irish...check...plus throw in quasi Eastern European mutt heritage Magyar, German, Turkish, Jewish, Gypsy...check...maybe even a little Slavic/Republican leanings...who knows, maybe even some other unaccounted minorities...check...so, given I don't lose my day job in the next twelve months...should I, too, consider a run for Cuyahoga County Council...

The history of this town astounds me...where are we going with this crowd of "leadership"??

Justice for all! Voters in 2001 passed a levy to support services IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS--Facilities plan has NOT equitably invested those monies and Transformation Plan will deny service to neighborhood schools.  

Denying service to the taxpayers who support the school system--by closing schools specifically in predominantly African-American neighborhoods is a gross civil rights violation.

President Obama is a poker player.  

Cleveland nonprofit sold homes to employees, a violation of city and federal rules

By Mark Gillispie, The Plain Dealer

February 23, 2010

As expected--and botched two weeks, ago--Sanders and his Plain Dealer and corporate-sponsored handlers again retracted Tremont and Ginn from the "Transformation" Plan's death sentence.  East High was "promised" to be reopened in 2011 as a charter school, if corporate support stepped in.

Here are some bleak photos taken today of William Rainey Harper School in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood near Fulton and Biddulph Rds.

This is the reality 18 neighborhoods, 16 east side, 2 west side--will live with soon, if the Cleveland Metropolitan School District board approves the "Transformation" Plan. 

Strong hands, strong backs and strong minds needed to fix crumbling water infrastructure in Great Lakes region.  Immigrants encouraged to apply.

READ the book!  It was written by a reporter for the New York Times, Paul Tough.  He tries to be objective just as I imagine the Plain Dealer's Thomas Ott tries to be objective.

But, READ it.  In many ways, Geoffrey Canada is Eugene Sanders--a corporate front man brought in to sell a product and to improve the bottomline, using whatever it takes.

At the Whitney Young Cleveland Metropolitan School District meeting--I noted that a SAINT spoke before the school board. 

It is my hope that the school board heard the loud and clear message from this Saint, who distributed The Economic Bill of Rights at that meeting.

Where are the credible voices in NEO? 

http://www.cleveland.com/education

Is anyone buying this plan?

Last night, at Tremont Montessori the question was asked--Does anyone (by a show of hands) believe that this plan fairly serves east and west side residents in providing quality education that empowers community?  

Is it any surprise that no one raised their hand?

Question of the Day: What does the Lucas County Educational Service Center have in common with the Intergenerational School???

The Cleveland Metropolitan School Board District distributed the Working Draft Revision of the "Transformation Plan." 

As expected--Tremont and GINN/Spellacy were taken off the table.

I will let the Plain Dealer do their job and report the details tomorrow, which I will link to here when available. 

I am sending this plea to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Mayor Frank Jackson:

These students from Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy enjoyed the steamy plant 

and animal life at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Last night can be seen as a hopeful sign for Cleveland with participation of artists/architects from around the world. 

A number of folks spoke with passion tonight to save the schools in their community at Whitney Young Academy in the Harvard-Lee neighborhood.  Pleas were heard for the following schools: Ginn Academy at Spellacy, Tremont Montessori, John Landis, East High,  Empire, Gracemont, John Raper and Mound Schools.

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Speak out against CMSD's Transformation Plan.

Here are the dates & times for the upcoming CMSD Board Community Meetings:

Here are some photos taken today in the vicinity of Hooper's Farm in Tremont. 
Note the new construction and lack of any attempt to control stormwater, silt and mud run off from the site.