Imagine Greater Tucson 2010-11 Phase I Community Conversation and Survey Statements Related to School curricula that foster and develop skilled and well-rounded citizens and future workers

1	Advanced math, science, middle and high school
2	All schools in Tucson need to provide reading programs
3	All the new programs we receive in different schools, would be nice if all schools were focussed on the same thing. All schools got the same training etc. It can be frustrating for staff and parents to buy into.
4	Availability of better curriculum for our children's schools
5	Better ethnic diversity education
6	Better public education: bilingual - intercultural
7	Better schools, smaller classes, arts and music in the schools, p.e. for all schoolkids, recess, etc.
8	Bi-lingual education (i.e. Davis Elementary)
9	Billingual schools
10	Class size are way too big. Schools are not producing and 'children' are being left behind - due to class sizes. Get back to the basics kids are leaving schools without the ability to read, write and perform simple math.
11	Consistancy w/ in schools in the district, on curriculum.
12	Creativity and innovation results in kids who take education to the next level - good careers, think outside the box
13	Curriculum doesn't challenge students to think and learn for themselves
14	Diversify how we teach so more students are included
15	Education - especially money management in schools
16	Education - i.e. no art or music etc.
17	Education now equals teaching to the test when we need to develop connecting ideas and critical thinking skills in our students
18	Education options for non-english speakers.
19	Educational curriculum needs to match skills for 21st century
20	English is our national language. However, many other countries in the world require Englsih as a second language, which I believe gives their citizens an edge over the US in well-roundedness. Being so close to the Mexican border makes learning Spanish important.
21	Ethnic prejudice - ethnic studies ban and border relations influence
22	Everyone should feel safe and welcome, and recent laws, (Prop 107, ethnic studies ban) are making this difficult
23	Excelling students are often not challenged
24	Focus on training in public schools
25	Good option to ASU - more liberal arts options
26	Hispanic Cultural Studies banned
27	I am an educator and have a great interest in the education issues that are taking place here such as Ethnic Studies. TUSD needs to be held accountable and perhaps when their funding is cut due to their own actions, they will have to make decisions based on what parents and the community expect instead of a political agenda for La Raza. Education in the Tucson area leaves much to be desired.
28	I am not happy with the public education standards and lack of budgetary support from legislators.
29	I have a child in elementary school. My wish is that we would better prepare children for: - completing globally for jobs and innovation - practical life skills (decision-making, managing a household, etc.)
30	I love the language diversity, which comes with an enriching culture diversity. Our children learn to be biliterate and bilingual at Davis. A true Icon, funded in 1901!!Tucson's Mexican border is an gift!!! Tucson can embrace it!
31	I teach in a public high school and students with severe disabilities need programs to transition to from high school
32	I think that culture that makes it acceptable not to learn math and science is starting to trickle to all levels of society. companies find that they cannot find qualified workers, and there is no point of moving to Arizona if the business needs highly skilled people. Our elected officials do not see the long term effect of dumbing down our educational system.
33	I wish there was a way to prevent the radical right at the state level from dictating a narrow curriculum from phoenix.
34	I would like to see the city work with schools to educate students about city politics. I would like to see more involvement and promotion of youth/neighborhood advisory groups that report to the council with recommendations. I would like to see more businesses get involved with and support our local schools.
35	If you have an educated population I think everything else takes care of itself. A trade education should be the least we expect from our kids. Setting the bar at graduating from High school is not enough.
36	Improved learning and diverse skills for our youth in a global society
37	Internships for HS students
38	It all starts with education. People need to be taught civics in school, people don't know how things work and they then vote out of ignorance
39	It is bilingual and I have a lot of opportunities because of this
40	It is important because speaking different langauges helps a lot
41	It is important to be aware of all histories/ideas/cultures; not just the one you are in
42	Lack of understanding of where kids are coming from (tech savvy advanced and kids from non-English speaking backgrounds)
43	Liberal Arts as well as technology are important, because what's the point in having new technology if we don't have the soul to appreciate it with (Liberal Arts education can provide that soul)
44	Losing subjects like cultural studies and topics like evolution - too politicized
45	Low-skilled people have fewer job opportunities and quality of life - need to improve skill training in the schools
46	Many of our children never learn why we have laws, and the consequences of breaking the law.
47	Math, reading etc. are vitally important, but so is taking care of the one body we have. Every district should have to teach Health -- doing so keeps students healthier which ultimately contributes productive members to society and lowers health care costs.
48	More bilingual schools
49	More programs for students with disabilities after they graduate high school
50	More tolerance of our neighbors to the south, in particular abolishment of SB1070 and support of continued ethnic studies in our schools
51	Music, Dance, & Sports has been the means cultures and societies grew, learned form each other and others learned about another culture & society all through History> Civility!!!
52	My grandson is 8 and many programs/activities at his school have been cut.
53	My sister went to high school here, it was way too easy. College is a lot harder by comparison.
54	Need more youth voice in curriculum
55	Need multi-lingual education for a global citizenry
56	Need to bring back shop/art/music/gym/home economics (a well-rounded education) in schools
57	Need to improve our children's civic awareness
58	Our future needs to focus on training our youth in technology
59	Our local schools aren't offering music, team sports, the arts - and companies are seeing this and it is impacting their decision as to whether or not they will locate here
60	Our rich cultural heritage is more latin than English and we should acknowledge that. I think the the most recent building to reflect and embrace that heritage is the new Fire Station near the TCC. I hat eto bring up Latin Studies, but if Latin topics aren't talked about in school, they won't be implemented.
61	Physical education makes people learn better and be well-rounded
62	Promote ethnic studies, math and science
63	Protection of ethnic studies courses in TUSD
64	Puts the arts, music, and gym back in school
65	Refocus on methods for public education (curriculum and standards)
66	SB 1070 is terrible, the attack on TUSD ethnic studies pg is horrible
67	Schools having health education in them
68	So that the children can speak spanish in school
69	Spanish as a required second language in our schools.
70	Stop trying to indoctrinate children in the the liberal agenda, and actually teach them something which will help them drive the future economy. The free economy, not the Socialist/Communist one. Teach them Reading, Writing, Math, (true) Science and CRITICAL thinking... where they are presented opposing sides of an arguement, not just one.
71	Students that take this class are more likely to go to college.
72	Support financially our schools and teachers and promote education, physical education, and fine arts.
73	Support for the ARTs & Sports in schools
74	Teach the children something useful!! Again, I vote for education almost every time and yet the lack of basic knowledge and literacy skills is horrible. I can't help but feel I am throwing good money after bad. Our future is very much in doubt.
75	The ban of TUSD ethnic studies
76	The legal system should be phased into schools
77	The majority of language in the schools
78	The quaiity of education in Tucson must be outstanding and not mediocre. It also has to be balanced and broad. To atract talent we need to offer good education. I am very dissapointd with budget cuts in education. Discontinuing art and or physical education is a shame.
79	The schools are dismal. Teachers are poorly paid, not enough resources are invested and standards are too low. The norm should be what they are teaching in the G.A.T.E. program. The other children are being shortchanged. Arts, music and PE need to be daily activities.
80	The state MUST make public education a priority and give necessary funding to our schools! It is essential that the curriculum teaches students to challenge themselves and aspire to higher ambitions, instead of continually teaching to the 'weakest links' in the classroom in order to pass the AIMS test. Arizona will crash and burn if our youth isn't prepared to assume responsibility for Arizona's future.
81	There is no longer recess because schools can't afford to pay recess attendants
82	There's little financial support locally for the arts, with all of the cuts to TPAC. Arts education makes kids smarter and better students, yet it's getting harder for me to provide my arts education programs because of funding cuts. This is a huge quality of life issue that won't hit the radar of the general public until it's too late-- until the money has completely dried up, and people like me have moved away.
83	They are the future of Tucson
84	This was a State mandate, not a City mandate, but I wish we could change it. It really bothers me. I need to read more about it to understand, but denying students the opportunity to learn about a particular race/culture seems discriminatory, not to mention being a waste of legislative energy. Can we change it?
85	Tucson has too many poor quality schools for our children. It is not uncommon for students to be unprepared for post-high school education. We refused to send our son to a public elementary, middle or high school. However, to ask more of teachers that are already doing more than their share without the financial support is unfair.
86	Tucson is a beautiful community but the State of Arizona is trying to smother the things that make it unique such as the Latin American studies programs at Tucson High. We need to maintain our uniqueness and break off into Baja Arizona.
87	Want to get rid of cultural studies - tea partiers
88	We are failing our children by not providing quality K-12 education. Today's children should have the same rich educational experience that most of us had as youngsters.
89	We need BETTER education. Teach our kids work ethics. As a business owner, employees are the biggest nightmare.
90	We need an education system that values different abilities - dropping shop, PE, and other manual arts classes has failed many students
91	We need more arts in the schools (we do have one of the best H.S. jazz bands in the country)
92	We need more diversity in the classroom (with students, curriculum, and language). We are cheating our students out of a basic right.
93	We need to develop more holistic curriculum that teaches kindness, empathy as well more traditional subjects
94	We should attract retired scientists to come to Tucson to work with local kids as teachers and mentors
95	We should have programs that incorporate school children into our groups and society
96	We use technology in place of social interaction - person-to-person interaction
97	We want specials, electives and other activites
98	Young people are our future and we need to educate them better so that they learn how to evaluate, analyse, and solve community, national, and world problems.
99	Youth don't how to communicate professionally (limits their opportunities)