Student discipline and the new middle school math policy will be on the agenda for today's meeting of the Wake County school board economically disadvantaged student performance task force.
The task force will review the changes in the revised math policy. They'll get info on Wake's suspension numbers.
Today's meeting will start at 4:30 p.m. at Moore Square Middle School, 301 S. Person St. in downtown Raleigh. The meeting was relocated to Moore Square to make it easier for task force members and staff to go to this evening's Principal of the Year ceremony at Marbles Kids Museum.
Comments
Keung! Two directions this can go.
Thu, 10/06/2011 - 23:30 — LongtimeLurkerOh my god, where were the hockeysticks were you? Why didn't you come to this meeting?
In the past your coverage has been the only sunlight this ugly process of fighting for fairness in educational tracking has ever seen in Wake County.
Don't you realize that all the dirty dealing is being done (by "fifth column" staff and Democratic school board members) under cover of the election frenzy? All the stops are out.
The news coming from the ED Task Force, since you can't cover it, is that they won - they totally won. The new HIGHEST of HIGH math tracks is now established. Apparently we are powerless.
You can blame Ruth Steidinger for this - she spoke for the country-club crowd tonight - said it wasn't being fair for just some of the elementary schools to have a private Algebra gateway - all of them needed to.
The fifth and sixth grades in ALL our elementary (5th) and middle (6th) schools now have new Upper upper track classes full of little priviledged white kids who are destined for glory. Its the new 5th grade Algebra Pipeline Gateway - free of EVAAS (and pretty much free of children of color).
Tedesco is apparently the only hope on dealing with this now and THAT is going to be up to politics letting it happen, isn't it?
This all turns on nothing but race and economic privilege, but it does not matter. That is who the fifth column works for. We had parents there whose kids are up in the 90s. They cannot get in. Its never been so clear.
Things are heating up. These guys are very clearly thinking they are safe - that the election will protect them. There were some ANGRY folks at this meeting and they did not have country club haircuts.
Expletive deleted.
The gateway for priviledged children in Wake County - the permission for them to not have to ever have to sit in the same classroom next to an equally scoring minority - is now open for business.
Expletive deleted.
They proved tonight what we always suspected - beyond any shadow of a doubt they proved it - they own this district. Privileged people OWN the futures of the children in this district - they want nothing to do with the metrics of equal qualification.
My only question for anyone who will listen is "what is it going to take to convince them that this is not only wrong but DANGEROUS?" Sooner or later they will wake the sleeping giant. Way too many people saw this happen.
There are two directions this can go. The Republicans can hold the majority and we will start making progress again. Or the Democrats will take this district back, reverse the gains, and then be sitting on a powder keg. They will be sitting on a powder keg because, thanks the Republicans, especially John Tedesco, we now have treasure maps in all these areas and know exactly where to look for scandalous institutionalized gunpowder.
Tata
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 06:32 — Dove314So Tata signed off on this?
That isn't clear yet. I
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 11:33 — LongtimeLurkerThat isn't clear yet. I don't think most of the administration could see what this represented until Thursday or so and there was a very "tense" feeling among them - clearly there's a war forming up in the top ranks.
C&I Math found a way to make this happen from the top down - they created this with a top-down mandate since school started. Tata let them present to the task force what they have done, but his face was pretty stony. Ruth S. stood up there and said that they had set up these courses in all these schools because a few of them had had them already and it was an "equity issue" to let all the "top" kids get the same treatment. SHe was very confidant - not defensive. Fifth grade placement is apparently by some extremely impossibly high CoGAT score plus anyone they subjectively want to put in on recommendation, then the skids are greased (of course there is no 8th grade Geometry so its not clear where this train is going).
In other words - the core and window-dressing of all these new courses is a tiny fraction of the highest of the highest AG scores but it is essentially subjective access otherwise. No oversight allows this to become a full-throttle refuge - a brand new track. The word I've heard is that they have flooded these courses with subjective placements. How to get real data?
Tedesco was vowing that "this isn't over..." Leaders like Marvin Pittman were saying things like "My head might explode..." and angrily explaining the history of educational discrimination against blacks - how every time black kids get into quality instruction (like 8th grade Algebra) it gets watered down and a new route for privileged whites is established. He was very upset, as were others.
It all had the air of a bullet-proof C&I Math staff facing down an angry audience. They clearly felt like they had pulled it off. Since this is the same C&I Math staff we've been facing with no concessions for five years its unmistakable who they think they work for (and it isn't Tata).
Don't know what happens now, but the general feelings among task force people were anger and dejection.
Leaders like Marvin Pittman
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 11:35 — woodstockWhat this represents
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 16:39 — SDR256Don't you understand what this represents, Woodstock? Since you clearly have glossed over all of the heartwrenching ethical issues on this topic, here it is in your terms: Some very left leaning liberals are seeing the heroism of the Republican efforts on this. They may well vote Republican because of it.
Its true that the word has been overused. So now when there is clear and present racism directed at innocent children, the word has lost its edge for some.
I think you should be very happy that Marvin Pittman is on John Tedesco's side about this issue. If not for the children, then for the political potential.
Goggle race, class and educational tracking
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 12:42 — nmoskalLook at the research and you will understand from where he is coming on this issue and why.
I believe you previously agreed that math placement data showed bias in placement, so not sure why you would disagree with the points raised regarding this issue. In August, Mr. Pittman noted that one thing to watch for was a moving of the gate to accomodate continued bias because there was a history of that response toward efforts aimed at equal opportunity. This week he found out that what appears like a potential move of the gate was underway long before August. What I heard him ask for was some assurance that would not be the long-term result, so he didn't have to leave with a headache. I don't think that is unreasonable no matter what are one's views on race. If systemic white, middle-class privilege would stop, Mr. Pittman could stop talking about it.
You are so stupid you can't
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 11:38 — LongtimeLurkerYou are so stupid you can't even see which side your bread is buttered on.
Or rather that is the ONLY thing you care about and you can't see how this issue relates to it.
Red-lining Algebra
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 12:00 — LongtimeLurkerPlus, you are a complete idiot if you don't think this is about race. They totally proved that. This is the face of racism in America.
What just happened here is the exact same as red-lining neighborhoods after blacks moved into them. Marvin Pittman understands it perfectly. 8th grade Algebra just got red-lined in Wake Cointy - the real estate value of those seats just plummeted.
Woodstock, go back to the red-meat blogs and let the grownups alone here. Whoops, that leaves just me and Dove. Sigh.
Hugs
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 16:22 — Dove314Hugs to you! Not many of us in the middle. Regarding this latest round, can only say that I appreciate your hanging in there on behalf of all the kids. I rarely agree with JT but, on this one, am hopeful he can change the tide. Where is Sutton on all of this?
Well, now, don't we feel
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 12:00 — woodstockWell, now, don't we feel good about ourselves.
Wow, really good argument.
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 11:47 — woodstockWow, really good argument. LOL What's next, you take your ball and run home?
Tell me a single time Pittman has been involved in anything where he is not bitching about something to do with race?
What's next
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 11:48 — LongtimeLurkerWhat's next is the final destruction of public education in America. The people who own the public schools are not going to share them. What's next is the permanent ghettoification of America because we refused to educate a significant portion of our population so the hideously and mythically gifted blood-suckers could ride at the highest point of a sinking ship.
What's next with you and me is that since I can't pop you in the nose, I'll go back to ignoring you.
"Pop me in the nose?" I
Fri, 10/07/2011 - 12:06 — woodstock"Pop me in the nose?" I can't recall anyone else ever threatening violence on these forums. You may be the first. Not sure how well that will go over.
It would be intereting to see you attempt that. The result may be different than you imagine.