I read a story about "Black Students Dispoportionately Disciplined More Than White Students" on my cell the other day and was going to do a blog post about it when I had time, but from that day to today, I've read more stories on the issue.
There were so many stories I couldn't pick just one.
Now, I've said a number of times in my posts/comments over the years that I might not be the sharpest tack in the box, but I do believe I have common sense and common sense tells me that in every one of these articles on discipline dipsarity I read, NOWHERE do I ever see anyone state that the higher number of offenses Blacks were disciplind for were bogus and without merit.
If I, a White person and two Black individuals are standing in hall and I start beating my head against a wall and do that 13 times while the Black people did it only once, would statistics show the two Black people with higher incidents of beating their heads against the same wall or would the facts of the data show I am the one beating his brains out more often?
My all-time favoite FACTUAL article on this was one Ann did a couple of years ago about the Black middle school kid who was suspended one year - 13 times - because he was "angry".
Ths is a perfect example of how the facts negate the outrage over so-called "discipline disparities". Never do I see statistics showing White kids repeating offenses and not being disciplined for them while Black kids repeatig the same offense(s) over and over getting suspended each time for theirs.
If you can show me those statistics, then I'll jump on your bandwagon.
One thing that has started to be reported is the failure of Obama's "restorative justice" push, where kids are "talked to" instead of being punished. The problem is, crimes by Black students in those school systems is on the rise and getting worse.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Texas Mom Shares One-of-a-Kind PTA Fundraising Letter
Saw this yesterday and with several comments regarding this issue in a previous blog post, I thought it was timely to continue the conversation.
Texas Mom Shares One-of-a-Kind PTA Fundraising Letter
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/texas-mom-shares-kind-pta-fundraising-letter/story?id=33381268
Also, as Miss Whit stated, the Observer has posted its annual bullshit article about the "discrepancy" of the have and have-not schools, once again deflecting from the real issue.
The real issue in which Andrew Dunn hits the nail on the head in the first paragraph of the article: INVOLVED PARENTS:
Schools in Charlotte’s affluent areas routinely raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year from involved parents. About two dozen of the city’s schools, most of them low-income, don’t even have a PTA.
You can read the annual woe is me PTA article here in the Observer:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article32654250.html
The comments to this article are comical, with the usual liberal suspects regurgitating the same status quo bullshit that usually follows stories such as this. Sheeeeeee's baaaack..... bet ya can't guess who it is.
Texas Mom Shares One-of-a-Kind PTA Fundraising Letter
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/texas-mom-shares-kind-pta-fundraising-letter/story?id=33381268
Also, as Miss Whit stated, the Observer has posted its annual bullshit article about the "discrepancy" of the have and have-not schools, once again deflecting from the real issue.
The real issue in which Andrew Dunn hits the nail on the head in the first paragraph of the article: INVOLVED PARENTS:
Schools in Charlotte’s affluent areas routinely raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year from involved parents. About two dozen of the city’s schools, most of them low-income, don’t even have a PTA.
You can read the annual woe is me PTA article here in the Observer:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article32654250.html
The comments to this article are comical, with the usual liberal suspects regurgitating the same status quo bullshit that usually follows stories such as this. Sheeeeeee's baaaack..... bet ya can't guess who it is.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Hundreds attend forum on racial, economic isolation in CMS
Hundreds turned out Monday to talk about the faith community’s role in reducing the chance that students are consigned to public schools where most students are poor, nonwhite and struggling academically.
As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools delves into student-assignment policies, speakers with expertise in the district’s history, demographics and challenges said it’s not only poor and minority students who benefit from diversity, but middle-class and white students as well.
“We’re talking about equality of opportunity, giving every child an equal chance to succeed,” said James Ford, a recent N.C. Teacher of the Year who now works for the Public School Forum of North Carolina. “We’re going to make sure that isolation is no longer a factor for students of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.”
The forum was a follow-up to a May presentation that drew more than 200 people to UNC Charlotte Center City to hear about the district’s history of desegregation and what many call the resegregation of CMS.
The Rev. John Cleghorn, pastor of Caldwell Presbyterian Church in uptown Charlotte, convened Monday’s gathering to talk about how the faith community can engage. Sandra Conway, a longtime education activist and consultant, helped organize the event.
“Historically, faith has had a lot of power in this,” she said. “And we have a lot of power in the pews.”
The sanctuary at Caldwell, which seats about 300, got an overflow crowd for the 5 p.m. session. Because there was also strong interest from people who have been taking part in MeckMin’s summer series of weekly talks about race, that group scheduled a second session with the panelists starting at 7 p.m.
The talks were scheduled to end this month, but the interfaith group has now scheduled September talks focused on educational equity and hopes to lead ongoing faith-based efforts to improve education.
Nelson comparing CMS with the racially torn St. Louis area: “Like St. Louis, our children’s neighborhood is becoming their academic destiny. ... Unlike St. Louis County, we have the ability to have diverse schools.”
▪ Frye Gaillard, former Observer education reporter and author of the “The Dream Long Deferred,” a history of CMS desegregation initially published in 1988.
Gaillard on the role of churches in desegregation: “The faith community in that crucial time in Charlotte-Mecklenburg underscored that we have to come together for the common good.”
▪ Sam Fulwood III, a journalist who has written extensively about race and public policy and is currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is a CMS graduate and a former Observer reporter.
Fulwood on being a student who was bused for desegregation in the 1970s: “The children were the ones who had to be forced into the schools to desegregate, because the grown-ups wouldn’t do it themselves. I think it was a necessary choice at the time.”
In the late 1990s, white families sued to get the desegregation order lifted, saying race-based magnet assignment discriminated against their children. The plaintiffs prevailed after a court battle that exposed deep rifts in Mecklenburg County, and in 2002 a race-neutral “choice plan” took effect.
Since then a growing number of schools have seen white and middle-class enrollment dwindle or disappear.
▪ Keep up with the CMS student assignment review at www.cms.k12.nc.us; select “2017-18 Student Assignment Review” under Spotlight at the bottom of the page.
As Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools delves into student-assignment policies, speakers with expertise in the district’s history, demographics and challenges said it’s not only poor and minority students who benefit from diversity, but middle-class and white students as well.
“We’re talking about equality of opportunity, giving every child an equal chance to succeed,” said James Ford, a recent N.C. Teacher of the Year who now works for the Public School Forum of North Carolina. “We’re going to make sure that isolation is no longer a factor for students of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.”
The forum was a follow-up to a May presentation that drew more than 200 people to UNC Charlotte Center City to hear about the district’s history of desegregation and what many call the resegregation of CMS.
“Historically, faith has had a lot of power in this,” she said. “And we have a lot of power in the pews.”
The sanctuary at Caldwell, which seats about 300, got an overflow crowd for the 5 p.m. session. Because there was also strong interest from people who have been taking part in MeckMin’s summer series of weekly talks about race, that group scheduled a second session with the panelists starting at 7 p.m.
The talks were scheduled to end this month, but the interfaith group has now scheduled September talks focused on educational equity and hopes to lead ongoing faith-based efforts to improve education.
The speakers
▪ Amy Hawn Nelson, director of social research for the UNCC Urban Institute and co-author of “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: School Desegregation and Resegregation in Charlotte,” published this year.Nelson comparing CMS with the racially torn St. Louis area: “Like St. Louis, our children’s neighborhood is becoming their academic destiny. ... Unlike St. Louis County, we have the ability to have diverse schools.”
▪ Frye Gaillard, former Observer education reporter and author of the “The Dream Long Deferred,” a history of CMS desegregation initially published in 1988.
▪ Sam Fulwood III, a journalist who has written extensively about race and public policy and is currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is a CMS graduate and a former Observer reporter.
Fulwood on being a student who was bused for desegregation in the 1970s: “The children were the ones who had to be forced into the schools to desegregate, because the grown-ups wouldn’t do it themselves. I think it was a necessary choice at the time.”
The back story
CMS got national attention for its court-ordered busing plan to desegregate schools in the early 1970s.In the late 1990s, white families sued to get the desegregation order lifted, saying race-based magnet assignment discriminated against their children. The plaintiffs prevailed after a court battle that exposed deep rifts in Mecklenburg County, and in 2002 a race-neutral “choice plan” took effect.
Since then a growing number of schools have seen white and middle-class enrollment dwindle or disappear.
Why now?
The school board has embarked on a review of student assignment, with a goal of making changes for 2017-18. A majority of members say they believe CMS needs to do something to counteract the concentrations of poverty that hinder educational opportunities for some students.Stay engaged
▪ MeckMin will lead talks on educational equity in September and coordinate efforts to get the faith community engaged in student assignment. www.meckmin.org/educationalequity or 704-565-5455.▪ Keep up with the CMS student assignment review at www.cms.k12.nc.us; select “2017-18 Student Assignment Review” under Spotlight at the bottom of the page.
Friday, August 14, 2015
CMS board: It’s time to break up concentrations of school poverty
.....Oh, when will they ever learn?....Oh, when will they ever learn? - Pete Seeger
It seems liberals will never learn.
CMS board: It’s time to break up concentrations of school poverty
It seems liberals will never learn.
CMS board: It’s time to break up concentrations of school poverty
It’s time to revise the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools student assignment plan to undo the intense concentrations of poverty that hobble many schools’ chances at excellence, most board members agreed Thursday.
But they remain a long way from figuring out how to do that. At a committee meeting with eight of nine members participating, they talked about expanding magnets and exploring other ways to create economic diversity without driving families out of public schools.
Eric Davis, one of several members who said current poverty levels at many schools are unacceptable, summarized the challenge of changing those patterns: “How will we decide which students to move out of the schools, and to where? Which students will we decide to move into the schools, and from where?”
“That’s the question,” committee chair Tom Tate responded wryly. And the rest of the group burst into laughter at the understatement. MORE..... http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article31029576.html Also, read Tom Tate's ramblings about "diversity and poverty" and how to errr.... well read it:
Eric Davis, one of several members who said current poverty levels at many schools are unacceptable, summarized the challenge of changing those patterns: “How will we decide which students to move out of the schools, and to where? Which students will we decide to move into the schools, and from where?”
“That’s the question,” committee chair Tom Tate responded wryly. And the rest of the group burst into laughter at the understatement. MORE..... http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article31029576.html Also, read Tom Tate's ramblings about "diversity and poverty" and how to errr.... well read it:
Some Thoughts/Assumptions Regarding a Student Assignment Plan
Prepared by Tom Tate for Discussion by the Policy Committee
on August 13, 2015
1. I think the Board wants every school to be one that the parents of children
assigned to it want their child/children to attend.
a. We do not presently have that reality across CMS.
b. I do not see how we can come up with a feasible Student Assignment Plan
as long as geography plays the primary role.
c. For the long-term we will need to work with the City and Town Councils
regarding zoning for mixed income/affordable housing throughout the
county.
d. Housing patterns are part of the long-term solution. For the short-term I
think the Board needs to hire an outside consultant who specializes in
these matters to help us see what mechanisms or demographics we can use
in the short-term to accomplish as much as we can toward our Board
Vision (to provide all students the best education available anywhere,
preparing every child to lead a rich and productive life) and Mission (to
maximize academic achievement by every student in every school).
2. I think a majority of the Board wants to see every school – as fully as possible –
reflect the diversity of our district overall so every student will receive the
education we want for him or her based on our Vision, Mission, Core Beliefs and
Commitments.
a. Unfortunately, we have too many hyper-segregated geographical areas and
thus too many hyper-segregated schools, whether by race and ethnicity or
poverty and wealth, or a combination.
b. To deal with this we probably need an outside consultant.
c. From what I have read diversity in individual schools helps all students
rise to their level of success academically and will provide students with
skills they will need to live and work in our diverse world.
3. I think a majority of the Board wants to change a system that currently privileges
those who have the time, the resources, the knowledge, and/or the experience to
find the best education for their individual child. Every parent wants this, but not
every parent has the capacity to make it happen. This phenomenon has resulted in
pockets throughout CMS where parents have found ways to opt out of their Home
Schools in large numbers.
a. I don’t see how we can relieve this except through a Student Assignment
Plan.
b. To deal with this issue we may need an outside consultant.
4. I think a majority of the Board wants us to talk with a consultant who may be able
to demonstrate how a Student Assignment Plan (given our demographics and
realities) could be designed that will make a difference in student achievement
and prepare every child to lead a rich and productive life.
5. I think some (maybe a minority) of the Board are concerned with the cost of
continuing to use programs, projects, and initiatives (which basically means more
resources) as the primary way for increasing student achievement in certain
schools. And are concerned because it costs so much and, in the long run, has not
worked.
6. At least three Board members have said that we need to take a critical/intentional
look at every school, or do a root cause analysis of every school, to understand
what needs to be done to make them more successful in educating every child. I
wonder how that plays into the development of a Student Assignment Plan.
7. We also have at least one member who wants us to offer at least two school
options to every student, another member who wants more data on how
concentrated-poverty in schools affects student achievement. I wonder if we need
to look more carefully at this before we move forward.
8. Another Board member wants us to look at JROTC at every school that has it, and
Marie G. Davis to see why so many students in those programs graduate. Is this
something we do before we move forward with student assignment?
9. We also have at least one member who says that predictive links cannot be cured
on a school bus, that six or seven hours a day is not enough to make the changes
we want, that without the whole community involved in the fix (town, city,
county, neighborhoods, etc.) all we will be doing is covering up the wounds.
10. And maybe we need to wait until we have more information from Project L.I.F.T.
and the Beacon Initiative.
11. And there is the concern about what constitutes a “bad” school (in part because of
the State’s school grading system) and how we deal with that reality no matter
where kids are assigned.
12. A couple of members think we should look at different grade level configurations
(K-2, 4-6, for example) along with student assignment.
13. I also recall someone talking about assigning students to schools based on
“expected student outcomes.” I don’t know how that works, especially beginning
with preK or Kindergarten, but maybe we should consider it.
14. What is missing?
Thursday, August 13, 2015
State bonds for local schools wouldn’t dent CMS needs
Ahhhh...CMS and we need more schools BS....
We've already proven schools can be closed, yet they couldn't stand it and opened them back up in some form or fashion.
State bonds for local schools wouldn’t dent CMS needs
We've already proven schools can be closed, yet they couldn't stand it and opened them back up in some form or fashion.
State bonds for local schools wouldn’t dent CMS needs
A recent N.C. House proposal to put $500 million in K-12 school construction bonds before voters in November might sound like a boon to a growing district like Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
But I suspect it might prove more of a challenge.
It sounds like a lot of money, especially as part of a $2.8 billion bond package that includes a $90 million science building at UNC Charlotte and other projects for Charlotte-area colleges and parks. And if CMS were to get the whole $500 million, that would cover several more years of school construction and renovation.
But of course it doesn’t work that way. According to Colin Campbell of the News & Observer, the plan calls for $280 million to go to low-wealth counties, which wouldn’t include Mecklenburg.
Another $150 million would be divided among all counties, with the share based on enrollment. That would come to roughly $15 million for CMS, enough to build one elementary school.
The last $70 million would be divided among counties with growing enrollment. That would mean a bit more for CMS, which has added more than 21,500 students in the past decade and projects similar growth in the coming 10 years.
County commissioners traditionally issue bonds for school construction, as Rep. Dan Bishop, a former Mecklenburg County commissioner, pointed out during discussion of the state bonds. Most recently, Mecklenburg voters approved $290 million for CMS in 2013. District leaders were grateful, but experienced bond envy when Wake voters approved $810 million.
Point being: In big districts, construction runs into big bucks.
According to a February presentation to the school board, CMS averaged $190 million a year in approved borrowing for construction, renovation and land between 1997 and 2007 (the recession put a temporary halt to school bonds). In the coming decade, the district projects $1.9 billion in capital needs, or $188 million a year.
CMS Operations Director Carol Stamper says the board will take stock in January and discuss whether it’s time to start planning for another local bond campaign.
Meanwhile, state legislators are wrestling with the state bond plan. If the House plan for K-12 schools prevails – and if voters say yes – Mecklenburg County will need to come up with a dollar-for-dollar match for money channeled to CMS.
The money may well prove useful, but it won’t last long and it complicates the political scene.
The next time Mecklenburg County puts school bonds on the ballot, you’d have to wonder how many voters would think, “Didn’t we just approve a big school bond?”
But I suspect it might prove more of a challenge.
It sounds like a lot of money, especially as part of a $2.8 billion bond package that includes a $90 million science building at UNC Charlotte and other projects for Charlotte-area colleges and parks. And if CMS were to get the whole $500 million, that would cover several more years of school construction and renovation.
But of course it doesn’t work that way. According to Colin Campbell of the News & Observer, the plan calls for $280 million to go to low-wealth counties, which wouldn’t include Mecklenburg.
The last $70 million would be divided among counties with growing enrollment. That would mean a bit more for CMS, which has added more than 21,500 students in the past decade and projects similar growth in the coming 10 years.
147,769 K-12 CMS students expected this year
166,742 expected in 2024
1,100 mobile classrooms in use now
166,742 expected in 2024
1,100 mobile classrooms in use now
Point being: In big districts, construction runs into big bucks.
According to a February presentation to the school board, CMS averaged $190 million a year in approved borrowing for construction, renovation and land between 1997 and 2007 (the recession put a temporary halt to school bonds). In the coming decade, the district projects $1.9 billion in capital needs, or $188 million a year.
CMS Operations Director Carol Stamper says the board will take stock in January and discuss whether it’s time to start planning for another local bond campaign.
The money may well prove useful, but it won’t last long and it complicates the political scene.
The next time Mecklenburg County puts school bonds on the ballot, you’d have to wonder how many voters would think, “Didn’t we just approve a big school bond?”
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Consultants offer $100-an-hour help picking Charlotte schools
Consultants offer $100-an-hour help picking Charlotte schools
For years I’ve heard people say choosing a school in Mecklenburg County is so complex that someone should start a business offering guidance.
Now three south Charlotte women are doing just that. For $100 an hour, Charlotte School Search will offer personalized help with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools options, charter schools and private schools in central and south Charlotte.
Rachel Hunt says the idea started when her father, former N.C. Gov. James Hunt, noted that other cities have school-search consultants and suggested starting a firm in Charlotte. Rachel Hunt is a CMS parent, a lawyer and a recently certified college counselor.
She connected with two friends who also bring personal and professional expertise. Amanda “Boo” Raymond is a former teacher and volunteer child advocate who also has kids in CMS (local political junkies know her as the force behind League of Women Voters televised debates). Suzanne Cormier is a former guidance counselor who has taught educational psychology at Winthrop University – and yes, also a CMS mom.
“We’ve been doing this informally for years,” Hunt said.... MORE http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/your-schools-blog/article30634032.html
Now three south Charlotte women are doing just that. For $100 an hour, Charlotte School Search will offer personalized help with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools options, charter schools and private schools in central and south Charlotte.
Rachel Hunt says the idea started when her father, former N.C. Gov. James Hunt, noted that other cities have school-search consultants and suggested starting a firm in Charlotte. Rachel Hunt is a CMS parent, a lawyer and a recently certified college counselor.
She connected with two friends who also bring personal and professional expertise. Amanda “Boo” Raymond is a former teacher and volunteer child advocate who also has kids in CMS (local political junkies know her as the force behind League of Women Voters televised debates). Suzanne Cormier is a former guidance counselor who has taught educational psychology at Winthrop University – and yes, also a CMS mom.
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