Valley High School

"in a school idealized by many, it is unfortunate the inner-workings are as rotten and debilitated as they are. valley high school is run by a totalitarian regime. sadly though, this isn't the principal or her assistants, rather the school board. they control everything. it is especially upsetting, considering how disconnected they are from "those they serve". the assistant principals and teachers who actually interact and have real relationships with the students are thoroughly powerless to do anything, mostly i imagine, in fear of a swift termination. i left valley two years ago and since my departure, the school has only continued to deteriorate into a blundering bureaucracy with little hope or desire for change. and why would they. understand the teachers are very good, arguably the best around. students will be better educated than peers from other surrounding schools, undoubtedly. understand however, students will not like attending. not because of [sarcastically] "rules" or "expectations". but instead, rather the illusions and behavior of those in charge. students are treated and seen as insignificant specks and little numbers. hardly real people. their policing actions are questionable and fully abused. students are under constant video surveillance and many are unaware of this. i do, because in late 2007, i ran into Vicky Poole, the principal, giving a tour to contractors, surveying the best to places to place cameras without students knowing. additionally, did you know student's or their parent's locked vehicles can be searched entirely without any consent or knowledge? Both by the police and school officials on nothing more than a simple whim. students know when this happens because every student is detained in their current location and the school is placed on "Lock Down", staff members included. no one is allowed entrance or to leave until the titled "drill" is over. although the united states supreme court says otherwise, i feel this is a very severe infraction into privacy and personal property. the school board has little respect for their student's belongings and feel almost obligated to overstep their bound. furthermore, what little personal freedoms are available to individuals, like what clothes to wear or music to listen to, are also limited. each year, more and more of these personal choices are either being regulated or eliminated entirely. if you are a parent looking to enroll your son or daughter at this school, in this district, at this time, know it is without question, a system run by a nefarious, dishonest, and an authoritative government. and make no mistake- parents are not excluded from this treatment either. regrettably, all this at the expense of a quite remarkable and envious education. if you are a member of the school board or somebody close and are reading this, i am without hesitation, calling you out. you are a fake, a fraud, a liar, and a cheat. you epitomize everything that is wrong with governance and wealth. your policies and agendas are despicable and your attitude to improvement is nonexistent. i am embarrassed and ashamed to be a graduate from your institution. rest assured, if i ever live in your district again, i will bring change, publicly, and i will create a broad awareness. you are not good at what you do, but you don't really care. and that is precisely the problem. Tommy Knoff Graduate 2008 thomas-knoff@uiowa.edu"

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"ITS AWESOME!"

"in a school idealized by many, it is unfortunate the inner-workings are as rotten and debilitated as they are. valley high school is run by a totalitarian regime. sadly though, this isn't the principal or her assistants, rather the school board. they control everything. it is especially upsetting, considering how disconnected they are from "those they serve". the assistant principals and teachers who actually interact and have real relationships with the students are thoroughly powerless to do anything, mostly i imagine, in fear of a swift termination. i left valley two years ago and since my departure, the school has only continued to deteriorate into a blundering bureaucracy with little hope or desire for change. and why would they. understand the teachers are very good, arguably the best around. students will be better educated than peers from other surrounding schools, undoubtedly. understand however, students will not like attending. not because of [sarcastically] "rules" or "expectations". but instead, rather the illusions and behavior of those in charge. students are treated and seen as insignificant specks and little numbers. hardly real people. their policing actions are questionable and fully abused. students are under constant video surveillance and many are unaware of this. i do, because in late 2007, i ran into Vicky Poole, the principal, giving a tour to contractors, surveying the best to places to place cameras without students knowing. additionally, did you know student's or their parent's locked vehicles can be searched entirely without any consent or knowledge? Both by the police and school officials on nothing more than a simple whim. students know when this happens because every student is detained in their current location and the school is placed on "Lock Down", staff members included. no one is allowed entrance or to leave until the titled "drill" is over. although the united states supreme court says otherwise, i feel this is a very severe infraction into privacy and personal property. the school board has little respect for their student's belongings and feel almost obligated to overstep their bound. furthermore, what little personal freedoms are available to individuals, like what clothes to wear or music to listen to, are also limited. each year, more and more of these personal choices are either being regulated or eliminated entirely. if you are a parent looking to enroll your son or daughter at this school, in this district, at this time, know it is without question, a system run by a nefarious, dishonest, and an authoritative government. and make no mistake- parents are not excluded from this treatment either. regrettably, all this at the expense of a quite remarkable and envious education. if you are a member of the school board or somebody close and are reading this, i am without hesitation, calling you out. you are a fake, a fraud, a liar, and a cheat. you epitomize everything that is wrong with governance and wealth. your policies and agendas are despicable and your attitude to improvement is nonexistent. i am embarrassed and ashamed to be a graduate from your institution. rest assured, if i ever live in your district again, i will bring change, publicly, and i will create a broad awareness. you are not good at what you do, but you don't really care. and that is precisely the problem. Tommy Knoff Graduate 2008 thomas-knoff@uiowa.edu"

"ITS AWESOME!"

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