Comments on: Arrests made in CRCT cheating. Are more to come?

By: Rick in Va-Hi

Rick in Va-Hi — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:14:11 +0000

I was paddled–with a wooden paddle, and hard enough to leave a serious bruise–as a 14-year-old, when my PE teacher (and basketball coach) decided I was guilty of some infraction. I don’t remember what I did, but all these years later I remember the paddling, for sure! I didn’t have a dad, and this bit of corporal punishment–this one instance–straightened me right out. All these years later, I’m so grateful that he cared about me enough to want to set me right. If a teacher or admin paddled my son at school, I’d want to know exactly why, but I’d say I’m a supporter of the concept, and I won’t second-guess them if my son has it coming…. Resolve, you’re wrong about this issue. You’re just like my ex-wife. “Let’s talk it out.” “Spanking doesn’t solve anything.” “We can discipline in non-physical ways.”

Nope. Sometimes, fear –and only fear– brings about, in young boys in particular, the appropriate behavioral modification. It is our duty to be judicious and inflict the least possible physical pain to bring about cooperation and obedience, but bring them about we must. You must be too educated to see that–this is a matter of common sense and the acute observation of human nature at work, not something you can spout off about after reading a book about it.

By: Cheat Away!

Cheat Away! — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:41:19 +0000

Nasty old AJC – why did they think this was the least bit interesting? – Crawford Lewis

Crawford sent out this Hot Flash to all DeKalb employees. Guess it shows what he thinks about cheating!

====================
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
====================

To: All DeKalb Employees
From: Dr. Crawford Lewis, Superintendent
Subject: Message From the Superintendent
Date: 24 June 2009

As you know by now, Atherton Elementary School was recently implicated in the CRCT cheating scandal that has been a source of much publicity by the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC).

As Superintendent, I was both concerned and surprised that this investigation was elevated to the front page of Sunday’s AJC newspaper and warranted a probe by the District Attorney’s office. Dr. James Berry and Mrs. Doretha Alexander are good people who made a grave mistake. They both acknowledged their involvement and accepted their consequences. They have served the DeKalb School System with distinction for many years. It is important that you know that the school district was not consulted nor played any role in their recent arrests. While we do not condone their actions in any way, they should be allowed to move on with their lives.

DeKalb County School System is a family, and during difficult times family should come together. As a family, I am asking the entire system to reach out to Dr. Berry and Mrs. Alexander and show your support. An e-mail, card or phone call will go a long way towards showing Dr. Berry and Mrs. Alexander that we still care about them. The DeKalb County School System is a great school district working together to ensure that all of our students are successful and prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

—————
Distributed By
The DeKalb County Postmaster
CommunityNet
http://fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us

By: Ideas

Ideas — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:18:07 +0000

I apologize for the typos. I am a white teacher in a black school. My question is how come the schools that have large african american student populations and largely african american staffs doing much better? Why don’t they take care of their own better? What doe these teachers have to say for themselves? You would think the teachers would do it, then they can continue to brag and have a whole lot more Obamas out there, but I see them making the same old excuses as those who are not african american in criticizing these schools. If you are a black teacher, make a difference with black children. I know many of you think that white teacher down the hall can’t do it.

By: Ideas

Ideas — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:13:14 +0000

Sorry for the typos. I was asking why schools that have largely african american student populations do not do better when they are taught by largely african american staffs? What do the teachers in these schools have to say for themselves? I say move the teachers around if the school can’t get it together or get rid of them. Don’t let these teachers make excuses. I was white in a school and got sick of hearing about “our kids” when my class had the highest test scores in the end, not the african american teachers. I still teach there but I sure do want to know why they can’t teach and reach their own race. It would seem like they would do a better job “looking after their own”.

By: Ideas

Ideas — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:08:37 +0000

Are majority of the staff in black schools black also? Why are they doing better than. It is a crazy question to think that black teachers can do a better job teaching black kids. When I was in a black school, I had parents take one look at me and request a black teacher. They had no idea what I could accomplish. Most of my kids made it into the gifted program. I have always wanted to ask this question. It seems that some races do a great job sticking together and caring for the kids, even if they are not their own. This should happen more in the african american race composed of largely african american teachers, so why doesn’t it work.

By: Sad State of Affairs

Sad State of Affairs — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:32:31 +0000

It’s a terrible day when “good” people are tossed into the lion’s den as an example to cover up practices that are appear to be common place in the test environment—for many! “Making AYP” is high stakes! My heart goes out to these educators because they are being tried in the arena of popular opinion. My prayers are with them because they are definitely not in a class of TWO. There are others out there, and it’s unfortunate that they are being singled out as an example

By: Y2Educate

Y2Educate — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:27:02 +0000

How about tracking students in grades 3/5/8, the grades when students must pass the CRCT in order to pass to the next grade? I wonder how many students have failed multiple times and continue to be passed on to the next grade. The figures for single occurrences are appalling. In these cases, we are CHEATING students out of the help they need.

I stopped teaching high school for various reasons, but the top two were; (1) I got tired of teaching HIGH SCHOOL students who had elementary reading levels, and (2) I figured I could try to be part of the solution since I was aware of the reading/writing skills that students would need in order to be successful in high school and beyond.

As for summer school, it is a joke depending on the situation. Last year when we had already made AYP before the session began, our summer school administrator had a zero tolerance for discipline issues. If you misbehaved, you went home and were told to come back for your retest. This year, because we are on the fence for making AYP, we are having to deal with the students who do not want to be there and whose parents/guardians offer little, no support, or their child knows how to make the teacher, other students, etc. look like they are the problems.

For example, a student called his dad, during break time, to bring him something he left at home. The next day, the teacher called his father because he was misbehaving. The student said that the teacher should not be calling his father and bothering his rest with nonsense. UNBELIEVABLE. The father came, sat in class and observed for 30 minutes, and of course during this time, the student was a model of excellence. How do you motivate students like this? I am a very caring teacher and hold my students’ failures as my responsibility. However, how can I be held accountable for students who don’t apply themselves in and out of the classroom? Students who do not use the proven strategies to help them excel? Students who just bubble anything because their buddies from the year before were passed on during the appeals process?

By: Turd Ferguson

Turd Ferguson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:39:24 +0000

@ wuteva…

Whats wrong whatever? Cant stand a little of the truth eh. FACT IS FACT!

By: Turd Ferguson

Turd Ferguson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:37:46 +0000

This is funny!! Im LMAO at these flunky idiots!!!

By: Frank Lucas

Frank Lucas — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:35:11 +0000

TO: Please Tell Me More
Ralph Simpson is a worthless administrator because he openly enganged in an extra-marital affair with one of his subordinates (Carol Therford), when he was the Principal of Miller Grove High School (2005 -2007). Carol Therford was Ralph Simpson’s Assistant Principal of Instruction during his tenure. This is a violation of the Professional Standards Commission Code of Ethics. Ralph Simpson’s womanizing behavior compelled his ex-wife to hire a private detective to document his reprehensible conduct with video and audio survellience. Dekalb County tax payers should be proud that Crawford Lewis promoted a person of such high moral characted (Ralph Simpson) to the position of Assistant Superintendant. Way to go Crawford Lewis and Ronald Ramsey. Ronald Ramsey is a former judge but he violates the law more than Derrick Yancey.