"In response to the Menlo Park City School District's budget problems, the mini-course week, which had previously been offered to all of Hillview students, this year was available only to eighth-graders. About 100 of the 300 eighth-graders spent the week in Washington, D.C., with five faculty members while the remaining 200 chose their favorite mini-course."

How does this affect the budget? Numbers, please.

Can you EVER stop, Hickey? Why is everything a matter of dollars and cents for you? Why can't you ever acknowledge the value of these programs for what they are?

Barbara, you left out some important information.

Who gets credit for sponsoring the one week trip for 100 students and 5 faculty members?

"Who gets credit for keeping you off of these discussion boards, Hickey?"

Wow. Ever heard of the first amendment? Whatever you want to say on these boards is ok, but when someone posts things you disagree with he should "go away"? How about attacking the message instead of the messenger. There are quite a few things I disagree with Jack about, but I swore an oath to defend his right to say them, so did many, many, many others. Many of them gave their lives so ALL of us could post our opinions.

Next time you want someone to just go away, attack their argument if you can.

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The First Amendment prohibits the GOVERNMENT from restricting the free expression of speech of citizens (and non-citizens). There is nothing that keeps a private entity such as The Almanac from keeping certain people from posting and commenting here. The same First Amendment rights also allow people to freely criticize people's speech.

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Yet more:

Nice deflection. As I said, " Whatever you want to say on these boards is ok, but when someone posts things you disagree with he should "go away"? How about attacking the message instead of the messenger. Next time you want someone to just go away, attack their argument if you can."

Barbara, who paid for the D.C. trip?