Monday, August 22, 2011

School board chair defends CMS reforms

I called school board chairman Eric Davis this morning to ask about the two workshops the board has scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday (both at 1 p.m. in Room 527 of the Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St.). The workshops center on the search for a new superintendent -- more particularly, finding the right search firm to lead the hunt for one. Makes for a busy week for the school board, which will also meet Tuesday evening (6 p.m. at the Government Center, Room 267) for one of its regular monthly meetings. It plans to talk then about redistricting, the opening of schools and the board's Strategic Plan 2014, among other issues.

Mention of that last topic prompted Davis to offer a brief but impassioned defense of the educational reforms driving the 2014 plan, the board's roadmap for improving local schools. As much as former Superintendent Peter Gorman was vilified for the dozens of controversial new tests CMS rolled out this spring, the impetus behind those tests came more from the board's 2014 plan than from Gorman. Gorman was carrying out the board's orders. Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh says he'll do the same. Davis said that, as the board begins looking for a new superintendent, he feels it's doubly important for the community to understand the 2014 plan. He said Hattabaugh and other staff members will take time during Tuesday night's meeting to spell out what the plan is, what it does, and the rationale behind it.

Davis called the plan "fundamental" to the selection of a new superintendent. He noted that about five or six years ago, the school board shifted its overarching philosophy of reform from a focus on "managed instruction" (i.e., a regimented system centered on making sure all kids were getting lessons) to "managing performance" and "empowerment" (that is, not just making sure lessons get delivered, but making sure the lessons are delivering results and that the educators delivering the lessons are held accountable). Thus, you get the current drive for dozens of new tests, and the push toward performance pay for teachers. "It's about the end result, whether the child's learning or not," Davis said. "So much of that gets lost in the individual tactics, what it means to me as an employee, or the impact on my child's school." He wants people to look not just at the new tests, but at the 2014 plan overall. He seems to believe if they do, they'll see the validity.

Obviously, critics of CMS' reform program see things differently. They want the board to rethink its direction -- or, more accurately, they want to elect three new board members this November who will force a move away from the test-heavy approach CMS is employing. Davis doesn't sound like a man who's thinking the school board needs to change course. He said: "When there's criticism about the direction we're going in, I think a valid question is, 'What's the alternative?'"

It will be interesting to see how the tensions play out in the upcoming school board race, and in the selection of a new superintendent.

71 comments:

Wiley Coyote said...

It's interesting that the 2014 Plan mentions the lack of accurate data keeping over the years and their plans to improve it.

Yet no mention of the very real fact all data coming from CMS is and will continue to be grossly inaccurate because of the BOE's FAILURE to fully audit the school lunch program and find out why there is a huge discrepancy between FRL numbers and Census Poverty numbers.

Get your head out of the sand Eric.

therestofhtestory said...

I will goone step further. Why use a set of tests to rate a teacher when you can not use the tests to gauge and fail a student. When the test takers, the students, have "no skin in the game", why should they try to do their best on the test. Over the years, many students have been outspoken on doing poorly on the tests to get back at the teachers.

Even Fannie concedes to the fact that rating teachers by students taking a test ia a fallacy because there is so much outside of that environment that determines how successful the student will be.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Davis asks an excellent question: "What's the alternative?" As in, if you don't believe in testing and don't believe in pay for performance, what alternative approach do you propose? Should we continue down the established pay-for-seniority path? Should we be pleased with the results of that method?

People who are critical of the BOE's approach (such as many of the BOE candidates) should be pressed to present their alternatives every time they crticize.

Instead many don't present real alternatives and implicitly endorse the status quo. And the status quo is not working.

Anonymous said...

What kind of teacher is scared kids will fail tests on purpose to get them fired! Sounds like they are doing a great job!

Anonymous said...

COMICAL. Several workshops across the districts today said the very opposite of what Hugh has said. So the vicious cycle of continues. Tell the teachers one thing, in November tell them another and in January tell them something else. Ann this blog provides no additional info that provides any clarity. D

Wiley Coyote said...

Teachers are not the problem.

That's like saying the crappy K-Cars Chrysler put out in the 80's was the fault of line workers.

They were not responsible for design, marketing, secong and third party parts suppliers or sales. The line workers were implementers in the process.

Teachers today are no different, implementing policy from the BOE, Educrat admin, the State and Federal government. They get no say in the raw materials or how to put together the product yet get blamed for the results.

While I agree that teachers need to be evaluated in some format, excessive testing is not the answer.

The vast majority of teachers are good teachers. To totally upset the system and blame them for all of the ills in public education is a travesty and to suggest all of this testing is somehow going to improve learning is pathetic.

There will be so much data generated that there is no way it CMS will be able to slice and dice it.

They can't provide accurate data now.

BolynMcClung said...

To: Anonymous 4:34

You wrote “….COMICAL. Several workshops across the districts today said the very opposite of what Hugh has said. ….”

Any chance you could illustrate two or three examples of the Interim Superintendent's public comments and what was said in the meetings?

Bolyn McClung
NextSuper.com
Pineville

Wiley Coyote said...

Anyone know what the date is of the next Strategic Plan? 2018?

Buehler? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone?

Better start formulating it now Eric.

You're gonna need it.

BolynMcClung said...

If you're going to bring movies into this lets go with the unforgetable Phil Connors. I think that's what you're trying to prevent.

Bolyn McClung
NextSuper.com
Pineville

Wiley Coyote said...

Bolyn,

Very good one.

I probably should have used Spicoli from Fast Times in my comparison to CMS. Totally cluless.

There are many "Mr. Hands" within CMS. The sad fact is, they are not unleashed by the system to prove it.

therestofthestory said...

4:20 PM and to Mr. Davis If you are going to rate teachers on performance, then give them the authority to run their classrooms and let them teach. Before all this mess of the last 25 years or so, teachers were rated by their principals who also took input from other teachers. However, Dr. Gorman proved he and all the new found educrats were afraid to use the process to review and terminate teachers if they needed to. This is just a scapegoat excuse to not do their jobs. Let the responsibility fall on something else, kids taking tests, and no blood will fall on their hands. Earn your 6 figure income or get out is what I say. So many here in CMS hid behind the old federal busing order to shirk their jobs. Now they want to shirk it again and try to hide behind kids taking tests.

Anonymous said...

Davis is a tool...

Anonymous said...

therestofthestory said...
4:20 PM and to Mr. Davis If you are going to rate teachers on performance, then give them the authority to run their classrooms and let them teach.


AMEN to that! Teachers in North Carolina have to be Highly Qualified, and that should give them the ability to make decisions regarding what is in the best interest of their students. Anything less is intentionally setting them up for failure. If they can't be trusted to know what is best for their students then they shouldn't have been hired to begin with.

Pamela Grundy said...

The best way to determine how much teachers are teaching and how much students are learning is careful observation at the school level, including assessments of portfolios of student work: assignments, tests, papers, projects, etc. Standardized tests are not only expensive and extremely time-consuming, they only scrape the surface of what our children need to be learning at school. Opposition to the testing does not come from misunderstanding of the 2014 plan, it comes from strong, well-informed disagreement with the approach the school board is taking, an approach that has many well-documented drawbacks and no record of success.

Larry said...

I will be at the Judy Kidd, Teacher's Group Meeting on Tuesday and I will not be at the Wednesday meeting as I feel they should wait until the new board is seated.

I say this as it will give a lot of people two more days to harp on the the fact somebody is not going to be at the meetings sitting in the gallery acting as if the board knows what it is doing.

Thanks for sending out the notices Borg.

Anonymous said...

He doesn't have a clue. He needs to go!

Anonymous said...

Eric and the Board demonstrated their capacity when they allowed Gorman to do the legislative end run around them - why would we even expect anything to change from the same rhetoric?

Anonymous said...

My school on the southeast side has about 40 students in the classroom and receives about $4,000 per pupil. A school on the southwest side has 21 students and receives about $12,ooo per pupil. How would you like to receive pay for performance in this situation ERIC ??!!??

Anonymous said...

What percentage of CMS's $billion plus budget is spent on standardized tests?

If you think administering and comparing standardized tests is expensive and time consuming, just try comparing portfolios of thousands of students' work including assignments, tests, papers and projects.

Since these portfolio-type assignments are not standardized, how can the results be compared from school to school and classroom to classroom in any meaningful way? They can't. If you tried to compare the results of assignments from classroom to classroom or school to school, people would complain that the comparisons would be unfair. They would be right to do so.

The beauty of standardized tests is that they are in fact standardized.

Anonymous said...

I want to know when we are going to get the results of our summatives!! First we were told June, now no one knows! How are we supposed to use these to drive instruction if we don't even have the results in a timely manner!? Obviously the logistics of scanning over 500,000 summative scantron sheets is way more tedious and time-consuming than originally expected.

Larry said...

Hey watch my videos and responses to the questions to the Swann Fellowhip folks.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=larry+Bumgarner&aq=f

Pamela Grundy said...

To 9:15

The drawback of standardized tests is that by their very nature, they test only a limited range of knowledge. So you can compare schools, but you aren't learning much worth knowing. "If we can't measure what's important, we make important what we can measure." If teachers and administrators devoted the same amount of time to examining actual student work that they did to administering standardized tests, the results would be far more valuable for teachers and students.

Anonymous said...

Why dont you reform Cobitz and Baxters salary until they can provide a legitimate answer to employees questions.Neither of these dufuses are worth the salary of 5 teachers they are taking from the taxpayers.

misswhit said...

Everyone should listen to Swann/Meck ACTS videos of school board candidate interviews, especially questioners and candidates debating topic #6--Busing. Always knew the basic agenda of Swann; now quite obvious that Meck ACTS is very much on the same page. Anyone who has followed school board meetings over the years will recognize the voices of the questioners.

For interviews go to: http://www.swannfellowship.org/
Scroll down to "The Candidates" and click on underlined names. There is a separate candidate video for each topic. So far only two candidate interviews are available but you'll quickly get the idea.

Also of interest is the candidate bio link on the interview pages--click on the link to see candidates' written responses to Swann/Meck ACTS bio questions. Check out which books Swann/Meck ACTS apparently think school board candidates should have read.
What do you think--are they looking forward or backwards?

Pamela Grundy said...

As the questions to the candidates (as well as our website, www.mecklenburgacts.org) make clear, we at Mecklenburg ACTS have been actively engaged in a range of education issues. People such as Sharon Starks, on the other hand, focus obsessively on only one. I don't thing we're the ones looking backwards.

Anonymous said...

Should be "think" -- sorry. It's quite late.

Larry said...

Oh good are they up on the Swann Site now?

I have that Software that lets me know if anything shows up about me on the net and it showed me that I had the videos on YouTube.

So they should have the rest of them up soon. Also the Tuesday Morning thing from the Westside meeting, from two weeks ago is still not showing.

The same guy from Swann does the same video for both them. You know the Meckacts group is also involved with them.

So many groups so many fingers in so many pies, but a billion makes a lot of pies.

Larry said...

Sorry, I should have also said just about anything meck something is involved with them for the voting block.

BolynMcClung said...

HOW TO DEFINE LOOKING BACKWARDS AND WHO IS DOING IT?

The mission of the Swann invitation to the sixteen candidates was to provide information to the public. Swann doesn’t indorse. They did a fair job of masking their bias but shouldn’t be criticized if the questions are close to their hearts. What’s the point of questions that are plain vanilla?

Below is one of their questions that fall under the category of “Ms. Candidate, what do you think of how we feel about something?”

QUESTION:
“An answer of yes or no is appropriate, but we welcome any elaboration after you answer yes or no: Do you believe that CMS can achieve the "sound basic education" mandated by the N.C. Constitution for every student in CMS if the district continues to assign students such that the bulk of children are separated by race or socioeconomic status?”

The point of the question is to find out what are the thoughts on Neighborhood Schools, the school board’s Guiding Principles and an individual’s characteristics. They made the question really testy by offering-up the word “separated” for “assigned”.

The question is clearly asking the candidates to reaffirm Swann v. Board of Education. The Foundation is asking the candidates to declare whether they believe the district is unitary. Are these backwards-looking questions? Yes, a little but mostly no.

Pretty good and very tough question for any At-Large candidate. The answer should be important to the informed voter.

Bolyn McClung
NextSuper.com
Pineville

Wiley Coyote said...

The new Project LIFT Executive Director plainly stated "I grew up just like many of these kids, so I feel morally and professionally obligated to work towards ending the dual system of education based on a child's zip code."

Pam, you have also stated you support busing.

Continued use of code words such as "diversity" and "separate(d)" IS looking backward.

People live where they live. Busing is dead. Period. Get over it, move forward.

Either a child has the capacity to learn sitting in a school that is 100% minority or 99% low income or they don't.

Larry said...

Hey Borg that was the question they asked me three times as I did not answer it the way the wanted me to.

Anonymous said...

Pamela, can you describe how your method of comparing portfolios of student work would be implemented? How would you administer that system and how much would money CMS save by doing this instead of examining standardized tests? Who would examine student essays, projects and assignments accross schools? How would the data from these examinations be aggregated? How would the data be compared when the assignments would be different for each classroom? How would we use the data generated to measure learning and instill greater accountability for various stakeholders?

If you have a real system for measuring student learning and it doesn't involve standardized data, let's get the details on how it would be implemented.

Anonymous said...

I think these postings make a great forum for respectful and constructive discussion so let's not resort to using people's names, Pamela, if they don't prefer to post their comments that way. I would continue to encourage respectful discourse EVEN with those who may disagree with you!

therestofthestory said...

I am puzzled why people still concentrate on busing when around 35% and decreasing is "white". I have been here since 1985 and busing for student assignment tore this community apart, which the politicans loved, every time there was reassignement hearings.

Bottom line, who are you going to bus? Where most of the white students are, there are no seats. They have shown you they will not voluntarily come to the inner city. The exodus continues to grow and now the middle class blacks are the leading group leaving. If the economy were any better, the population of whites would be significantly less than it is now. CMS has proven for many years they are only interested in the "urban" kids and they still cannot crack that nut even spending 2 to 3 times per student.

Bottom line, keep living in the 60's and you will get left further behind.

Wiley Coyote said...

TROTS...

That White number is 32.8% (2010/2011)

American Indian/multiracial 4.6%

Asian 5%

African-American 41.2%

Hispanic 16.4%

White 32.8%

Today, it isn't busing to achieve racial integration, it's to achieve "income integration".

The new mantra is that high concentrations of low income children can't learn. Ask Wendy Kopp, she'll be happy to tell you that. So immediately people like her and others automatically categorize these kids as not being able to learn and handicap them before they get started.

High poverty schools have lower teacher/student ratios, kids get schools supplies for free, lunch for free, sports for free and testing for free. They have quality teachers from strategic staffing which leads to a much higher per pupil spending ratio than other kids.

It's time to call it like it is and if after all those components kids can't or don't learn or get the support from home? That's just too bad.

Stop the bleeding heart mentality and move on.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Anonymous said...

I very much believe that if we are going to judge a school or teacher on student achievement that "achievement" should be based on growth, not an absolute comparison of scores. We have finally gotten to the point where most are now willing to acknowledge that children who come to school deprived (whether that deprivation is social, nutritional, educational, etc.)are going to have a harder time achieving on "grade level". That does not mean they can't achieve, but that they may need some extra academic nurturing before they can reach their potential and test "on grade level". This nurturing in many cases may require years, not just one teacher in one school year.

However, looking back at Equity Committee reports, links to which are available on the Swann webpage, it appears that much of the criticism of CMS within those reports (for instance,the effects of level of experience for teachers at high poverty schools or comparisons of math outcomes based on race) are based on comparisons of standardized test scores of various demographic groups. And these scores are from some of the very tests that are now so reviled by some as not being an accurate tool.

We should by no means be satisfied with the status quo in achievement; however, perhaps the system has provided more growth than graphs and charts can portray, as long as those graphs and charts are merely based on a test score. Have teachers at high poverty schools been unfairly maligned for the past few years because of this?

Anonymous said...

CMS's plans do not call for using absolute test scores to compare teachers or groups of students. Obviously this would be an unfair with such diverse schools and students.

Instead, CMS's plans call for an examination of changes (the delta) in students' scores - or "value-added" - to see what kids are learning in each classroom. The details are still being worked out, but this measurment would be one of several factors to meaure teacher effectiveness. Other proposed measures include teacher observations, survey results, supervisor ratings,etc.

Susan B. Harden said...

Respectfully, Mr. Davis has forgotten that he represents his constituents who have, in large numbers, expressed opposition to the expansion of standardized tests tied to pay for performance. I should know. I was one of his supporters who has been disappointed by his unwillingness to listen and compromise.

Susan B. Harden

Anonymous said...

Susan,

The recent Gates Foundation survey showed that you are in the minority. 74% of those surveyed supported pay for performance at CMS. It may be a silent majority, but it's an overwhelming majority nonetheless.

This support is confirmed by a Harvard Study that was just conducted nationally. The study showed that nationally almost twice as many people support merit pay versus those who oppose it.

http://educationnext.org/the-public-weighs-in-on-school-reform/

The Harvard study also showed that nationally teachers are very against performance pay.

Charlotte is a microcosm of this national sentiment.

Wiley Coyote said...

3:39...

It's all about how you ask the question.

I would answer yes to "Do you support evaluating teacher performance for compensation?"

However, just giving a yes or no answer doesn't come anywhere close to agreeing with any method of evaluation.

I don't support the current approach to use massive testing to evaluate teachers.

Gates and Harvard, two entities that are useless.

csawyer said...

Anon 9:31 AM

The system needed depends upon the goal. If the goal is to assure that students across the district receive comparable education and grades, a sampling program used in the IB program could be used. In this system teachers submit materials ranked as high and low to the IB folks who provide feedback to ensure common standards around the world. In CMS, sample materials could be collected and compared by principals across schools. I don’t think that it would be necessary to do this for every grade level, every year.

I don’t know how much this would cost. We would save the cost of creating and giving standardized test. Also saved would be the weeks of test prep, test taking, and make up tests.

If we’re looking for a teach evaluation system, look at how Montgomery Co., MD http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/education/06oneducation.html?pagewanted=all

Larry said...

A few of those of us who are running just left a Teachers Group meeting that was held earlier this afternoon.

Judy Kidd and Classroom Teachers Association all support a variation of pay for performance just like we see in the commercial venue.

That is why they are headed with some great talent from their group and others to Raleigh very soon to help shape it as a great proposal.

So it should be a great hybrid of peer review and a lot of other innovative things that may have been left out of the original plan which seems to have been less than crafted by all the assets of CMS.

therestofthestory said...

This is a scary article:

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424053111903918104576500531066414112-lMyQjAxMTAxMDEwOTExNDkyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email

Larry said...

Thanks for posting that article.

We are going to need a new mindset from all those in the system. those who benefit from it and those who fund it.

And it is going to take some adjustment from Parents, Teachers, Administrators and Elected Officials, and mainly the Students on just how we teach and learn in this country.

therestofthestory said...

Larry, my concern is this throw-away attitude more and more of our leaders have of teachers. Now honestly, I have not been around union teachers. But I fear some parties are broadbrushing this group and the ones who really know do not want to challenge them due to PC reasons.

Larry said...

As close as we come to Unions is our Teachers Groups, and the only reason we have those is due to the the lack of responsibility of CMS in the way they treat some of their most valuable assets.

Are you aware that Teachers did not have Insurance for a Month even though the the Teachers had paid the premiums due to the fact CMS did not pay for it, (send in the check) not once but two years running? This was told to me by not one, but both Teachers Groups.

So you can see if we have openness and honesty at CMS we would see less of the need for any protection from these groups which have been created.

The fact is our system is just too big and it hurting itself and those to which it is trying to serve. If ever we needed to see change now would be the time to look into it.

therestofthestory said...

Larry, there in has been my push for the next superintendent to be highly focused on efficiency, effectiveness and integrity.

I know the BOE should be setting those "values" and I know the issue in the past has the lack of leadership of those values by most BOE members.

Larry said...

My ideas on the next Super is different.

I don't think we should create the monster and then find someone that can keep it from ravaging the town.

My idea is that we has an excellent opportunity and challenge that any one with drive would love to take on.

They should be will to do homework and come to us with their ideas and tell us what our structure and operation should look like with their vision. We should not inflict our monster on them from the start.

Then we as a board look at the top candidates, not those who we have stolen as the top talent from other systems, but perhaps the supporting and real talent from those other systems.

That has been my success in finding people. Most often you see the real talent is just below the visible head operations. Perhaps we have that here in Charlotte. I invite all of that to come out and we may have some innovative ideas.

But if you want me to decry honesty and the like I can not do that.

Someone is going to be honest or they are not. Telling you they are is not going to change that. We just have to hope we all get back to the basics of trust and honesty.

Anonymous said...

So it looks like busing might be in the works with at least a few of the new people running for school board. Not all the interviews are up yet but this will give you the views of those who do seem to want it.

http://youtu.be/MKNmTfXZ5LU

http://youtu.be/_K6M_9ZQ5Tg

http://youtu.be/VElOSK_JGsY

Check out the rest on the Swann Fellowship Site http://www.swannfellowship.org/

And the rest as they come online.

therestofthestory said...

Larry, the problem with your approach is that what a lot of these "out-ot-town" folks will know will be the rose colored glasses version of the news the Charlotte Observer adn other "lame" street media outlets print. They will not see the huge criminal activity issue, the large number of assaults against teachers and staff that are not punished, the "asylum being run by the inmates" uneducated mamas, etc.

The best we can hope for si for someone to get hold of all the incidents through the FIA and pose this data and questions how the candidates would deal with these issues at the public meetings. You simply have "bad" administrators violating the approved Disciplanary Policy Handbook and sabotaging the authority of the teachers in their classrooms.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 7:20 AM

Take a look at Keith Hurley's website (http://www.keithhurley.com/about-keith-hurley.php) , see what he "strongly supports"--major item is "neighborhood schools".

Then listen to his response to question # 6 from Swann/Meck ACTS Question 6 as printed on their webpage does not mention busing but with each candidate the interviewers quickly make it clear that commitment to push for busing if elected is what they're after. Mr. Hurley obliges them.

Larry said...

I hope none of these above are mine.

Here is my response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yKxREjCBhc



I am 100 percent for Neighborhood Schools with Charter Schools as Competition.

And if we have miscreants bothering our Professionals in our Schools I would be happy to do WHAT EVER IT TAKES to remove or jail them to protect our most valuable assets.

Thanks for bringing up this very serious subject.

Wiley Coyote said...

Is it me or does anyone else see "No Candidates!" at the top of the Your Schools page?

therestofthestory said...

I do not see that WC other than seeing "no candidates" once so many of these have been flip flopping, saying one thing on their web site and then backing down when this sorry excuse for social engineers want to keep manipulating the public education system. The US is rapidly becoming a dependent nation. Once all the American corporations have changed to overseas, the giverment will no longer have anything to tax.

Wiley Coyote said...

...just curious...even refreshed the page three times...it's gone now...

Larry said...

I wonder how they would enforce that no candidates?

I mean I am the only one who seem to post here under my name.

And with the anonymous postings or one could just make up a crazy cartoon name and the like.

So it is silly to think this not a great exchange of ideas. I just wish we had more Candidates on this site, but would we have people denigrating them as well for their valuable ideas, I hope not?

We all should value each other and not try to destroy the valuable insights we all bring to the discussion and fresh air we bring to many lives on this site.

I for one would hate to see anyone voice silenced and the views of just one person or one group the major view. Why that would harken back to a very dark time in our history.

CharlotteObserver said...

As an example one could quickly change their name to just about anything and post to this blog.

That is why I find is so interesting that we take so much to heart from those who post under assumed names and offer nothing but denigration and ill will.

I hope we all understand how I want to help our Children understand how to stay ahead of the curve and not wallow as our country has been doing in the past.

Why if we continue to do so then we are going to end up with too many corporations like the one publishing company I purchased at 1.76 and it was down to 1.61 today. And it has been lower. I had sold it about a year ago at 5 and made some money so I said why not try it again just for the fun of it.

So as an Observer here in Charlotte I just want to thank all of you for supporting the freedom of speech for everyone as I do.

Larry Bumgarner

Wiley Coyote said...

There was no banner AD at the top and in the top left corner where the banner AD would be in Times New Roman type in about 12 font was "No Candidates!".

How it got there, where it went I have no idea.

I know what I saw.

Personally, I could care less how many candidates post here.

Larry said...

Well as long as you are approve I am sure thing will be OK.

They often depend on your insights.

If you see it again, be sure to go to the the top left side and drop down the save page as web page that way you can have it for all us as a graphic. Or better yet just hold down ctl and press print page then go to say notepad and press ctl and then v that will paste the entire page into the page. You can save it as a graphic.

Then you have it for the rest of the world from now on. See the kind of thing we want our kids to be able to do with out even thinking about in the future.

And with this new attitude we may just see a few more candidates be willing to come forward on this site, perhaps?

All the best.

Wiley Coyote said...

Larry,

My opinion carries no more weight than yours.

It's just one opinion.

As the old saying goes, "opinions are like ____, everybody has one."

Larry said...

And sometimes we get more than our fair share from just a few them on this site.

So you of all those would understand how a negative attitude would put a stench on an open discussion that enlightens and allows the movement of free and open ideas.

So it is great to see such movement and growth on your part and to see that you are being more heads up.

Thanks for being so great.

Wiley Coyote said...

Larry,

You might want to clarify as to who "you" refers to and who "the growth" is directed at.

If it is to me, I accept your apology. Otherwise, go look in a mirror.

Thank you for being so condescending...

Larry said...

I am so sorry....

I need to pay you what ever it is you feel I owe you so you will get off my back.

I tried several times to make amends but it seems that you have already made up your mind and all I can do it to apologize that I do not fit into your ideals.

And here I felt you were growing as you said everyone had opinions and body parts etc. and now looking back and rereading it I now am beginning to believe you meant it in a way other than I took it as constructive.

Wiley Coyote said...

Good grief.

"Off your back?"

I've never been on it. If I had been, trust me, you would know it.

All I have said in the past is I disagree with your stance on charter schools and deconsolidation.

YOU are the one running for an at-large seat on the BOE. If you can't handle an opposing view and have such thin skin, then maybe you shouldn't be running.

Furthermore, YOU made the snide comments to me related to a comment I made back to TROTS about what I saw on the blog page. I wasn't even talking to you.

Even after your first condescending comment to me, I said my opinion carried no more weight than yours or anyone else, to which you replied with another snarky comment.

Now, who is on whose back?

Larry said...

Wow. Again I am sorry.

I did well in business and want to show our Kids how to handle people who are a challenge, that is why I can assure you have thicker skin than a set of two thousand dollar luggage.

But I also can read people and if you feel I have not handled your concerns I want you to know that I am open to hearing what it is you are saying. I know you are very intelligent and have many great ideas. Anyone on this site would value your ideas and we look forward to seeing more of them.

So again I ask for your understanding as try to continue on. I am not asking anything from you and hope you do not impede my desire to help our Children all over Charlotte.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

garinger hs is a total mess,no visitor sign,no direction,security well what security,too many teachers in rooms together,the students are running the school,too many new teachers.this school is set to fail again and again.they need help real bad and i do mean real bad.

Anonymous said...

WHAT EVER HAPPEN TO THE DEPT OF EDUCATION dealing with WADDELL HIGH SCHOOL.WE SEE WHAT HAPPEN CLOSE THEM DOWN AND MAKE HARDING A TITLE ONE SCHOOL.

GARINGER IS STILL A HOT HOT MESS.A NEW DUMPING GROUND FOR LOW ACHIEVERS WITH A LOT OF NEW HIRE TEACHERS.YOU HAVE SET THEM UP TO FAIL AGAIN...DONT' SEND YOUR CHILD THERE. PLEASE...... TAXPAYER

Larry said...

What have you see at Garinger?

Give specifics and perhaps even call or email Eric or Ann and tell them so they can help.

Unless we bring out the ideas and suggestions we have nothing will change.

Anonymous said...

Don't know if anyone is watching this blog anymore, but for anyone who is--check out Mary McCray interview with Swann/Meck ACTS: http://www.swannfellowship.org/Archive/2011/110831McCray.htm

Her attitude is extremely divisive and seems to be encouraged by the interviewers (particularly in question 6 and question 9). There is no way this woman should serve as an at large rep. She even states that her "allies" (a term Swann has come up with--that's helpful, isn't it) will be district 2,3,and 4 reps.

Of course Ms. McCray spins a different story on her fact sheet for MeckEd (http://www.mecked.org/index.php/education/mary-t-mccray/).


No question that Swann/Meck ACTS are looking for in a candidate. And no question that several candidates are eager to tell them what they want to hear.

Wiley Coyote said...

Anon..

Your first link was truncated...

Anonymous said...

Try http://www.swannfellowship.org/

Scroll down to "The Candidates" and click on any of the underlined names. Unlined candidates' videos aren't up yet.

For whatever candidate you choose you will see a series of videos, one for each question. Question 6 is the one in which I hear the most coaching from the interviewers--they are very determined to get a commitment from candidates to revisit assignment issues. And as I said, more than one candidate seems willing to oblige them, despite saying something else on the Meck Ed information board or on their own websites. Question 9 about "allies" is often interesting as well.