Keep This in Mind As You Read My "Big Picture" Series
Yup.
Tuesday Open Thread
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Comments
I was thinking about this last week-end and it's hard not to believe that a lot of these problems are intentional for the purpose of creating divisions. Divide and conquer, as they say. If we are all getting along what sense is there in a Mayor take over? If schools are providing the supports students need, why create charters?
If we just use the term "student" and not prepend AP, SPED or GEN-ED it would go along way in stopping the distinctions that are creating silos and weakening community support for schools.
All students need supports, they just vary depending on the student.
So I try to give them some benefit of the doubt.
And I also know that when you say something like it appears intentional that many parts of this district - that are centrally managed - are near failing, you will get called a "conspiracy theorist."
I agree with your assessment and my "Big Picture" series is an effort to connect the dots on this picture.
I think it's a result of incompetence and lack of concern about those who aren't important in the district's sense of priorities.
In the case of JSCEE, attempting to distinguish the motives of individual employees from the effects of their organization is moot in terms of outcomes and effects of the vulnerable students.
Since we're quoting people, wasn't it Anne Frank who said, "Despite everything, I think people are good at heart."
--enough already
Lots of information (i.e. "smart") or a pleasant demeanor (i.e. "good") does not automatically translate into courage.
Backbone
I also sat yesterday and watched the news report on the "other" school districts who are staging their one day walk outs this week. And it sort of changed my mind on the SEA's decision. I DO think it matters that they joined THEIR voices to the voices of many other schools districts. I think it would have sent the wrong message had they not. I am really glad (in retrospect) that their political instincts led them that way, and I am unhappy with myself for second guessing their attempts to do what they can to increase state funding for schools. And while the "make up" day may be late in the year and less effective than a full day in mid-May, it all seems to pale beside the days, and days, and days of teacher, student, and administrator time lost (with NO make up days) to overtesting.
Jan
I do believe that nationwide the right and the conservative Dems are trying to allow private corporations to take over education so that they can make billions from it (it's sick). I don't, however, believe the majority of district employees are doing any such thing. The district is a world unto itself and has become almost disconnected with reality. Why are they not freaking out over capacity? How can they not see what seems so obvious? They are their own echo chamber and they are not interested from anything that doesn't come from within, but I don't think the regular employees are behaving the way that they are so that they can be taken over. That would take far more planning than the district seems capable of.
-tetley
I have no doubt there are games afoot to help insure a takeover but its a very very small set who are playing it.
reader47
I know the average JSCEE employee 1) works hard, 2) usually in a silo within a department, 3) has very little say in what happens and 4) would not know what is happening above them.
Jan