This and That, July 8,2024

 I see that there was another teen murder in the Puget Sound region, this time at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood. A 13-girl who was with friends at the mall was shot as an argument nearby her got out of hand and a gun was fired. From the Times:

(Jayda Woods Johnson) A rising eighth grader at Brier Terrace Middle School in Edmonds, Woods-Johnson was funny, sweet and kind with an infectious smile, a contagious laugh and caring friendship, her friends and family said at the candlelight vigil Sunday. 

Police alleged a 16-year-old boy pulled out a handgun and fired at the group of teenagers. The boy was booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center in Everett, and later released from custody after posting $500,000 bail. 

I am baffled by two things. One, why was this kid not held - without bail - in a juvenile facility until charged?  I am aware his mother brought him into the police station which is great. But it is startling that he was able to post bail and just go home.

But I'd also like to know where he got the gun.  That actually should always be one of the main questions and, if a teen shooter got it from home, then the adults at home get charged. 

 

From ABC affliate in LA: California high schoolers will soon need to take financial literacy class to graduate 

The semester-long course would need to be offered by the 2027-28 school year and a requirement to graduate starting with the 2030-31 class.

During the 2020-2021 school year, EverFi surveyed thousands of high school juniors and seniors nationwide and found surprisingly low levels of financial understanding.

The survey found, in part:

• 27% reported being ready to estimate what their monthly payments might be after college
• 46% felt prepared to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• 32% felt that they could read and understand loan offers and repayment information they received
• 47% of students understood how to read a paycheck and understand what determines net pay.

 

The Seattle Times printed a Washington Post story on kids learning about family finances. 

 

Wade and Alissa Pruett make a point of having constant talks about money with their children — something they started a few years ago by discussing the family budget.

Looking at all these strategies, Alissa Pruett emphasizes that she doesn’t want to introduce stress — it’s about ensuring her children are well-educated.

“Growing up we got an allowance, [but] we didn’t talk a lot about money,” she recalled. “I had no idea how much things cost.”

Like most parents, the Pruetts provide a weekly allowance to both children, with each getting an amount equal to half their age. But instead of doling out cash, they place the money in a checking account, which has the effect of ensuring it’s not spent right away. When the children don’t see the money, “it accumulates,” Alissa Pruett said.

They also let their children earn extra cash by doing chores beyond what is normally expected of them. When their daughter was saving up for something she had her eye on, for example, she h

I do love this idea of talking to your kids about the basics of personal finance. Personally, I would not give them money for doing jobs that are a part of being a family, like emptying the dishwasher. 

When the children were old enough to ask for more expensive gifts and toys — like when Odin requested an Apple Watch — the Pruetts brought out their budget spreadsheet, listing spending in each category. They used it to introduce the concept of opportunity cost — that is, the trade-offs that come with each financial decision.

Another savings trick that their adviser, Chesbrough, recommends is a method he calls “keep the change.” If he gives his children money for a nonessential purchase, he hands over enough to cover the cost but tells them to keep the change. That promptly forces his children to bargain-hunt so that they can pocket whatever savings they can find.

From the Kitsap Sun, a weird story about their superintendent's abrupt departure:

The Bremerton School District board of directors has called a special meeting for Thursday, a national holiday for the Fourth of July, with a brief agenda that includes the potential of placing Superintendent James Crawford on administrative leave and appointing an interim leader for the district.

The school board last week unanimously voted to not extend Crawford's three-year contract for another year, during a special meeting June 26 that was called with just 24 hours notice. The board recessed into executive session that day to "review the performance of a public employee,” deliberating for a half hour before making a decision in a meeting at the district office. After the board's vote, community members in attendance caused a verbal uproar, but the meeting agenda did not include time for public comment and board members did not elaborate on the vote.

The Board had an Executive Session with their legal counsel on July 3rd and announced "a special meeting" for the next day which obviously was a federal holiday. The agenda reflected just 3 items - placing a staffer on administrative leave, possibly appointing an interim and perhaps a public statement on all this. 

Then the Board decided the "special meeting" would be an Executive Session on a holiday after voting to announced the interim and a commotion happened when there was no explanation why or room for public input. 

Weeks before, the Board had previously engaged a law firm to investigate "the conduct of a school district official."

Hmm.

Whatever the superintendent did, it must have been bad for them to move this fast.  However, they owe it to parents, staffer and the voting public to put forth an explanation. 

Makes me wonder how the contract negotiations are doing for SPS' superintendent, Brent Jones.