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Ms. Garland, welcome to the real world of Guilford County Schools! NO ONE has a real voice except the asinine School Board and the Superintendent.

They KNOW what is best for EVERYONE without listening to the voices of those that they are elected to represent!

If you want a voice, stage a student walk-out. You are guaranteed to have a voice then!

Best of luck.

Shalom

Demonique,
Stay engaged. Your letter was no doubt read by every school board member as well as many others. Organize and keep the faith.

Well put, Darryl.

Sorry Darryl, while your letter made a good point and I do feel for you I have to correct just one thing, "As high schoolers, we are supposed to be getting prepared for the real world, and in the real world you have choices. Some of us feel as though we have none." I have news for you, in this case it is preparing you for the "real world" as you can get used to people still telling you what to do even as an adult. I don't know of many companies anymore that don't have a Standard Mode of Dress. While some companies have required uniforms, some have extremely strick policies on what you can and can not wear right down to your jewelry and your shoes.

I go to work everyday and wear heels and suits. I do this because it is a requirement of my position. I, as you will, have to wear what I "want" to wear in my off time. Just be glad you don't have to do it 8-6 Monday - Friday. Lucky you.

Domonique,

At least you get to stay at your beloved school. The grass is dead on the other side in High Point. The kids there are being bused for the Kearns/Mendenhall agenda - forced out of their beloved school.

It could be worse.

So true, Angie. Some SW and Andrews students need to do some letter writing. Can you get this started? Since I retired, I am out of the loop.

Your GPA is a 4.25. That's part of the problem. 4.0 is perfection, yet you've got school officials giving extra points in order to mask the true problem. Okay, so they've simply changed the numbers? So, what is perfection now? 5.0, 6.0?

I would agree that I see no need to take trophies down.

My only concern is that the taxpayers of Guilford County are going to get stuck with paying for your uniforms. Heck, we're already paying for the lunch of half of the students, why not their clothes too?

yellowdog, some schools use the five point system while others use the standard four point system. As you alluded, the five point system gives a false impression of how well a school is doing. If inattentive parents see that their child has a 3.2 gpa, they think that their child is a B student. A 3.2 on a five point scale is about a C average.

Thank you so much littlebuddababby for mentioning the "real" world. But even at MacDonalds where a uniform is a requirement, I see kids with their underwear hanging out and their pants around their thighs. Everytime I see that I think back to my youth and know that type of dress would have invited an atomic wedgey. Maybe the wedgey should make a come back. Then we'd see belts being used properly and pants would return to the top of the hips.

heck yeah, joe. we'd either get the atomic wedgy or they'd just pull our pants down to our ankles (probably followed by a push that sent us to our face).

I don't condone that behavior but I've experienced it.

Atomic Wedgies, lol. Of course then the poor kids would either be arrested for sexual harrasment.

First, the parents pay for what their kids wear to school. My son is in a SMOD school and we're responsible for finding and paying for our kid's clothes. Second,LBB is right, you'd better get ready for bosses to tell you what is the right attire for your job. Dressing like gangstas and streetwalkers is not preparing you for the real world unless that's what your aspirations are. Third, I sympathize with Dudley students if the administration is removing trophies from the cases. Is there a way we can get Terry Grier outta here?

Due to AP and IB classes, it is possible to get 5+ GPAs. I think the whole "you better get ready for what your boss tells you to wear" deal is a little too much. Thats an obvious thing. basketball players wear uniforms, same at mcdonalds, suits in the corporate world, hard hats and steel-toed boots on a construction site, etc... i am curious to know what taking down the trophies has to do with anything. As far as Dudley students walking out, I think they'll need to do it more than once or get the other schools involved. They arent just fighting the system, they are fighting their parents decision.

Domonique :
Thanks for your wonderful letter. That you feel this is crazy is normal and why the trophy case is being cleared is beyond me. We want to ascribe a certain level of intelligence to those we find having significant control and influence over our lives. There is some basis for this logic, but more and more it feels like a “leaky cauldron” in which we erroneously place trust. As we age, most especially into the teen years, we find that many of those in positions of responsibility are poorly qualified to address complex issues.
I have researched the topic of uniforms in schools and found a vast amount of information available, most anecdotal. Before you pass judgment, identify the issues that are being addressed, place them in perspective and create a rebuttal as appropriate. Your points are quite valid, but that which your gut instincts tell you is right must be fleshed out. I am still trying to figure out why I do not like the uniform idea while intellectually having a difficult time refuting it.
One serious point that bothers me is creating the stigma that students attending a school that needs help are failing students and this is a terrible injustice. Adults have painted a false picture to justify a political cause that creates the stigma that has real results and consequences. Of the top 100 High Schools in our country, almost 1/4th have a significant number of students from less affluent households. (A politically correct way to say from poor families) They are from all parts of the country and several are predominantly low income. I grew up in the “poor side of town” and resent the stigma now being promoted by the school board.
Uniforms used to be required by almost all private and military schools. They were a source of pride and equalization. My belief is, that if it is good enough for a school like Dudley, then it is good enough for the rest of the county High Schools. I do not believe this is the answer, but some mealy mouthed socialites on the school board do not have the guts to address the real issues because they are scared of the dreaded race issue and are so insecure in their own values and beliefs that any option or “scapegoat” that doesn’t require them to address their insecurities in their own minds is a good option.
The real issues are very complicated and the adult world is walking blind. Maybe you and your friends could have a mature discussion, ask your principal to sponsor a school debate on the issue of violence and discipline. I would love to see you lead the way for us adults and will help in whatever way I can. I would be willing to provide a $500 dollar scholarship to the best debater on each side of the issue of “school uniforms at Dudley” and an additional $500 scholarship for the best “paper presented” on a viable solution to improving academic quality and standards at Dudley. I would encourage you to ask Alan Duncan, Nancy Routh and Amos Quick (three concerned school board members) to judge such a contest. Let me know if there is interest.
garth@thecpafirm.com

Mr. Garland,

I like your letter. I agree with most of what Mr. Garth said. When you look at an issue, go more than just with the gut--thoroughly study the issue and all that's involved with it. That's the mature way of doing it (not to say that you may already be doing that). Preparing for the adult world is a process and should not be just shoved on young adults at graduation. It's sad that the adults (teachers and administration) at your school don't see it that way. Adult behavior is not something that you just turn on. The adults can participate with you and you with them in an adult approach to brain storming the above issues. What better way to help mature students baegin to see what is really involved in issue consideration and problem solving. You may not get the end results which you want, but I think that participation in a process can certainly be satisfying. I am also a firm believer in involving those affected by a policy,and that they be part of the decision making process. It keeps everyone on board and there are no secrets.

What you are doing now is certainly appropriate and hopefully you will get some ideas and insights which will be helpful to you.

I take it that you have a 4.25 on a 4 point scale. A 4.0 on a 4 point doesn't denote perfection it denotes a measure of excellence. Anything more than that is taking excellence to a higher level. a 1,2,3,4 point measurement schedule doesn't allow for shades of difference or shades of excellence--hence the addition allows higher achievement to be recognized

Go for it!!!!

JOEJOE,

anything more than a 4.0 on a 4 point scale is an error, not taking excellence to a higher level.

The addition of points beyond 4 does nothing to recognize higher achievement. It only confuses the issue so that people don't know what the numbers mean. A 4.0 on a 4.0 is as good as you can get. A 4.25 in a system where any number might be possible means absolutely nothing to anybody. It takes an objective rating and makes it useless.

Garth,

I agree with 99% of what you say. But I disagree with your statement that if uniforms are required at Dudley then they should be required at all schools. Dudley is the school that is threatened with being closed, not Northwest, not Southern Guilford, not Grimsley. The uniforms are a last resort for a school that is in serious trouble.

I know everyone on the school board likes to be attempt politically correctness but ever since I've been alive blacks as a whole score less than whites on achievement tests. At what point do you realize that maybe it isn't normal to expect white students and black students to score the same on tests. They don't score the same on the basketball court, yet I don't see a rush to correct that issue.

Now, before everybody runs out screaming racist consider this: I'm suggesting treating and educating people as individuals. Look at the studies the school board comes out with. So many of their studies compare white students to black (or free lunch to not free lunch, or zip code to zip code). They try to mask what they are doing but they always talk about the 'achievement gap'. The achievement gap is racist. Treating students as individuals, not colors, is not.

Yellowdog

We may have to agrree to disagree. Many, many school systems validate this rating system. Many colleges use it as part of an admission process.
As I understand it, there is a rather strict formula which is utilized in arriving at this overage score. I further understand that this weighting score is an attempt to acknowledge those students who are taking advanced placement (college type courses) classes which need to be weighted higher than the regular class in the same subject. Not all classes are equal and the system should be able to more accurately show a range of scores that are outside of the norm.

What I do like better, tho, is that an outstanding student might be able to finish highschool at a college, in special classes, and earn college credits at the same time. Imagine, graduating from high school and having a year's college credit to boot---super. When that's not possible---a 4 plus system works for me.

yellowdog--I'm ready for a weekend---When you said "treat students as individuals" I don't see how you can say that after you have just said
"At what point do you realize that maybe it isn't normal to expect white students and black students to score the same on tests". And you said this statement after you said "whites score better on achievement tests than blacks". How can you speak categorically and then say you meant individually. Why don't you pretend that you didn't write your two entries and start all over and say what you really mean so that we can call you (not racist) but understandable.

Yellowdog:

I grew up with the thought that all were equal. Poverty does make it easier to understand that concept, and a military town (Old San Diego) helps even more. We often were fortunate to spend Sundays with another family who was much better off than we were, he was a brilliant and successful lawyer and she was the kindest mother (I didn’t have one) you could imagine. They also happened to be black and their kids all eventually went to college. At that time it never occurred to me to question abilities based upon race. Now, I live 4 doors down from a Black Judge (one of the wisest men I know), next door to a Chinese Business man, across the street from a Hispanic Restaurant Owner and I could go on. The Judge’s grandson is my kids friend and one of the greatest kids I know, the neighbors children are all good classical musicians and students. The Hispanic children, younger than mine have very devoted parents bringing them up in the traditional strict Catholic environment that is quite familiar to those of us having lived next to the Mexican border.

After saying all this I cannot find fault with your observation because I have come to understand your point of view. No, I do not in the least agree with it, but I sure know where it comes from and understand Alan Duncan’s desire to get rid of it. I have little common ground with Alan on methodology, but he also represents a different background. I came to North Carolina and spent 2 years doing church work mostly with the people in small towns in the Appalachians. It is not poverty or race that is the impediment to education, it is culture. The South, until recently was predominantly farm and mill based. The culture required and espoused little in way of education and breaking out from the norm. It has changed, but so recently that the traditions have yet to be buried with those of slavery and racial purity. I have never seen a society more entrenched in “class” social norms. I have spent my whole adult life here and there is so much opportunity right now, but we need to show our youth that education is the key to freedom. Fighting about race, about poor children cannot learn, about who has what misses the mark. They are all children and deserve a quality education, especially for the tax dollars spent on them. All schools need improving (our best is little more than national average) and as long as we keep dragging this issue under the public’s noses the more likely we are to find a viable solution, which no doubt will entail much needed community support.

As for uniforms, I could agree to disagree but we may actually agree anyways. I do not like the stigma of unilateral implementation without representation. A uniform on school children only from a “failing school” if not understood by those children (good luck explaining it) is the same as a “scarlet letter” or red armband. It is similar to saying to one city in a divided school district that we will bus your kids while 5 miles away we will lower class size, provide more opportunity and better teachers. The term “uniform” is not just a noun! If Duddley were all white and had some violence issues, the parents might support uniforms, they might not, but the stigma would still apply, “you are different”. The difference could be good or bad, but the reason for the implementation suggest the negative affirmation and only a very good administration could pull off the positive affirmation.

Domonique,

As an educator myself I can see both sides of the fence. As I know not being too far removed from high school and being a Dudley alumni, I can agree fully with not "wanting" to be in uniform. However, as others stated this is a last attempt for Dudley to not be closed. As with anything, try it out... You may not feel as though it is necessary because you have a GPA and perform well in school, however, how many people at Dudley are performing.

You perform because there is a desire and support around you to do so. However, many of the children you walk pass in the hallway are not performing. Their desire is in other places and unfortunately enough for people like you they do not perform when it is time for the test.

I do take issue with a lot of the things that Yellowdog as found necessary to say. Blacks performing as well as whites... mmm... being an African American female, coming from a household that was not considered wealthy, recieving free &/or reduced lunch throughout my entire schooling, I often performed higher than most of the "white" children. I was always in the top percentage of scores on ANY standardized test including the SAT.

You say that the taxpayers are going to end up paying for the unifroms, SO WHAT if it means that another child will go to college and become educated enough to do something wonderful in this world then oh well pay for it. I'm sure that if Northwest (which I also attended for a year) were to go into uniforms you would not have taken issue with "who" was paying for them.

Understand that I stand in front of 34 children EVERYDAY and teach for several hours in a highly impoverished school. However, my black children performed much better than my white children did last year. If I had the choice to decide if they went into uniform yes because even at the age level I teach at children fight over whose clothes are better everyday. This is a distraction in the classroom more than any other. Since parents make more of a deal about whether or not their child has the lastest Jordans than whether or not their child is doing their homework then we will continue to be distracted from the real reason they stepped foot in school, to get an education.

Do I agree with either side of the fence... not really. I find that uniforms are a necessary evil. Not just at Dudley but at ALL schools, whether the students are white, black, asian or hispanic. Not because it is being used as a last result but because it gives instructors like myself less of a distraction in the classroom. It allows for what should happen in school to happen which is children learning.

Well this is great, I am Domonique's (she is a girl) mother and I appreciate all of the responses to her letter. Domonique is a leader in her own right and we differ in opinions regarding the uniform issue at Dudley. I firmly believe that the uniforms will help bring about a level of unity and team work that will break down some of the barriers within our Dudley community. Uniforms or standard mode of dress is not about grades it is about equalizing. When I define equalizing I mean providing the students with a measure of "us" and "we" instead of "I" and "me". Yes, choice is vital, but when choice excludes others based merely on what appears to be a "cool or acceptable" style at the cost of building relationships with those who are in the same environment then choice causes divisions among the team. "Am I my brothers keeper" and the answer should be "yes I am." Sure, individuality is great but it does not have "nike" on it or "phat farm" or any other logo to denote value it is about the unique intelligence that each of us possess and our freedom to express it.

Dudley is suffering as a result of low performance, however no one is talking about the marginalized youth that attend the school and the fact that the school is plagued with issues beyond the schools control. Issues such as poverty, abuse, homelessness, prostitution, drugs and a plethora of other social ills that many of the SW, Grimsley, SE and NE schools do not have to deal with daily. Dudley is a school about survival and in my opinion as Domonique did say I believe that our outside judges should come in and see what Dudley is truly made of. Scores on standardized test designed by individuals and groups who assume that they understand all cultures and cultural frameworks of meaning leave a lot to be desired. I recall questions that ask students "Tell about a time when your family went on a fun vacation?" Unfortunately, many children in our city have never been out of Greensboro and to ask them questions that require them to imagine something that they can not fathom is not culturally sensitive.

Additionally, my Black, African American and Colored children (or whatever we are today, because we have choice)are quite intelligent but the No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB) approach to equalizing education is a farse and it is a ploy by our nation to once again enslave the "others" because we have not assimilated into the dominant white patriarchical society and therefore must be labled as "at risk" and in need of medication so that we can be controlled. What happened to classes that provided education with exposure (field trips, guests speakers, conferences and other culturally relevant engagements) which provides clarity on the lesson. Yes we know about the many "ways of knowing" but now all of that must be measured using a #2 pencil and a scantron tests. When was the last time students learned through experential learning and when the opportunity comes (the school of culinary design at Smith High School) members of our school board vote against it because it's too costly to invest in the "other" (of course it is the representative of the affluent school).

I know this is long but frankly I am tired of being Politically Correct and worrying about what office, city and majority group protocol and procedure. We, Blacks (my choice of definition) need uniforms so that we can all be on the same team and begin to unify just as my Hispanic sisters and brothers did this past week.
Pamela

Pamela,
Great post! Thank you very much
The Demon Deacon

Pamela,

You are full of contradictions. You state "issues of poverty, abuse, homelessness, prostitution and a plethora of other social ills" then you say these children are labeled unfairly as "at risk". This sure sounds like a risky future to me.

For better or worse, testing will always be here, for all students. It's a measurement tool of their progress. Unfortunately, many children fail the EOG's, the Gateways time after time and are socially passed anyway. This is children of all colors. When they hit the wall and can't read upon "graduation", then what? When these "graduates" can't find a decent job, then what?

And yes, some children of all colors, do need medication to function in the classroom. It only takes one child continually disrupting the entire class the take away from the education of the majority of the students. Personally, I feel society overmedicates children. Additionally, field trips, conferences, guest speakers are great but they don't teach reading, writing and math, the basic foundation of a solid education. There are children in school who can't do simple math problems without a calculator. Students learned to read and do math before all the computers and the learning "toys". They learned through books and good teachers.

As for learning how to behave in a classroom environment, socialization skills need to be taught at home through proper, loving guidance, that there are rules to follow and there are consequences. I think a lot of parents just choose this as the easy way to not deal with their child and do their parental job. It's the same as shipping kids off to daycare. But for many parents, of course, they have no choice here.

As for uniforms, I can see both sides. But for the reason to make all children "feel" equal is a joke. It is what's on the inside that counts. Parents need to teach their children this real value within themselves. In the real world many will ALWAYS have more; others will have less too. It is up to the parent to teach what is important and take the emphasis away from the material possessions that the media and our modern day society promotes.

As for the dominant, white patriarch society....why did people like Oprah, C. Rice, C. Powell, Martin Luther King, Jr., many black leaders, ministers, doctors, actors, etc. succeed? You sell yourself short to blame the African Americans who fail on the white man. What did they have that is not being taught at home or in the classrooms now?

"When was the last time students learned through experimental learning"

Answer: none

The Choice Plan failed. Passing rate at the middle colleges is 20%, if that. Other middle colleges aren't working. Even if you do culinary arts, you must go on to GTCC or another college to pursue a career in that field. You still need to know the BASICS: reading, writing and math. (refer to Trudy Wade's statement to Dr. Grier and the school board at last commissioner's meeting. She talked at length about struggling students getting the basics first).

RE: Smith HS Project. The 30 million dollar affluent school is now considered to be Dudley. They got the most expensive renovation project ever. I believe Amos voted for the Smith Project.

fyi, the reason people, some board members and county commissioners were again the Smith Project as it robbed money from Jamestown Middle School Project, a project voters had voted on in the bond referendum. They never ever voted for the Smith project. There is a broken promise here.

Those discipline problems at Smith didn't just recently appear. It is not even overcrowded compared to Northwest and other schools. Why should money be given to more experiments with money taken from bond project funds?

Since Smith is in Deena's district, I wonder how many minority contracts will be handled out to this Smith deal? Mmmmmm

Smith only became an issue because Judge Manning brought it up. When he did Grier pulled out of his hat of magic tricks a plan.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Smith has been failing for FIVE, yes FIVE years now.

Where has the school board been? Where has Deena Hayes been? She is too busy worrying about black (my choice of definition) discrimination instead of trying to come up with real solutions instead of excuses.

She may yet win a "NON REPRESENTATION" magnet from Smith parents.

SHAME ON YOU DEENA HAYES!!!!!!!

Well done Judge MAnning and I can only hope that the Smith project really turns the tide. Sadly, I feel it is another Grier Resumebuildingstunt!

Time will tell!