The folks who served on Superintendent Heath Morrison's 21 advisory task forces over the last few months will gather at West Charlotte High this afternoon to celebrate the end of their work and offer brief highlights of their recommendations. The full reports will be posted on the CMS task force web site on Wednesday, says Deputy Superintendent Ann Clark.
 |
| Clark |
Today's get-together is mostly to thank the 300-plus citizens and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools employees who delved into such topics as early childhood, technology, gifted students, magnets and choice, public trust, parent engagement and cultural competence. After the release, Clark said, CMS will sort all the recommendations into action categories, from those that can and should be put in place right away to those that require more money, more study or changes in policy/legislation. The suggestions will shape discussions as Morrison and the board revise the district's strategic plan in coming weeks.
Most of the task forces have wrapped up their work, though some may continue to meet occasionally. But one is just gearing up, and it's a hot topic: Compensation. When Morrison launched his list of 22 task forces in November, there was already a group of educators working on a "strategic compensation" plan for teachers tied to a state request with a March 1 deadline. That group didn't include outsiders and was never listed among the task forces whose meetings were open to the public. Instead, Clark said, a new task force has been formed with a broader goal of looking at compensation for all 18,000-plus employees, not just teachers. Members of the previous panel have been invited to join. Clark said the new group's roster and meetings will be posted in the next few days. Anyone may attend, including interested CMS employees who aren't on the panel, she said.
Posts
89 comments:
Was there a task force on school start times?
Let the hunger games begin! Again!
We just moved here from NY. My daughter is going to a middle school that starts at 9:15am, then next year goes to a high school nearby that starts at 7:15. What's up with these start times down here? Doesn't make much sense for the students.
The one task force they forgot to convene: The Reality Task Force.
Yes - what about start times? My 2 elementary students go to school from 9:15 until 4:15. By the time they get home on the bus, through traffic, it is after 5:00, sometimes closer to 6:00. For a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old, this is absurd. Who is studying this issue?
Nobody at CMS cares about school start times or your child's issues. This is why you need to support vouchers in the state of NC. CMS is CMS and unless you're the NAACP and march on downtown are things going to change. CMS does not have the leadership with the courage to make change certainly not little Reno man. Will the next leadership team? Folks lets face it CMS is a failed business and the only way to fix it is to shut it down and make changes that are needed. You have to start with the failing mngmt and board. Top down and not be afraid to make changes.
http://www.startschoollater.net/
Join the national grassroots effort to inform school districts of the scientifically proven studies that show the physical, emotional and academic benefits of later high school start times.
Too sad. Everyone only thinks about themselves. School start times vary so they can double up on buses and save money. Others complaining how everything is broke and this administration isn't working blah, blah, blah. I get tired of hearing it. What have you done? Have you volunteered at your school? Are you an active member of the PTA? Does your child have healthy study habits? I volunteer at my childs school, but find that 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Those that do help and are active in their childs education aren't complaining because the system does work for us.
Smoke and mirrors. Nothing is going to stop the full de jure implementation of a two tier educational system in NC. It is law now. Those with the power will be able to send their kids to schools that will prepare them for a top tier university, the majority will receive an education which prepares them for roles in the working poor service sector. What will result is a "pay as you go" system in which those with the $$$ will receive carte blanche. Just as FL's Education Commissioner Tony Bennett just resigned over allegations that he changed the school report card grade of an Indiana Charter School which contributed $$$ to his campaign while he was in Indiana, the "facts" presented by the entire scope of public, private, and for-profit NC school bureaucracies exhibit the same total absence of integrity. All politicians should get the hell out of education- period.
Annonymous @ 8:34-I agree with you to some point. I work so I cannot be active with the PTA and their 9am meetings. I've asked why are they not at night and was told there isn't an interest. Complete lies-about 5 years about our suburban school held meetings at night and they were so packed you had to attend via your child's classroom. Right now our PTA is just filled with those who do not want anyone else there. I've asked for meeting minutes and if they can tell us what all the funds raised are used for. No answer. Nice. Our PTA is all smoke and mirrors. I do not donate to them;rather I give directly to my child's teacher and suggest others do the same.
Task results=who cares! Nothing will change unless they decide to take more away from the suburbs. Ha!
To 8:34 I have been PTA president at my child's elem school for 2 years and actively volunteer in the classroom 3 days a week working with literacy groups and tutoring. I have concerns about decisions CMS is making BECAUSE I am involved at the school and see what is REALLY happening (like many other parents making comment here I suppose). Glad to hear the system is working for you but it is not for others and their children. Thankfully we are all allowed to voice our opinions on this site.
advice for the CMS Technology Task Force - computers and Personal technology devices inhibit creative thinking, movement, human interaction and attention spans. The idea that an app on an iPad can better teach my kids to read or do arithmetic is ridiculous.
The best "device" is a good teacher.
The staggered start times are because of the size of the system and the money it takes to transport so many kids. They combined even more routes during the budget cuts. When you combine that with the extra time they added to the elementary schedule, that makes for a very long day. I only have one child left in the system and she is in high school, but I sympathize with the parents of the younger kids. It really leaves no time for music lessons, athletics, etc. without a really pressed schedule. And for many, it requires before school care which is sometimes difficult and can make for a rough start to the day if it's not well run.
I know that there are many high school buses that run that are almost empty because so many kids drive to school. I wonder if they could combine some of those routes and/or use cluster stops (those kids could walk a little) to free up some more buses for the younger students. Mostly it is a cost issue, though.
Send a message to the County and State in November by voting NO! on the CMS BONDS and also vote against any candidate who supports them.
THey are asking teachers to "make do" with what they have, CMS can do the same.
We don't need to re-open already closed schools nor build new ones.
Elementary school hours--for teachers, teachers are scheduled 40 hrs a week...this doesn't include staff meeting days or grade-level planning days (both of which require more hours after school)...nor does it include the hours we have to spend attending PTA nights...why is CMS allowed to make more than 40hrs/week mandatory??
Anon 8:34...
I am active in my child's education, so do not worry so much about the schools because I know they are catering to the lowest common denominator.
Still, it would be nice to see the schools (or, actually, parents) step up and take some responsibility for their kid's education.
Everyone would benefit.
If you research the length of elementary school days around the country, you won't find others that require as long as CMS does. Look at the length of a school day in Reno...less than 6hrs!
Research around the country also notes that most high schools start between 8-9am.
6:24, there was a "study group" of parents and CMS staff who studied bell schedules and length of the elementary day. But because it was initiated by the parents and not part of the superintendent's entry plan, it wasn't considered an official task force -- no public meetings, won't be part of this report-out. Some folks from Council of the Great City Schools were in town last week to do a report on bell schedules and transportation; still trying to find out more about when we can expect that info.
Anon 9:48
Ann, please correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding is that because teachers are classified as "professionals," additional work hours can be required without overtime pay.
hmmm...wonder how much we paid to have the Council of the Great City School experts come into town? I will provide my expert advice for free.
While this isn't really the topic of the blog post, this appears to be the topic of the comments, so I'll provide some information regarding late start times.
First, the teachers bear the worst brunt of late start times - all teachers affected by this have lost their ability to tutor children after school. This was additional income and a losing battle for increased pay. This topic has not made any of the compensation talks, but it is a reality. Talk with the line-teachers and see for yourself.
Second, teachers with elementary school children that teach at a middle school with late start times have much larger challenges than before. Many teachers have a spouse that works also. The proof is in the exodus of top teachers at some of the late start time schools. I know and you can also, just talk with the principals at these schools.
Third, many families in CMS, either have one parent who works full time or two parents in a dual working household. The question is, how do you get a child on a bus at 8:30 or 8:45 when you have to be at work at 8am? The answer is, of course, spend more money for before school care. This topic in particular warrants serious attention as the result has shown to be parents simply drop their children off at school at 7:30 and they congregate outside with no supervision. They are not allowed inside until 30 minutes prior to school starting (8:45). So, in the heat, cold, rain, snow, ice, sunny weather, they congregate. One reason middle schools stopped daily recess was because of bullying. This congregating prior to school starting is a prime area for all kinds of improper behavior.
Now how about the students? These young children, to the best of my knowledge, do not get up a 7am and do homework or reading or studying until it is time to go to school. Anyone with a late start child knows that they are getting little homework compared to previous children that went through the same courses. Besides, children at these ages do not have typically have the ability to focus on learning after dinner hours (7pm on). So this means the average child is not getting access to the same education as the rest of the CMS children on a more reasonable start time.
I have suggested before that if we feel as a community, a board and CMS staff that late start times are so valuable because of the money saved, then we should institute it at 100% of our schools throughout the system. Why doesn't every middle school child in CMS start at 9:15 and get out after 4pm? The answer is, of course, because its not a great idea.
Don't look at this comment as a complaint. It is not a complaint, but rather facts that are a result of the decision to go to 9:15 start times. Instead, I suggest we see what other decisions can be made and the results of those decisions. My feeling is that while those decisions may hurt, the impact to students and teachers could well be much less harmful. I hope we learn to treat our students and our teachers less like numbers and more like human beings.
Overtime? Professional only when it comes to avoiding paying what is, in essence, an hourly job. It's similar to the business model Wal-Mart and pillars of the US industry has scammed the workforce with for decades. Save the "You only work nine months" for the political buffoons on both sides. I worked two extra jobs past age sixty due to the "professional" pay system. 7:18 from NY, welcome to Bozoville from a native, like many other natives who've picked up and left with good reason.
As to work times for teachers. You work 10 months a year with 2 weeks at Christmas 1 week each at Spring and Fall breaks and complain about work hours.
You are an educated professional making a reasonable and comparable salary for the hours worked. If you were a mid level accountant or bank branch manager you would be lucky to work less than 50 hours per week 50 weeks a year. Do the math. You are a teacher, you should be able to.
Mr. Noble, CMS has always had 9:15 schools so this is nothing new (maybe to you it is). Your opinion (not facts)is valid, as are the opposing opinions. 9:15 students are able to go to clubs (offered at all the schools) and tutoring before school. Many working parents no longer need to worry about after school care. I know because I am one of those parents. It has worked for us. My kids have plenty of time to be involved in extra curricular activities, do their homework and get a good night's sleep and eat a decent breakfast the next morning without being rushed out of the house at 7am. I've never heard that kids can't do work or learn after 7pm, again that is just your opinion. We get most of our productive work and other activities done after 7pm.
Ann, why is the compensation task force taking so long to make recommendations?
Compensation is a thorny issue for Heath. He doesn't want to do anything significant to reform the system, and upset status quoers on the BOE like Waddell and McCray. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Maybe the task force will simply recommend a new task force be created?
ANN
How much has the "PARTY" cost CMS teachers and tax payers?
6 years ago they never paid out the ABC performance bonus to teachers. Since that time millions have been spent on parties celebrations and test creation / PfP group meetings.
Why not pay out you owe first before you continue to spend on "PARTIES". There will be not trust until that bonus is paid and heatlh benefits are brought back.
Actually, the name is spelled with a 'K' - Knoble. In any case, thanks for the reply comment on late start times. They have been around, but in very small volume until recently. Additionally, I did not suggest that the children did not get a good nights sleep or eat well - I suggested that, in general, teachers are hurt by the late time, teachers are not assigning as much homework and children are given time during school hours to complete it so that they can participate in more after school activities. Further, what I was trying to imply, was that 6-8th graders, in general, have a harder time focusing on reading and learning material after 7pm.
Clubs used to meet at these schools after school and before school. Obviously, you don't need much after school care if the bus delivers your child home at dinner.
I am happy that the late start time impacts your family in a positive way. There have been well done surveys of the more recent large volume change - and the results were very negative on the impact of teacher and child time in those schools. In addition, principals have indicated that some of their top staff have left as a result of these late time schedule changes.
In reality, there haven't been published studies on the long term educational results for children with later school days and the impact on families during recessionary times. Ie., when money isn't available to fix problems like this either at the school level or the family level.
It is my opinion that this will have a severe negative impact on a much larger group of children over time. It is also my opinion, that like every educational change, there are also a group of parents, teachers and children that will still thrive. My concern is not that group, but the former.
I have children in CMS and have teachers for neighbors, in my expert opinion the start times don't have the impact people think they do. But it does decrease time teachers need for planning and prep.
There won't be a mass exodus of teachers, but there will be a noticeable increase in teachers leaving. Most teachers like most workers just accept what's thrown at them and make do, the time and effort it takes to seek out another job especially out of state is not worth the effort.
The legislature knows this and will take advantage of it forever, so don't expect it to get better any time soon.
Children adapt it doesn't matter if they start school at 7 or 10 in the morning. Even teenagers can adapt to those hours if they put forward the effort. I don't really care about what other places do or what studies say because 50 years ago studies said nonwhite people were inferior and people believed that garbage.
Besides, who really cares about these task forces? I guarantee that very little of their findings will be implemented in any meaningful format.
Maybe our Education Governor will bake cookies for all our teachers and make everything all better!
Does anyone really expect improvements?
What are the chances of any of these:
Downsize CMS admin.
Breakup this humongous school system.
Eliminate area superintendents.
12:13, I don't know. As I've said before, I find that whole issue confusing. They created the most recent comp task force to focus on the March 1 deadline, then brushed off that deadline because there was no money with it (which they knew going in). Last I heard was that executive staff was reviewing the report, which would eventually be shared with employees and the public. I'll ask for an update today.
12:14, what's "THE PARTY"? Does this harken back to the 2011 Broad Prize, when there was going to be some kind of celebration for employees? I think there was something, but it was paid with Broad money.
Next compensation mtg is August 29. Teacher plan just went to teachers at large in cms for their input. Anne you should go to next comp mtg and fill us in.
I would like to know why students don't pay for summer school here? I taught in both Durham and Wake counties and they require a fee for summer school. The theory is you go to school for 10 months for FREE, why should we allow you to fail and then take classes for a couple of months in the summer subsidized? Transportation was not provided either during the summer - the student had to find a way to school on his/her own. Before any mentions the minority, African-American thing - I am an African-American female teacher who is shocked at how things are done in CMS. Someone really needs a task force on this issue.
Mr. Knoble, you state that the average child is not getting access to the same education as the rest of the CMS children on a more reasonable start time (not the 9:15am start time).
Using that logic, you could say the same for all of the CMS high schoolers in class (asleep) at 7:15am. They are not awake, alert and ready to learn at this time of the day. They have had insufficient sleep and have not eaten a proper breakfast. Just ask any CMS high school teacher. And ask any parent of a CMS high schooler.
Your question "Why doesn't every middle school child in CMS start at 9:15 and get out after 4pm? The answer is, of course, because its not a great idea" is not true. It's all due to the amount of children being bused at that time and their proximity to a nearby school with a start/end time at the next tier, or tier earlier. It's all about the money, not what is best for the students or employees.
And for every teacher you say is leaving these 9:15am schools, there are applicants and teachers interviewing for all of those jobs.
Re: start times questions.
At least one of the task forces reviewed this and several talked with members of the public who raised concerns about this topic at the task force town halls. Maybe there will be recommendations. Keep in mind that not everyone is against the current start times. While they don't work for some, other families and teachers love them.
Ann:
The comments you removed were in response to 12:47pm.
Why can the 12:47pm commenter bring in the race card but you remove the responses?
Here is a good question: will the free breakfast to all change bus times? Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall seeing anything explaining how this "free" meal will work-especially for the early start times.
Ann,
Maybe the "party" being referred to in an earlier post is the
mandatory pep rally they are holding later this month, to celebrate....
Technology Task Force, please ask Dr. Truesdale and department to look into the use of personal tech devices (ie ipads and iphones) at the elementary school level. According to my pediatrician, the recommended screen time per day is 1-2 hours for ages 4-12. Yes, that even includes work (and play) done at school on PTDs labeled as educational. Most CMS schools are already significantly exceeding this amount of screen time per day/per child. I cannot support such efforts at my girls' school.
Ann,
How much is CMS spending to rent out Time Warner Arena for some sort of pep rally? They will be busing all teachers from their schools to the arena to spend 4-6 hours for this pep rally.
What I was told today was supposedly we are being bussed to Bojangles area on one of our teacher workdays to hear Dr. Morrison speak on August 22.
Sorry.....Arena. Not area.
2:34,
Sure CMS has applicants, so does Target and Wal-Mart. It's called "Churning." Another group for a semester, year or possibly even three. However, forcing the entire CMS staff to listen to Heath's motivational infomercial with some large charge close the gap speaker should give the newbies a sampling of the smoke, mirrors, and hot air they will experience this year. This, after the General Assembly, should send another group packing.
GREAT! I have only two afternoons to set up my room and I am being bussed to her Morrison? I hope I can find some place to hide to get some work done in my room. They won't let us in before the 19th!!!
should we collectively laugh or cry?
First I've heard of the Aug. 22 event. Trying to find out more. If they sent out an all-employees message, please shoot me a copy (ahelms@charlotteobserver.com).
Task force reports pretty much as I expected. You can never do enough for a certain demographic. We must continue to feed the entitlement addiction and continue to let the "birthers", nicest word I can think of for the pathetic parents, off the hook for being responsible for raising their children.
If anyone was there and heard this first hand, I'd love to know if there was any certain voiced for the underfunding of many of the suburban schools and the squandering of tax payers hard earned money at many of the urban schools.
David Knoble, can you please email me? I would love to talk with you about my work on changing the bell schedule. Parents and teachers who are living with the negative impacts of the late bell/longer day, please sign www.change.org/petitions/change-cms-bell-schedule or email me to get involved. Susantplaza@gmail.com
I feel for the teachers who have principals that do not allow them in before the 19th. Many of us have been working at our school for the last couple of weeks, setting up our classrooms, making copies, etc.
I would say the majority of our teachers have been in to do some preliminary work already.
Off the clock, I might add. Just sayin'.
School administrators, teachers and civic activists make this much more difficult than it needs to be. Try this - foster an environment that focuses on compassion, establishing standards, enforcing those standards (including conduct), and teaching core skills. Quit the social experiments in the classrooms and go back to teaching the basics; reading, writing and arithmetic. Equally ensure that kids get recess, PE, music and art. Quit constantly measuring by ridiculous standardized tests....focus on teaching! Set your standards, tell parents and kids what they are and then hold folks accountable. School systems have made this much more difficult than it needs to be.
Maybe ask why the lottery and waiting list for charter schools is so long...perhaps they're more focused on learning and will actually discipline kids that misbehave....wow....what a concept.
A pep rally at Bojangles to hear Morrison on Aug. 22, when teachers need to be getting classrooms ready? That's rich, our tax dollars at work. Oh wait, it's funded by a grant no doubt. Save the money and just give each teacher a box of cookies.
Pay the Teachers and bring back their benefits!
No brainwash parties beacuse of the lower and lower morale. Teachers need to pay for food, shelter,clothing and an education for their children to go into some other profession.
COMMON GOAL for a COMMON CORE
TASK FORCE = Leave the produce on the dock until it rots.
MOrrison tackle the tough issues or move on. Please bring in a Super that has backbone not brainwash as their qualifications.
10:22 Thank you for your comments,so true. CMS has a way of over complicating a situation by trying to be politically correct to all parties. As I tell my kids, just do the right thing the first time.
Wanna run for BOE?
To 11:01:
It will never cease to amaze me that the whole "well, you get summers off" argument is brought up every time teacher compensation comes into the conversation. It always sounds so bitter and nasty, and this time is no exception. Having (unpaid) "time off" does not negate the fact that during the 10 months that teachers ARE on the clock, the job is stressful and difficult and, let's face it, IMPORTANT. Without teachers, literally no other profession can exist. The disdain with which we treat our teachers in the U.S. (and, as recent events have shown, especially in NC) is shameful. Having worked in insurance, banking, and education, I can say without hesitation that teaching is, by far, the most difficult of all of those professions. It deserves to be compensated as such, "vacations" or not.
Idea for a task force, discuss the importance and value of middle schoolers having outside exercise (walk the track, play ball, whatever...) for 30 mins a day. Since when did educators think it was a good idea to have Middle schoolers in 90 min classes all day? ridiculous! I imagine behavior, and maybe even grades, would improve.
Face it folks, demographics rule the school.
No task force will change that.
CMS will not improve as long as it is mostly composed of blacks and Hispanics.
Until those groups, of course, decide that education is worth more of their efforts, nothing else really matters much as far as getting an actual education goes.
Those who are capable will still manage to find something of value in whatever they are taught.
The rest probably never will, no matter how many iPads, free lunches, summer schools, etc., etc., you throw their way.
The best solution for those of us with limited resources is to move away from the problem.
There are plenty of decent schools within CMS and surrounding areas to serve those who really want to learn.
It's worked for us.
I was reading in the CO today that the task forces are considering an all black male school.
Are there any plans for any all white or all Asian schools?
It seems to me that those schools would be big hits and quite successful academically.
You probably wouldn't even need to put the "best" teachers in them, either to get superior results.
Probably to the total embarrassment of the rest of CMS.
Why not give that a try?
Re: Start Times (2:51)
While I'm glad the start times are beneficial for you, I definitely agree with the poster who pointed out that they don't work for the majority of people. I don't know of any teachers who love them, either. Planning and grading still need to get done, and if you take away planning time to make the school day longer, teachers are either taking home that work or it's simply not getting done. Either way, quality and morale are suffering. I don't think an ideal classroom has an overworked, underpaid, underprepared teacher at its helm.
And to the teachers who are either doing classroom work before the 19th or lamenting the fact that they cannot get into their classrooms before then: while your work ethic and commitment to your students is admirable, you are simply reinforcing the legislature's belief that regardless of how teachers are paid and regardless of how they are treated, teachers will still "find a way" to get the work done. If you are willing to do the work and NOT get paid, why would the state government choose to pay you what you're worth? Why will things change? I have children in public school, and while I am grateful for their teachers' commitment to their classrooms, I don't expect them to work for free, either. If we expect quality, we should be willing to pay for it. Until our state government sees that we cannot maintain quality education (such as it is in this state) while we treat our teachers poorly, they will continue to act in the same way they have for the past several years.
It doesnt matter what time you start when you wont have a qualified teacher starting to teach it. Young teachers and veterans are leaving folks and they dont want you to know who is teaching your children.
The only TASK FORCE needed is the
STRIKE TASK FORCE
Even the blind can see though the smoke and mirrors after 6 years
Come On Ann
Solution: All CMS schools start between 7:45-9:00am (15 min intervals), Elem day 6 hrs 45 mins allowing buses to have 6 bus times in AM and 7 bus times in the PM. Saves everyone time and money, and eliminates the crazy 7:15am start time and the crazy 4:15pm end time. This tiered system would work, buses could still run to 3-4 schools each in AM/PM.
How about a task force to study the efficacy of task forces?
Big "PARTY" at West Meck for 300 +
Everybody slaps each other on the back just like the BROAD prize.
All the while teachers suffer trying to do more with less and less. This show just doesnt change.
Thanks BofE , MOrrison and all the slap happy administrators making this such another pleasant year to stay in the teaching profession.
Ok. I get it. Too many students get the bus ride that many of them don't appreciate. We have too many parents are expecting another free service from the government. Here's a simple idea: send students to their neighorhood schools and less buses will be used; resulting in a more common sense school schedule. In middle school, the school board believes that keeping "those" students shouldl be in school rather than getting into mischief on the streets. Elementary schools are a free baby sitting service. Being PC is a SCAM. PC takes priority over what is academically best for the child. How do I know this? I am a teacher in the CMS system.
On the Aug. 22 pep rally: Kathryn Block says the district is still working out details and hopes to get all costs covered by a sponsor. She says the goal is to make employees feel energized and appreciated. It won't be the superintendent speaking for hours; roster of speakers and activities still in the works. One teacher forwarded a schedule from her principal that showed it as two hours.
Another 2 hours of my life that i will never get back.
Thanks MOrrison
Are all black public schools even allowed by law? I thought Brown versus the Board of Education made those illegal.
I will start by saying I love our teachers and appreciate their work. BUT, at our school it is not the teachers who are putting their room together, organizing supplies and making copies, etc... It's all the Teacher Assistants.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
All black, all male school?
Getting ready for Mecklenburg County jail!
Folks, it is easy to get rid of the standardized tests!
Stop taking federal money!
We sre simiply being pulled by the federal strings of the Race to the top money Gov Bev took.
Another dumb task force suggestion from that other CO article:
"revise disciplinary policies to provide better support for African-American males."
Let me guess...
That means STRICTER enforcement of rules for AA males.
Bwahahaha.
Just kidding.
I know that it means less enforcement of rules for black males.
Just as we are pushing for in society at large.
Because all black problems are caused by The Man putting them down.
Just stop enforcing the rules and watch the behavior improve!
Just as removing the death penalty makes murder drop precipitously among blacks.
Call it the "Racial Justice Act" for kids...
But let's be sure it's ONLY enforced in the all black male schools we'll be building.
So the resulting "justice" is served to the proper demographic.
It's really getting desperate out there folks...
11:39, it will be more likely a 4 hour loss. You will probably be made to travel by school bus and watch it be a 98 degree day. And you will be traveling in rush hour traffic getting back to your school.
Anonymous said...
Folks, it is easy to get rid of the standardized tests!
Stop taking federal money!
We sre simiply being pulled by the federal strings of the Race to the top money Gov Bev took.
August 6, 2013 at 12:19 PM
I have no problem refusing Federal money, but we will have to include the $32+ MILLION we get for free and reduced lunches and Title I.
Otherwise, what's the point?
I think it's a great idea to exempt black males from "discretionary" discipline for things like insubordination and disrupting the classroom.
Then they will be ready for the real world where such actions have NO consequences.
Heh.
You just can't make this stuff up...
12:14, that's a great question. I'd be amazed if CMS could/would say "no whites/Asians/Hispanics admitted." But it might be feasible to create a magnet with a theme focused on Afrocentric education or some other signal that it's intended for African American boys. I'll be eager to read the full report to see what the task force said; I'm sure they discussed the legalities.
Ann,
The "problem" in our society has NEVER been keeping the whites and Asians out of "blacks only" areas.
That's a non-issue.
Build it and they won't come...
In 1989 Eastover Elementary had a huge achievement gap between Eastover neighborhood children and the children bused in from west Charlotte, with the boys having a particularly difficult time. Two classes were formed for 15 struggling African American sixth grade boys (for math and language arts--they rejoined regular classes in the afternoon)with the goal of helping them reach grade level and be prepared to go on to junior high school (no middle schools at that time). A very talented teacher taught the classes (knowing this teacher I don't believe any allowances were made for "cultural" differences in behavior). She soon began to work wonders. However, when school board member Arthur Griffin heard about the classes he declared "I certainly don`t see those classes as being supportive of a desegregated school system and therefore I think they`re bad". Never mind that they seemed to be helping. The classes were soon gone. Stories can be found in Observer archives--November 22, 1989; December 12, 13, 1989.
Anon 3:49 PM...
The whole "myth" of desegregation was based on the idea that the main thing black kids needed was to be put in desks next to the white kids and they would do fine with access to the same resources.
Somehow we were made to believe that these kids would not be "different" or deficient in their behavior or ability once they were sitting next to the magical white children.
Or, at the very least, that once an entire generation was "integrated" that this would no longer be a problem.
As some used to believe, there was no reason that there shouldn't be just as many black doctors and lawyers (proportional to their population) as there were whites in the same professions.
Of course, it didn't work that way.
Now, of course, we have "diversity consultants" telling us that these kids ARE different and shouldn't be judged by their ability or character, but primarily by their skin color and sex.
And that our schools are deficient because they do not take these differences into account.
Will the excuses EVER end?
Wiley, I'm not sure you completely understand the advantage of refusing federal money when it comes to FRL. First of all, you can actually figure out which kids really need it! Think about wiping out 68% of the recipients who would really not qualify. That greatly reduces coming up with the equivalent assistance with non-federal money. You would get that easy by ending all the program managers, accountants, etc. that are required to be paid from local funds to administer the federal funds. In the end, if the federal money amounts to about 10% of the budget, I beat CMS could come out ahead by 4% to 5%.
The bus tiers cannot be compressed into a 7:45-9:00 time frame unless CMS does away with Magnet busing or goes to an all shuttle stop system for magnets. The routes are simply too long to recycle buses back - 12 kids on a bus going for 90 minutes wastes a lot of the transportation budget. Several magnet buses even transport 1 child, yes, ONE child per route.
Susan Plaza, thank you for bringing up an excellent point. The high price of magnet school busing is a crime. It costs $1200 a year to transport a magnet school student vs. $400 for homeschool. Magnet school students should have to pay a fee for their transportation. Yet, they don't and the rest of the CMS students have to deal with inappropriate school start times such as 7:15am for teenagers and 9:15am because of it.
Considerable research confirms the relationship between school start times, sleep deprivation, and student performance, truancy, and absenteeism, as well as depression, mood swings, impulse control, tobacco and alcohol use, impaired cognitive function and decision-making, obesity, stimulant abuse, automobile accidents, and suicide. Mounting evidence about the biology of adolescent sleep, and about the impact of later start times, shows that starting school before 8 a.m. not only undermines academic achievement but endangers health and safety. Because logistical and financial issues prevent local school systems from establishing safe and educationally defensible hours, however, legislation mandating start times consistent with student health and educational well-being is essential.
Funny how Brown v. Board of Education was brought about because a little black girl had to pass by her white NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL to attend an all black school.
It was this daily inconvenience of the extra distance that started the whole affair, not just the fact that it was a white school.
IT WAS HER NEAREST SCHOOL.
Now, look at all the crap we have sending kids all over the place to schools that are nowhere near their homes.
Too bad they only tried to fix half the problem with the Brown decision, eh?
Sure the bus schedules can be compressed to enable all schools to start between 7:45-9:00. Give all of the Magnet schools the 9:00-4:00 schedule. End of story, Stop making excuses CMS.
If you sit down with CMS Transportation for over 20 hours like we did looking for solutions to the bell schedule, you will realize that no, they cannot compress to an hour and 15 minute window, even if all magnets are 9:00-4:00. There are not enough buses in the fleet currently. They took 200 off the road two years ago. Even then there was still a 2 hour window in the morning. Going to all shuttles for magnets would free up more buses to deal with the oversaturation of tiers.
August 7, 2013, 8:28 a.m. And yet all those things that you listed are things that teachers deal with at school.
And still we are to blame for all of the things that are wrong with public education.
I am so tired of being blamed for the shortcomings of the system!
Post a Comment