• IBO Cost Sheet - March 14, 2008 - [Excel File]
• America’s Schools, Battlelground for Freedom - Read about how our schools’ curricula are controlled by the UN.
• IBO’s “Vade Mecum” from 2007 - Procedure Manual for Coordinators and Teachers [PDF-2MB]
• IBO Cost Sheet - January 13, 2008 - [Excel File]
• How IB Grows UNESCO Influence in Schools - [PDF-216KB]
• IBO World School Application - [PDF-116KB] This is the actual application that was necessary for Bow to complete. Please note that the anticipated drop in enrollment in 5 years.
• In Their Own Words - What IBO is All About - This is a new website for IBO students and teachers. It lays out some of the basic beliefs of the IB program.
• About “International Baccalaureate” - Education Advocate 3/2006 [PDF-100KB]
  This publication lays out the facts about the cost and content of “IB”.
• Goals of “IB” Programme - Comparison of “IB” goals vs American goals [PDF-300KB]
  Comparison of goals of “IB” adapted from Alan Quist of Edwatch
• Why International Baccalaureate (IB) is un-American
  An article by Alan Quist, Edwatch expert on IB.
• Bow considers buying into “IB” programme - Newspaper article [PDF-75KB]

Newsweek has once again released its “100 best high schools” feature article (May 26, 2008 issue). Newsweek has been highlighting similar stories on what it calls the “100 best” American high schools each spring since 1998.

Unfortunately, these yearly Newsweek articles and ratings are propaganda for the interests Newsweek wishes to promote. The articles are propaganda in particular for International baccalaureate (IB).

Newsweek determines the supposed “100 best high schools” by means of a simple formula that is totally invalid. This formula, as stated by the recent Newsweek article, is: “The NEWSWEEK list of top U.S. high schools was compiled this year, as in years past.”

We count the total number of these tests [IB, AP and Cambridge tests] taken at a school by all students each May, and divide by the number of graduating seniors.

Notice that this formula does not take into account the number of students who passed these test, nor does it include the test scores, only the number of tests taken.

How many colleges admit students on a formula like this, a formula based on the number of tests taken, but not on the test scores? No colleges or universities admit students on that kind of ludicrous guideline, the reason being that the number of tests a student takes tells us nothing about what that student has learned.

Notice also that the Newsweek formula rewards drop-out rates: the fewer students graduate, the higher the score. Do high drop-out rates indicate good schools? It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find an educator who thinks so.

Not surprisingly, the average standardized student test scores in many of the “100 best high schools” are well bellow national averages, the reason being that the

Newsweek’s formula does not measure student learning.

So what panel of fantasy-world educators devised this invalid Newseek “best schools” formula? The formula is actually not the result of any panel of teachers, but rather is the brain-child of one man, Jay Matthews, a journalist, not a teacher.

Jay Matthews writes for the Washington Post and Newsweek, but he also has a cozy relationship with International Baccalaureate The IB bookstore sells a work coauthored by Matthews and former IB deputy director general, Ian Hill. Matthews has additionally written a book promoting IB. The relationship between Matthews and IB is something far less than objective and arms length!

IB typically follows up the yearly Newsweek article with a news release of its own, highlighting the fact that IB schools are disproportionately represented on the 100 best schools list. Since the Newsweek rating system is largely based on schools offering IB, which they must do to give IB tests, the circular nature of such news releases is obvious.

The argument boils down to saying that schools that give IB tests are disproportionately more likely to be IB schools. Newsweek and IB are engaged in manipulation, not education.

Jay Matthews admits that his rating system is controversial. In reality, the formula is not just controversial, it is absurd. We call on the American education establishment to reject this ongoing propaganda.

The article read:

30. To see if the Town will vote to approve the following resolution to be forwarded to our State Representatives, our State Senator and our Governor:

Resolved: We the citizens of Bow, NH believe in a New Hampshire that is just and fair. The property tax has become unjust and unfair. State leaders who take a pledge for no new taxes perpetuate higher and higher property taxes. We call on our State Representatives, our State Senator and our Governor to reject the “Pledge”, have an open discussion covering all options, and adopt a revenue system that lowers property taxes. (Majority Vote Required)

The Granite State Fair Tax Coalition is made up of groups coming from outside New Hampshire, mostly under the umbrella of the World Council of Churches, which is an offshoot of the United Nations. One of GSFTC’s founders, Mark Fernald, lost his race for the Governor in 2002 when he ran on a pro-income tax platform.

Governor Lynch has taken the Pledge, and promised to veto any sales or income tax, and says he will take the Pledge once again.

More Info: Concord Monitor

BCC Answer: Yes, the selectmen have budget cutting authority in any area they see fit unless it is a contract. Judd must abstain from voting. If he does not the other Selectmen are obligated to remind him of his conflict of interest.

BCC Answer: Yes this is true and it was in effect for Chief Jaran. The contract states that the Bow Police Chief needs to live within 30 minutes of Bow. Jaran lives in Gilford and it is very unlikely he could get here in 30 minutes legally. The person who would need to enforce this is the Town Manager, Jim Pitts but he did not.

After Bow voters rejected an $8.3 million operating budget proposal Wednesday, officials must now figure out how to make up for a nearly $400,000 gap.

An amended budget of about $7.9 million was approved at town meeting after debate over whether residents could afford the higher figure. The board of selectmen had aimed to keep increases at 3 percent over last year’s budget, but the numbers were closer to 8 percent. The town projected that nondiscretionary costs, such as rising fuel prices, utilities and insurance, totaled a 4.4 percent increase alone.

Selectmen will meet next week to discuss what the amended figures will mean for the 2008-09 budget year. They have until July 1 to determine where those cuts will come from.

Proponents of the original proposal said that it will be difficult to figure out where to make those cuts and that jobs could be eliminated.

“I am concerned, based upon the cuts we made last year, that we may be looking at cutting employees,” said Selectman Jack Crisp. “It’ll be hard to figure out where else to get the money.”

Last year’s proposed budget was lower than the previous year’s, Crisp said. It was also slashed by voters, by nearly $500,000.
Those cuts resulted in unpaved roads, a reduction in street lighting, and strains to parks and recreation programs, Town Manager Jim Pitts said.

“All I can say at this point is that the cut is deep. I don’t think there’s any way to avoid affecting the level of services we currently provide,” Pitts said. “Between the two years, we’ve had almost a million cut out at town meeting. I think the selectmen will have a very difficult challenge.”

Pitts said it was “entirely possible” services hit by last year’s cuts could face the same scrutiny again.

“It’s up to the selectmen. Our priorities have to be in the areas of public safety. It’s pretty difficult to find cuts in those areas, although they looked at them last year and we’ll look again,” Pitts said.

Bow Police Lt. Dave Girard said he expects the cuts to affect the department, which requested $32,000 in capital reserve funds for an SUV. That request fell outside the operational budget and did not come up for a vote Wednesday. Voters recessed the meeting before getting to all the items on the warrant.

“I’m confident that we’re going to be affected by a certain degree. It’s really in the hands of the town manager and selectmen at this point,” Girard said. “We will live by the decisions made by our elected officials.”

Resident Brad Hutton, who lost a run for the budget committee by 47 votes, voted for the amendment. He said his taxes increased by 19 percent last year.

“I didn’t have a heart problem. I might have one now,” Hutton said. “I think what we’re not seeing here is the whole picture, because the town and school budgets aren’t combined. . . . . It seems to me something’s got to give before this town and all the townsfolk are bankrupt.”

From putting together the budget, Pitts said he fully understands the frustration voters feel over higher prices.

“We’re going through it as well. They can’t do anything about it either, and they’re frustrated and they’re trying to make ends meet. We’re dealing with the same cost increases they are because we’re buying the same things.

The impact on the tax rate wasn’t immediately clear.

“It’s all money, and that’s all important to people. I respect that,” Crisp said.

Separately, voters approved 13 additional articles before the meeting adjourned about 11:15 p.m. The meeting will resume 7 p.m. May 28 at the high school.

BCC Answer: What you told me is very serious and you should tell the moderator as soon as you witnessed it. The law that you saw violated are RSA 659:43 & 659:44. If the moderator fails to take action you should tell the other selectmen and they should take action. Your last recourse would be to call the attorney general. A selectman should know better and not break the public trust in this way. You should not feel bad if you report this behavior.

Rick Hiland
Bow NH

BCC Answer: Mr. Hiland is a Bow Budget Committee Member and the BCC doesn’t feel that it can’t add anything to Mr. Hiland’s question.

Bow Schools Staff Count as of February 6, 2008

This year’s warrant articles go to voters at the Bow Town Meeting Wednesday, May 14, at 7 p.m., at Bow High School.

The warrants, discussed at a Wednesday, April 9, public hearing held by the Budget Committee, will include 30 articles.

Voters will see two recommended operating budgets, one from the Board of Selectmen and the other from the Budget Committee, with a difference of $15,000. Selectmen recommended, by a 3-2 vote, to support an $8,332,912 budget, while the Budget Committee’s recommended budget, by a 4-3 vote, is $8,317,912.

During last year’s Town Meeting, selectmen came prepared with a budget of nearly $8.2 million, but then newly elected Selectman Tom Keane proposed to cut the budget to $7.7 million, an amendment that passed voter approval 114-89.

At the April 9 public hearing, Budget Committee Chairman Dan de Vasto told the 40 residents in attendance about the situation the town faces.

“Everyone is cognizant of keeping things down and not cutting our throats in the process,” said de Vasto. “Some think we can spend more, some think we can spend less. We try to find a happy medium.”

A large portion of the crowd at the public hearing were members of the Fire Department, as five of the warrant articles to be voted on at Town Meeting involve fire and rescue.

The Fire Department is proposing the purchase of a pumper truck, which will have no tax impact as the money will be taken from a capital reserve fund, if the article is approved.

In addition, voters will be asked to put $160,000 in the fire truck capital reserve fund and purchase a new fire truck to replace one that has been in use since 1984.

The purchase of self-contained breathing apparatuses will depend on whether the article is approved because the latter asks voters to put $60,000 into a capital reserve fund used for rescue equipment.

In addition to the self-contained breathing equipment that would be purchased if approved, residents will be asked to allow the Police Department to purchase a $32,000 special utility vehicle, using the remainder of the rescue equipment fund.

“I think it’s very important for voters to support these articles. It’s for their protection. We’ve maintained the equipment for years now, and it’s simply time for new equipment,” said Bow Fire Chief Dana Abbott.

Other than the operating budget, the item with the biggest tax impact will be $365,000 for road paving, an item that will mean a 31 cent tax increase per $1,000 assessed property valuation.

If approved, the proposed operating budget would have a $3.99 increase on the town rate per $1,000 assessed property valuation. That means the owner of a $300,000 home would see an increase of about $1,197 over last year.

If the 10 warrant articles with tax impact are approved, that same owner would pay an additional $1,467 in taxes. De Vasto said after seeing the action at last year’s meeting, he hopes to see a larger crowd at the May 14 Town Meeting.

“I’m only hoping that based on last year’s activities, more voters will come and express their opinions on things,” he said. “There’s a philosophy of a large number of people who feel there should be no increase at all. Using that as a yard stick to measure, most of these things will be controversial to some people.”

Source: Bow Times