Monday, April 27, 2009

Road Work=Don't Go Out

If you're worried about the swine flu and not going out today -- you've made the correct choice. We had a doctor's appointment and then had to get our recently repaired American vehicle back to the shop and encountered construction at almost every turn.
If you're heading out be aware road crews are working at:
Mountain Road by Mountain Christian is one lane for resurfacing. Back ups in all directions. (but hey Excursion driver, did you really need to pass us illegally, slam on your brakes and then make a U-turn to avoid the delay?)
152/Belair Road Intersection utility work, right lane blocked.
Route 1 further north, one lane (not sure why)
Route 24 by 95 interchange is a mess for that exit construction. There were various hazards here, including an accident when we drove by.
Little further up the road, utlity work on Rte. 7

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

What's the Agenda?

We are proud supporters of Abingdon Elementary PTA here at TAA. The PTA sponsors lots of activities for students and supports teachers and classes throughout the year. Fundraising is more difficult than it has been in previous years because of the struggling economy. But the PTA has our full support because it all goes back to our children's school.
Imagine our surprise yesterday when we received a fundraising packet for a Laps for Learning program from the Greater Edgewood Education Foundation. This had my student's name on it, grade, and looked "official." In fact, it caused quite a bit of confusion from parents who thought it was a PTA fundraiser, as the PTA is going to have its own Laps for Learning in the fall.
There are two problems with this in our opinion. One is that this rather vague organization is asking for money through the school, even though it is not directly affiliated through the school but rather "Edgewood feeder schools."
The bigger issue is that the president of the organization is an on-the-record opponent of the elected school board. Everyone is allowed to have political views, obviously. The problem that we have is that she spoke against this issue identifying herself as the president of the GEEF, not as a mother of an HCPS student, concerned citizen, etc. She used her title in the organization, which, follow us, makes it a lobbying organization. Not to mention that the chairman of the group is Mark Wolkow, who has been working overtime against an elected school board.
So why are our children asked to raise money for a lobbying organization?
I know at some schools PTAs are lobbying organizations, and that the PTA on a national level definitely is. But Abingdon's PTA focuses on the needs of the children/teachers, not a political agenda. Which is why it irks us here at TAA that some of the tight fundraising dollars will be siphoned to this organization.