Some frank words about
education in Indianapolis
 |
| Amos Brown |
By AMOS BROWN III
In 16 years, there have been a few controversial columns in this space that have gotten readers and our community talking. This is one of those.Let me put it simply and cleanly.
It is time to strongly shake up the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS). We can’t any longer tolerate business as usual or the status quo in IPS!
I realize that there are scores of great teachers, administrators and support staff from custodians and cafeteria workers, to teachers’ aides, police officers, bus drivers and clerical support staff in the Indianapolis Public School system.
But, eight to 10 IPS schools are faced with being taken away from the district’s control. An open secret, but unknown to many in our community. If your children or grandchildren attend Arlington, Broad Ripple, Manual, Northwest, Howe, Washington, John Marshall or Tech high schools; or Emma Donnan or Harshman middle schools; your kids’ schools are on the short list of schools primed for an imminent state takeover.
IPS is an institution in a state of high stress and difficulty. There’s an Internet blog about IPS where the hatred, racism, backbiting, backstabbing and poor morale is in full display. Others tell me morale within the system is the poorest it has been in many years.
Last week, one of the system’s top administrators, a Chinese-American named Li-Yen Johnson, issued an intemperate e-mail urging the community to stand up saying that the state was “trying to keep the African-Americans hooked and quiet” urging those she was writing to “not be silent on this one.”
Johnson’s e-mail was virulent; but at least someone in IPS is trying to alert the community to the crisis. Unfortunately, her missive missed a basic point.
Administrators like Johnson can no longer insist that our community support their status quo or endorse their business as usual!
There is no question that IPS must change the way they do business.
IPS must change how they educate the 33,000-plus students in their care.
IPS must change how they relate to the parents and grandparents of their students.
IPS must change how they interact and treat their employees.
IPS must change how they interact and relate to the community.
One of IPS’ and the community’s problems is a total lack of understanding of who the IPS schools serve.
Reading Johnson’s e-mail, you’d assume that African-Americans are the fulcrum of the IPS district. And while Blacks comprise 54 percent of the district’s enrollment, at 59 percent Pike Township has a higher percentage of Black students enrolled than IPS.
It’s estimated that of the total African-American population of Indianapolis and Marion County, barely half of that population lives in the IPS area. But that’s down from roughly 60 percent 10 years ago. And of the estimated total population of the area IPS serves, just 38.4 percent are African-Americans. Non-Hispanic whites are the largest group at 52.8 percent, followed by Hispanics at an estimated 7.8 percent. (Definitive 2010 census data won’t be available until next month).
IPS has a growing multilingual and English as a second language student body as over one-sixth (17.6 percent) of IPS’ overall enrollment are Hispanics. IPS’ Hispanic enrollment is the second largest of any Indiana school district. Only Hammond’s schools have more Hispanics than IPS.
Those concerned with IPS must understand that the neighborhoods the system serves aren’t neighborhoods with families with children of media myth. IPS neighborhoods aren’t overrun with families like the Nelsons, Huxtables or Obamas – stable two-parent families. The reality is much more complex and difficult.
The 2009 Census American Community Survey (ACS) reports that two-thirds (66.7 percent) of all families with children in the IPS district are families headed by a single mom or increasingly a single dad.
IPS neighborhoods contain 44.1 percent of all single female families with children in Indianapolis/Marion County and 54.4 percent of all single male families with children.
By contrast, IPS’ neighborhoods lack the ingredient researchers say is critical for student success - two-parent families. Only a third of families with children in IPS neighborhoods are two parent. Worse, IPS contains just 20.8 percent of the city/county’s two parent families with children.
Indiana’s Department of Education (IDOE) thinks they can improve IPS’ worst. But how, given that IPS is so untypical of most Hoosier schools?
IDOE is looking for partners to run up to 23 troubled schools statewide, including those in IPS. There’s rumblings that Black-oriented groups with experience educating Black youth from single parent families may bid. But there’s no guarantee.
Worse, most major educational consortiums with the financial resources to operate these so-called “takeover” IPS schools (KIPP, Geo, Imagine) have failed miserably operating charters, so how can they be expected to handle the more difficult IPS challenge?
IPS argues that they have the expertise and experience in educating children from single-family homes with high poverty. But for five straight years, IPS hasn’t been able to reserve the failing trends of the schools now under the state’s educational sword of Damocles.
Worse is the posture of the elected board for the Indianapolis Public Schools. The individuals elected to set policy for a system facing its greatest challenge since cross district busing in 1981 have sat mute. They aren’t out as a group at the legislature testifying either for or against the school reform proposals. They are saying nothing to the voters who elected them; even those elected just eight months ago.
Unfortunately, having a board of seven “silent sphinxes,” as this column referred to the IPS Board some 14 years ago, isn’t the funny quip it was when I first wrote it.
The IPS Board’s silence is insulting; debilitating to the system and the community it serves.
So, the dilemma.
I’ve lost faith in the current leadership of IPS to do their jobs.
But I have no faith that Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration has the sensitivity, understanding, expertise, diversity and cultural competency to handle the job reforming the schools where our children are educated.
I do know this. The Indianapolis Public Schools are in crisis. Business as usual is no longer acceptable!
It’s time for change.
What’s your view?
See ‘ya next week.
You can e-mail comments to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
Holy Moly...this is good stuff from Amos.
ReplyDeleteI agree but Amos will be among the first to join the reelect Mary Busch campaign. With her experience, she should be leading the charge to make the overdue changes but she sits silently and lets the system implode.
ReplyDeleteWell said. IPS is in trouble and no one has any ideas on how to fix it. Everyone has an opinion and a gripe, but nothing positive.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amos. Eugene White has created a culture of hate: the students, the teachers and the parents. That uniform policy is the biggest ripoff and the poor uneducated public is going, "Yea, yea, we'll get these kids under control." Research shows uniforms don't improve behavior or scores. Check out Professor Brunsma of Missouri University---he proves it. I teach at Tech and have seen the decline of behavior and test scores. The anger is almost palpable. Everyone feels disenfranchised while Eugene White rapes the system, deludes the public, promotes his son, and bullies the teachers. Thank you, Amos!
ReplyDeleteAmos, is White going to Dallas for the Super Bowl? If he is, why, when his district is in the dire straits that you are describing?
ReplyDeleteYes uniforms do make a difference!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBravo, someone who gets it. The education system as we know it was and always has been designed for the typical middle class student. This is why it works in most suburban schools. Our students lack so much more than just two parents. True educational attainment will only be reached by our students if we begin to incorporate where they come from and what they need into how we structure education programs. While the magnet schools offer our more advanced students options we seem to deem the remaining population unworthy of any differing paths. Taking a snapshot of the average non magnet IPS classroom (High school) one might find the following: students who are parents and must deal with adult issues like daycare and sick children; students who have criminal records or lack even the smallest social skill or respect; students with learning disabilities ranging from dyslexia to ADHD to ODD; students functioning 2 to 6 grades below their actual grade level that have been passed along to become someone else's headache all mixed with the kids who are not quiet magnet material. Now even the greatest teacher is going to find it difficult to give each of these kids equal justice. It’s time to think outside of the box and design programs for students of similar needs not talents. We have absolutely no problem grouping students of high intelligence or severe needs together to help them learn at their respective level. Yet everyone in the middle is expected to pull up from wherever they are and master the same concepts at the same time. To make matters worse all students are pushed toward college at the expense of solid blue collar working skills. There will always be failures but with logic and innovation those numbers can be reduced significantly.
ReplyDeleteKudos to Amos Brown for just telling it like it is!!!
ReplyDeleteI read in an IN DOE report a week or so ago (2010 stats, not old info) that IPS spends about 1.8% of its instructional funds for Vocational Education while the State average is around 5%. Why on earth are we spending so little on Vocational Education? Our kids needs marketable skills, not all our kids will go to college nor should they necessarily be told they should go to college. There will always be a job market for those with skills needed to become: electricians, plumbers, construction workers, CAD draftsmen, masonry workers, auto engine repair, chefs, cosmetology, etc. We are robbing too many of our students from getting real job skills for post-secondary careers.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Amos Brown!
ReplyDeleteShort and correct in every aspect. Amen
ReplyDeleteEvery student should not go to college. If everyone works in business, who will fix our cars, make our lunches, cut our hair, clean our schools? Every job has value, it's HOW you do the job that matters. We need to instill in our students a good work ethic. Come to work on time, don't call in sick too often, do the best you can with a smile.
ReplyDeleteAnd in a related post. Uniforms do work. I always find it interesting when I go to my children's schools, out of IPS, how much better my STUDENTS look than my children's classmates. (mine look like they are there to learn!) I see spaghetti straps, pajama pants, way too short shorts etc. I like to see our kids in uniforms.
@Voc Ed
ReplyDeletethe percent that IPS spends on Voc Ed that you are referring to is from our General Fund. There is a Perkins Grant which supports most of the Voc. Ed (or politically correct - Career & Technical Education). Albeit - Luberta Jenkins ran the program into the ground, but she has since retired. However, prior to her retirement, she hired Michael Sertic as the Academic Dean, who has further burried the program. Sarah Bogard is slated to run the program next year, and I imagine she will destroy further what Arsenal "Technical" High School was founded to be - a place for children to be educated and prepared to begin working in their chosen field. Why was the drycleaning shop closed? Why was Barbering closed? Why get rid of HVAC? Why get rid of Preschool education? These are all professions that will remain with us going forward. Technology doesn't replace all fields of labor. I do believe it was Luberta Jenkins that destroyed these programs, and I really see many other programs going by the way-side with Sarah Bogard in charge. There isn't currently a land-scaping or an interior design program within the Career & Technology Magnet - those will most certainly be her main agenda, and the Diesel program partnered with Navistar, International will likely suffer (which sucks - because one of our hardest working co-workers made that one a possiblity - and all the credit went to Luberta Jenkins).
I too prefer the uniforms - though I admit I could do without the constant enforcement issues. What I find ironic though is that while we tell kids to dress professionally, many of US do not. Sorry, but I just don't understand adult professionals wearing jeans (and sometimes even t-shirts!)to work.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. Many teachers in our building dress in the uniform. I personally love clothes too much to only wear khaki pants and red shirts, but I dress professionally in dresses, skirts, and dress pants.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering...does anyone else out there have to click preview 4 or 5 times before you can put in your code word?
Bravo Amos...too bad his radio show isn't on in the mornings instead of those two comedians who are just shills for the wealthy policymakers and lobbyists of this state. Their corporate solutions won't remedy IPS' problems either..may make it worse.
ReplyDeleteAmos needs to look into the ridiculous mess IPS is creating at school #60 next year. Grades k & 1 will adhere to the "Reggio Emilio" method, complete with their own principal and teachers. And, the other section of the building will still be regular, crazy, totally out of control #60, with the SAME principal who can't handle any discipline problems this year. What is the point? What parent of a kindergartener or first grader would subject their precious child to the insanity of a building like that? And why, oh why, won't IPS put a new principal into #60? Don't they care about getting it under control?
ReplyDeleteSarah Bogard will destroy the Career Center. She will spend her time having new flowers planted and ordering new furniture. She will stroll in each day around 9 or 9:30 and let the educational programs go to hell. She did it to Tech and she will do it to the Career Center. She needs to retire.
ReplyDeleteIPS does NOT have uniforms! It has a loosely enforced "dress code."
ReplyDeleteA reminder for IPS
ReplyDeletechief: It's not your
district
Written by Matthew Tully
1/28/11
So Eugene White has again thrown a
temper tantrum. Given the IPS
superintendent's record, that's not exactly
a stop-the-presses moment.
But it was a mistake.
It was another sign of the dysfunction that
often gets in the way of progress within the
state's largest school district. And it gave
those of us who desperately want to see IPS
improve, and who have defended White on
many occasions, yet another reason to
question whether our hope is still placed in
the right person.
The latest trouble erupted Tuesday night
after the IPS Board dared to question
White's decision to shuffle principals and
administrators around the district. White's
plan is aimed at satisfying state officials
who have demanded that IPS turn around
failing schools, but the superintendent's
approach adds up to little more than
moving the same people into different
positions.
Along the way, the plan would result in the
cash-starved district, which has threatened
teacher layoffs and program cuts, giving
raises to some administrators. So it's not
hard to imagine why a school board would
complain. It's only surprising that this one
did, as White has rarely viewed the board
as anything more than a rubber stamp.
That explains his surprise at a 4-3 vote
that put the reshuffling plan on the shelf, at
least temporarily. It doesn't, however,
justify his response.
First, he said, "You are not going to badger
me into changing what I know I have to do. I
have given you all the information you
need."
Clearly, he hasn't.
The board still has reasonable questions
about this lackluster plan to drive i
mprovement by reshuffling administrators.
Perhaps the questions stem from the
frustration many people have about what is
now White's five-year-long refusal to clear
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ineffective administrators from the district.
We wanted boldness from him, not
blandness.
White continued, offering the latest tired
threat to leave the district unless he is
given his way.
"If you are prepared to pay me what you
owe me, you won't have this
recommendation," he said. "I have no
changes to make."
A couple of points.
First, he didn't threaten to quit. He instead
referenced the money the board would
have to spend to buy out his contract.
Second, take a look at the main words in
his statements: "I" and "me."
We all know White doesn't like advice from
outsiders, but here's some: Stop acting like
it's your district. You simply work for the
students, parents and taxpayers within it.
Questions about big decisions should be
welcome, and the rest of us should cheer
the sudden sign of life that's been
breathed into the School Board.
Here's what boggles me: White seems to
believe that his administration is operating
at such a high level that it can't even be
questioned.
I want to make clear: White has done some
great things for IPS. But any reasonable
look at the district would find that a
mountain of problems remains.
And, so, this eruption might prove to be a
miscalculation. Three years ago, White had
strong support from nearly every corner of
the community. In 2011, however, the
landscape includes a lot of people who
have grown tired of White's dictatorial style
and his inability to embrace big reforms.
Public reaction to the latest flap came fast.
Some observers said the board should let
White go. Others wondered if he is serious
about this ultimatum. Most believe the two
sides will work this out -- possibly with the
board returning to form and backing down.
Either way, one teacher who wrote me
summed up the tantrum well.
"It's an interesting example to set for IPS
students," he said.
For those who continue to bash the principal at school 60 for the out of control students, I suggest that you look at the teachers. If the teacher doesn't enforce the policies of IPS and the school, then they also are adding to the problem.
ReplyDeleteIMO, as an IPS teacher, I have to say that uniforms (dress code) for the elementary children is a great idea- it works for our school!
ReplyDeleteI disagree about the dress code. I think it's just one more way we tell our students they are inferior to other kids (most of the townships don't have a dress code, and none of the donut counties do.)
ReplyDeleteUniforms are developmentally appropriate for elementary students, but for high school it is not.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the uniform: I lament that there are still educators that are so physically stullified in simply focusing on appearances! I have a student who comes to class with the same clothes on every day. The smell is horrendous! Yet he's "dress-code"compliant: right color; right form; a belt! Yes, nice clothes are wonderful, but there's a more important function of education and that is inspiring learning! If they are suspended because of the wrong color shirt, that is educationally unsound. They're not bad kids-----they're poor. This "one-size-fits-all" thinking is what's increasing the drop-out rate, poor attandance and a feeling of disenfranchisement! Read today's paper: the facts are there over a three-year period; attendance down; suspensions and expulsions up; test scores down; drop-out rate up! The old adage hasn't caught on yet, "Beauty is only skin deep," and the person is more important than his/her clothes. Lets start teaching them values and they might learn to care about how they dress.
ReplyDeleteBeauty has nothing to do with it. It's show children the proper way to dress. Before the dress code boobs were sticking out and rear ends where poured into jeans. Children need to learn to follow rules, just as society needs to follow rules. Take a look around you and see that rules and laws aren't being followed. Creative learning has gotten society into a mess. You would be surprised at the "poor" kids who follow the rules. Too bad the teachers don't.
ReplyDeleteWhite's ill fated dress code is like his failed 6 step Discipline Policy, his attendance policy and others. He announces to make the public and the media think he is doing something. The only problem is that they are not enforced. When you are a teacher and you have followed the correct procedure for a student's violation of the dress code 23 times and no action has been taken, there is the message that White really doesn't want it enforced.
ReplyDeleteWhen you work in a building where kids can fight, throw furniture, cuss at teachers, spit on teachers, and discard rules in general, just what ARE our options when we send them to the office, (ie PRINCIPAL) and NOTHING is done to them??? Oh...I take that back. She TALKS to them. We don't dislike her personally, we'd just prefer that she occasionally practice some "tough" love, because the too soft approach is obviously not working.
ReplyDeleteSometimes talking and reasoning with a student does work...other times not so much...and this is part of the problem, we have people in charge that don't know what they are doing. When you talk with a student about something that they have done that is wrong the student needs to understand that in the future there will not be another "chance", what they have done is wrong:it is detrimental to the student (either long or short term), the class, and the teacher, and they must go to the teacher and offer an apology, (teachers need to model how to politely accept an apology, "thank you" will generally do) and the student has to come up with a way of dealing with the same problem in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked at Shortridge, years ago, Mrs. D-R gave bad kids candy. Not too smart.
@ Beauty has nothing to do with it:
ReplyDeleteBoobs are still hanging out of polo shirts, they are still wearing skin tight clothing. I can still see pokadot bras because a white t-shirt doesn't cover all.
But what can we do?
The consequence for not following the dress code is a 3 day suspension. The consequences for throwing a book at someone's head is a 3 day suspension. Is this equal? No. Am I going to try and address dress code issues, when the admin won't address safety issues? No.
I'm trying to figure out why uniforms are appropriate for elementary kids but not high school. Help me out here. I would think high schoolers would be the top priority.
ReplyDeleteAlso to address the teacher of the stinky kid, even if wasn't in uniform don't you think he would still stink? I've had kids who wear the same the clothes day after day before the uniforms. Maybe you could buy him some cheap laundry detergent and gently suggest he wash out his clothes all the way down to his underwear in the sink each night.
@ help me out. Go back to that old ed psych text book...during the teen years kids try out new things, so succeed and some fail, learning to dress appropriately is important.
ReplyDelete5. Learning Identity Versus Identity Diffusion (Fidelity)
During the fifth psychosocial crisis (adolescence, from about 13 or 14 to about 20) the child, now an adolescent, learns how to answer satisfactorily and happily the question of "Who am I?" But even the best - adjusted of adolescents experiences some role identity diffusion: most boys and probably most girls experiment with minor delinquency; rebellion flourishes; self - doubts flood the youngster, and so on.
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/parenting/teens.shtml
Erikson believes that during successful early adolescence, mature time perspective is developed; the young person acquires self-certainty as opposed to self-consciousness and self-doubt. He comes to experiment with different - usually constructive - roles rather than adopting a "negative identity" (such as delinquency). He actually anticipates achievement, and achieves, rather than being "paralyzed" by feelings of inferiority or by an inadequate time perspective. In later adolescence, clear sexual identity - manhood or womanhood - is established. The adolescent seeks leadership (someone to inspire him), and gradually develops a set of ideals (socially congruent and desirable, in the case of the successful adolescent). Erikson believes that, in our culture, adolescence affords a "psychosocial moratorium," particularly for middle - and upper-class American children. They do not yet have to "play for keeps," but can experiment, trying various roles, and thus hopefully find the one most suitable for them.
Kids this age need to experiment and try things out, so when they wear a cocktail dress to school or other wildly inappropriate outfit they need to know it is not acceptable
@ six step discipline:
ReplyDeleteFrom my own experience, the six step discipline works. However, the key is follow through. There are many friends who don't have the administrative support I do, so they have similar results you have experienced. The six step discipline would work if everyone worked consistently together. That is where the biggest problem lies. It seems lately that everyone is "out for themselves", and we need to change this. If we don't go back to collaborative partnerships, it will only spiral further downward. I believe the morale of the district really started heading south (for secondary education) with the implementation of small schools. When we had departments, there was more of a collaborative approach, and more of a family feeling to help boost our morale. Now that small schools are gone, we still lack our "department families". I would love to bring that back to secondary. I know department heads make a considerable amount of money to put the district in a bind, but if we did that, we might not need the Theresa Morris' and other curriculum specialists that waste a great deal of our funding.
Fist time commenting on IPS blog. I agree with Amos. Thank you. Having been teaching in IPS for twenty years, I find that morale is low, there is hardly NO support of six step. Having new administrators this year has put our school at a major disadvantage. The normally high standards have dropped, discipline has become relaxed, and the newer teachers, (and "lemons"), are not being held accountable for jobs they SHOULD be doing. It's time to put students first!
ReplyDeleteYou are correct on two fronts. The 6 Step Discipline policy as written is good. The problem is that it is not enforced which makes it useless. The second item is that small schools ruined our high schools. IPS was greedy and wanted that Gates money and too many of the superintendent's friends made big money from it. We lost our structure in the high schools and it has not returned.
ReplyDeleteI've just had what Oprah calls an "Aha" moment. It's not working for IPS that I hate, it's working at school #60!!!!! Yeah!!! There's nothing wrong with me. I NEED A CHANGE OF SCENERY. I NEED A TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. SOMEONE, QUICK, HELP MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete"Having new administrators this year has put our school at a major disadvantage. The normally high standards have dropped, discipline has become relaxed, and the newer teachers, (and "lemons"), are not being held accountable for jobs they SHOULD be doing."
ReplyDeleteIt's odd. When our new principal took the helm, high standards were put into place, the six-step plan is being enforced, and our "lemons" are bitching about having to be held responsible and accountable, and some are actually doing what they SHOULD be doing.
We must be in the opposite world, like Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George. No soup for you!
I hope that #60 teacher gets her dream.
ReplyDeleteCan we begin to say,how can this whole dysfunctional mess not be helped by a takeover from Tony Bennett and the IDOE.Does anyone doubt that all of this needs to be dismantled and rebuilt??Help, IDOE!
ReplyDelete"When you work in a building where kids can fight, throw furniture, cuss at teachers, spit on teachers, and discard rules in general, just what ARE our options when we send them to the office, (ie PRINCIPAL) and NOTHING is done to them??? Oh...I take that back. She TALKS to them. We don't dislike her personally, we'd just prefer that she occasionally practice some "tough" love, because the too soft approach is obviously not working."
ReplyDeleteAre you working at IPS or in my cousin's Imagine Charter school? Sounds very similar to me.
I can't believe all of this talk about dress codes. It's great. We once had kids dressed in full Fubu clothes head to toe yet didn't have money for pencils and notebooks to bring to school. We had girls dressed in Playboy T shirts because the Latino parents didn't know what Playboy meant.Now kids get ready for school and there are few distractions. Kids even where the school colors and they KNOW them.Teachers don't have to wear suits but can wear the uniforms as well. The uniforms are great IF enforced. Our kids always have trouble finding belts to wear and end up getting yarn.Uniforms are NOT the problem.It's micro-management stuff. Which the DOE will only make WORSE on us or any corporate entity.
ReplyDeleteIPS is broken. The only remedy is to start from the top and dismantle. Begin with the School Board -- wipe them out. Next is the Superintendent -- we need a new one with absolutely no ties whatsoever with Indianapolis. Then clear out all the Ed Center administrators -- most have been in IPS for years and are part of the problem, even if they mean well.
ReplyDeleteReconstitution at the building level is useless. The reconstitution needs to begin at the top. A district-wide reconstitution!
Kudos to what the Blogger has posted above mine!!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to finally see broad attention to the odd relationship between the IPS Board and current superintendent. This has been going on for years, with no attention by the media and no awareness by most of Indianapolis. The real significance of the uniform policy is how it was adopted and implemented. Public meetings for supposed parent input were held with short notice. The Broad Ripple meeting had strong disagreement with Dr. White's proposal, but was reported in the Star as a majority of parents favoring his proposal. Board members refused to return calls or emails from parents questioning the proposal or just wishing to discuss it further. And most significantly, when asked by a Board member at a Board meeting for more information or to consider small modifications to his proposal as written, Dr. White refused to discuss the matter and THREATENED TO QUIT IF THEY DIDN'T PASS THE PROPOSAL AS SUBMITTED, just like this current situation. Why was this not reported? Reasonable minds can and do differ on whether uniforms are, or are not, a good idea. Certainly, schools and parents throughout the country and city have different views on this subject. But good corporate governance is another matter. The people elect the Board, the Board hires and supervises the Superintendent, and the Superintendent proposed policy decisions to the Board and makes operational decisions about the schools. But, he or she still answers to the Board, and by extension the people. Parents and taxpayers do not give up this right just by virtue of living in the IPS district. It's time for Dr. White to gracefully bow out, and let the Board begin to look for another superintendent with his best talents, but with a better ability to work with the Board that has hired him or her.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough private high schools have had uniforms for years and no one has said that it stifles there psychosocial development.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the big deal?
If IPS does not improve academic achievement levels in its high schools, this could happen to us. AdvancED visited IPS a couple of years ago.
ReplyDelete_________________________________________________
New York Times
Georgia: Atlanta Schools Are Placed on Probation
By ROBBIE BROWN
Published: January 19, 2011
Atlanta’s public school system was warned on Tuesday that it could lose accreditation this year if feuding school board members do not resolve their differences. An independent accreditation group, AdvancED, announced that it was placing the high schools in the 49,000-student school system on probation, giving the board nine months to make improvements or face further punishments. Losing accreditation affects students’ ability to apply to college or receive scholarships. The announcement followed months of public power struggles between two groups of board members for control of the board. Atlanta is the second largest school system that the accreditation group has ever placed on probation, according to its spokeswoman, Jennifer H. Oliver.
Eugene White has public hearings on important changes. The problem is that the decision has been made by him BEFORE the hearings are held. This makes the hearings nothing more than dog and pony shows. Parents and community members have caught on and rarely participate. Why should busy people waste time giving input on something that has already been decided?
ReplyDelete@something that has already been decided?
ReplyDeleteAs the French would say, a fait accompli. But, that sounds too classy and worldly to describe EW.
For instance, the new calendar was a done deal. No reason to give input when the decision has been made ahead of time.
ReplyDeleteIndianapolis Star
ReplyDeleteEDITORIAL
January 28, 2011
It's time for White
to cool off
For more than five years as superintendent
of Indianapolis Public Schools, Eugene
White has worked passionately and
persistently to turn around the struggling
district.
He's achieved notable results. Expectations
for students, teachers and administrators
have been raised. Test scores and
graduation rates have climbed. The district
as a whole is moving, although at a
frustratingly slow pace, in the right
direction.
Yet, despite his many strengths, White is
hampered by two recurring weaknesses.
He's prone to anger, lashing out in
particular when his authority is questioned.
He also can be stubborn, setting
ultimatums and refusing to compromise,
even with School Board members who act
as the superintendent's boss.
The temper and the stubbornness flared
again this week when White said he would
leave his job rather than agree to revise his
plan for shifting more than 20
administrators around the district. "You are
not going to badger me into changing what
I know we have to do,'' White told the
board Tuesday. "I have given you all the
information you need.''
Since that meeting, White has declined to
publicly address his stand, but he's put the
board in a difficult spot. If board members,
who voted 4-3 against his plan, backtrack
and give in to White, then they will have
undermined their own credibility in the
community. If they hold firm, however, they
risk losing a talented leader, who, as
noted, has brought improvement to a
district that before his arrival was plagued
with low standards, abysmal graduation
rates and a culture of mediocrity.
In coming days, it's incumbent on both
sides to work out a compromise on the
current impasse. This dispute -- over, of
all things, administrative assignments -- is
not of sufficient magnitude that it should be
allowed to sidetrack district leaders from
pursuing far more important goals.
At the same time, it's critical for White to
rebuild his relationship with the board.
White has more than once bristled at board
members' questions, including requests for
details on the district's budget. Board
members have been justifiably frustrated
by his lack of cooperation.
If White is to remain at IPS, he must learn to
respect authority, to work better with
others and to communicate more effectively inside
the district and out. Eugene White
still has much that he could offer this city,
but patience with his unwillingness to
accept oversight is thin.
He is apparently meeting with the board behind closed doors today to "discuss" the situation. If they refuse to agree with him, he is demanding buyout of his contract (through 2014)to the tune of $700,000 plus benefits. This shows just how much he cares about IPS. He took a bonus for improving grades (which he had no hand in) when the budget is failing and want a ridiculous buyout of his contract if he doesn't get his way. He is a bully and today's meeting will prove just that. The board will back down and White will once again get his way. He needs to go.
ReplyDeleteHe's simply following the lead of the Wayne Township superintendent.
ReplyDeleteIt might be worth the money to remove this cancer, which would then permit our system to heal.
This would truly be a lumpectomy!
"Interestingly enough private high schools have had uniforms for years and no one has said that it stifles there psychosocial development.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the big deal?"
I don't know about psychosocial development, but the status/stigma attached to uniforms at private school is completely different. Private school uniforms indicate status and money. Public school uniforms codes signify poverty and inferiority. If the problem was inappropriate clothing, the solution is to enforce rules regarding inappropriate clothing, not make everyone wear the same outfit. And teachers in the school uniform look ridiculous.
Eugene will shout and threaten. The women on the board will cower in their chairs, pee their pants and give Eugene whatever he wants.
ReplyDeleteYes, Amos, we all agree on what the problems are. What are your solutions? Without solutions, you are just like every other current player: yammering in the background, changing nothing.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of Eugene White would be the first major improvment and step toward getting back on track.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the chances of Dr. White calling tomorrow a "snow day"?
ReplyDeleteSay it with me: Fire Eugene White.
ReplyDeleteSlim to none. The entire state could be closed and we would still be in school. I think he's trying to show Dr. Bennett for not allowing our 2 hour Super Delay.
ReplyDeleteUniforms are working great in my IPS school. Why?? ALL adults are on the same page. It's the rule. We're following it. Kids know we are NOT giving in. Now it's just routine. Uniform enforcement takes WORK. You take the easy way out: complain.
ReplyDelete@What do you think the chances of Dr. White calling tomorrow a "snow day"?
ReplyDeleteOMG, do ya really believe that IPS will try to roll out the buses tomorrow morning? Geez, even the faculty and staff at IU Medical School and Dental School (located downtown at IUPUI) were told this afternoon before 5 PM to stay home tomorrow.
Let's put it this way, "I ain't drivin' no where tomorrow." It's 7:15 PM, and a family member is still out on I-69 snarled in traffic due to ice on the road at 106st Street. Gene White could put chains on all four wheels of a big old Hummer and offer personally to pick me up tomorrow morning, and I would say, "NO".
So, were there any little ears behind the doors today? Is Big Bubba Gene staying around?
ReplyDeleteI have personal days. I plan to wake up just long enough to check the closings list, call the sub office, then go back to bed. I have plenty of food, logs for the fire, and leftover papers to grade.
Poster above...just do everyone a favor and stay home permanently.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you call him Bubba? Even when I don't agree with him, name calling should be beneath you.
ReplyDeleteAs a academician, I found this blog to once be a place of professional discussions. However, it has become more of a safe place for individuals to say either semi-racist, rude, and judgmental remarks while hiding.
It's like throwing a rock and then hiding your hands. Some wise person once stated: "If you're big enough to say racist remarks, be big enough to show your face."
You're right...and this person most likely teaches at an IPS school. Yet, many people want to talk about our students. Look at the examples many of our students have, either they're facing issues at home or some (not all or even most) of the IPS' trashy and low life teachers who are hidden racists themselves, while talking about the very students that keeps them employed.
ReplyDeleteThe self righteous squad is out in force tonight. The IPS trashy and low life teachers? Really?
ReplyDeleteIPS is closed!!
ReplyDeleteIPS is closed tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteIPS is closed! Well, that announcement surely shut the hell up from all you self-righteous posters, didn't it? Enjoy a couple of days at home. Peace. Stay strong. LOL
ReplyDeleteREALLY? You are teachers! Spell check and subject/verb agreement please!
ReplyDeleteLet's leave the ebonics to Dr. White!
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, I had no idea "bubba" was a racist term.
ReplyDeleteIn your defense, I thought bubba was a hillbilly term, but obviously some under cover racist has deemed it a racist term...Hmmm, self reflection, my fellow colleagues.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is. Usually it's used to make fun of dumb rednecky types. Using it to insult White doesn't make much sense to me, but I don't think it's racist.
ReplyDeleteNothing like calling the kettle black!
ReplyDeleteJust curious and unsure. Was wanting to know how a public government body could hold a closed door session. Is not IPS breaking the law currently by holding the meeing tonight.
ReplyDeleteI thought transparency was suppose to be happening. In order for the public to know how things are decided.
Guess the law does not affect IPS!
Bubba refers to a red neck ignorant hillbilly...I am not sure that is racist toward Eugene but it probably is toward white people.
ReplyDeleteThere are generally two things that can be discussed in closed door meetings, purchasing property and personnel matters.
ReplyDeleteThe dictionary says that Bubba refers to an ignorant uneducated southern white male.......
ReplyDeleteWhite is southern, ignorant and male.
Bubba is a diminutive form for 'brother'. Some young children are unable to pronounce correctly the word 'brother', so they end up pronouncing it as 'bubba'. It's neither white, southern, nor racist. It's a term of affection used when referencing a male family member or when referencing a close male friend.
ReplyDeleteTo the above poster, the Online Urban Dictionary is not the 'end all and be all' for settling word meanings.
Why is I.P.S. the ONLY school district to require head custodians into school? Do they not matter?
ReplyDeleteLet's not complain about being out. We had teachers on here blabbing about how we will never have a day off. Now that we do, there are still some on here that are unhappy. Shocking.
ReplyDeleteI HATE TO BE THE GUY TO USE ALL CAPS, BUT THERE ARE POSTERS ARE HERE THAT MAKE THE REST OF US LOOK BAD. WE ARE TEACHERS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ROLE MODELS.
MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT AMOS BROWN'S EDITORIAL AND LEARN FROM IT AS WELL. HE CALLED US OUT AS BEING RACIST AND BACK BITING. I HAVE TO AGREE WITH HIM.
Lighten up on this glorious snow day. Take time to recharge and come back to school optimistic. Say what you want about Eugene and the Regime, but we owe at least that much to our children.
I think that the problems at IPS are do to administrators AND teachers (yes I have worked with BAAAAAADD teachers-wow), but here is my question. Why does it always seem to be 110% teachers' fault. What do I mean, well administration seems to be pretty stable. There are schools with a 100-120 admin: student ratio!? Also, look at the new laws coming in legislature
ReplyDelete1) New, strict evaluations of teachers (good) , but NOT for bad admin. who have thrown discipline and the IN New Teacher Mentor Program out the window.
2) Teacher pay based on merit (no matter what your students socio-ecom=nomic background or whether or not admin supports teacher discipline). Admin pay increases regardless (see school board).
3/ Teacher benefits are becoming worse: no longer insurance until death (yes-still exists outside IPS)and premiums increase faster than salaries (just look at the last one.
4) Please add anything else!
Point being their are problems in IPS from the ground up. In reality, teachers have been the patsy long enough. A lot of are good, care about students, and just want to teach. I am afraid that there will be no longer any superior teachers at IPS just transitioning career changers because of how IPS teachers bare treated. If you do not think that they being treated fairly, watch how the entire turnaround process pans out. Good teachers will lose.
That definition was not from the Urban Dictionary. It was from Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Anyone can use it as they wish. The original meaning did refer to a ignorant southern white male.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with teachers being the scapegoat for all educational maladies lies in the fact that the teaching profession has become very eroded.
ReplyDeleteFact is, while there are many good teachers, those that still go into education to educate, there are many who can't think of anything else to do and with most schools of education requiring nothing more than a C average to get in, this will not change. Lets face it- if you require 2,3 or 4 tries to pass the praxis 1 or 2 you might want to consider another career. Shouldn't teachers be role models, meaning that they know how to approach and study difficult material and can problem solve? These are all things many of today's students seem to be lacking. HMMM. Personally I feel offended when a supposedly "educated" person sends me an email so riddled with spelling errors that it is difficult to read.
To above poster: I agree totally. I've worked with other teachers here in IPS who are unable to spell, to use proper grammar, and to write a coherent report or email.
ReplyDeleteI've also worked with those teachers who take and retake the Praxis several times before passing it. The test is not difficult.
To the spelling and grammar police: please, please get off of your autistic preoccupation with other people's mechanics. This is a BLOG, not someone's doctoral dissertation! The only ego you ate stroking is your own. Many of us type from our phones and can only see partial screens. Get over yourselves. A blog posting is not supposed to be indicative of one's minor spelling and grammatical errors.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry but I do not subscribe to your theory of its just a blog or e mail. I understand typos here and there or even a missed comma but as an adult one should be able to write a few paragraphs without major spelling or grammatical errors. Even if they are typed on the phone. How can you teach students to go above and beyond mediocre if you can't even raise above bare minimum yourself. As a parent I want my kids to have the teacher that always gives and expects the best, wouldn't you?
ReplyDeleteTESTIMONIAL FROM A MEMBER AT WESTERN (HOWARD COUNTY) WHO LOBBIED TUESDAY
ReplyDeleteOn Tues. Jan. 25th, 2011 I went to Indianapolis to help lobby for public
schools, their students, and teachers. You see I graduated from public
schools, as did my husband, and our 3 children. ( Katie, a public school
teacher, Jonathan a lawyer, and Molly a medical doctor (where did I go
wrong?) I have taught art in public schools since 1973. I love my
students, my job, and my school. Enough about me.... as I am walking
through the halls of our state capital I see a small group of teachers
talking to the governor of Indiana and I join them to hear him speak.
One of the first things I heard our Governor say was " You
teachers are all making to much money. You are all making 22% more than
the taxpayers who are paying your salaries." A lady said her children
are on free and reduced lunches and she was a teacher. One teacher did
speak up in her defense and said she had 6 years of college. The
Governor asked her what kind of a teacher she was and she replied a
"very good teacher." The Governor then said "well the rest of the
teachers at her school must not be very good then because not everyone
can be a very good teacher." He went on to say that 90% of the teacher
evaluations in our state say that the teachers are excellent. And our
education is horrible. "One half of our state budget goes to education
and that is ridiculous! Our state has the highest amount being paid out
to fund education.... and our education is terrible!" the Governor
replied. One teacher said it is not terrible and we are talking about
our future, our children. She was ignored.
"We have 300 school districts in Indiana and that is
ridiculous. We need to cut that in 1/2" the Governor said. A senior
student from Taylor High School stepped in. "Sir, I am a 21st Century
scholar and I am concerned about the $3500 you want to give to seniors
to leave school after their Jr. year. They need that year to figure out
what they want to do and the schools can use that money . You will be
hurting the school budgets." The Governor pointed at her and accused
her of taking money away from the poor students. She tried to get him
to see her side. She was ignored.
" Other states are watching us to see what we do with our
education programs. I get calls every day" the Governor said. A very
soft spoken teacher replied "Sir, I would like very much to discuss some
of these issues with you, how do I go about this?" The Gov. said "You
just did!" and walked away.
I stood within 2 feet of our Governor and watched as his eyes
bulged as he attacked everything said. I felt his disdain and contempt
for public schools and teachers. And I felt the respect that should
have been given to these public school teachers and students was
non-existent.
Several teachers have stopped and asked did I have fun in Indy on
Tuesday. We left at 8:00 and returned a little after 5:00. The whole
time we were at the statehouse or with ISTA. None of the other
statesman would see us after sending countless notes to them for a few
minutes of their time. I returned to Kokomo tired, more knowledgeable,
and feeling very sad about what could happen to our school. But I can't
stand by and watch without knowing I could have done something more. I
plan on writing another letter, making another call, trying to find a
way to let people know what is happening, not only for myself, (I will
retire soon) but for my daughter who is only in her 7th year, and for my
students, but also for all of you of whom I respect and care for. I
encourage you all to do the same or go to the statehouse and see for
yourself what we are up against.
@ I am sorry ... e mail. Wow. Let's review your lack of vocabulary comprehension and standard language conventions:
ReplyDeleteAmong other things, sentence One is a run-on sentence: you should have put a comma between sorry and but. We idiot teachers that you like to bang on call that a "compound" sentence. Next, the word ascribe, not subscribe, is the vocabulary term I believe you really wanted to use here. Ascribe means a strong belief or faith; subscribe means you order a product on a regular basis. Perhaps you could benefit from an online subscription to Grammar Daily. You also want to correct its and make it a contraction, which is short for "it is."
Sentence Three: SENTENCE FRAGMENT!! You should put yourself in grammar review rather than pontificating on your own perceived talents in language conventions and spelling!
Sentence Four: Your lack of a correct ending punctuation mark made me have to read this sentence over again to gain its meaning. You should have placed an interrogative mark (aka question mark) at the end.
Sentence Five: you have an introductory phrase here "As a parent" which should be denoted by the syntactic structure called a comma.
Perhaps you should train your eagle eye onto your own posts before waxing philosophically about the lack of talent in others. Making the leap from quick posts on a blog to being a teacher who offers less than the best is insulting, and I am affronted.
I am HORRIFIED at our Governor's comments.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading the response to the "I am sorry" poster! You made the mistakes and corrections quite clear! I hope that you are teaching grammar to our IPS students!!
ReplyDelete@ I thoroughly enjoyed... poster! I am a PROUD IPS English teacher who LOVES her kids dearly and gives 100% of myself as a practitioner and advocate DAILY!! Thank you for your lovely reply. It made my evening!
ReplyDelete@ PROUD IPS English teacher.....You also made my evening! It's so nice to see IPS teachers being kind to each other! I am a music teacher, and I also care about my students. I expect them to use the English language correctly in my classroom!
ReplyDelete@@ Thank you, music teacher! What you do is extremely valuable and important. All three of our children are musicians -- voice, violin and clarinet -- and have been taught by excellent, committed public school teachers such as yourself! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI appreciated the comments from the English teacher. I am confused, though, about the first sentence. Do you really need the comma after the word "but" because I thought that a compound sentence had to contain two sentences that could stand alone. I am not arguing, I am just wondering. Also, should I have used a comma or a ; in the last sentence? Thanks for your help. I am 66 and still trying to learn.
ReplyDeleteTo the above poster: what a great example you are for learning! I am just learning a third language at the ripe age of 40+. Regarding sentence one: the sentence is compound because "I am sorry" can stand alone as a sentence. It does not need a direct object to make it complete. The last sentence is a reversal of a introductory phrase; instead of the phrase at the beginning, the writer put it on the end of the sentence. BTW, grammar is now a very small part of the English ECA. We simply don't focus our efforts in the classroom on language mechanics and grammar.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous:
ReplyDeleteI am sorry but I do not subscribe to your theory of its just a blog or e mail. I understand typos here and there or even a missed comma but as an adult one should be able to write a few paragraphs without major spelling or grammatical errors. Even if they are typed on the phone. How can you teach students to go above and beyond mediocre if you can't even raise above bare minimum yourself. As a parent I want my kids to have the teacher that always gives and expects the best, wouldn't you?
------------
LOL, exactly! I'm dying reading some of these posts and really, really hoping they aren't from teachers! Saying "problems are due to administrators" and "their are problems". These aren't typos nor are they due to posting with a phone! They show only an elementary level grasp of English.
Unbelievable.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI am HORRIFIED at our Governor's comments.
--------------
And you are IGNORANT if you think they are true. Type in the first sentence into a search engine and you'll see that this LOONBAT has posted that crap ALL OVER the internet.
Amos, the statistics you provide about the families in the IPS district tell the story in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteSo my question is, when are you and other educated, successful minorities going to get serious about attacking those problems instead of turning a blind eye to them?
Three short decades ago, it was shameful and humiliating to be on public assistance AND to have children out of wedlock. For the families in IPS schools, it's THE NORM. At some point, leaders like you have simply GOT to demand that urban minorities stop having children until they can afford to support THEMSELVES, let alone children.
Until this vicious cycle is ended, you will NEVER, ever improve anything for kids unfortunate enough to live in big cities amidst the sea of uneducated welfare dependents.
I realize these words are harsh, but face it - they're true.
"I don't know about psychosocial development, but the status/stigma attached to uniforms at private school is completely different. Private school uniforms indicate status and money. Public school uniforms codes signify poverty and inferiority. If the problem was inappropriate clothing, the solution is to enforce rules regarding inappropriate clothing, not make everyone wear the same outfit. And teachers in the school uniform look ridiculous. "
ReplyDeleteThat has to rank among the craziest things I've ever heard. It's analogous to defending the use of the "N" word when it's uttered by blacks but attacking it when used by whites. Just crazy.
Maybe if those in a position of authority (ahem) didn't have such attitudes about the dress code it would be more readily accepted in public schools. Maybe if you recognized that it has more to do with DISCIPLINE or an expectation to CONFORM TO RULES and expectations (something sorely lacking in today's society) than social status, the kids would adopt the same views.
Well, there are many valid comments posted here regarding this topic. But the bottom line is that 'DR' White is not good for IPS at all and neither are the goons shining his shoes. Look at the kids' scores and attendance since he has taken over... Look at the goons he has hired and promoted...
ReplyDelete