Here are excerpts from the Matt Tully article from Sunday about Manual and the conversation between Eugene White and Tony Bennett.
As Bennett and White talked, both had before them copies of a confidential report documenting conditions at Manual. A team of researchers from Cambridge Education, a company the state hired, compiled the report after spending time at Manual last fall. Its findings were devastating. On 39 of 40 points, from classroom behavior to the quality of instruction, the school received the lowest ratings -- poor or unacceptable.
The report is a laundry list of academic failure: School leaders, it said, "have not established a clear vision for the school." The school, meanwhile, "has not been able to elicit minimum levels of parental involvement," and "low achievement in core subjects has been evident for a number of years." At Manual, one section of the report read, "the attitudes and actions of some staff reflect only a token acknowledgement of the need to focus upon the priority of improving student achievement."
Even more chilling than the report were the candid responses White gave when one of Bennett's aides from the Indiana Department of Education asked him to estimate the percentage of teachers performing at an unacceptable level at schools facing a state takeover.
They started with the teaching staff at Arlington Community High School.
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"I would say 60 percent of them would be questionable," White said.
They moved to Manual.
"Again, 60 percent," White said.
Northwest? "Sixty percent."
The state official then asked about two middle schools, Emma Donnan and Willard J. Gambold.
In both cases, White said, "I would say 40 percent."
Howe Community High School?
"We'll give them 60 percent."
George Washington?
"Definitely you have to put them in the 60 percent category," White said.
Only Broad Ripple High School, transformed into a magnet school a few months ago, escaped such low marks. Even there, though, White said one in 10 teachers is not up to par.
Dr. White is throwing you under the bus to save his fat rear end.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
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As someone who is at Washington, this makes me very angry.
ReplyDeleteAs well, it should.
ReplyDeleteI believe White pulled those numbers out of the air with no documentation from formal teacher evaluations. Seems to me that White and Bennett are cut from the same mold and have many of the same educational philosophies. They both view teachers as the sole cause of school failures.
Where's the data driving those percentages that White glibly tossed out to Bennett? It does not exist.
If White truly believes that 60% of IPS high school teachers are nonperforming, then it says something is terribly wrong with the building principals who are the grassroots instructional leaders. These principals need to get off their duffs and lead these teachers; that's not happening, is it?
http://www.forkner-for-ips.com/home
ReplyDeleteHere's a guy who sounds like a good candidate for an IPS School Board seat. I read his bio, and I liked what I read.
If it says something about the grassroot instructional leaders, then it also says something about the administrative soil in which those roots are growing. The soil is devoid of nutrients or it is toxic.
ReplyDeleteAgain White is just plain lying to try and save his rear. If his percentages were correct, it would point to something horribly wrong within the administrative team of White. He has added layer upon layer of administration and if you would believe his percentages[which I don't] then his administrative team has failed to remediate or dismiss the nonperforming teachers. It seems to me that the nonperformers are in the Education Center. Someone should ask White to show the data for his figures. They don't exist.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how exactly White knows 60% of certain schools' teachers are ineffective...Have you ever seen him at your school? Has he been in your classroom? Has the principal even been in your classroom for that matter? Doubt it.
ReplyDeleteIf I am part of the 60%, please tell me so I can improve. Of course, I have only received positive feedback in years past so either the principals I have worked for are liars or Dr. White is a liar.
ReplyDelete@If it says something about the grassroot instructional leaders, then it also says something about the administrative soil in which those roots are growing. The soil is devoid of nutrients or it is toxic.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
When I see Greenwood and Bridgwaters 'mentoring' our principals, I almost gag. Talk about a couple of people with 25-30+ years of service who need to be 'pushed' out...IPS needs a transfusion of fresh new blood at the Ed Center. We need a few brand new top-level administrators with fresh ideas and with NO allegiance to anyone here in Indy other than the students. Yes, we'll need to go outside the District to find these people, but that's not a bad thing. Promoting from within has not worked.
The below is copied from an April 21, 2009 Indy Star article...nothing ever changes in IPS...just more of the same old, same old. What difference has all this people shuffling made? Not any. This most recent round of shuffling won't make any difference either.
ReplyDelete________________________________________________
April 21, 2009 by Andy Gammill
Additional layoffs and reassignments may be on the horizon.
Superintendent Eugene White has asked the Indianapolis Public School Board to approve a sweeping series of personnel moves that would potentially affect every school in the state’s largest district.
White not only wants to lay off 300 teachers — a move he previously announced — but also is asking the board to shuffle 60 administrators and dismiss 40 other employees.
Parents and union officials fear such changes will add to the tumult from similar moves over the past two years. But district spokeswoman Kim L. Hooper said the changes are necessary as IPS closes schools and also tries to find the best fit for administrators and teachers.
Our next Superintendent will be a from the commuunity who knows the culture of IPS and will take no prisoners when he returns. He will remove the top level of central office and will have the full support of IDOE.
ReplyDeleteWhy is Dr. White allowing 60% of teachers to fail to teach the students, then fire the administrators. Don't just shuffle them around, fire them and hire more of your "Teach for America" wonders, the ones who are leaving IPS in droves.
ReplyDeleteI vote for Eugene White being the liar. A big fat, ruby red slipper wearing liar!!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are a bunch of whiners. All I read here are "it is all the fault of someone else" blah blah blah
ReplyDeleteLet's see...
"it says something is terribly wrong with the building principals who are the grassroots instructional leaders. These principals need to get off their duffs and lead these teachers; that's not happening, is it?" -- Blame principals
"The soil is devoid of nutrients or it is toxic." -- blame the Administration
"It seems to me that the nonperformers are in the Education Center" -- blame whomever these people are
"I have only received positive feedback in years past so either the principals I have worked for are liars or Dr. White is a liar." -- blame either principals or Dr White
Yet, I find zero concrete suggestions. Nor do I see teachers looking in the mirror. Teachers know who the good teachers are. They know who the bad teachers are. Let me see one teacher propose some specifics as to how to get rid of the bad teachers while keeping the good ones.
With concrete solutions, morons such as Bennett will have no stool to crap on.
My guess is there are no brave/bold teachers with a plan they are willing to promote. Those of you who have no plan...surprise!!...you are in the 60%
My first year as a teacher, I mentioned the idea of student, parent, and peer evaluations of teachers to give teachers and principals more perspectives of what is working or not. The other teachers reacted as if I'd suggested we start coming to school naked. I do get student and parent feedback for my personal use, and I know my principal is happy with me, but I learned the hard way that most of us who DO "look in the mirror" do so silently.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, I would have been part of the 60% because of being burned out in my field, but, thankfully, I had an administrator who finally took heed to my multiple requests to change positions and made that change happen. Since then, I have a renewed fire for teaching and am a much more effective teacher. There are teachers who simply need a change of pace, or of curriculum like myself, to become the teacher they should and need to be. Other teachers need true mentors to observe and have observe them in order to even see and understand that the job they are doing is sub-par. There are some wonderful Instructional Coaches who have filled in as that, but having a formal mentor (even if placed as part of a PIP) I think would stress the importance and the urgency of that need for change/improvement.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe Dr. White's 60% estimation was correct since he has not been in the buildings, no less the classrooms, for anything other than the beginning of the year meetings with the students. He must be assuming that number from various reports he has read from consultants or those always famous Compliance Monitors.
I'm "my first teacher" and I do want to clarify that while I do think many teachers are defensive about change and reform, I do think White's 60% number is completely fabricated. I think most IPS teachers are better than "pedestrian."
ReplyDeleteI believe the 60% number is bogus. But let's give Dr White some credit. He knows his audience (Bennett) and he knows what they want to hear.
ReplyDeleteDr White's 60% comments, while painful and perhaps hurtful, on the surface, have bought teachers time to come up with their own plan.
All Bennett has been told do is break the union and slash salaries and, best case scenario for him, turn over management of schools to for-profit companies.
The teachers have time to suggest imporvements. The more time wasted playing the blame game, the easier to give Bennett what he wants.
I believe the 60% number is bogus. But let's give Dr White some credit. He knows his audience (Bennett) and he knows what they want to hear.
ReplyDeleteDr White's 60% comments, while painful and perhaps hurtful, on the surface, have bought teachers time to come up with their own plan.
All Bennett has been told do is break the union and slash salaries and, best case scenario for him, turn over management of schools to for-profit companies.
The teachers have time to suggest improvements. The more time wasted playing the blame game, the easier to give Bennett what he wants.
I don't read any whining in the toxic soil comment. There are bad teachers; end of statement. If Bennett can say the infer that the union is wrong for protecting even one bad teacher, then the principal is equally wrong. If a the administration protects one principal who may be incompetent, then the administration is equally poor. It continues up the chain; at some point an organization cannot push the crap down the crapper because it is plugged up, all the way to the top. A case in point, is the comment on a previous topic about the principal who was watching the basketball tourney during a meeting. What company would put up that from a manager? There are poor teachers; if there really are 60% in a building that are poor, then there is a lot of blame to go around, and it is not called whining.
ReplyDelete@Let me see one teacher propose some specifics as to how to get rid of the bad teachers while keeping the good ones.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you're saying clearly, and I also know that teachers deliver instruction and administrators administer/manage those who deliver instruction. Pragmatically speaking, how far do you think I'd get, as a teacher, making a list and checking it twice on all my fellow teachers who've taught little to nothing, based on my opinion? Even the most proactive, forward-thinking principal would tell me that's not part of my job -- to judge or evaluate other teachers.
Presently, IPS high school principals all earn more than $100K per year. They're paid those salaries for a reason -- their work is difficult and they make judgment calls and evaluate daily. This is not blaming or whining; it is what it is.
As an Instructional Coach, on a couple of separate occasions, I have called a certain teacher's dismal performance to the building principal's attention; however, there was no 'follow through' from the principal, only a lame excuse for this teacher. This particular teacher was, at one time, an assistant principal in IPS, was demoted from that job, and since has flown under the radar among several IPS schools during the past few years. He's one of the good ol' boys who seldom makes waves and seldom does anything. If I could jerk him from IPS tomorrow, I'd do it, but my hands are tied. I'm not an administrator.
Re: You guys are a bunch of whiners.
ReplyDeleteCome on! The number is pulled from the sky. 60%????? Well someone isn't doing their job by hiring 60% bad people then. I know that number is B.S. It has to be. I know I work my ass off for kids every day. Yeah, you hear a lot of complaining because teaching is not appreciated by parents, students and even our boss. It seems irrelevant how many instructional strategies one employs, how many hours one works, etc. It is all meaningless if you are not in the "club" within IPS. Believe me, plenty of crappy teachers and adminstrators are associated with the people running IPS. Interestingly, they do not get RIF'd, move from building to building or ever lose their jobs. So, if a little venting or "whining" gets to you, after someone spends 30-50K to become a teacher, Oh Well! So Sorry! So, as you were admonishing everyone for saying how they feel, I did not read your plan either. Did you have one? I didn't think so. Perhaps you are part of the 60% too. Come on. Please enlighten us.
Re: If I could jerk him from IPS tomorrow, I'd do it, but my hands are tied. I'm not an administrator.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm betting that Larry Yarrell could have jerked this guy from the teaching ranks; however, he elected to let him float around IPS and end up at another high school. Way to go, Larry. You're a real prince among principals. Same goes to Phyllis Barnes who knows the word on this man. All these administrators 'cover' for their good ol' boys of color.
Eugene White's own flesh and blood daughter was on a PIP a few years ago. From what we can tell, she has not improved. She does not show up on time for her inclusion classes. Sometime she does not show up at all. Sometime she comes really late and just sets in the back of the room.
ReplyDeleteThat's the problem with instructional coaches. They call teachers dismal behavior to the attention of the principal instead of doing what they are paid to do, helping the teacher to do better. I think IPS could save a lot of money by pulling all coaches and placing them back into the classroom. Without trust between teacher and coach there is no learning.
ReplyDeleteWhat? "As an Instructional Coach, on a couple of separate occasions, I have called a certain teacher's dismal performance to the building principal's attention". Who do you think you are, you have no right to "rate a fellow teacher", you are not God's gift to teaching or an administrator. You should have a formal complaint file against you with personnel and a grievance. If you are perfect, then teach and put up your clipboard.
ReplyDeleteOK, file your complaint, sister. Go ahead and file your complaint against the ghost coach.
ReplyDeleteHere we go blame the teacher. It is their easiest and cheapest answer to the real problems.
ReplyDeleteActually since instructional coaches are paid on teacher level, they are prohibited from being involved in the evaluation of any of their peers. It is illegal. That has been part of the problem with some of the instructional coaches. They forgot they were teachers selected to help other teachers and instead became pseudo administrators. Any administrator who utilized an instructional coach in an evaluation process would be open to a lawsuit and violation of the privacy of the teacher involved. It sounds like this wannabe administrator and snitch had an administrator who knew the law and wanted to be sure he/she abided by it. Too bad the instructional coach did not have the same ethics.
ReplyDelete"We have a bunch of people who are pedestrian or below that," White said. "They have 25 or 30 years of service, and they aren't going anywhere unless we push them out. That's a reality for us."E. White G** d*** the pusher.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama has said on several occasions that he wants to see 5,000 low-performing schools closed. So, there will be plenty of teachers and principals looking for new jobs.
ReplyDeleteThe question that neither President Obama nor Secretary Arne Duncan has answered is this: Where will they find 5,000 expert principals to take over the schools that are closed? Where will they find hundreds of thousands of superb teachers to fill the newly vacant positions? Or will everyone play musical chairs like IPS to give the illusion of reform?
This purge mentality is coming from both liberals and conservatives. It's punitive and does nothing except satisfy the authorities' need to purge something or anything.
Purge the top. Get rid of the highest paid teachers. Change the seniority list so we can see who gets paid the most money. Mess with all the teachers in the building with 25 or more years until we "push them out." Hire new teachers for half as much. This is the new IPS agenda.
ReplyDeleteUnrelated.
ReplyDeleteCan we have a topic about IPS privacy policies with regard to the Netbooks they are handing out to children? They seem to be insisting that they have the right to monitor the webcams after school, bedrooms or not.
I don't know if there is a policy but I am aware of an IPS program that does this. It is a wonderful tool to locate lost or stolen laptops. Students and parents sign a contract which includes the info that the laptops can be monitored 24/7.
ReplyDeletethey will get sued if they use them that way. google; it's already been done elsewhere (michigan).
ReplyDeleteto the poster talking about an ips program which already does this, no there isn't. the program you're referencing is called computrace and it is solely IP based and doesn't involve cameras at all.
There's a legal document that IPS insists parents sign which gives explicitly indicates no expectation of privacy.
ReplyDeleteThey are opening themselves up to all types of trouble and don't seem to care. I wish they did.
I am not an IPS employee. I am a retired person.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in junior high school, there was a deranged shop teacher who would paddle every kid in the class if one kid didn't put up his tools as we were all supposed to do.
This kind of makes me think of IPS, this Bennett guy, and a lot of the national and local politicians.
Are there some bad teachers? I imagine - just like there are some bad school administrators and bad meat cutters at the supermarket and bad plumbers, ad infinitum.
But should EVERY teacher (especially older ones) be "paddled" because of the incompetence of a few?
Didn't seem fair to me back in junior high. Doesn't seem fair to me now.
IPS does not insist that parents sign the contract. If a student wishes to take a laptop home then the agreement must be signed. I have no problem with that.
ReplyDeleteThe way we are going to help get IPS out of the rut it is in, is to take a look at the Hershey PA school and create houseparents and mentors for students who need parents to push them and share postitive community experiences.
ReplyDeleteI think IPS needs to go back to the neighborhood schools. I think so many of our students are feeling like they are fish out of water and need to return like the salmon return to their breeding grounds each year. For instance Crispus Attucks H.S.,when it was run by mostly Afro-American teachers was an awesome school and produced a lot of educated and caring adults who are giving back to our schools. Maybe we need more like teachers for like schools, for example Afro-American teachers for Afro- American schools.
ReplyDeleteRacist much? Replace Afro-American with White...
ReplyDeleteLets see Crispus Attucks is a "special school" that is allowed and encouraged to return lower, problem, and behavioral students to their "home school" instead of trying to turn them around. That is up to the normal school that are failing.
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious you haven't walk through Crispus Attucks to see all the graduates on the walls, mostly Afro-American...and you were not back in the day to see the top level education that...yes Afro-American teachers can and did deliver.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that you have not walked through Cripus Attucks to experience and observe the hundreds of Afro-American legends (graduates) on the wall. They were taught by Afro-American teachers who cared and who knew the culture from which these students had come.
ReplyDeleteWow, you can't be serious! Yes, Crispus Attucks was a wonderful segregated school back 40 years ago, you racist fool. Hopefully when your generation dies off, we might actually start to see an improvement in this disgusting attitude that people like you have about race and education.
ReplyDeleteAfro-American? Did you mean African-American? Last time I checked, an "afro" was a hairstyle.
ReplyDeleteBlack American, Afro American and African American. Same thing. I'm a different culture and even I know that.
ReplyDeleteI do, however, completely disagree that schools should employ like races in ratio to their student population. This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. You must get along well with an IPS principal who has vocalized these same beliefs.
@Black American, Afro American and African. Same thing.
ReplyDeleteAn "Afro-American" is NOT the same thing as an "African-American." One term denotes culture and identity, the other, a hairstyle popular in the 1970s.
"They were taught by Afro-American teachers who cared and who knew the culture from which these students had come."
ReplyDelete+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I mean this sincerely. Can someone explain to me about the meaning of the comment "the culture from which these students have come."
I assume these students came from the American culture. My ancestors are from Europe, but I never think in terms of my "European culture." I just think of myself as being a average American citizen.
I am honestly interested in hearing this comment defined and explained in a more specific way.
Shortridge routinely sends students back to their boundary schools. It is a way of manipulating stats and making success appear where there is limited success.
ReplyDeleteIf you knew how to search on Google or just look in a dictionary you could have found that Afro-American is an alternative name for our race.
ReplyDeleteAfro-American is an alternative to the term African American, referring to an American of African ancestry. It also can be used as an umbrella term to refer to all descendants of Africans slaves to the Americas during the Atlantic slave trade. The term had gained currency by 1890 but was surpassed by other terms, such as "colored". It returned to general usage in the 1960s and 1970s. Its former prominence can still be seen in several pop culture
In my elementary grades I was educated by all black teachers and I have to say it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me to help instill pride and a connection to my people and culture; not to mention, it gave me role models to look up to and to pattern myself after as a young person.
ReplyDeleteAt the person correcting me when I said they are all the same thing, check yourself before acting like you know it all. An "afro" is derived from the term "Afro-American". Do your research, sweetheart. Thank you to the person who backed me up.
ReplyDeleteTo the person that posted that Shortridge sends students back to their boundary schools, that is the school in which the principal exercises the belief that students need teachers of their same race.
Nowhere is this bias more pronounced than downtown in the Ed Center. They have "cultural-diversity" training classes which strangely focus on one culture to the exclusion of all others. Can you guess which one?
ReplyDeleteYes, but when you hear some of the comments from other teachers, don't you understand why they focus on conquering the classroom bigotry against that particular culture. I do think cultural diversity training should be more diverse. But I also think that the impact that racist attitudes have in the classroom can never be overstated.
ReplyDeleteSo we celebrate diversity among the students but NOT in the teachers? I once heard a young black child in the first grade, who was questioned about their behavior in class, tell one of the other teachers "My mom said that I didn't have to listen to the white teachers, only the black teachers." I guess this mindset carries over to high school for some? This is all fine except my black friends wouldn't want to put up with what WE endure. They know how these kids and families can be plus they wouldn't take the pay cut. They could get hired as teachers in Carmel and Zionsville then automatically become "wonderful" teachers in the eyes of the Governor and Dr. Bennett. Amusing. We have a problem and I don't think it's the fault of white teachers. This topic should be how Bennett and DR. White randomly get rid of educators knowing full well where the blame lies...not black/white issues.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe you. I honestly think you're making it up. I don't even think you're a teacher, but teacher or not, you're a bigot. Because I know I'm a teacher, and I've never heard or seen anything like what you're describing, and I HAVE seen bigots make up stories to support their own racist stereotypes. I have seen children told not to listen to particular teachers because they are racist, not because they are white. From my perspective, racist teachers (teachers who believe one race of children present more problems compared to other races) are the number one problem in IPS. Number two are teachers who are hostile toward everyone (not based on race). Number three is ineffective, disconnected administration. Family and poverty would be after all of those things. So forgive me if your racist comments make me want to vomit. I believe you are the problem, not the kids.
ReplyDeleteWow, good post. I'm a teacher too, and while there are racist students of all races, I agree with the above as far as the problems of IPS. I would even keep the same order (although I might switch the hostile teachers and administration but maybe not). But hands down, racist teachers are the number one problem in IPS. No question.
ReplyDeleteNowhere is the racism more obvious than the racism that Latino students endure from African American students and staff. That is another whole can of worms that no one wants to address. Racism is ugly and wrong and it does not matter who is dishing it out.
ReplyDeleteThe Shortridge principal thinks that White women cannot and should not teach African American students and says so publicly ...frequently.
racism
ReplyDeleteAny action, practice, or belief that reflects the racial worldview — the ideology that humans are divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called "races," that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural behavioral features, and that some "races" are innately superior to others. Racism was at the heart of North American slavery and the overseas colonization and empire-building activities of some western Europeans, especially in the 18th century.
We have been divided into "races" so it looks like to get rid of racism we need to drop our racial titles and behaviors and address one another as "humans".
ReplyDeleteMajority of the White teachers think that they can save Black children in IPS, have never been in one of their homes, don't know the culture,and many of them are down right hateful. They think that the parents of Black children don't care about their children, and that is a lie from the "Pit". I am a IPS parent who cares about my children.
ReplyDeleteThey know how "These Kids" and families can be plus they wouldn't take the pay cut.
ReplyDelete"These Kids" are the reason "White" teachers can live in Carmel and go back to their plush little homes and be segregated from Blacks and their families. How many of you (Whites) live in Haughville or even know where it is?
Every time someone mentions the principal at Shortridge and his belief that black teachers should teach black students, I will repeat this fact:
ReplyDeleteHis own son goes to a charter school and has a white teacher.
I live in Haughville, and I'm white , female and single.
ReplyDeleteI can and sometimes do walk to my school. I have not fled to the land of Carmel where sexual deviant conduct is happening in the company of 3 coaches on a school bus. Carmel administration does seem to have the same coverup mentality as Eugene White.
ReplyDeleteall of the north side schools do; they know their money depends on their pristine image.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if his son goes to a Charter school and has a white teacher. That doesn't change the belief that he has and the fact that he has stated in front of people!
ReplyDeleteEugene White is doing the same thing to our district that the Carmel kids did to their teammates on the bus!! Bend over everyone - he's a comin' after us all!
ReplyDeleteYou guys should check Justin Forkner's website. He's an at-large candidate who wants to remove the bad administrators and especially Eugene White.
ReplyDeletewww.Forkner-For-IPS.com
@www.Forkner-For-IPS.com
ReplyDeleteHey, I posted this info a couple of days ago, also. This guy sounds for real. I was impressed by his bio and his background.
I'm not real sure why so many people get upset if they know an IPS teacher lives in Hamilton County. The way I look at is 'everybody's got to live somewhere.'
ReplyDeleteI can't afford a house in Carmel, but one of my favorite IPS teacher friends does live in Carmel and she's an African-American lady. She does not go around bragging that she lives in Carmel, but she does not deny it if somebody asks where she lives.
When I moved to Indy several years ago and was looking to buy a condo, I found out that a condo outside of the IPS school district would cost me less, overall, than one in the IPS district nearer to the school where I taught.
ReplyDeleteI ended up buying a condo in Washington Township because the real estate taxes were about half of the taxes in the IPS school district. As it worked out, I've had so many school transfers in IPS, it didn't really matter that I lived farther away in Washington Township.
I'm still figuring out that a lot of IPS parents rent rather than buy, so they're not directly effected by the higher property taxes like a home buyer is. The longer I'm here in Indy, the more I can see why folks buy houses in the townships or even in Hamilton County. The taxes are lower and the schools seem more stable.
There is a definite attitude to people who live in Carmel. An attitude of entitlement and superiority. Not everyone there has it so you are lucky to have a friend who has not been sucked into that Carmel world of materiality.
ReplyDeleteAbout these comments that white teachers in IPS are racist....
ReplyDeleteI am not an IPS employee, but I have some friends who are. I do not detect an iota of racism in any of them.
Can someone who claims that IPS white teachers are racist give some SPECIFIC examples of how this racism plays out?
Otherwise, it seems to me that the message seems to be, "you disagree with my opinions, so obviously you are a racist."
This is a way to cut off communications between human beings and to build walls instead of bridges.
And it seems to me that perhaps the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may be in heaven right now shedding tears over the racial division that still exists.
You embarrass yourself every time you post about race.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Fortunately, I think it's the same bigot in all the race discussions, so I'm glad to hear he/she doesn't teach. Someone else here thinks he/she just does it to get a rise, but I honestly don't think so. I think he/she is sincerely that ignorant and doesn't understand what the rest of us get so upset about.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that at a base level there are so many who define the world by race and race alone. Everything else is secondary. Those who continue to post about racial issues (in IPS especially) not only show their ignorance of reality, the are doing a disservice to the legacy of Dr. King and so many others who saw a world where we look beyond that. The year is 2010. Isn't it time we move ahead? Enough already.
ReplyDeleteI also find it intersting how so many discussion become an issue of race when the original topic had nothing to do with race. Look at this one for instance. "Manual Override". How that obviously relates to race is beyond me.
Like I said, i don't think it's "many." I think it's the same bigot in all of the threads. He/she posts stuff like, "we need to go back to segregated schools." and "all the racists in IPS are black" and then everyone else argues with him/her.
ReplyDeleteI'm 44, and I've worked in IPS for almost 20 years, and I've never met a black racist. I know they exist. I've known people who have known some, and there are a couple of celebrities who I think are black racists. But I think the phenomenon of black-on-white racism is extremely rare and perpetuated mostly by (I know you'll be shocked) white racists.
ReplyDeleteI have taught in IPS for 21 yrs. now and I know for a fact that IPS has employed some white teachers who are very racist as well as prejudice. As a black american teacher I have witnessed white female and male teachers belittle and totally destroy some black children's self esteem. I hold Dr. White accountable for creating this racist mentality. Dr. White has glorified these racist white teachers by saying at one of his back to school convocation meetings "that the white female is the backbone of IPS". If that is the case,are our white female teachers to blame for our children not making the grade at IPS? Do these white teachers make up 60% of the bad teachers in IPS? I'd like to hear Dr. White's response to these questions.
ReplyDeleteI also blame Dr. White for his student convocations where he spends most of his time belittling our African American students especially the African American males. He does far more damage than even a white racist as he is supposed to be a role model and a source of support. The white racists and Dr. White are destroying the self image of our students and contributing to their continued failures. I don't think he can do any better but when Tony Bennett and the state take over some IPS schools, it will rid us of Eugene White and this head bobbing mindless school board.
ReplyDeleteI would like to say something about the Attucks when the black teachers taught black students. I would be willing to bet those same teachers wouldn't want to teach the students of today. It is a shame we can't go back to a more peaceful and respectful time when teachers could teach.
ReplyDeleteI'm 44, and I've worked in IPS for almost 20 years, and I've never met a black racist. I know they exist. I've known people who have known some, and there are a couple of celebrities who I think are black racists. But I think the phenomenon of black-on-white racism is extremely rare and perpetuated mostly by (I know you'll be shocked) white racists
ReplyDeleteI Agree with you...Blacks are not racist. They are prejudice but not racists.
I have to agree that it would be a challenge for past Attucks teachers to work with some of the students we have in IPS today.
ReplyDeleteStudents back in the "Old" Attucks day knew they would get a serious beating if they even came close to acting like some of the "present" day students.
ReplyDeletea: it is prejudgiced
ReplyDeleteb: I worked at school 27 with 2 of the biggest racists ever. The Barnes' are Black. I'm white.
Worst school ever.
PREJUDICED.
ReplyDeleteOk. I am very familiar with Manual, Howe, as well as the former McFarland (closed), Arlington, and Donnan. We who have worked there, know the back story, and the fact is, there are poor teachers at all of these schools. We all know who slides along, and we also know who is knocking themselves out "for the good of the order"; it doesn't come anywhere near 60%! What an ass! We also know, at ALL of these schools, that there are significant leadership issues, as well as ridiculous micro management demands that BEGIN DOWNTOWN with those who are hustling trying to justify their existence (and I'm not talking payroll, human resources, etc.)... after all, how many supervisors, assistant superintendents, etc. do we need? We have serious structural and procedural issues, and a lack of true command and response leadership. These are people that got OUT of the classroom as fast as possible, or have stayed, needing a job like we all do, when they should have already been able to move on to another career. Howe: how many administrators have set up shop there after John Takacs left? Arlington: Dr. Greenwood worked the trenches when it was murder central, but stayed when her energy had ebbed. She should have been in downtown administration LONG before this, there is no better consensus builder; Washington: Do we not remember Champagne, and her style of ego-centric administrative confusion? She didn't even know the names of her staff, and was an outright liar. Manual: that is where our Algebra 2 knitter-instead of math teacher is retiring finally. I wonder how many kids she cheated out of the math they needed (PIP? what PIP?)Manual, certainly no clear vision. There are problem employees there. You can blame the union all you want, but the requirements can be worked, and the freeloaders can be moved out, but it takes LEADERSHIP and a command structure that recognizes talent, and doesn't mind getting their toes stepped on by good leadership. I have seen a good leader transform as miserable school into a terrific one... which brings me to Donnan under Suggs. He made no excuses, he stepped on some toes, and he got rid of people who made trouble amongst the ranks. He respected hard work and diligence, and torqued parents had to get through him before they could get to a teacher. He backed up his staff, worked TIRELESSLY for the kids, and never hesitated to make his expectations clear, one by one if necessary. If IPS wants to change, we need more of THIS. Dr. Suggs would be the first to tell you that he is a work in progress. Unlike Dr. White, he has vision, recognizes talent, and gets out of the way people that know what they are doing, commands respect, but never blind obedience.
ReplyDeleteWhat? "As an Instructional Coach, on a couple "of separate occasions, I have called a certain teacher's dismal performance to the building principal's attention". Who do you think you are, you have no right to "rate a fellow teacher", you are not God's gift to teaching or an administrator. You should have a formal complaint file against you with personnel and a grievance. If you are perfect, then teach and put up your clipboard."
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Ok, back up the train, bubba. If we don't recognize who is getting the job done, and who isn't, then just who is good enough to "call" the hand when it's time for a bluffing colleague, who is humiliating our profession by being an embarrassment (a certain LA teacher comes to mind who can neither spell, or tell the difference between an metaphor and a simile, let alone teach it). Whose job is it anyway? I'll tell you right now, I applaud the coach. I know a few of these people, and I have seen them work OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN with people who were just not getting the job done. At long last, when they are observing such performance, THEY OWE IT TO THE KIDS AND OUR PROFESSION to say something; anything less is irresponsible. Laisser faire may work for you, but that is not what I came to teaching to accomplish. If I wouldn't trust them in the classroom with my own children, I don't think they belong in education, and pay grade or not, will say so!