I Don’t know how many of you had to deal with this on Saturday or Sunday but what a chaotic mess. Thousands of kids and parents having NO IDEA where to go or what to do.
For those that may not know our kids in Brooklyn have to jump through all kinds of hoops to get into a decent public high school. There is an exam for “specialzed” public schools. Brooklyn Tech, Stuyvesant, etc.
In addition to that the kids have to select their first choice, second etc. Then hope they can get into a school that they like and might better fit their needs and wants. Let’s face it isn’t that one reason we pay taxes? So we may be better served? Or that is the way it is supposed to be at least.
Yesterday, we arrived for the test and it was mobbed. Traffic was snarled on Dekalb (funny enough no one was there to direct traffic). I guess writing more tickets and filling up the cash cow of the Traffic Dept. was more important yesterday. Brooklyn Tech is a big building with several entrances. Funny enough no one bothered to even post one single sign informing kids/parents where to go. There was one doorway mobbed with people and no one seemed to know what was going on there. Most didn’t know where to go to take the afternoon test. (there had also been a morning test too)I asked a few people and they had no idea either. Was there any info on the web site to clearly spell out what to do when we go there? Nope. They do tell you to help the kids keep their stress low for the big test but I ask you how that is supposed to happen when you arrive at the “test center” and are greeted by an unorganized, chaotic mess. I even said out loud “I could organize this better than this” and one of the “personel” heard me. She said “who said that”? I said “I did.” She said “You want to go around and do it?” I said “Yes. Who is in charge of this fiasco?” She said all people had top do was come around to the other side (as we had finally done) to enter. I told her there was absolutely no way for anyone to know that. Picture someone coming here for the first time. How are they supposed to know where to go or what to do? There is no information OF ANY KIND, ANYWHERE. She said she had been doing it for 30 years and that seemed to be good enough. SIGH.
Ok so if people are treated that way. As if they aren’t important and their tax dollars “at work” appear to be carelessly spent is that acceptable? Is the city or the school system at all interested in marketing any kind of positive image at all for themselves? Based on yesterday they certainly aren’t. Why should I care when they seem like they are doing me some kind of favor? What a joke. If yesterday were a business I would never shop there again and tell every I knew to stay away. Trouble is it is public school and it is the only game in town unless you want to pay a premium for private school.
How after 30 years (especially now with the huge growth in Brooklyn) do they carry on an event like this business as usual? If Amazon tried that they would be out of business. Instead they try very hard to get the customer what they want. They might even ask how the customers shopping experience was and then…get this. Actually implement something out of the information they receive! Wow! What a concept NYC public school system.
Please don’t give me the excuse about budget cuts either. All it takes is some planning and forethought. Jeez. Learn from the previous years and improve it. Is that really so difficult? Talk about building a crummy image for yourself…well there it is right there.
Trying not to belabor the point too much (I guess I am though) but I was in a Whole Foods in California back in July and what a great experience. Very helpful staff, friendly, clean, extremely organized and when we couldn’t find something it didn’t feel like they were doing me a favor or something.
I guess government organizations don’t have to run themselves like this because they are the only game in town. Too bad because the rest of the world is catching up with us and if the rest of government is organized this poorly we will eventually crumble like Rome, Britain, and other so called leaders of the world did.
Anyway, if anyone out there knows who is in charge of that mess yesterday please feel free to send it on to me.
Thanks,
Robert
Specialized high school test at Brooklyn Tech
I Don’t know how many of you had to deal with this on Saturday or Sunday but what a chaotic mess. Thousands of kids and parents having NO IDEA where to go or what to do.
For those that may not know our kids in Brooklyn have to jump through all kinds of hoops to get into a decent public high school. There is an exam for “specialzed” public schools. Brooklyn Tech, Stuyvesant, etc.
In addition to that the kids have to select their first choice, second etc. Then hope they can get into a school that they like and might better fit their needs and wants. Let’s face it isn’t that one reason we pay taxes? So we may be better served? Or that is the way it is supposed to be at least.
Yesterday, we arrived for the test and it was mobbed. Traffic was snarled on Dekalb (funny enough no one was there to direct traffic). I guess writing more tickets and filling up the cash cow of the Traffic Dept. was more important yesterday. Brooklyn Tech is a big building with several entrances. Funny enough no one bothered to even post one single sign informing kids/parents where to go. There was one doorway mobbed with people and no one seemed to know what was going on there. Most didn’t know where to go to take the afternoon test. (there had also been a morning test too)I asked a few people and they had no idea either. Was there any info on the web site to clearly spell out what to do when we go there? Nope. They do tell you to help the kids keep their stress low for the big test but I ask you how that is supposed to happen when you arrive at the “test center” and are greeted by an unorganized, chaotic mess. I even said out loud “I could organize this better than this” and one of the “personel” heard me. She said “who said that”? I said “I did.” She said “You want to go around and do it?” I said “Yes. Who is in charge of this fiasco?” She said all people had top do was come around to the other side (as we had finally done) to enter. I told her there was absolutely no way for anyone to know that. Picture someone coming here for the first time. How are they supposed to know where to go or what to do? There is no information OF ANY KIND, ANYWHERE. She said she had been doing it for 30 years and that seemed to be good enough. SIGH.
Ok so if people are treated that way. As if they aren’t important and their tax dollars “at work” appear to be carelessly spent is that acceptable? Is the city or the school system at all interested in marketing any kind of positive image at all for themselves? Based on yesterday they certainly aren’t. Why should I care when they seem like they are doing me some kind of favor? What a joke. If yesterday were a business I would never shop there again and tell every I knew to stay away. Trouble is it is public school and it is the only game in town unless you want to pay a premium for private school.
How after 30 years (especially now with the huge growth in Brooklyn) do they carry on an event like this business as usual? If Amazon tried that they would be out of business. Instead they try very hard to get the customer what they want. They might even ask how the customers shopping experience was and then…get this. Actually implement something out of the information they receive! Wow! What a concept NYC public school system.
Please don’t give me the excuse about budget cuts either. All it takes is some planning and forethought. Jeez. Learn from the previous years and improve it. Is that really so difficult? Talk about building a crummy image for yourself…well there it is right there.
Trying not to belabor the point too much (I guess I am though) but I was in a Whole Foods in California back in July and what a great experience. Very helpful staff, friendly, clean, extremely organized and when we couldn’t find something it didn’t feel like they were doing me a favor or something.
I guess government organizations don’t have to run themselves like this because they are the only game in town. Too bad because the rest of the world is catching up with us and if the rest of government is organized this poorly we will eventually crumble like Rome, Britain, and other so called leaders of the world did.
Anyway, if anyone out there knows who is in charge of that mess yesterday please feel free to send it on to me.
Thanks,
Robert