Wow! This weekend’s poll got phenomenal response. I was amazed and appreciative that over 300 of you responded to this past weekends poll questions. Once again, the leading answers surprised me a bit. Let’s review.
On magnet schools, it turns out that people are not nearly as against them as I initially thought. Over the past year there has been a lot of talk about their role in segregation and families leaving the district. It was my assumption that people were starting to have negative feelings towards them. However, our poll didn’t reflect that as the leading response, at 36%, was “I’m all for them. I wish we had more.” If you add in the responses with the caveat that admission be solely based on academic measurement, 21%, you get 57% of respondents who outright support academic magnet schools and seemingly desire more.
The second leading answer was “I wish they’d all go away and that every school had the same advanced academic offerings” at 26%, so it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. With the district moving to offer advanced academics at all middle schools starting next year, it will be interesting to revisit this question in a year or so. Perhaps that offering will off set some of the demand. Here’s the “others” answers:
| Depends on if it is a legit magnet or a Joseph creation. | 1 |
|---|---|
| I’m for but descrip. Not clear. Specific academic focus including arts. | 1 |
| I like them, but diversity.., MLK has equal black & white. ACT scores match too. | 1 |
| Increase the number of alternative schools and all schools would be magnets | 1 |
| Wish we had more AND more advanced academics at ALL schools. |
Next year is an election year for governor in Tennessee and since obviously the governor has a lot of influence on the state’s education policy, I though we’d do an early straw poll. This one wasn’t that surprising. Democrat Craig Fitzhugh was the winner, claiming 42% of the responses. Fitzhugh is my personal choice and one of the things that I find most appealing about him is the fact that no matter who you talk to, republican or democrat, they refer to him as someone who would be good for everyone. The runner up was Republican and former state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd with 26% of the vote. I don’t know to much about Mr. Boyd but by all accounts he’s a centrist in the mold of current governor Bill Haslam. Democrat and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Republican and Franklin businessman Bill Lee were up next tied in a virtual dead heat.
One thing that made me extremely happy on a personal note, was the diversity in the voting. I really appreciate that people from all different demographics are taking the time to read and interact with Dad Gone Wild. I started the blog four years ago to encourage conversation and exploration. Truth is, if everybody is agreeing with me, I tend to get a little suspicious. I’m glad that Dad Gone Wild readership reflects that dogma.
Though it is still way early in the election process, and not everybody has even declared yet, I think this poll gives us a good glimpse of what future leadership might look like. We’ll see how it compares to the final outcome. Hopefully Dad Gone Wild readers can predict the future and next year finds us dancing at the inauguration of Governor Fitzhugh.
Current MNPS school board member Will Pinkston did receive 6 write in votes. You can write your own punchline. The only other write in candidate to get multiple votes was State Rep Bo Mitchell. If Mitchell ever did run for governor I’d be down with it. Here’s the other write ins:
| Will Pinkston | 6 |
|---|---|
| Bo Mitchell | 2 |
| They are all crooks | 1 |
| Honestly don’t know | 1 |
| Megan Barry | 1 |
| Any one but Dean |
With another school year about to wrap up, I thought it would be fun to survey everybody’s favorite “end of school” song and y’all didn’t disappoint. This one’s winner I never saw coming. Good Riddance, Time of Your Life by Green Day was the easy winner. Schools Out by Alice Cooper was tied for second with What Time is It from High School Musical. I must admit though, if I hadn’t forgot to make Graduation Day by Vitamin C a selection, it would have been among the leaders as it received 7 write in votes. It’s a song that I sheepishly admit to being unfamiliar with. Here’s the list of others :that recieved votes:
| vitamin c – graduation day | 1 |
|---|---|
| Summertime – George Gershwin | 1 |
| graduation day – vitamin c | 1 |
| Graduation Day Vitamin C | 1 |
| Vitamin C’s Graduation Day so g | 1 |
| graduation day by vitamin c | 1 |
| vitamin c graduation day | 1 |
| Summer Time Thing Chuck Profitt | 1 |
| Vitamin C – Graduation day | 1 |
| summer girls – lfo | 1 |
| Fuck You – Lily Allen | 1 |
| “Looks Like We Made It” – Barry Manilow | 1 |
| I prefer my Will Pinkston Playlist: “Mean,” “Rude,” Cry Cry Cry,” and “Freak.” | 1 |
| good riddance could also be my theme for the Joseph admin |
That does it for this week’s poll questions. There only 8 more days of school left in Nashville. Tuesday, 5/16, MNPS will be holding a budget hearing. If you can please attend and support MNPS teachers and Hume Fogg students. The teachers are trying to preserve a 3% raise that Dr. Joseph is proposing be reduced to 2%. Hume Fogg students are fighting to save their beloved German program. Both need your support.
Last week I attended the last book club meeting of Project Lit. There are rumors that there will be a meeting over the summer and then things will start back up in the fall. I strongly encourage anyone who can attend, to do so. It’ll enrich your life. That’s it for now. But check back for updates during the week…oh…almost forgot, thank you Mo Carrasco for an excellent lunch today. Been to long since I’ve been to Dunya Kabob. With that I’m out.
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