The Defeated School Levy And Racism

[Rick Rowlands]

I'm just so sick and tired of this BS.  The racism argument is a cop out, pure and simple.

[irishbobcat]

First off, The Youngstown Schools are top-heavy when it comes to central office administrators. Webb makes $122,000 plus, the Assistant Super in charge of human resources makes $84,000 plus benefits, etc......

Second, how many Youngstown residents are registered to vote? How many Youngstown residents have identification to vote?

How many voters in Youngstown are disinfranchised? How many residents can't get to the polls? Or even secure an absentee ballot?

Or even know how to get one?

You can't have riots at Chaney and East every other week with police spraying crowds with mace to get the average citizen to support public education....

Plus most city residents feel taxed out......they have no more to offer.... the money well is drying up.....

It's a combination of these items and more on why the Youngstown city schools are in the red....

[Mary]

We both voted against the levy and racism had nothing to do with it. Fiscal responsibility was our main sticking point. I personally have voted for every levy that has come up since I have lived here and there are always so many promises and no results. I also believe that Webb has no business being the super and she needs to be replaced with someone with a proven record of turning school districts around. I could care less what color that person is as long as they can produce results.

[Jaime Hughes]

I don't believe that it's a matter of racism. I believe that it's how the schools are portrayed. The community hears all of these horrible things about the schools and the students that attend them. They just built a 30 million dollar school on the east side that is slowly getting ripped apart.

[ForumManager]

I believe it has more to do with the school system's poor report card and the appearance of mismanagement at the board level in MANY facets of the operation.   And racism in what regard?  Who is racist?  Isn't it pretty much split down the middle in regard to black and white?
City data lists this as the race breakdown for Ytown - not sure what year this was assessed.
White Non-Hispanic (48.9%)
Black (43.8%)
Hispanic (5.2%)
Two or more races (2.5%)
Other race (2.2%)
American Indian (1.1%)
The site also states that Hispanics might be counted in other races so it might not add up to 100% exactly.

[jay]

In a letter to the editor in the Sunday, November 25, newspaper, the author states that the defeat of the recent 9.5 mill school levy in Youngstown was racially motivated.
What do members of this forum think?