tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post2519965888163482504..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Friday Open ThreadMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-80828090418444850412011-12-04T17:50:17.809-08:002011-12-04T17:50:17.809-08:00In today's day and age, how could someone not ...<em>In today's day and age, how could someone not see a clinical psychiatrist if they discover that they are racist? An even broader question (although admittedly not part of my original post) is how could the district allow this man back into the classroom after publicly admitting that he has a inate (inbred?) tendency to discriminate based on the color of a child's skin?</em><br /><br />Well, we clearly have a completely different view of what it means for a person to admit racism. I think it's so common for people to grow up with unconscious racial biases as to be unremarkable in our culture. I wouldn't trust anyone who said outright that they had never needed to fight such bias in themselves. It would be like someone who said they'd never been cruel or thoughtless. <br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-23095273437480485132011-12-04T16:46:06.121-08:002011-12-04T16:46:06.121-08:00Helen,
In today's day and age, how could some...Helen,<br /><br />In today's day and age, how could someone not see a clinical psychiatrist if they discover that they are racist? An even broader question (although admittedly not part of my original post) is how could the district allow this man back into the classroom after publicly admitting that he has a inate (inbred?) tendency to discriminate based on the color of a child's skin?<br /><br />Why wouldn't it be appropriate to seek professional support from an administrator? It isn't. Unless, that administrator has racist tendencies also. Anyone who claims or espouses (or perpetuates) the belief that only whites are racist, is most likely a racist themselves as well as a con-artist.Michael Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49238802294315178062011-12-04T16:37:08.001-08:002011-12-04T16:37:08.001-08:00I had no use for Caprice Hollins, but those partic...I had no use for Caprice Hollins, but those particular examples don't seem nearly as damning to me as to you, Michael. Why on earth would it be necessary to consult a psychiatrist in order to combat one's newly-perceived racism? Why *wouldn't* it be appropriate to seek professional support from an administrator? Again, I'm not saying I thought Ms. Hollins was the best person for that job, nor that it's necessarily a good idea to separate out race and equity issues to a specialized department, but in a general sort of way.<br /><br />Helen Schinskehschinskehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316478950862562594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42470367015043457142011-12-04T16:30:40.866-08:002011-12-04T16:30:40.866-08:00Talking about K12 Central, here is one sentence in...Talking about K12 Central, here is one sentence in the Mission section of their Facebook Info page: "* Respect: Any negative bloggers gnawing at the staff in your district’s central office?"<br /><br />LOL!Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87961004668149368672011-12-04T16:21:16.283-08:002011-12-04T16:21:16.283-08:00@Anonymous at 12/3/2011 11:28: "Oh, we used t...@Anonymous at 12/3/2011 11:28: "Oh, we used to have a GREAT Race and Equity Department that was headed by Caprice Hollands. But MGJ disbanded it."<br /><br />You mean the same (useless) department that had the very ignorant position that only whites can be racist (see Potter, Silas), and that a forward-thinking mind-set, and setting goals, was privileged and racist? The same department that said Thanksgiving was not to be a time of celebration, but rather a time of mourning? The department one teacher claimed at a regular board meeting helped him see that he was a racist, and that although he was still in the classroom teaching elementary school children, he was working through the issues with the help of Caprice (instead of a clinical psychiatrist)? That department?<br /><br />MGJ's disbanding of that department was one of the only smart things she did during her tenure here.Michael Hnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69151762189856650292011-12-04T16:14:12.965-08:002011-12-04T16:14:12.965-08:00Can you please take down the petition gadget from ...Can you please take down the petition gadget from the website? Along with the calendar gadget, it slows down the loading of the site. (Not saying to remove the calendar, and I have a very new PC with Windows 7, yada yada yada, so my computer is not the problem.)Gobsmackednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9871564550325898462011-12-04T14:51:21.338-08:002011-12-04T14:51:21.338-08:00@choice: Yes, good for those who exercised it, ce...@choice: Yes, good for those who exercised it, certainly. My point was that, with such options, the schools being deserted did not have to improve. WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48985579935529088562011-12-03T23:28:12.931-08:002011-12-03T23:28:12.931-08:00Oh, we used to have a GREAT Race and Equity Depart...Oh, we used to have a GREAT Race and Equity Department that was headed by Caprice Hollands. But MGJ disbanded it. I have been a teacher in this district for 20+ years and am very frustrated that we've made little forward movement in this matter.<br />(By the way, I would send my child to Eckstein. In the end, however, I decided not to due to its lack of diversity.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61539003496660265852011-12-03T15:42:07.758-08:002011-12-03T15:42:07.758-08:00"I don't want to see anyone trapped in a ..."I don't want to see anyone trapped in a bad school, but, at the same time, giving people the option to leave the school simply does nothing to solve the problems that people are leaving to get away from."<br /><br />Not true, when you are getting a better, safer education for it. Families who waited for better "neighborhood" schools when the kids were in primary schools and now they're in high school are glad to have the choice system. Waited 10 years and that's too long for changes.<br /><br />-choice was goodAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65846188168232366232011-12-03T15:13:04.019-08:002011-12-03T15:13:04.019-08:00I once had a Seattle principal say to me: "ru...I once had a Seattle principal say to me: "rules are made to be broken"........I thanked the lord I didn't have kids in her school.<br /><br />Howard is from that school and has had a free ride for too long.Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67021778321903814362011-12-03T14:21:48.602-08:002011-12-03T14:21:48.602-08:00That said, as Braessee commented over at Publicola...That said, as Braessee commented over at Publicola, if the victims decided they didn't want the police involved, then any case would probably go nowhere, so maybe Howard let them decide. We don't know, so I shouldn't get overly presumptive. <br /><br />But still, there must be consequences to deter the behavior, and to send a clear message that its serious and won't be tolerated. From the descriptions, it does not appear that happened, so I'd like to hear Howard's comments on it. I think we have a right to know what was done, so we know what to expect in our public schools. WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-59041558084900513482011-12-03T14:17:33.267-08:002011-12-03T14:17:33.267-08:00Hale has one lunch period and 1200 kids. Haven'...Hale has one lunch period and 1200 kids. Haven't heard about any trouble as far as behavior is concerned, but very very long lunch lines are the norm. I think a lot of kids do leave campus since there are several lunch type restaurants for kids to walk to and a lot of the older kids have cars and drive to fast food joints.<br /><br />North parentanonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03716725891562757052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34185631348280478692011-12-03T14:08:53.759-08:002011-12-03T14:08:53.759-08:00If Howard is not reporting crimes to the police de...If Howard is not reporting crimes to the police department, is he not committing crimes himself? Or at the very least, breaking some toothless policy or rule of ethics, acting as an accessory to criminal behavior? <br /><br />I'm sorry, but this is a zero tolerance area. Not to mention how ridiculous the enabling of anti-social and criminal behavior is from an authority figure, which any child psychologist would firmly advise against. <br /><br />I want some answers here. If this were my kid, I'd report both the perpetrator and Howard into the police. <br /><br />Sadly, I've heard a former School Board member excuse known criminal behavior from teens before too. So it ain't just Howard who appears to think this way. It's a lot of apologist, excuse-making enablers who feel sorry for the perps, while showing no concern whatsoever for the victims. <br /><br />They aren't helping these deviants in any way by helping them avoid deserved consequences. They may mean well, and I'm sure Howard does, but he's exacerbating the problem. Not solving it. WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33561027550612881782011-12-03T12:46:49.067-08:002011-12-03T12:46:49.067-08:00Thanks Paul, I misinterpreted.
I think it would b...Thanks Paul, I misinterpreted.<br /><br />I think it would be hard to make Garfield a closed campus, but I think that it isn't helping anyone, when accountability/responsibility depends on who you are.<br /><br /><br />Glad to hear Franklin is doing well.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25051544759583270392011-12-03T11:13:04.638-08:002011-12-03T11:13:04.638-08:00Shout out to Jenny Wiley at Franklin who added a s...Shout out to Jenny Wiley at Franklin who added a second lunch period there when she arrived and we stopped hearing stuff about robbery, gangbangs, etc, there.<br /><br />I think they actually have some kind of closed campus there as well.<br /><br />Well played Ms. Wiley and a nice contrast to Ted.Noamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-49754181860344965422011-12-03T11:06:18.696-08:002011-12-03T11:06:18.696-08:00Not snarking on you Emerald.
Just pointing out th...Not snarking on you Emerald.<br /><br />Just pointing out that Howard has been playing fast and loose with decision making for a long, long time.<br /><br />There's been a lot of teflon for way too long.Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-42624282597846146532011-12-03T10:58:06.096-08:002011-12-03T10:58:06.096-08:00I remember that Paul. It was right at the end of t...I remember that Paul. It was right at the end of the summer term.<br /><br />But that was before the District got all transparent, accountable and evaluation-y, wasn't it?<br /><br />You betcha!Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25727511301067819132011-12-03T10:56:53.557-08:002011-12-03T10:56:53.557-08:00I am not agreeing with Howards recent decisions- b...I am not agreeing with Howards recent decisions- but even when my D was on FRL @ Summit, she didn't eat the school lunches because they were not that edible.<br />Someone asked where the Garfield kids ate lunch, I was just replying.<br /><br />Daughter is also a pretty tough cookie and traveled in a pack- admittedly not something you are necessarily going to be doing just to use the restroom.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50593484991625779112011-12-03T10:50:38.852-08:002011-12-03T10:50:38.852-08:00Hey Emeraldcity; that's nice for kids that can...Hey Emeraldcity; that's nice for kids that can walk the streets and afford Starbucks. I'm gald our son wasn't a "daughter" the summer Ted Howard was learning how to be a Seattle Principal by being a Summer School Principal at Meany.<br /><br />He thought it would be a good decision to hire Bob Gary's former son-in-law (Clint Webb) as a "Hall Monitor".<br /><br />Those that recall know that after someones daughter was raped by Mr. Webb, Mr. Howard knew nothing.<br /><br />Glad our son was safe.Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40855670440418917072011-12-03T10:21:40.666-08:002011-12-03T10:21:40.666-08:00Time for a new thread on the new racial diversity ...Time for a new thread on the new racial diversity guidelines, but I'll start by saying I agree with Harium that making existing schools better and more equitable is the answer. Not busing or increasing options for people to leave their neighborhood schools, which only results in further depletion of good students and families from those schools. <br /><br />I'm sympathetic to families who did so in the past, if their local school didn't cut it, but the world is smaller now, given the abundance of local media, blogs, and various forms of public messaging available today, so lingering problems should not be allowed to go on in struggling schools like in years past. And we all need to pay for the extra help that struggling schools and students need now. If not, we'll pay one hell of a lot more later, as history shows time and time again. Pre-K and after school programs are sound & wise expenditures, and as a fiscal conservative, I completely support them. <br /><br />But the real key is not just making the schools better, but having all City planning policies embrace diversifying neighborhoods as a common goal. This will bring gentrification to places that resent it, of course, but the ultimate goal is to have diverse schools all over, and that will only happen when the demographic composition of the neighborhood reflects the same diversity as the composition of the local student body at the neighborhood school. <br /><br />Busing works for some, but it's a band-aid. And an expensive one at that. Seattle lost the racial tie-breaker case because it was a half-assed policy that created winners and losers without truly diversifying the schools, but allowing a handful of kids to switch schools. It's hard to argue with Justice Roberts statement that: "In order to stop discrimination based upon race, we need to stop discriminating based on race."<br /><br />I don't want to see anyone trapped in a bad school, but, at the same time, giving people the option to leave the school simply does nothing to solve the problems that people are leaving to get away from. That problem has been the Achilles heel of this district and one that is way overdue being dealt with properly. I hope this latest decision doesn't inspire people to return to that way of thinking, because it didn't work either. WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61351311230227588432011-12-03T09:35:38.324-08:002011-12-03T09:35:38.324-08:00it makes one wonder where the other half (along wi...<i>it makes one wonder where the other half (along with the all the "non-F&R" kids) go during lunch?</i><br /><br />My daughter & her friends went to Starbucks/Ezells/DurDur Cafe.Jet City momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804841958585043967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68655674144507098592011-12-03T09:29:11.106-08:002011-12-03T09:29:11.106-08:00Wow! Re: Eckstein=1200 students, 4 lunch periods a...Wow! Re: Eckstein=1200 students, 4 lunch periods and no kids running the streets during lunch. What a concept.<br /><br />And staff who know the kids and all bathrooms open during the school day.<br /><br />Maybe Ted Howard might find out how they do that.<br /><br />Amazing!Dave (NOT DWE)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-66595954662933555272011-12-03T09:22:57.470-08:002011-12-03T09:22:57.470-08:00I would also characterize an urban secondary schoo...I would also characterize an urban secondary school with 1600 to 1800 students with one single lunch period which at best can only feed @ 400 of those students as a questionable decision within the principal's purvue as well.<br /><br />Garfield must have at least over 800 Free and Reduced price kids in their student body. If only half of those can be fed, it makes one wonder where the other half (along with the all the "non-F&R" kids) go during lunch?<br /><br />Getting robbed in the bathrooms, it sounds like.Dave (NOT DWE)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92036070613392794812011-12-02T20:47:51.965-08:002011-12-02T20:47:51.965-08:00But then what would Bernardo Ruiz have to do the r...But then what would Bernardo Ruiz have to do the rest of the day?<br /><br />Get it, got it, Good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-8264660257719968222011-12-02T20:41:54.276-08:002011-12-02T20:41:54.276-08:00This blog ran a petition for students' journal...This blog ran a petition for students' journalistic rights.<br /><br />I might suggest a petition here (and elsewhere) to demand that Carol Simmons be given a slot on the Equity and Race committee...If she brought her files with her, they'd be done by dinner.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.com