tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post5674866209612620514..comments2024-03-29T02:41:52.718-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Situation At Emerson ElementaryMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47569538508609298482016-11-18T12:10:56.044-08:002016-11-18T12:10:56.044-08:00Update on Emerson
Kelly Aramaki sent a letter to ...Update on Emerson<br /><br />Kelly Aramaki sent a letter to families on Tuesday saying Principal Drake would return to the school on Monday, December 21. In anticipation of that, a community meeting was held at the school last night for parents and guardians to "share our questions and concerns, as well as our hopes and dreams for our children at Emerson Elementary." According to two parents I've spoken with who were there, the meeting was mediated by a person who introduced himself as having coached Principal Drake since June, which immediately put into question his appearance of impartiality. It was also attended and hijacked by Rita Green (NAACP), Several members of Ms. Drake's church, and Kevin Amos, the activist who has taken to social media and showed up at the school board meeting to harass and intimidate anyone who is questioning or disagreeing with Principal Drake. He was allowed to speak nearly first at the meeting, and then continued to try and grab the microphone when others were speaking. <br /><br />According to one of the translators present to assist the large contingent of ESL and non-English speaking parents & guardians, they were all were intimidated into silence - and told the translator they wanted to speak but felt uncomfortable doing so.<br /><br />This is so completely unacceptable. If an outside group came to a predominately white English-speaking school and hijacked a community meeting, it would not be tolerated by the community or SPS representatives. This school has been in crisis for so long, prior to Drake - what the heck were they thinking??? Are we supposed to believe they care AT ALL about the families at Emerson? What were they thinking?<br />Richelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20463663830874385082016-11-07T14:25:33.345-08:002016-11-07T14:25:33.345-08:00Ms. Green is headed for a hard fall if she keeps b...Ms. Green is headed for a hard fall if she keeps believing Drake.Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-14299948125721738462016-11-07T12:44:24.776-08:002016-11-07T12:44:24.776-08:00NAACP may have a valid point that principals (and ...NAACP may have a valid point that principals (and teachers) are not all treated equally in SPS, but it's certainly not at all clear that there's a racial reason behind the differences in disciplinary measures. There have been white principals and teachers harshly disciplined for offenses that didn't seem to merit such extreme actions, and there have been black principals who never seem to be disciplined despite a never-ending stream of scandals and controversies. <br /><br />rbAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-81344128494765079392016-11-07T12:18:31.660-08:002016-11-07T12:18:31.660-08:00Obsidian - those who actually spoke at the board m...Obsidian - those who actually spoke at the board meeting to support Principal Drake were indeed all (new this year) staff and educators at Emerson. <br /><br />However, it has been outside interests, including the NAACP and other parties that have no substantive connection to Emerson or the SPS community, who have been driving much of the rhetoric surrounding her support since she was put on leave. At least one of those parties suddenly appeared this week on the Soup for Teachers Facebook page, and did falsely present himself as a member of the Emerson community. <br /><br />I have no issue with those who wish to take the district to task for their spectacularly incompetent mismanaging of this situation. However I cannot tolerate persons who come into our school communities and effectively drive a wedge between parents and staff in order to push an agenda that is clearly not working, ultimately, for the good of SPS educators and families. Richelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67508731940653002162016-11-07T11:08:32.724-08:002016-11-07T11:08:32.724-08:00I don't know where they drummed up those "...I don't know where they drummed up those "teachers" who spoke at the Board meeting in favor of Drake. <br /><br />Were they even teachers at Emerson?<br /><br />Something is fishy smelling.<br /><br />obsidianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-34000137274768036262016-11-06T14:50:40.071-08:002016-11-06T14:50:40.071-08:00I do not believe a single parent's complaint a...I do not believe a single parent's complaint about a principal could get the district to act (especially without an investigation) unless there was a danger to the school community. <br /><br />I think it is not a good idea to try to find linkage from school to school per district actions because it is always hard to have exactly the same situation. I would not say one single situation is a pattern. <br /><br />Ed, I'm not agreeing with your assessment but again, I think that it is important to not immediately believe it is possible to make an assessment of a situation in a vacuum of knowledge (especially if the main player is not being entirely truthful about the situation.)<br /><br />I think at this point, the district needs to issue a statement - not Ex. Director Kelly Aramaki's carefully shaped statement released late Friday - with a plan of action.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-25514934232012377162016-11-06T10:55:21.587-08:002016-11-06T10:55:21.587-08:00I think the word Melissa is looking for is impunit...I think the word Melissa is looking for is impunity.<br /><br />That seems to be what Ms. Green is seeking for principals (of any color as her argument can apply to all).Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47328698994261577382016-11-06T01:45:11.282-07:002016-11-06T01:45:11.282-07:00Richelle Dickerson11/6/16, 1:08 AM
Melissa & F...Richelle Dickerson11/6/16, 1:08 AM<br />Melissa & FWIW - I'm reading it that you both are basically saying the same thing - in terms of #5? Am I missing something?<br /><br />ReplyDeleteRichelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62631378629685087802016-11-06T01:08:07.086-07:002016-11-06T01:08:07.086-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Richelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13729681979251301952016-11-05T23:28:33.584-07:002016-11-05T23:28:33.584-07:00FWIW, yes, if the NAACP believes this principal...FWIW, yes, if the NAACP believes this principal's rights have been violated, they can and should stand up for her. <br /><br />But Ms Green of the NAACP says "there are no findings" and that is not true. There are two findings by a district investigation that hold that Dr. Drake used bullying/intimidation against two different employees at Emerson. You can either take my word for it (because I don't really want to post the documents even redacted) or you can file a public disclosure request to the district and see for yourself. Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-21263569152427982732016-11-05T20:05:37.158-07:002016-11-05T20:05:37.158-07:00Melissa,
#4 is about due process, which should be...Melissa,<br /><br />#4 is about due process, which should be granted to every employee.<br /><br />Your infusion of information you say you have and invoking the name<br />of another principal are irrelevant to the rights of this principal<br />for due process.<br /><br />If NAACP suspects this employee's rights have been violated, they are<br />doing their job by advocating.<br /><br />#5 questions the rhetoric being used in this effort.<br /><br />FWIW<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76206580393297892062016-11-05T14:54:30.113-07:002016-11-05T14:54:30.113-07:00Oddly, I agree with most of what FWIW wrote. I do...Oddly, I agree with most of what FWIW wrote. I don't agree with number four because the only evidence given is that another school has many parents who don't like their principal and nothing is done. That may be true (and I'm still trying to get clarification on that) but it didn't point to a pattern of African-American principals being treated differently than white principals. <br /><br />What I find troubling is that Ted Howard has had many serious problems and yet he's never gotten pulled out of his office. <br /><br />What the NAACP wasn't told by Principal Drake is that the district had a finding (via a complaint from a staff member) that she had used bullying/intimidation against this staff member. A second such complaint was also filed and upheld by the district's investigation. It had nothing to do with race but with her leadership style which really seems to be the issue here.<br /><br />But as FWIW and the rest of us have pointed out, the district has dysfunctional ways of handling issues and it hurts school communities.<br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-68190331006042583782016-11-05T14:41:27.932-07:002016-11-05T14:41:27.932-07:00-mp
I'm merely echoing that point, that it is ...-mp<br />I'm merely echoing that point, that it is inappropriate to have such a school as a neighborhood school, where students are stuck in it without a choice. The program there is a very specific type of program that should be a choice (if it is even a valid model, which I dispute.)<br /><br />As FWIW wrote, a program that insists on uniforms, that focuses (exclusively?) on the three Rs, that appears to use a remedial reading program to teach reading to ALL students would never fly in a wealthier school.<br />This is a question I've asked for years: why do poor students get these regimented, almost militaristic sorts of programs while wealthier students don't?<br />And what happens to the many students who don't need or want such a program but HAVE to do it because it's their neighborhood school?<br />Nothing inappropriate about highlighting that truth.seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-20803037679171220392016-11-05T13:38:21.303-07:002016-11-05T13:38:21.303-07:00seattle citizen, it seems a little inappropriate o...seattle citizen, it seems a little inappropriate of you to cherry-pick FWIW's list to fit your own anti-reform narrative. I think FWIW's point is that all these issues in the list are interrelated and that no one of them alone led to the dysfunction that is Emerson.<br /><br />--- mpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15172053516642530832016-11-05T10:41:53.667-07:002016-11-05T10:41:53.667-07:00I agree with FWIWs comment. SPS gives lip service ...I agree with FWIWs comment. SPS gives lip service to 'every child/student every day' but in reality allows dysfunction to reign when nobody advocates for normalcy. There are many stories from teachers and the staff survey. There must be something going on. The people who live near the school don't have choices of where to go, and also may not have points of comparison with other schools. NESeattleMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14685367298254415469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-5030331128759343232016-11-05T08:26:52.345-07:002016-11-05T08:26:52.345-07:00FWIW nails it with #3:
"3. A "neighborh...FWIW nails it with #3:<br /><br />"3. A "neighborhood" school is being run like a KIPP school or the former African American Academy. Both of those are/were choice programs. Assigned students whose parents may not like the military atmosphere may wind up not being fans. Try this approach in more affluent neighborhoods in Seattle. It would be cut off in a NY minute. Why is it okay for children living in poverty?"seattle citizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16724175257161649500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-63492830631077881172016-11-05T00:53:10.081-07:002016-11-05T00:53:10.081-07:00Unfortunate (and avoidable) series of events resul...Unfortunate (and avoidable) series of events resulting in extreme dysfunction:<br /><br />1. No school in SPS should have this level of FRL students. Period. The district is largely affluent, and there should not be such extremes in student demographics simply because of the complacency of the neighborhood assignment plan.<br /><br />2. There were red flags in the staff survey that were waving frantically. Due, probably in large part to #1, they were ignored. The district has a long history of paying attention to the squeaky wheels and those in power while ignoring the rest.<br /><br />3. A "neighborhood" school is being run like a KIPP school or the former African American Academy. Both of those are/were choice programs. Assigned students whose parents may not like the military atmosphere may wind up not being fans. Try this approach in more affluent neighborhoods in Seattle. It would be cut off in a NY minute. Why is it okay for children living in poverty? Isn't the school-to-prison<br />pipeline the current district rallying point? <br /><br />4. The NAACP has involved itself in a personnel matter, which is fine. The circumstances of the principal's departure and re-emergence are very strange and atypical. There is potentially treatment of this principal that is more severe and unusual than other cases of principals. It is the role of NAACP to monitor and advocate for fairness.<br /><br />5. Calling the removal of the principal a result of a "White" parent is both provocative and ridiculous. That type of argument weakens the legitimacy of NAACP<br />if there are actual circumstances of of unfair treatment of the principal. <br /><br />6. Is there overlap in the advocacy of this principal and personal relationships? That is why recusal is the expectation in the legal system.I don't know the networking involved, but recusals should be maintained in the case of defending when there is a prior personal relationship.<br /><br />7. It all goes back to #1. These highly impacted schools statistically lead to poorer outcomes for students. Everyone knows it, but nothing is being done.<br /><br />FWIW<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9396193022122523412016-11-04T22:29:30.641-07:002016-11-04T22:29:30.641-07:00I think the stories people are sharing about Dr. D...I think the stories people are sharing about Dr. Drake say everything. I think staff running like hell from Emerson last year speaks for itself. Dr. Drake blatantly lies about most topics whenever it suits her. Her dishonesty has been proven many times because she can't keep it all straight. The only time she responded to her email last year was when someone emailed out a recipe. She never responded to important concerns about SPED, ELL or serious behavior incidences. You could send the same email 5 times and she would not respond. If she cared about the children she wouldn't have fired City Year. She would let them be kids and she would learn their names. If she cared she wouldn't badmouth staff to other staff or ask teachers to throw away student work because it wasn't to her liking. If she is making a difference why did Great Schools take Emerson's rating down to a 1 after last year? She fails as a leader but is a talented actress and victim. I wouldn't trust her to manage a Taco Time. Concerned Teachernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-67749285025168387082016-11-04T13:33:25.630-07:002016-11-04T13:33:25.630-07:00The staff survey results make it abundantly clear ...The staff survey results make it abundantly clear that those who claim that Dr. Drake enjoys broad support among the staff are peddling a false narrative. This is not a case of a few, loud malcontents getting a disproportionate amount of attention, but a case of dangerously low approval for the school leadership among the staff.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40455645082249490242016-11-04T12:23:39.723-07:002016-11-04T12:23:39.723-07:00Well, there's always the option of starting yo...Well, there's always the option of starting your comments with something like "I was going to speak on Growth Boundaries, but since it's been taken off the agenda and there are so many other speakers on the topic, I'll talk about this other pressing issue."<br /><br />I will say, when I first started signing up to speak at board meetings, I was given a lot of conflicting messages. I was told if I didn't put something specifically on the agenda as my topic, I might get moved off to the waiting list. I was told if I put a topic on the agenda, there are primarily people signing up first who also have that topic, I might get moved to the waitlist to make room for people with other topics Unfortunately the system is never clear, equitable, or consistent. Richelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-62368662947540975992016-11-04T11:38:08.999-07:002016-11-04T11:38:08.999-07:00Respect, I was not aware until late in the day tha...Respect, I was not aware until late in the day that this would be happening. It certainly is against the rules to sign up for an agenda topic and then not talk about it. The Board office will probably have to figure out what to do in that case.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-65348051486603311642016-11-04T11:08:33.342-07:002016-11-04T11:08:33.342-07:00I have attended many School Board meetings, but I ...I have attended many School Board meetings, but I have seldom witnessed such disrespect for the Board or for the public testimony procedure. Multiple speakers signed up under the growth boundaries topic, but spoke about Emerson, instead. Most of these speakers were Emerson staff. They continued to speak about personnel issues, even after being reminded repeatedly by the Board that such testimony was against the rules. <br /><br />There was a long wait list of people who had signed up to speak to an issue that was important to them, and never got their chance.<br /><br />Here is the link to the video of the public testimony portion of the meeting.<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeWF--347U0<br /><br />-RESPECTAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55727580376066170552016-11-04T09:54:29.993-07:002016-11-04T09:54:29.993-07:00Rita, I can send you the documentation on the find...Rita, I can send you the documentation on the findings (there are now two of them.) You know me and I would never say that if it were not true. Why Dr. Drake is denying it, I don't know. <br /><br /><br /><br />Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33634158084095853962016-11-04T09:33:34.175-07:002016-11-04T09:33:34.175-07:00@Rita Green,
Ms Green, you seem to have some actu...@Rita Green,<br /><br />Ms Green, you seem to have some actual information that no one else has. You wrote: "<i>The truth of the matter is there has been no findings</i>"<br /><br />The District hasn't said anything one way or the other, so what's your source for this statement?<br /><br />"<i>what we have here is an overzealous White parent who is not happy the positive changes Dr. Drake is making on behalf of ALL Emerson students.</i>"<br /><br />What is your source for this statement? Are you saying that a baseless complaint from a single parent at the school caused the District to suspend the principal for two weeks? That doesn't seem credible, so I want to know where and how you got that information. Also, how can other student families duplicate this sort of clout? My experience has been that the District is significantly less responsive to complaints - let alone complaints about positive changes made on behalf of all students.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29840931209408701762016-11-04T08:54:04.379-07:002016-11-04T08:54:04.379-07:00Rita Green - Melissa's information isn't t...Rita Green - Melissa's information isn't the the only narrative out there that disputes your claims. It isn't even the most compelling. There are more and more accounts coming out, from white and non-white members of the Emerson community that speak to a very different environment than the "positive" one you present. This absolutely not one "overzealous white parent" not happy, and the fact that you continue to push this narrative is beyond the pale. <br /><br />Your whole campaign has been very targeted. Ms. Drake's supporters - the loudest of which are not even SPS families or educators - were instrumental in getting you involved. You have marginalized anyone at the school who disagrees with you. You got the media to tell your side of the story first. Persons under your coordination are suddenly joining SPS-focused FB pages and blogs, and belligerently attacking everyone who deigns question or disagree with them. You are showing no care for Emerson or SPS. You only seem to care about winning and making a point about a clearly questionable administrator. That Ms. Drake herself is allowing this is beyond concerning. That SPS has so badly handled this situation is worse. <br /><br />I'm horrified that this has been touted as a racial issue within the school - a claim that has horribly damaged and divided the community, instead of focusing on the systemic inequity in action that Emerson has experienced from SPS overall. <br /><br />You want to address Seattle Public Schools handling of this matter? Go for it, the majority of us are with you. Ultimately, what has happened at Emerson, and the actions taken (and then taken back) regarding Principal Drake is indicative of the district's continued reactive, rather than proactive thinking, lack of cohesive strategy for community involvement, and failure to make any real improvements in equity access at their schools. <br /><br />But the fact that you, those working with you, and members of Emerson staff are continuing to sow division within the community at a school that has been ridiculously under-served by Seattle Public Schools for so many years is completely irresponsible and has damaged your credibility.<br /><br /><br />Sent from Yahoo Mail. Get the appRichelle Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06395081622795542920noreply@blogger.com