South DeKalb parents: Don’t get mad. Get a charter school.
Here is my suggestion to DeKalb parents who lost their schools last night. Go to work. Create a new school.
Find a charter school company that may be willing to open in your neighborhood. Enlist school board member Donna Edler in making the closed school buildings available to the charter schools. Charter schools are public schools that operate under contracts that liberate them from some regulations and constraints and allow them to innovate in exchange for promised improvements in student performance. They collect the standard per-pupil spending for instruction.
(I think it is a blight on the neighborhood and a strike against the DeKalb County school district that it did not allow the empty Forrest Hills Elementary School to be used for the Avondale Museum charter school. BTW, the efforts of Forrest Hills parents in changing the redistricting plan paid off as Forrest Hills and Midway Woods will feed to Druid Hills High School under the terms approved last night.)
Donna Edler’s comments at last night’s DeKalb school board meeting indicated that she would be an ally to parents losing their schools under the approved redistricting plan. The board voted to shutter Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Peachcrest, Medlock and Sky Haven elementary schools, Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School.
Some of the schools slated to close have poor academic performance. Given that underperformance, there’s nothing to lose in trying a new direction. And the county school board does not have to approve the charter schools since there is a state Charter School Commission in place — unless the state Supreme Court displaces it when it rules on its legal standing in the near future — that can overrule the local board.
For those of you who will quickly note that I have long questioned the legality of the Charter School Commission, I still do. But parents in south DeKalb have every right to consider all the options available to them at the moment. And the commission is one of them. They can also apply directly to the school board for a charter, and I think this school board may be more open to the idea.
So, if the parents of Sky Haven or Medlock want to keep their school open, they ought to submit an application for a charter school that allows them to maintain a neighborhood school. (Medlock is an ideal location for a charter school since it is accessible from many areas of the county.)
And it’s also a chance for an even better school in some neighborhoods, which is the most important goal.
Last year, I would return home from those DeKalb public hearings on possible school closings, look up the stats on the schools facing closure and wonder why parents were fighting so hard for schools that were not preparing their children well.
Yes, I know that it’s comforting to send children to a place where teachers know their names and principal greets them warmly, but it is even more important that the school prepares students for the increasingly complex work ahead in math and science and the higher expectations on all students today.
South DeKalb would be an ideal place for KIPP to open an elementary school. Noted for its work-hard-and-work-long approach in the older grades, KIPP is now realizing that it has to reach kids at younger ages and is opening charter elementary schools. Atlanta is already home to three KIPP schools, and there’s one in East Point. But those schools begin at grade 5. A KIPP high school, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, opens this summer in Atlanta.
South DeKalb is the perfect place for KIPP, which has focused on urban communities where the children need the extra time and devoted teachers, to launch a pre-k to high school facility. South DeKalb parents ought to sit down over coffee with Avondale parents to see how they created their new charter school. It can be done. It isn’t easy.
But good schools can grow out of frustrated parents around a kitchen table.
–By Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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84 comments Add your comment
DeKalb Educated
March 8th, 2011
10:56 am
Great idea, Maureen. Can you come up with a good plan on moving overpaid Central Office staff into the classrooms so that students are well served and will be the focus of the educations system?
catlady
March 8th, 2011
11:00 am
How about a great, in-depth article about how to start a charter school?
Raquel Morris
March 8th, 2011
11:29 am
But, but, but…charter schools are the devil, just bringing us a step closer to vouchers, privatization and the Apocalypse!
Seriously, this is a great idea. Hopefully the DeKalb parents who fought so passionately for their neighborhood schools will put that same energy into creating a school that might actually work.
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 8th, 2011
11:31 am
It cannot possibly be that difficult to do a better job operating a school than the scores of semiliterate, mail-order-degreed, parasitic bureaucrats now employed by DKSS and APS.
All the proof you need that this is doable is right there in front of you in the form of these thoroughly mediocre municipal employees, who, despite their lack of discernible skill, somehow manage to keep the schoolhouse doors open every day. What do they know that you can’t quickly learn?
Many parents are reluctant to assume this extra burden–or any burden at all, especially in the neighborhoods where these charter schools are most needed. So be it. But no excuses. If you don’t take the reins, your kids will rightfully blame you later for abandoning them to a crappy 3rd-rate urban school system. And they’ll end up working for MY kids. Which means you’ll have to put up with our family’s smug, superiority-complex crap for at least one more generation. Enjoy!
Dr. John Trotter
March 8th, 2011
11:57 am
Maureen, KIPP is known for discipline…a concept that we have been pushing for years. Ha! I find it so funny that an intelligent woman like you (and other journalists, politicians, educrats, et al.) simply refuse to delve into the notion that you can focus all you want on academics but if you disregard discipline, then all results in chaos…like what we have in so many of the regular schools today. Why are people running to charter schools? Trying to escape the chaos and the rigid and nonsensical rules…rules which result in no improvement but which keep educrats in high-paying jobs. Want to balance budget? Slash — and I mean General William T. Sherman-type slashing — the bureaucratic positions in school systems…those positions where the educrats do not interact on an hourly basis with children. Get rid of these positions! They are just political plums (appointments) anyway!
Discipline and support for the classroom educators. Eliminate wasteful bureaucratic spending. Restore discipline to the classroom. Restore traditional American values to the schools. These are concepts which people want. Sound like slogans? They are! They are time-tested too! Won many a school board race using these slogans. Ha!
Try using these slogans: “More Staff Development for Teachers!” A real loser. What about: “Focus on Differentiated Instruction!”? Another loser. What about: “Focus on New Math for our Children!”? A sure loser! Ha!
You guys just don’t get it. The parents want structure and discipline, not chaos. They want their children to learn the basics in Math (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, basic stats), to be able to actually read and comprehend what they read, to know that Washington, D. C., is not located on the west coast and that President Lincoln was not our first President. We are trying to teach these higher concepts of Math and reasoning to kids who have never even mastered the basic building blocks (chunks of into that our generation took for granted). I note that even the adored Harry Wong pushed for a return of rote memory back in the early 1990s. I note that because I noted Wong for doing so in MACE’s first publication of The Teacher’s Advocate! magazine in 1995. I also noted that in my premier article, I called for removing the incorrigible students from the regular school environment (now parents are trying to escape them through the charter school approach).
I actually made 15 recommendations in 1995 to politicians and public policymakers. Here are just a few…”2. Quell the test mania that has whipped the school systems into a frenzy (for fear that their test scores will look bad in the media). Eliminate much of the standardized testing.” Hmm. Does this seem relevant today? Ha! Another: “5. Support the teachers when they set out to establish structure, order, and discipline in their classrooms — despite the complaints from some misguided and malcontent parents.” Wow! No wonder our message resonates with classroom educators! We have been “spot on” (as some say) from the very beginning, and our message has not changed one scintilla. How about one more? “6. Drastically reduce (and I mean substantial reductions!) the draconian, insulting, bureaucrat-sustaining, inane, and useless paperwork that is mindlessly foisted upon classroom educators.” Oh well, it looks like MACE was right again! Ha! I know that this just irks the crap out of those who have almost made a cottage industry on trying to portray us as “crazy.” Ha! Yeah, we’re crazy O. K. We’re crazy about doing the right things in education.
[All 15 recommendations can be found in the first issue of The Teacher's Advocate! magazine in the Archive section of http://www.theteachersadvocate.com. The name of this article is "For Kids' Sake, Let Teachers Teach!"] (c) MACE, March 8, 2011.
Dr. John Trotter
March 8th, 2011
12:00 pm
Note the typo. Should have been “chunks of info,” not “chunks of into.” Sorry. Typing too fast!
Alice
March 8th, 2011
12:05 pm
With the adequate information I am sure some of these parents will attempt to do something
positive for their children.I found it interesting that the largest amount of closures were
in district 3, Commissioner Larry Johnson’s district. I don’t remember him saying anything.
These communities will be less marketable than they are now. There are many foreclosures
which some have been renovated nicely and still are not sold or rented. I also find it
surprising that no Ministers supported the parents that did not want the closures. What is the plan for the empty buildings?
Reality Check
March 8th, 2011
12:08 pm
Yes, don’t do the really hard work and create a private school to meet your needs and those of your neighbors. Enslave yourself in a completely different manner to the whims of the county government. A charter gives you some freedom, but ultimately the government is in charge. Most importantly you don’t have to give up that lucrative funding mechanism of government theft through taxation. I mean autonomy, freedom, success, etc. are important, but why would anyone want to have to pay for their own kids education when you can get the government to steal the money from everyone else to cover the costs?
Hey, just pointing out the obvious. But of course the foundation of all that is good is built upon socialized education. Clearly it is doing SO WELL as is evidenced by story after story of failure, redistricting, upset parents, sexual allegations, crime problems, drug problems, lack of accountability, lack of parental involvement, etc.
Good luck with that Charter concept. Fundamentally nothing will change, but that is the way parents want it – or they would be working for fundamental change.
Inman Park Boy
March 8th, 2011
12:10 pm
I agree with Dr. Trotter that lack of discipline in many clasrooms equals poor performance for everyone. That’s one reason many parents choose private education, where such behavior is not tolerated. It IS tolerated (and even abetted) in public schools because of the overwhelming fear of lawsuits (and high attorney fees to defend them) coupled with courts and judges who think they know better.
A Conservative Voice
March 8th, 2011
12:12 pm
@Maureen – For those of you who will quickly note that I have long questioned the legality of the Charter School Commission…
Well, Maureen, that actually makes you an official hypocrite since your children attend(ed) school in the City of Decatur System, doesn’t it?
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2011
12:18 pm
@A Conservative Voice, Not at all clear why that makes me a hypocrite. The city of Decatur is a public system and has been since I moved here in 1988. It also recently became a charter system, which is a state designation through the charter system law. I have no idea how my concerns with the Charter School Commission fits into this.
Maureen
catlady
March 8th, 2011
12:20 pm
SPEP–loved your first paragraph!
Dr. John Trotter
March 8th, 2011
12:22 pm
Inman: I would say that the differences in discipline is perhaps the salient difference in private schools and public schools. The private school folk get it…no discipline, no achievement. The public school folk don’t even care to get it (because of their huge salaries — there’s too much risk to get it!). They think that you can focus on student achievement without focusing on discipline first. Well…you can, but you’re aren’t going to get the student achievement. But, if you are teaching at a school where the students are little angels already (and wouldn’t dare say the word “pie” because it starts with a “p” — to quote my Big Daddy), then there’s no problem. But, we are really dealing with larger, urban school systems where most of the kids act like anything but “angels.” Some actually act like they are agents of the Devil! Ha! Oh, did I offend someone? I don’t care. When I write, I intend to offend! (c) MACE, March 8, 2011.
HBR
March 8th, 2011
12:28 pm
“That’s one reason many parents choose private education, where such behavior is not tolerated. It IS tolerated (and even abetted) in public schools”
Lack of discipline is most certainly an issue in private schools. In fact they tend to ignore it as not to upset Sterling’s parents or their money! All private school does is afford a higher class of misbehaviors.
HBR
March 8th, 2011
12:34 pm
PS The private school my kids attended just wanted my money, not my help as an involved parent. I was a fool to take my children out of an excellent, well behaved (in hindsight) public school setting where parents are welcomed and encouraged.
If these S Dekalb parents were involved in the first place, we probably wouldn’t be having this discussion. Don’t think for a second they’ll be fighting for charter schools.
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
March 8th, 2011
12:38 pm
Dr. John Trotter,
GA educrats learned that the way to avoid bad publicity for their systems’ and our state’s poor standardized tests performances at the elementary- and middle-school levels was to get the GDOE to withdraw its mandate for such testing.
hrw
March 8th, 2011
12:39 pm
SAC have step in and cause a lot of confusion….yet, they don’t even know for what! School Board Members fussing for what, who gain in this arena? Who lose….all of the children who are now even confused, don’t know what to do; parents, upset, some moving and some cannot due to this economy. A thousands of things happening all at one time, Pre-k cuts, HOPE coming to an end, fighting among Board Members and the election of a Governor who has problems himself and yet, he creating more problems for the state of Georgia! Can anybody do an autopsy on this entire matter? You do not hear the Governor talking about cutting or taking a wage cut himself do you? Well, you get what you vote for; and those who did not vote, right now you wish you have.
Dr. John Trotter
March 8th, 2011
12:40 pm
Maureen, You just do what you think is best for your children, as I am sure that you do. I will never fault you for this…whether it is public schools, private schools, charter schools, or home-schooling. My daughter just turned 28 yesterday. I home-schooled her for a short little while. This is time-consuming! Ha! Earlier in her life, she went to private school, but matriculated mainly in the public schools, graduating from Lovejoy High in 2001. My sons attended private, Christian schools in Fayette County for several years and then Matt wanted to start attending public schools in Fayette as Rob was attending Landmark Christian. (I don’t think that Matt wanted to go to the same school as his older brother. Ha!). But, they are now happily attending McIntosh High School together, and Robert just signed a Letter of Intent in football and will be in a university next year. McIntosh is a public school which establishes and maintains discipline. It also has very high academic standards.
So, I guess that I have experienced all as a parent except for charter schools. But, as one who for advocates for teachers, I have dealt with charter schools also. Discipline is the key.
Cere
March 8th, 2011
12:45 pm
Perhaps some of you are not aware of just how many charter and “theme” and “choice” schools we already have in DeKalb – most of them concentrated in south DeKalb. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is these very charter, etc schools and the mass exodus of students from neighborhood schools into those application-based schools that has caused the neighborhood school enrollments to decline to the point we are now — requiring consolidation.
We did an in-depth report on this at the DeKalb School Watch blog. Charter and theme, etc schools are a good option, but then again, they have a negative effect on those neighborhood schools “left behind”, with the children whose parents don’t know how to or simply can’t access the “competition”.
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2010/05/north-vs-central-vs-south-whats-deal.html
…”but south DeKalb has the most— Bouie Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 853), DESA Magnet school for the arts (capacity: 600, enrollment: 528), Marbut Theme (capacity: 787, enrollment: 844), Narvie Harris Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 984), Wadsworth Magnet (capacity: 462, enrollment: 166) and the soon to open Leadership Academy Charter School. There are 3,375 students attending these theme/magnet/charter elementary schools in south DeKalb (just about the same number of “empty” seats in neighborhood elementary schools in the south.)” …
Reality Check
March 8th, 2011
12:46 pm
Here’s some of the things that are going on in South Africa and other African countries because parents got fed up with the poor quality of public education. Note that the articles give examples of schools that are serving the needs of the poor, not just the rich, and that everyone is thinking outside the box to come up with solutions:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/09/world/africa/09safrica.html?_r=1
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article537377.ece
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40877394/ns/world_news-africa/
And there are plenty more articles online from mainstream media outlets. You should be asking why this doesn’t make the headlines here.
And no, there is no racist intent in my selection of articles. The success of private individuals making outstanding education available to the poor while the government schools are failing is likely repeated all over the world, I had just seen a documentary on the issue coming from Africa.
Springdale Park Elementary Parent
March 8th, 2011
12:50 pm
@RealityCheck: I’m reading your post and nodding. But I think the days are numbered when local school boards will assert so much control over charters. (I’ve often said that the first thing we’ll do when–not if, but WHEN–it becomes necessary to convert Springdale Park to a parent-led charter, is recruit all the attorneys in our neighborhood (and there are a bunch of ‘em) to fight any attempt by APS to meddle as we turn SPARK into the top-5% school it should have been all along).
Going charter is just the first step. Divorcing yourself from local school board control in every meaningful way–that’s the next step. If we have to litigate every stupid rule they make; every inane curriculum they push, then that’s what we’ll have to do.
Cere
March 8th, 2011
12:53 pm
Lest your curiosity get the better of you —
“In the north, we have Kittredge Magnet (capacity: 443 and enrollment of 416), and Oakcliff Theme (capacity: 662, enrollment: 593) that’s 1,009 students in theme/magnet schools in the north – central DeKalb offers Robert Shaw Theme (capacity: 512, enrollment: 485) and Wynbrooke Theme (capacity: 837, enrollment: 933) totaling 1,418 students in theme schools in the central zone -” . . .
Dr. John Trotter
March 8th, 2011
12:57 pm
In a weird sort of way, the magnet school/charter school movement has left the regular school environment a wasteland. It is sad.
Cere
March 8th, 2011
12:58 pm
None of these theme, charter or magnet schools were included in the formulas for redistricting. Not even Arabia – ALL – Off the table. Not discussed. No threat of any kind of closure or consolidation. Not even Wadsworth ES with only about 160 students and a full staff… Not the Leadership Prep Academy Charter (160 students) Not Destiny Academy (<100 students) – Not even DeKalb School of the Arts with under 300 8-12th graders and a full staff…
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2011
12:59 pm
@Cere, Most of the schools that Cere lists are conversion charters — existing public schools that the system converted to charter status. As a group, conversion charters typically don’t move too far from a system’s regular schools in how they operate. But they are options. My issue is that I hate to see empty schools that could be used for some public good. I am a fan of the KIPP schools as I think that their laser focus on basics and their longer school days and school year are effective for lifting kids who have fallen behind.
Maureen
Cere
March 8th, 2011
1:06 pm
True Maureen! The Museum School was created by a group of highly devoted parents – but the school system ties their hands – will not lend them a facility or much support in any way. They are a start-up charter approved by the state. However — the Leadership Academy at New Birth operates with the full endorsement of the system – was approved by the system and at the last minute, the named principal was changed to a recently retired high level system administrator (whose husband ironically is principal at another DCSS Charter school…) Not a lot of support here for people trying to “buck the system”… it’s tough.
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2011
1:07 pm
@Cere, Why do you think that was? The county could not have shut down the independent charters operating under contracts, but it could have addressed theme or magnet schools under its control. I know parents played a role, but certainly the Medlock parents spoke up and it didn’t seem to matter.
Maureen
EnoughAlready
March 8th, 2011
1:09 pm
I made the suggestion for charter schools in South Dekalb on this blog months ago, when the controversy of closing schools started.
I’m guessing I’ll soon see a story written about the Gwinnett land deals on this blog, one day soon.
WAR
March 8th, 2011
1:11 pm
keep holding your breath. many of the parents probably didnt do the easy thing and show up for pta. you think they are going to put in the extra work to begin a charter school?
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
March 8th, 2011
1:11 pm
@ Maureen – Good idea but it won’t happen. Why? Because rather than doing the hard work – looking inwards, assessing and seeking proactive solutions to the problems these schools continue to face – S. Dekalb leadership takes the easy route. It’s just so much easier to play the blame game, and we saw that on full display last night.
teacher
March 8th, 2011
1:12 pm
does anyone know the specific reason medlock elementary was closed? just curious.
redweather
March 8th, 2011
1:13 pm
It looks like those disgruntled parents decided to hire a lawyer and file a law suit.
Logic
March 8th, 2011
1:13 pm
I hope everyone realizes that this is not over. As Cere pointed out, building alternatives to standard schools only fuels our issues and I am dismayed that Maureen jumped out with the charter school concept right away. We need to fix our broken schools and bring some semblance of a standard across the county. Fueling lotteries, themes, charters, KIPP, etc. only saves a small percentage of the students. There will be a backlash over last night’s vote and I ask the parents and community members who got what they wanted to step up and create a plan because we know DCSS and this Board won’t do it.
1. Create sister schools between the North and the South. Everyone is ignorant if you think that every parent and PTA knows how to be properly involved. There are families in the SWD that may not have power in the homes and they do not have time to attend meetings and kvetch about what is happening. If there are partners in the North that can help them build the community infrastructure, we will all benefit.
2. Understand that DCSS can redistrict legally at any point in time. This was a massive undertaking and I am sure a good PR blitz to raise involvement and help the tarnished name. What is going to happen when some of the “saved” small schools that previously only had 500-800 single-family households will now ADD another 1000 multi-family and single-family households? Where are you going to put those kids? The families who want the better school are going to renew their lease in preferred apartment. This “plan” has addressed overcrowding in the short-term, but cannot address the unknown. Again, that is why the plan is wrong to implement without the vision in place first. People are too scared because we cannot anticipate what they have cooked up for the years to come and where the mega-schools are going to go.
3. Address administrative and AYP transfers and utilize space at theme schools. If there is a model that works, replicate it. Schools need to partner together and see what is best for the children. Pooled resources in the poorer parts of the county can increase the breadth and depth of the curriculum and provide other services. Take one of the decommissioned schools and look at making a Boys and Girls Club where kids can have a place to do homework, have structured discipline and some athletic activity.
4. Get over the idea of “magnet schools.” Being a magnet student in CT, I can honestly say I was shocked when I found out about the lottery and “minimum C student” criteria. I am sure that there is some educrat definition of magnet that I am missing, but in my book, magnet programs were for high achievers with straight As, 95% test scores where students would get bored in regular schools and needed a more aggressive curriculum. We need to have a true magnet program for the super districts and focus on high achievement and leadership.
It is going to be a long haul, but if families that truly care about the county’s growth (i.e., do not want to move the areas so ridiculously far from town) and for the children, we need to get DCSS to commit to using the 70% of our property tax dollars to building our communities and truly educating our children and truly be involved. Those of us who are “pros” need to reach out and train those in the areas that need it the most. Where is Stand Up DeKalb when we need it the most (Sigh).
Reality Check
March 8th, 2011
1:18 pm
Springdale Park Elementary Parent – Once the government acts on your behalf to get you the money, they never give up the power and control that comes with it. Charter is just heroin lite. Only be completely separating from the government do you get your freedom back.
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2011
1:28 pm
@Logic, The problem is that DeKalb has a mixed landscape — some very strong schools and some very weak ones. The other problem is that there are starkly different needs across DeKalb. Yesterday, Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America, came by the newspaper to talk about education. A Princeton grad, Kopp noted that she went to a good high school in Dallas, but that her high school would not do well if picked up and moved to a community with low-income children who were struggling. Those kids need a very different school experience to catch up. I have always believed that public systems should have every kind of school in their mix and that a variety of offerings would provide choice for parent and options for kids.
I also agree that good communities spawn good schools, but we are nowhere near curing poverty. Until then, I think we need the best schools for the least advantaged children. And if those schools are KIPP, which certainly have a great track record, let them set up shop. I also think that we have to fix schools one by one. I don’t see evidence of systemwide turnarounds being successful. And I think the key is a brilliant, emboldened principal with an eye for hiring strong teachers, a shared commitment to the students, adequate funding, good standards, assessment and curriculum and freedom to try new things.
Maureen
Logic
March 8th, 2011
1:38 pm
Maureen- completely agree – for once!
But, KIPP is still lottery and that is not the answer. Don’t shut kids out – that only makes poverty worse. If the KIPP model can be implemented in communities that meet the criteria, make it the standard. I am tired of warehousing kids that did not get the golden ticket. And, those principals need incentives to go into these areas and so do the teachers. If they are not empowered to implement structure, it is a lost cause. Many families have order and these kids are in need of it. The school system cannot be mother, father and family to each of these children, but can help build the children’s self-esteem that they can be the best that they can be if they learn and try because this is still America.
It is not a one-size fits all and I never said that. If anything, I have highlighted how diverse DeKalb is and that we need programs that works for all kids; otherwise, DCSS is actually fueling poverty by not providing opportunity to the children in the “regular” schools.
If KIPP is the best fit, for example, train teachers and administrators in executing it in a regular school.
MiltonMan
March 8th, 2011
1:41 pm
I used to be a mentor at Atherton ES & would spend about 4 days/month at the school tutoring mathematical concepts. After about two years, I was ask to leave because some of the “math teachers” did not “approve” of the way I was tutoring. Most of the time there I never saw a single parent. Atherton, its ignorant staff and uninvolved parents need to be closed.
Cere
March 8th, 2011
1:48 pm
Maureen – that is the $64,000 question…
Dr. Monica Henson
March 8th, 2011
1:55 pm
I will work with any DeKalb County group that wants to start up a charter. I can be contacted at monica@schools21.com. I am an experienced charter school administrator and a graduate of the Building Excellent Schools fellowship, a nationally recognized program that trains leaders in all aspects of founding and starting up a charter school.
ActLocally
March 8th, 2011
2:06 pm
@Maureen, you wrote: “…her high school would not do well if picked up and moved to a community with low-income children who were struggling. Those kids need a very different school experience to catch up.
I say BINGO. Each community has unique needs and until we recognize that, our school system is destined to failure. Atlanta/Dekalb schools are failing because they are so focused on social bias and issues of equity. We need to get back to basics with neighborhood schools and focus resources toward the unique needs of each community.
DeKalb Educated
March 8th, 2011
2:09 pm
Charter, Public, Private – all require involved parents and strong leadership from the administration. You can find poor private schools that take your money and do little to educate the children. The problem with DEKALB is the self-serving board and Central Office Staff. When you have leadership that doesn’t bother to read contracts then you get will have the legal morass that DeKalb is in now defending Pat Pope et.al. We are spending millions helping people who stole from us? Defending corrupt leaders. We employ people at the Central Office with salaries over 100K and they have NO IMPACT upon our children’s education. We have a BOE without an ethics policy and when you suggest we write them one-they get angry. THE BOE needs to be dismantled and we need a small school system – like Decatur where there is some accountability. We need to put our resources in our classrooms and not in the Central Palace.
RL
March 8th, 2011
2:10 pm
I usually do not agree with you but you are right on the money on this idea.
Dr. Monica Henson
March 8th, 2011
2:14 pm
Join my Facebook group, “Let’s Start a Charter School for South DeKalb!”
a reader
March 8th, 2011
2:17 pm
in the meantime my dekalb kids need a real education. the private school they attend is very serious about discipline including behavior on social networks like facebook. they use a demerit system and once the limit is reached your kid is out of there. little things like not paying attention, talking out of turn, swearing, being one second late for class. no discussion. it’s expensive, the more i read about the alternative the more it becomes worth every penny.
ajaylove
March 8th, 2011
2:23 pm
Whether the decision is made to go charter, private or charity, I think these building should be turned over to the community. If the people desire to have the quality neighborhood schools they claim to want give them a chance to see what they can do. What is the county going to do with the properties anyway? I shudder at the thought.
ActLocally
March 8th, 2011
2:31 pm
Monica Henson, where did you earn your doctorate degree?
Just Saying......
March 8th, 2011
2:42 pm
Where were all of these concerned parents when their children were earning the low test scores? If the energy put into keeping low performing schools open was placed on supplementing education at home, maybe they would have a point of contention. If some energy was put on pressuring administration to get rid of teachers who were just showing up for a check, maybe I could sympathize. We are just getting out what we put in. Parents in south DeKalb need to realize, their children’s education is THEIR responsibility. You do not have to have a college education to show up at a PTA meeting. You do not have to be rich to make sure your kids are prepared to learn and behave in class daily. The difference between the north and south DeKalb is the north knows it is their responsibility to educate their children. Until the parents in south DeKalb get involved with their children’s education, nothing will change. You do not have to show up at the school everyday to be involved……start tonight by asking your kid about their homework. The revolution starts at home folks!
Just Saying......
March 8th, 2011
2:47 pm
@ a reader……I finally gave up with the lack of quality administrators in DCSS (principals and up) and move my child to private school. He was well prepared thanks to some really awesome teachers. It is a wonderful experience. I love their zero tolerance for kids who simply don’t know how to behave!
atlmom
March 8th, 2011
2:48 pm
@reality: what is your solution? have kids not go to school? really? we need some sort of system to ensure that all children get an education. unfortunately, just because they ‘get an education’ doesn’t mean anything these days.
Of course we can have the govt totally and completely in charge of education, which we have seen doesn’t work, or have some way of having some type of school choice.
Hmmm…
Why we don’t structure our schools like the GA Prek program is structured I don’t know.
There’s a curriculum to follow, the parents choose the school, the state sends the money. It’s actually been working well for quite a few years now, why that is anathema to so many, I don’t know (and yes, some of it goes to *oh no!* private schools).
atlmom
March 8th, 2011
2:49 pm
also re: the parents don’t know what to do…that’s what is good about charter schools…they give parents a roadmap of how to be successful and how to involve yourself in your child’s education for them to be successful…