You might have thought you were attended a 1960s civil rights protest instead of a Wake County school board meeting on Tuesday.
As noted in today's article, critics of the community-based school assignment resolution steeped their language and actions around themes that wouldn't have been out of place for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to have used.
The Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, led many in the audience in singing "We Shall Overcome" during the meeting. Once the board recessed after the vote on the resolution, Barber led the crowd in "Don't Let Nobody Turn You 'Round," another civil rights anthem.
The crowd chanted "we're not going anywhere" and "never again."
"They didn't count on this kind of unity," Barber told the crowd and assembled media. "This isn't an NAACP issue, it's a community issue!"
Barber again reiterated the threat of taking legal action against the board for resegregating schools.
During the public comment section, retired Wake principal Samuel Greene referred to George Wallace, the Alabama governor and presidential candidate who loudly championed segregation during the 1960s.
“In the words of George Wallace, do you want your legacy to be segregation now, segregation forever?” said Greene, who had applied for the school board vacancy that was filled by Keith Sutton.
You can expect it to be even more emotional when the board holds the second vote on the resolution, probably on March 23.
"It's insulting to all the people who actually lived in the horrendous segregated schools to compare that to letting people simply stay in their neighborhoods," said Dallas Woodhouse, state director of the conservative Americans for Prosperity. "The idea that this is the battle of the '60s is ridiculous."
New school board member John Tedesco, who co-wrote the resolution, said critics were trying to "sensationalize" things and "rile people up" by using the 1960s civil rights language.
UPDATE
Click here for open letter that Barber sent Tuesday to Wake schoo board chairman Ron Margiotta.
Comments
Reposting to have a longer line length.
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 15:02 — Dove314Apologies for putting two posts together.
Your post is unfortunately below my question(s) due to my lack of skill with this MB.
My question
Can I ask what the proportion of F&R students was at Hunter for the same time frame? Also, is there information on the ESL proportions?
You said
Hi Dove, Let me give you
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:39 — Eric_B
Hi Dove,
Let me give you something to think about that we talked about on this blog some last year.
Let's pick a couple schools, we'll say Brentwood and Smith Elementary, the two schools with the highest F&R percentage in WCPSS. Brentwood has 77.9% F&R and Smith has 66.7% F&R. These school should be failing schools according to the 40% F&R limit dogma.
Take a look at the ED passing percentage on EOG tests for these schools. For 2008-09 it was 40.3% for Brentwood and 38.5% for Smith. These percentages are the percentages of students that passed both reading and math EOGs. You can check the numbers here:
http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/schDetails.jsp?Page=2&pSchCode=336&pLEACode=920&pYear=2008-2009
http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/schDetails.jsp?Page=2&pSchCode=560&pLEACode=920&pYear=2008-2009
Now look at some magnet schools. Take Hunter ES for example. At Hunter, only 27.0% of ED students passed both EOGs. Other magnet elementary schools are similar.
http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/schDetails.jsp?Page=2&pSchCode=448&pLEACode=920&pYear=2008-2009
How do you reconcile the fact that these high F&R schools outperform most magnet elementary schools among the very low income children they are supposed to be helping?
I'll tell you why. The diversity policy doesn't work.
Sure, you can take a look at
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 15:23 — Eric_BSure, you can take a look at the numbers here:
http://www.wcpss.net/demographics/quickfacts/09/el-09.html
Hunter's F&R percentage is 37.0%.
As for ESL, Brentwood has 16.3%, Smith has 6.9% and Hunter has 4.0%.
We Will Not Be Satisfied
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 20:47 — occum_sharpeuntil justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Know this... The forces are massing. In schools, in churches, in community centers, the opposition to this segregationist policy, blacks and whites, hispanics and asians, rich and poor, will be a firestorm the likes of which have never been seen in over 40 years. This meeting was just a small taste of things to come.
Very poetic
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 20:57 — Bob_SconceI'm reminded of a similar passage from Lord of the Rings talking about the massing of the forces of darkness.
There is no segregationist policy. There's only a lot of hype and grandstanding, largely from people trying to prove their relevance and from those who they've misled. Where has Rev. Barber been while the scores of black children in Wake County have lagged far behind those of white children? He's here for the fight, not for the people he claims to be fighting for.
And....? Perhaps you
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 20:51 — woodstockAnd....?
Perhaps you should have massed your supposed forces last October.
You don't seem the have a handle on how this works.
Have a nice day!
Neat response.
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 23:26 — red_balloonNeat response.
...
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 20:49 — SideburnsThat reads like a threat. Careful now.
It surely is a threat to those
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:01 — occum_sharpewho seek to resegregate our school system. It is also a promise to our children that we will not stand by and let it happen.
Feels good
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 23:05 — SDR256I know this conjuring of strong feelings may feel good, but I hope you will stop and think about what it is you really want to accomplish.
Is it:
Proving the power of the NAACP for political purposes?
Re-energizing the black vote for political purposes?
Helping the children of Wake County for non-political purposes?
I can't say which is right or wrong, but I will say that this board has made no moves to do anything other than to remove 'mandatory' infringements of freedom from parents in Wake County. Mandatory schedules, mandatory labeling, mandatory busing. I would hope you wouldn't feel that accomplishing your goals should come at the cost of others incrementally giving up their freedoms.
what's the "mandatory
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 08:38 — carson79what's the "mandatory labeling" they hope to "remove"?
Labeling of children
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 13:41 — SDR256The current system labels children according to their socio-economic background and uses that to weight their projected success or failure in school. A child who scores in line with his peers will have a 'weight' applied to his projected score so that if he is poor the score his teacher is instructed to expect from him by the end of the following year is significantly lower than his peers. This labeling translates into a theft of hope.
Imagine if you had a high achieving child and they were not promoted on with the other kids. You would wonder why. I wonder how these families will feel when they find out the reason why - because their kids were labelled poor, and according to WCPSS ER department poor = unable to achieve.
This is a threat, lets call it out
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:32 — Voice_of_Reason_I was expecting you were going to say riots in the streets next. Nobody is try to resegregate the schools, nobody wants to see poor kids fail.
occum_sharpe if you are trying to scare us into changing our minds with rich ITB Republicans and the NAACP, it ain't working. If you are trying to incite a riot, you got real problems.
Anyway it makes for a good read.
See, the problem here is
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:11 — woodstockSee, the problem here is that no one is going to resegregate the schools, so once you amass these forces you claim to know about, what are the going to do? What's the battle plan for fighting an enemy that does not exist? I am not a military strategest, but I think you have some things to think about before you inconvenience all these forces with an ill-conceived plan.
With No Plan
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:23 — occum_sharpewe're just like the new school board. Isn't it amazing how people on opposite sides of an issue can be exactly alike.
I don't know what that
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:37 — woodstockI don't know what that means. But I suspect you are a bit confused.
The resolution that passed was a framwork for moving forward. For instance, when developing any plan you have to know what it is you are trying to accomplish. You don't just say, "let's develop a plan." Because then intelligent folks will say "what kind of plan are you talking about?"
So, before developing a detailed plan, it is best to say somethng like, "I would like to develop a plan to..." then you add all the parameters you want included in the plan. That is what is going on now. The resolution is to define what it is the board will agree to moving forward. It sets the stage for developing new policies and revising existing ones.
Are you the one who said
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:10 — jenmanAre you the one who said that Republicans ITB wouldn't sit by and let their schools get to 70% F&R? If so, it doesn't sound like those motivations are the same as Rev. Barber.
Knock on Head, "Hello, McFly" Knock on Head
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:30 — occum_sharpeWhat a BFO! Of course the motivations are different! In fact, they're completely opposite. The ITB crowd is out to take care of what they have in the form of Magnet schools and the age old traditional wealthy ITB strongholds and Rev. Barber is out to keep the new board from stuffing schools in east Raleigh to 150% capacity of 90% F/R students (mostly minority). That's the beauty of the whole thing. Rich, white ITB parents aren't going to sell their own kids out for a Republican cause. You have two opposite sides rallying behind a single cause. You have the fiery and reactionary NAACP and all of the ITB political and legal clout of Old Raleigh. Quite a formidable opponent.
Your post made it sound like
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:34 — jenmanYour post made it sound like you thought all these people were coming together because they really care about segregation and minority kids. I don't your posts well enough to know if you're joking or clueless or what. :-)
So what are your motivations for opposing the new board?
I think
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:52 — occum_sharpewithin certain areas of ITB there are more parents who are supportive and passionate about diversity than not. However, all of these parents are passionate about their own children.
My motivation in opposing the new board is part political, part historical, and also ethnically driven. When my wife tells me about all of the stay at home PTA mothers who are "giddy" because they have been "told" at their wine parties that their home values are going up because they are sending all of "those" poor black kids back to Raleigh, it makes me sick and it sends me back to stories of the struggle my father went through as a young man.
Where was this wine party?
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 06:46 — fiestamomWhat PTA mom has time to go to a wine party?
Giddy sounds like a word used by someone making up a story. It's not like you had any credibility, b/c you throw around the word segregation, but..... this is a joke. Kind of like the rational woman on Del's Army facebook site who claimed John Tedesco prowled her the same night she signed the petition.
I think you people (gasp,I said 'you people') are the ones who need to put down the wine, and the WHINE.
Sick
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 23:11 — SDR256Stories of 'giddy', 'PTA', 'stay-at-home moms', attending wine parties talking about their 'home values' and 'aversion to black children' sounds like a Saturday Night skit. It is so stereotypical and narrow that I understand why you would be sickened. I understand why you were disturbed. It isn't right to paint people into 2 dimensional stereotypes. I'm sure they are more human than the description you've heard from bias friends through the grapevine. I'm glad you are thinking.
"Are you serious?? .
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:53 — shank56"Are you serious??
.
I'm not normally one who
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:27 — jenmanI'm not normally one who devalues somebody else's experiences or anecdotal stories but I have a really hard time believing this. What schools are these people at? I have heard some people who aren't very kind but I have honestly never heard any comments like this.
If these attitudes exist, they are the MINORITY of people out there. Hearing that would make me sick too, but it is not how the majority feel.
Jenman
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 23:19 — Voice_of_Reason_I sent you something you might be interested in via facebook
Thanks VOR. That's the
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 23:29 — jenmanThanks VOR. That's the only response that I've ever seen from him.
Me too
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 09:11 — Voice_of_Reason_I don't think I was the only one who got it either. Your thoughts, if any, would be appreciated.
I don't buy your "stay at
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:05 — woodstockI don't buy your "stay at home" PTA mothers story. That does not ring true. I am old enough to have been around a lot of folks from all walks of life and no one I have ever met has ever talked like that.
The new direction the new board is taking is an ethical one. It respects the students, parents, voters and taxpayers of Wake County.
ok then, since no one is
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 21:07 — AngelaWok then, since no one is seeking to do that, this is one of those baseless threats.
Is anyone appalled by both sides?
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 18:01 — jeffrey1Yes I am appalled by both sides.
It's easy for the Pro-Diversity folks to be critical of the Neighborhood Schools folks, and vice-versa. I have always held a person in high-regard if he could be critical of the folks on his side, or complementary of the folks on the other side, while still maintaining his position.
As one who is solidly on the side of neighborhood schools, and completely behind the new majority, it would be easy for me to to heap praise on the board majority, and criticize the board minority, but many on this blog have done an adequate job of that.
So I'll take a different approach.
I have been disappointed in the way that the board majority has handled its power. I was disappointed when I learned that the new majority introduced items that were not on the meeting agenda. I was disappointed when Ron cherry-picked his committees. I have been disappointed at some of the comments that JT has made to the media or on the net. And I certainly think that Ron was out of line with his comments about "animals out of the cages."
I think that many of these missteps can be explained by how new most of them are to the political scene, and I think they will become better as they get their feet wet. And even though Ron has been around a while, he was thrust into power with last year's election, and I believe he will become a better leader as he settles into his position.
I have always been a big proponent of "killing them with kindness." The new majority is in power and they are going to do the things that they were elected to do. But they can still still get what they (and we) want without ruffling so-many feathers.
Give Barbour his 15 (or 45) minutes of fame, but make sure to ask him to sit through 45 minutes of the opposing view to refute his so-called "wisdom" on the education of ED kids. Put Hill et al on another committee or two. Let Sutton and coimpany have another week or two to consider a new agenda item (I've been waiting for these changes for over 10 year, I can wait another two weeks). Let John Gilbert speak for 5 or even 10 minutes - he has certainly earned it. And every time you speak to the media, be sure and quote some indisputable factual evidence -- facts trump opinion every time. And for pete's sake, don't mumble anything under your breath when there's a microphone in front of you.
It really can't hurt. Because, in the end the board is going to do what we elected them to do.
Barber's Open Letter
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 16:59 — KnightdaleParentIt seems that this is more a grandstanding for attention than a willingness to meet and talk out the issues. When is Barber going to be more interested in solving the problems than having TV talk time.
Is Anyone Appalled By Both Sides?
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 12:58 — JanisTangoBased on the behavior I saw and the comments on this board I'm appalled by both sides:
Anyone who called someone a white racist is appalling.
Anyone who cheers someone being called a white racist is appalling.
Anyone that boos one of the board members who it trying to speak is appalling.
If my children exihibit bad behavior (which they do) I don't care who started, who was last, etc. If the behavior is unacceptable, they both are in trouble.
Come on people! Is this really helping anyone?
Who among the opposition is
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 10:38 — woodstockWho among the opposition is going to rebuke Rev. (LOL) Curtis' outrageously offensive comments? Is there a single rational voice among the fear monginering opposition who will say enough is enough and ask for the hate speech to stop?
Excellent questions
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 12:41 — upinbooneSadly, we know the answers to both your questions. Race-baiters and poverty pimps are propped up by the white-guilt community and all those who still profit from it. Too bad for all the children sacrificed along the way, their human potential sold to the highest bidder. Come to think of it, these kids are sold into 21st century slavery by bigots who make their living by keeping slavery alive.
I am sure that odd stream of
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 12:55 — woodstockI am sure that odd stream of consciousness makes sense to you, but I have no idea what it is you are even talking about.
Scary
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 13:29 — SDR256Well, its really scary, but some experiences over the course of the last year have started me thinking. After hearing Dr. Holdzcum chirpily present grim data at a CCCAAC meeting to no outcry; and after having parent after parent from ED neighborhoods contact WSCA in an emotional embrace of our message only later to each have a 'sick grandparent' or a 'sudden move' make them oddly completely unavailable; and after seeing that the attendees at these 'diversity meetings' are never ED parents; and then, most damningly seeing how the Effectiveness Index works - I'm starting to think that there is some element of political control going on here. If a whole swath of voters can be emotionally swayed, are unable or unwilling (afraid?) to get out and process the information for themselves, if they are afraid of every unfamiliar face they see as being 'the devil', then there is a real opportunity for political control.
All of our children need the tools for critical thinking - a challenging education - so that they need only be controlled by their own character and morals, not someone else's artificially applied ones. Without critical thinking skills, and with only emotional logic as your lens - a certain kind of slavery is a real possibility.
Trying again...
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 13:24 — upinboone"Who among the opposition is going to rebuke Rev. (LOL) Curtis' outrageously offensive comments? Is there a single rational voice among the fear monginering opposition who will say enough is enough and ask for the hate speech to stop?"
No one among the opposition (comprised primarily of race-baiters) will ever rebuke Curtis' offensive hate speech. Curtis' comments are seen to be offensive to conservatives, and therefore are not worthy of rebuke by blacks nor are they worthy of rebuke by white-guilt'ers. Race-baiters and white-guilt'ers profit from their continued Balkanization of citizens.
Regarding Wake Schools diversity policy and support of it by race-baiters and white-guilter's, the real victims are the children, especially black children. It is tantamount to being held as slaves to race-baiters' and white-guilt'ers ideology. The children's potential is sacrificed to support this ideology.
Oh, I see what you are
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 17:18 — woodstockOh, I see what you are saying. Sorry for my previous response. I should have read more carefully.
No worries...
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 18:27 — upinbooneI had a good laugh at "stream of consciousness" - that is so accurate *grin* .
I'll rebuke the comment. I
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 14:03 — Dove314I'll rebuke the comment. I thought his comments were over the top and inflammatory. They were designed to be inflammatory and that was destructive on all sides.
I am solidly opposed to having changes made in a vaccum without information on costs and expected results. I detest the "majority" members of the school board. They sicken me. But that does not excuse anyone, including me, being so divisive.
Now, how about you rebuke yourself and think about your own inflammatory comments, calling me a race-baiter or a white-guilter because I oppose having a vapor plan pushed on to the children of the county.
And how about you rebuke Mr. Margiotta's comments (well before this person further divided the crowd) calling those attending (without regard to supporters or detractors) "Animals let out of their cages" .
I am speaking for myself "Dove"
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 14:28 — Voice_of_Reason_I don't codone or condemn Mr. Margiotta's remarks, only because it was not meant to be heard by all. I understand your point of view, I don't agree, but I understand your concern. However, you are presenting a very angry and sometimes irrational discourse. I don't believe the school board is presenting a radical plan, only a plan that is similar to what the vast majority of this country has. WCPSS is now going to have to put that plan into action, when they present that plan, the costs, if any will be exposed and the Board can act appropriately. You had the opportunity to present your cause before the last election. The candidates did not have a hidden agenda and did not outspend their opponents that much. You had the right to cross district lines like we did and support the candidate of your beliefs. You had the right to stand at polling places and hand out literature, like we did. You had the right to donate to your candidate, like we did. The difference is your side didn't want it like we did. That is Democracy, like it or not. We voted, your side didn't. It was not a secret election, the newspapers and TV media were all over it and for the most part supported your side. Your side even knew you were going to have trouble winning, it was no secret. AND your side had a second chance with John Tedesco, it didn't even come close. You lost, we won...now please let the public's will be done. I repeat NOBODY LIED OR HID THERE INTENTIONS IN THIS ELECTION !!! (This is rare).... The election wasn't even close.
If you're sitting at a table
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 14:59 — danofncIf you're sitting at a table with an open mic in front of you, I don't think you can claim that something you say wasn't meant to be heard by all.
Does it matter? Is that something that he should be whispering?
It's OK for the leader of our school board to think people who disagree with his agenda are animals, as long as he doesn't say it loudly?
Ahh did your feelings get hurt.
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 15:09 — Voice_of_Reason_Sorry about that. But maybe they shouldn't of been behaving like that.
"shouldn't of
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 16:12 — danofnc"shouldn't of been"
Really?
I didn't speak at the meeting, so I don't have to answer for the behavior of any speakers.
As elected officials, I would expect better behavior from any of the board members.
You answer questions with either questions, sarcasm, or attempts to belittle the person asking the question. You never give reasoned answer.
It makes your chosen screen name quite ironic.
You know DanofNC
Wed, 03/03/2010 - 22:14 — Voice_of_Reason_I am a pretty serious guy and have done a lot of research on our economic diversity policy. I have shared lots of data on this blog in the past. I don't have to play by your rules, just be aware I am not stupid. And I do listen when facts are presented. You must be aware though, my mind is made up on why the old policy needed to be overturned. I have done a huge amount of homework on that. I'll be the first to admit that growth management is not my forte. I do know about my ES though and the Wakefield area. I also will share my opinion, if you don't like it fine, go ahead and challenge it. It's free speech you know. As far sarcasm, sometimes it a very effective tool to make a point....like it or not. I'm glad my blog name upsets you.
I said your name is
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 09:30 — danofncI said your name is ironic. I didn't say it upsets me.
If you say that growth management isn't your thing, then how can you criticize Kevin Hill for keeping WES as a YR school to handle growth? In a county system, you guys don't get to just put up a wall and have your own private little school system if there is room there for kids from outside Wakefield.
As for challenging your opinion....you really don't offer up much to challenge. You say "the system is broken", but you don't say how keeping kids a little closer to home will fix it. You don't say how creating a system that promises extra resources to newly-created high poverty schools works at a time when there are massive budget cuts.
You talk about WES going from School of Excellence to School of Progress, and you lament that change. You talk about closing the "achievement gap". But, you don't mention how keeping those kids that you apparently feel cost "your school" its distinction away will help improve the future for those kids. If they can't do very well at WES, in separate classes, how do you expect their performance to improve when they are all in a class together?
My idea of the answer? You don't care. You claim, now, that these kids will be better off in neighborhood schools. But, when they are in that neighborhood school, and it's failing, you'll blame the kids or their parents or John Tedesco or whatever else, while you shine up the newly-reclaimed School of Excellence plaque up at WES. Those other kids will be out of sight, out of mind.
I volunteered in my daughter's kindergarten class last year. I know how much of a difference a little extra attention can make in the lives of some kids who are behind in their progress. I have no idea whether or not those kids were F&R, but I know that having someone who could take a little time to focus on helping them was very beneficial to them. If there had been 15, 20, or a class full of kids struggling, I (nor the other parents who volunteered) wouldn't have been able to make a dent.
So...
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 18:44 — Bob_SconceThe three-year assignment plan for WES did not list any significant appreciation in the schools' expected enrollment. The school has a handful of extra classrooms available for growth. That part of the county is mostly built up now and growth has slowed dramatically.
I recognize that this is water under the bridge, but why was the school ever converted to begin with? It's been a YR school for 3 years now; why didn't they wait until they actually needed the space for growth?
In fact, WES's spare YR capacity is unlikely to ever be used for growth for one simple reason --all that theoretical extra capacity is on *TRACK 2*, which is currently empty. Raise your hand if you believe any neighborhood would stand to be moved to a new school, only to learn that they'll all be on the worst track? It's politically undoable.
Do You Remember?
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 21:49 — JanisTangowhy was the school ever converted to begin with?
Do you remember when they were talking about converting schools to year round they specifically talked about spreading the 'pain' around the county. They didn't want some areas (that had stagnate growth) to not have to have year rounds when others areas (where there was growth) needed to convert. What was so silly about Leesville at the time, was they had a year round on the books to be opened (Sycamore Creek) within two years right down the street! Patti Head felt is was more important for each district to do it right then and there! I can't recall if Wakefield was targeted that way, but it could have been!
What amazes me is that there
Fri, 03/05/2010 - 00:23 — jenmanWhat amazes me is that there is demand for YR seats in this area, but Chuck wasn't interested in letting anybody into Wakefield as application because he didn't like the base schools they were from.
We went to an appeal hearing 3 years ago to ask for year round after our application for Durant was denied and our transfer request for Brassfield, Durant, Wakefield or North Forest Pines was denied. About a week after our denial, an article ran in the paper about how underenrolled Wakefield was going to be and that they were going to have let teachers go. I called our board rep to say "hey, we want to go there and we'll take ANY track!". Denied again. The reason? Saving the seats for 'future growth'. 3 years later and still underenrolled.
I Agree, But
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:00 — JanisTangoI volunteered in my daughter's kindergarten class last year. I know how much of a difference a little extra attention can make in the lives of some kids who are behind in their progress. I have no idea whether or not those kids were F&R, but I know that having someone who could take a little time to focus on helping them was very beneficial to them.
I also volunteered in my son and daughters kindergarden and first grade class. Guess what happened the next year. A lot of the kids I worked with were 'reassigned' our of our school. My son's 1st grade class has 22 students. Today there are only 4 that remain. My daughter kindergarden class has 23 students..less than two years later only 10 remain. How can this kids get consistency of help when they are being jerked around all the time. I would love to be assigned a K-1 student and know that they will be at that school unless family circumstances change and I could work with them all 6 years. It would be a positive mentoring program for them and to be honest myself as well!
I was thinking this same
Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:23 — jenmanI was thinking this same thing as well. I definitely know that there are parents who help these kids, so I don't want to devalue Shank or anybody else for their contribution. But the system treats these kids as pawns that can be moved around. Some of the low income kids who opted out of YR were moved each year to a different trad school. In some cases, the schools they were moved out of (to be assigned to YR) were already healthy and the kids were doing well.
This is unnecessary disruption and I truly wonder how many kids we have lost during those years.