I’m disgusted with Don Samuels for suggesting that we should burn down North HS because it’s not successful enough. Of course it's just a metaphor - but his point is NOT well taken here.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/977085.html
That school is in the middle of the most dangerous neighborhood in the state – an oasis of calm where students feel safer than anywhere else – but Samuels, who represents that neighborhood on the city council, has the gall to suggest that it’s the school’s fault those kids aren’t doing BETTER academically. With a 70+% graduation rate, I say they’re doing DARN WELL given what few assets some of those kids come to school with!
The StarTribune provided some context last week - Minnesota ranks 8th in the nation in our rate of black homicide victims. http://www.startribune.com/467/story/968247.html
When will society stop expecting the schools to raise the children? I like to think of myself as a good liberal, but I have HAD IT with abused, violent, stressed and/or scarred children coming to school and (duh) doing poorly, then lawmakers blaming the teachers and/or the school system for their failure. It's not right.
Samuels is reported to be a voucher fan - what a surprise.
2 comments:
You're wrong about the 70% graduation rate - the real numbers are absolutely tragic. The formula's used to post the statistics on school websites is really flawed.
It is school systems responsibility to educate all kids, regardless of what is going on outside the school - school needs to adapt so that each child is learning.
Reading proficiency rates are horride. Math proficiency rates even worse.
Did you know that 11th grade af-am males have a math proficency rating of 1.6% - that's right - 1.6% of 11th grade af-am boys at north high have an 11th grade math proficiency rating.
I say GO DON GO - Speak the TRUTH!
It is the school system's resposibility to offer an education to all kids - and it's the kids (and families') responsibility to accept it. Learning is a two-way street.
FYI, The new definition of "proficiency" on the new state MCA math test is such that I'd bet 2/3 of the legislature - and probably Don Samuels - would be below grade level. That's a meaningless statistic - also because it doesn't tell us how close each student was - only that they are not doing very advanced math. It serves only to give ammo to the voucher folks.
Wait until that test is required to gradute - two years from now - and then we'll see a more realistic definition of "proficient".
I do agree that the formulas used to calculate grad rates in MPS are strange - in fact, I've never been able to figure them out. But I do know, from working in a MPS high school for 4 years, that our graduation rates are not as sad as they're portrayed. Every kid who moves without having a parent formally withdraw them counts as a drop-out, even if they go enroll in St Paul.
Some day the state will invest in one database to really track students & then we'll have a better picture of the truth. Wish we had it now.
Post a Comment