Seattle Schools Community Forum

Update: good interview on NPR with one of the researchers who founded the theory of implicit bias, Mahzarin Banaji. BANAJI: In order to just think about where implicit bias comes from, it's a good idea to think about it as a combination of two things. First, our brains - human brains have a certain way in which we go about picking up information, learning it. If I repeatedly see that doctors are male and nurses are female, I'm going to learn that. But the second part to implicit bias is the culture in which we live. But the mark of an evolved society is how quickly do we come to terms with it? How quickly do we realize that finding out that we're biased need not mean that we have to remain biased? So I have great hope just because I look at the history of this country, where we used to be and where we are today, and I see nothing but a path that is on the way towards doing better. End of update We could start this discussion with the micro-view of w...

A number of events /reports have crossed my path in the last couple of weeks and I thought it worth a thread. Next Saturday, January 30th ,  there will be an Education Roundtable to discuss the impacts of student discipline on communities of color.   Among the groups involed there are The Washington State Commission on African American Affairs , Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs , and Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs , along with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders , and El Centro de la Raza.  The event will be held at El Centro's headquarters at 2524 16th Avenue S. from 1-3:30 pm. 

The district is looking for new members via nominations . This committee is a commitment to transforming our current practices at a systemic level to eliminate disproportionality in education and in all aspects of its administration. These efforts require a long-term commitment from our advisors that includes both making recommendations and staying engaged as our work progresses over time. The Superintendent will appoint members to this committee. Nominations will be sought until Monday, September 15, 2014 . Download the complete information about this committee and its charge. Download the nomination form Term of Committee and Length of Term The Advisory Committee is a standing committee. The initial term of membership is September 2014—September 2015 . It is expected that one-year to two-year terms will apply. Process for Soliciting Nominations and Appointing Committee Members Nominations for the committee will be sought via public notices and program contacts. C...

More news on race and children in America. I offer this information as news.  I have tried not to editorialize much here but to listen to what others are saying.  Somewhere in this country, people are suspending preschoolers and most of them are children of color or Special Education students.  (I didn't even know you could suspend a pre-schooler.)  This story from the Huffington Post.   It's a wide-ranging report that goes from preschool thru high school and examines not just discipline but offerings in districts throughout the country.  A staggering new report released by the Department of Education and the Justice Department on Friday highlights a troubling pattern of zero-tolerance school discipline policies that disproportionately impact minority students in general, but also trickle down to the nation’s youngest students. While black children represent only 18% of preschool enrollment nationally, they make up 42% of students suspended o...

Second Update:  I erred in some of my reporting here.  As I told someone, sometimes I get a narrative in my head based upon what I know and forget that others might be starting from a  different place.  My apologies. Corrections: -  Policy 4260.  To understand, there are Board POLICES and Superintendent PROCEDURES, that mostly go hand in hand.  However, ONLY policies are voted on while the Superintendent just puts forth his procedure to enact said policy.  Naturally, it behooves the Superintendent to make sure they line up or have a plausible reasoning for why staff believes a policy should be enacted.  The Board was only voting on Policy 4260 which was to amend rental of school facilities.  This was vetted by quite a few people, including the SCPTA, and it's fine.  It passed. The issue, however, is that district legal staff inserted a paragraph into the Superintendent's procedure 4260 that would make after-school groups liab...

PBS is showing a documentary called Behind Every Promise about the journey, over 13 years, of two African-American boys and their education.  I heard about it on NPR and it sounds very good.  American Promise spans 13 years as Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, middle-class African-American parents in Brooklyn, N.Y., turn their cameras on their son, Idris, and his best friend, Seun, who make their way through Dalton, one of the most prestigious private schools in the country. Chronicling the boys' divergent paths from kindergarten through high school graduation, this provocative, intimate documentary presents complicated truths about America’s struggle to come of age on issues of race, class and opportunity. Winner, U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award, 2013 Sundance Film Festival.  KCTS is showing it on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 1:30 am and Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 6 am.  It is also available to view online.

In one heck of an op-ed by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld in the NY Times Sunday Review, they lay out their case for the three conflicting (somewhat) reasons why students in different groups perform the way they do.  The two authors have a book coming out called "The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America." It's long but worth it (especially the comments).  The comments are widely different and you can see a lot of "right on" with "racist trash."  One commenter asked a question, "A more pressing question for us here in the US is "What drives a successful SOCIETY?"  Is that the more important question - how we succeed as a society or as individuals?  Another says: I think the authors have a very limited idea of what constitutes success--"income, test scores and so on." What's missing is emotional success: humanity, compassion, strong family ties, empathy. A...

There's an article by Joel Connelly in the PI that there was some irony that one of the first acts of our new mayor, Ed Murray, was to go to see the Race exhibit at the Seattle Science Center.  (It has now ended.)   (Thanks to Johnny Calcagno for the heads up.) The irony is that just across the way at Seattle Center is Center School where Seattle Public Schools allowed one family to upend a vital conversation about race and privilege in one teacher's class. That teacher is Jon Greenberg. It is a great article and a great topic.  From the article:

In light of discussions we have had at this blog, I offer some ideas about creating better understanding. KUOW has had a great series called Black in Seattle .  On Wednesday, Nov. 13, they are having an event, Black in Seattle: Continuing the Conversation at Washington Hall at 153 14th Avenue at 6 pm.   Free and open to the public.  The group, School's Out Washington is offering two caucuses - one for white people and one for people of color on Tuesday, November 19th from 10 am to noon.  Lunch is provided.  The two articles they recommend are: White Caucus -  “Nothing to add: A Challenge to White Silence in Racial Discussions” People of Color - “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life ” Space is limited.  Please RSVP to Doree Desberg via e-mail or at 206.336.6916. Funding by the City of Seattle Office of Civil Rights, Race and Social Justice Initiative, and Structural Racism Technical Assistance Fund.  Space donated by Boys...

Re: our discussion about equity and race.   This video from Upworthy is thought-provoking and gives a good idea how we might - gently - end some kinds of white privilege.   (Of course, you have to be the kind of person who is able to stand up for others.  That's not always easy.) Good op-ed from Web Hutchins (and Judith Billings) who continues to push onward for better civics in our curriculum.  From the op-ed : "Seattle can create a unified K-12 school system that celebrates citizenship, cultivates character and boosts academic achievement by adopting the Civics for All Initiative . This 2011 policy proposal calls for district adoption of substantial increases in K-12 civics requirements, media literacy, districtwide K-12 mock elections each November and civics connections across the curriculum.  Margit McGuire, director of the Master’s in Teaching Program at Seattle University and a Civics for All board member, asserts that a strong civics fo...

From SPS Communications: Seattle Public Schools is seeking nominations for its Equity and Race Advisory Committee to the Superintendent .  To be considered for the committee, applicants should complete and submit a nomination form by Friday, Sept. 13.

Update:   hadn't realized but the national parks are free this weekend so if you are thinking of getting out there, you're in luck. Tomorrow there is a community meeting with Director Carr starting at 8:30 am at Bethany Community Church. The Special Session of the Legislature is probably working thru the weekend towards its June 11th cut-off date.  What they passed has huge ramifications for our district and every other one in the state. Interestingly, on the Times' blog , there is this opinion from three of the editorial writers at the Times on the special session: Consider what’s in the best interest of the children who will make up Washington’s future work force. This means the Legislature should take a good look at its current budget breakdown and make full funding of education a top priority — 45 percent of general funds should be dedicated to K-12 public schools; 9 percent for higher education; and additional investments in early learning. Lawmakers...

When the issue about the race/social justics class at Center School came up, there was little notice about who attends the school.  Yet both the teacher, Jon Greenberg, and some Center students I talked with expressed frustration with the lack of diversity at the school AND that for some minority students who do enroll, they leave fairly quickly.  What the students told me is that the minority students don't feel they fit in but many enjoy Mr. Greenberg's class because they DO get to talk about something completely relevant to their lives. (The students also said that the minority numbers are so low that many parents won't consider Center School.  This is very akin to what minority parents have expressed about APP.  They don't want their child to be the only minority child in the classroom.) One question I do have is how this class continued on - for years and under different principals - and if there were problems in the past.  That hasn't been addressed an...

From Superintendent Banda (partial): The committee made the following recommendations, which I am implementing. The race and gender units of the course are to be reinstated, with the following actions occurring as soon as possible: · The race unit curriculum should be age appropriate and taught in a non-threatening manner. The class should not use the “Courageous Conversations” activities, which were intended as training for adults. The District has used this as professional development and it was not intended for use with students. · When classroom activities could potentially cause a high degree of emotion for students or potential distress, families should be notified ahead of time and communication to families should include an option to complete alternative assignments. · There are concerns the current course does not meet the criteria of the College Board for Advanced Placement. In order to make sure the course meets AP standards, the course syllabus...

Oh boy, what a week. For the story of the week, look no further than Center School.  Over at the Times, they simply can't seem to get it right.  First, they have a story about the issue.  But they either didn't do their research or ask the right questions because they don't seem to know the investigation did not go according to procedure AND that no students, except the one in question, were ever interviewed by the ad hoc committee. Yesterday, Lynne Varner got very touchy-feely on the topic of race, veering completely away from the disproportionality issue/Center School into her own raising of her son.  She says some pretty personal things and it comes back at her in the comments.  Today the Times want you to tell them: In one word, how do you feel public schools  treat students of color, either your own children or minority students that you know? I’ll start with a few: Gingerly. Awkwardly. Sometimes sincerely...

It was quite the meeting (but I left after the speakers). First up was the great Denny International Middle School Jazz Band.   I have to love any group that first plays that old jazz chestnut, "Take the A Train," and follows up with "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone."  Priceless.  (Their director had wanted to talk to the Board about the enrollment pathways from Denny to Sealth because many kids are still upset that they don't get to go to Sealth.  His name was so far down the speaker list that he ended up not staying.) Student rep on the Board, Dexter Tang, read the Student Senate's remarks (that were reprinted here yesterday) about the federal investigation of student discipline in SPS and about the Center School issue. There were a couple of speakers who did NOT talk about The Center School.  Residents of Wedgwood still don't want a new elementary at Thor n ton Creek and would like to be part of any planning.   (Pegi McEvoy did get ...

 Statement from Superintendent Banda on The Center School race and social justice curriculum class (partial): On Dec. 21, 2012, we received a complaint from a family at Center School alleging that the instructional activities used in the Citizenship and Social Justice: Advanced Placement Language and Compositions and Social Studies class included intimidating and discriminating actions, attitudes and classroom environment. Our Human Resources Department then launched an investigation of this complaint, as is our process. At the request of the Superintendent, the Teaching and Learning Department reviewed this particular course, convening an ad hoc committee to examine the curriculum. In the meantime, the class continues to meet and we’re reviewing how a portion of it – a six-week race unit that has since ended – will be taught in the future.   Regarding the first issue , the Human Resources department found that the way in which the race unit at the Center School...

We are just coming off a presidential election where, to some degree, race mattered.  Governor Romney lost because the GOP seems to be tone-deaf to the fact that what they allowed various GOP officials, including Romney, to say about Hispanics and women really DID matter.  The GOP can continue this at their own risk but the numbers are against them (and so is history and common decency). The NY Times had two articles about students and race and its impacts that I thought worthy of posting.  Both are about Asian-Americans. One article is about Asian-Americans in college.  This is a large and diverse group of students with varying outcomes.  By the numbers, Chinese, Japanese and Korean-American students tend to do fairly well in school.  Pacific Islanders, Samoans, Vietnamese-Americans tend to do less well.   Add into those groups Pakistani, Indian, Filipinos, and Cambodians and you get a lot of people under one umbrella who are wildly diff...

FYI - Tomorrow, a rally and march for Trayvon Martin sponsored by the NAACP, Mothers for Police Accountability, American Friends Service Committee, and other activist groups.  Rally at 4pm Sunday the 25th Greater Mt.Baker Baptist Church, 2425 South Jackson Street March at 4:30pm to MLK Memorial Park, 2200 Martin Luther King Jr Way  Trayvon Martin was 17.   He had friends, was bright (but got in trouble for tardiness) and had a close-knit family even though his parents had divorced.  He had played football but quit.  He continued volunteering at the team's concession stand for months anyway.  Three weeks ago he was visiting his father's fiancee's home and went out to get some treats at a nearby convenience store. He was shot to death coming back home by a neighborhood watch guy.  So why bring this up here?  Because I've talked in the past about the need for teens to learn how to deal with police officers.  Things happen....

Bob Herbert of the NY Times wrote an excellent column about race and poverty in learning called Separate and Unequal.   From his column: Educators know that it is very difficult to get consistently good results in schools characterized by high concentrations of poverty. The best teachers tend to avoid such schools. Expectations regarding student achievement are frequently much lower, and there are lower levels of parental involvement. These, of course, are the very schools in which so many black and Hispanic children are enrolled.