Today's column from Charles Davenport
We've had a request to post today's column by Charles Davenport Jr.
Mr. Davenport tackles the always-controversial subject of the High Point high school reassignment plan. Since that is a hot topic here on The Chalkboard, it seems that this column is timely.
I'd also like to point out that Mr. Davenport now has his own Web site, which is filled with his columns on a variety of subjects.
Folly and futility of public education
"If parents were allowed to choose schools for their children and if public funds followed the child, the tactics used by superintendents and school boards to avoid accountability would no longer be necessary or possible."
- Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute
The needs and desires of "professional educators" rarely coincide with those of students. Guilford County Schools Superintendent Terry Grier and a majority of the school board routinely disregard not only the vocal opposition of parents and reformers, but also what ought to be their primary objective: the education of children. Recent events suggest that taking leave of one's senses is prerequisite to a career in the education establishment.
Over the din of Southwest parents, Dr. Grier and the school board calmly assured us last year that the utopian splendor of "socioeconomic diversity" arising from the High Point choice plan would improve the academic performance of students. In fact, it has spawned disorder, violence and plunging test scores. For several decades, professional educators here and elsewhere have demonstrated an infatuation with projects in progressive social engineering and indoctrination. This propensity, combined with indifference to and even outright contempt for academic rigor, has culminated in the foreseeable result: student bodies bored, ignorant and rebellious.
According to an article in these pages last month, "The number of ninth-grade students failing at least one class has increased dramatically at Andrews, High Point Central and Southwest compared with the first semester of the 2003-04 school year." As a consequence of the progressive vision that possesses the county's credentialed educrats, the number of students failing one or more classes has soared from 264 to 407. "Student suspensions," we also learned, "have increased significantly at both Andrews and Central."
With disturbing frequency, professional educators and their apologists heap derision upon facts and figures such as those cited above. The problem with such objective means of measurement (including standardized tests) is that they often illuminate the incompetence of public education's best and brightest.
A couple of years ago, George Leef of the North Carolina Education Alliance wrote a devastating report on National Board certification, an asinine, state-funded ritual that allegedly identifies "master teachers." Included in Leef's incendiary essay (available at www.nceducationalliance.org) is a surly disavowal of standards penned by "scholars" from UNCG's Center for Educational Research and Evaluation: "It is not too much of an exaggeration," write the authors, "to state that such measures have been cited as a cause of all the nation's considerable problems in educating our youth."
Standards are even more diabolical when applied to teachers: "It is in their use as measures of individual teacher effectiveness that such measures are particularly inappropriate." Here "particularly inappropriate" is synonymous with, "likely to reveal the scandalous intellectual puniness of many public school teachers."
What is particularly inappropriate is a monopolistic establishment that has abandoned the education of children in favor of self-esteem and progressive cultural doctrine, an establishment in which measurable knowledge is denigrated and sentiment is exalted.
The High Point choice plan is only one among several recent kicks to the teeth of local parents and students. Dr. Grier and the school board recently devised a strategy to evade accountability for federal money by removing Title I status from Dudley, Smith, Central and Andrews. The beauty of the establishment's scheme is that funding (the be-all, end-all of education) is still forthcoming, but the district will avoid the stigma of sanctions "if students fail to meet test score goals."
The board's pre-emptive action signals that the "student's" failure - surely the establishment is not to blame - is a foregone conclusion. Additional funding for struggling students will reportedly "come from expected budget increases from the county commissioners."
Regrettably, significant increases in public school funding have become an annual yet ineffective ritual. In light of the board's performance, this year's request - an increase of $16 million - should be enthusiastically denied.
According to Education Week, North Carolina spent $7,086 per student in 2002, compared with $11,269 in Washington, D.C. Only 10 percent of the District's fourth- and eighth-graders scored at or above proficiency in reading on the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) exam. Meanwhile, despite much less funding, 33 percent of our fourth-graders and 29 percent of our eighth-graders were proficient. These numbers hardly inspire gloating, but they demonstrate that increased funding is no silver bullet.
Nothing short of a revolution is likely to improve the state of public education. For this battle, parents of a conservative disposition must adopt the tactics of a radical and insist upon sweeping, fundamental reform.
Charles Davenport Jr. is a freelance columnist who appears Tuesdays in the News & Record. His e-mail address is daisha99@msn.com. Web site: www.cdavenportjr.com
Comments (25)
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Bye-bye conservative disposition! I'm now a RADICAL! And you can thank the Guilford County School Board for creating me!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU Mr. Davenport! Thank YOU Bruce for bringing today's column on-line.
Posted on March 15, 2005 3:58 PM
I have been reading the chalkboard for a few months now and pride myself in being up to date on stories of interest in Guilford County. I live in the eastern part of the county, so the High Point Choice Plan couldn't have been further from my thoughts last year. But, I have to offer a few observations and perhaps, suggestions.
If my memory is right, the High Point plan was voted in over a year ago. Since then the statistics from Grier's staff show that the plan is not succeeding - more courses failed, more violence, etc.
Parents are still upset.
I think it's time the board reconsidered.
I've read from SC that he/she thought the plan should bring kids from crowded Southwest to Andrews in order to increase the number of AP classes.
A magnet school is supposed to "attract" kids to attend it. Why would Southwest need to attract kids when it is already overcrowded? This part I have never understood.
Here's a suggestion. If I look at the most successful high school magnet plan in Guilford County, I think it would be Weaver.
Why not bring Weaver to Andrews? There would be Weaver East and Weaver West or Weaver North and Weaver South (I know how the board loves directional names).
Anyway draw a line done the county. If you live on the side of Andrews and want a Weaver type of education, you would have to go to Andrews and the same for the folks on the other side of the line going to Weaver.
Weaver is considered world class, requires auditions to be admitted, etc. I don't see that the same requirements exist for these programs in High Point.
It seems simple to me - replicate that which is successful. Bring Weaver to Andrews.
Posted on March 15, 2005 4:54 PM
Thank you East Richard,
But you see, your plan would be too easy. The Guilford County School board likes to waste money and create their OWN plans.
Your plan, nope, wouldn't work. Kids might actually WANT to go to Andrews and there would be no big dilemma.
How boring for Terry Grier's resume. You see, he has to tear down a city, then rebuild it so he can look like superman. That's how he gets his next job.
Sorry man, thanks for the great input, but it would be a "no-go" in this county. Why don't you try and sell that idea to Davidson County?
Posted on March 15, 2005 5:04 PM
Just in from Fox News:
Guilford County Schools is purchasing 33 acres of land from Piedmont Triad International Airport at a price of 1.5M to build a new elementary school.
Posted on March 15, 2005 6:03 PM
The new school that "quest" references will replace Guilford Primary. It is part of the $300 million bond passed by voters in 2003. There will be a story in tomorrow's News & Record.
Here are some details on the school:
Guilford Elementary
Capacity: 740
Square feet: 87,000
Cost: $14.6 million
Projected completion date: Dec. 2, 2006
Posted on March 15, 2005 6:59 PM
Richard from Eastern--
I think that's a very good idea. And the first alternate plan that I've read. Thank you for posting a possible solution.
Posted on March 15, 2005 8:46 PM
This is Mr. Davenport's best column ever!
Posted on March 15, 2005 10:56 PM
I agree that a Weaver type school would be great in HP (I am in the NW county, not a resident of HP) but I don't think they will abandon the computer theme currently installed at Andrews. Maybe they could do small learning communties (hehe) of computers, health, arts etc.... of course then there would be no reason for kids of Andrews to want to go to SW-- so the socioeconomic mix would not be met. Keep those ideas coming, maybe someone on the BOE will read these and put them to good use
Posted on March 15, 2005 11:00 PM
To Richard from Eastern - here is an alternative solution that was given to the school board many times. The school board also has a copy. This was first given to the School Board before the vote on 2/10/04. Also it was discussed individually with certain board members that the Arts Magnet could have been Andrews. Sorry this is hard to read because it is a cut & paste. I will email you your own personal copy. See parents have wonderful solutions but no one listens to the parents. CUT & PASTE BEGINS:
Solutions
“A Real Choice Alternative”
To address overcrowding and diversity
I. Immediate Solutions
A. Create TRUE magnets at Central and Andrews -Apply for Federal Magnet money for these two schools only. Leave present school district lines in place, to serve as home schools, with some modifications (see #3.)
1. Federal Magnet Grant to include for both schools:
a. Retain CP classes at both schools. Use magnet money to hire additional teachers whose goal is to move students from levels I and II to levels III and IV.
b. Line item for one-on-one tutors. This is proven to work at the elementary school level and there is promising evidence that high school students can benefit as well.
c. Hire qualified AP teachers and plan to retain them at their present position for the first few years. This would ensure that if even only a few students wish to take an offered AP class, it is available to them! As students naturally move up in their learning capacity, the classes will gradually fill up.
B. High School programs would be exciting and diverse – meeting the needs of ALL students:
1. Central: Arts Magnet AND IB Program
a. Arts program makes sense at Central because:
1. Proximity to downtown area and local theaters, etc.
2. Children performing would be in the heart of the city, where most performing arts schools are located, rather than a suburban setting.
3. Penn-Griffin makes an excellent feeder school into this program. The success there will funnel into the arts program at Central. Students could strengthen their talents as a result of positive experiences gained at the arts middle school and make a smooth transition to high school.
b. Cutting edge arts program to include innovative ideas such as:
1. “Artist in Residence” (presently done in L.A.) where a local artist partners with the school and provides invaluable expertise and skill to the high school curriculum. Examples could be:
a. Local dance company could choreograph school musicals. The school design department could make sets and costumes!
b. Local actors could assist students in screenplay writing etc.
c. Make-up artists could teach classes on theatre make-up.
2. Partnering with other educational institutions:
a. UNCG partnership in theater department--
would allow the college students to act as teachers and mentors to the high school students.
b. Local theaters could partner and allow the school to use its theatre facilities (i.e. High Point University, High Point Theater.) until the program is PROVEN SUCCESSFUL and construction of a school theater would be scheduled.
c. I.B. program remain and be strengthened through the use of federal dollars from the magnet grant.
1. International dance programs can easily be intertwined with foreign language curriculum.
2. Andrews: Academy AND Technology Magnet
a. Rigorously promote the Academy
1. Mass marketing and informational sessions to accentuate the value of this program!
2. Sponsor middle school fieldtrips to academy or other magnets to foster excitement for the programs!
3. Leave Academy intact at Andrews – do not move it to another location. This will allow a sense of community and interaction between all students at the facility. Put a three year growth plan into action to chart the Academy’s progress!
b. Cutting edge technology at Technology Magnet and providing real skills to the next generation at the Academy.
1. Partner with business and community leaders to access technology for magnet; i.e., local business providing computers, equipment, etc.
c. High achieving children will get the challenging classes and specialized training they crave.
d. Low achieving students will get the extra help they need.
1. Smaller class size is a PROVEN way to raise achievement for these children. This situation also helps maintain discipline.
2. Hire additional tutors to provide additional help for the child who needs it. Also encourage community involvement through mentoring/tutoring organizations such as Big Brother/Big Sisters.
3. College prep classes geared to help level I and II students become level III and IV.
3. Southwest: Traditional high school
a. Retains both the core/elective classes and the AP/honors classes of a traditional high school.
b. Additions to high school building will accommodate future growth of the school – in the areas where growth is occurring in the city!!
1. 7.8 million dollars allocated from recent bond
2. $5 million that was going to be used to purchase the Sara Lee building to house the Academy.
3. Subtotal would be 13 million to address overcrowding.
4. Plus additional money available from Gates Foundation and private donors (per Dot Kearns)
II. Continued Solutions
A. Recent new developments are “annexed” into Andrews school district. – see exhibit “A” (next page.)
1. Developments in North High Point approved within the last few months are contiguous and will add the following to Southwest School District population (5 year plan for future growth):
a. Piedmont Crossing (300 acres at Barrow Road to Willard Dairy road)1000-1200 homes.
b. Addition to Ashton Oaks (Kendale Road) – 250 homes.
c. New Development At Willard Dairy Road – 250 homes.
These new contiguous developments will constitute approx. 1700 homes added to Southwest School District.
d. Vacant land parcel and floodplain parcel (see map) to also be annexed. Any existing subdivisions or homes existing in this area would be grand fathered into Southwest. The area in question is double cross- hatched on the map.
2. This is not creating “satellite zones” the areas in question are contiguous; therefore connect to an existing school zone.
B. School Board right of annexation:
1. NEW POLICY-New developments adjacent to under capacity districts, but lying in other districts could be annexed by the School Board.
a. Precedent in Wake County
b. Possibility for applications elsewhere in the County.(Northwest)
c. Provides socio-economic diversity deemed necessary by board. Used at board’s discretion to add children where they see the needed.
d. Fills existing empty seats at Andrews and Central.
EXAMPLE: a new subdivision of 200 homes lies within Southwest School District boundary. Its property line touches the line for Central School District. The School Board would have the right to annex this property, if Central was under capacity.
C. Alternate Solution
1. Temporary Satellite Zones: For new developments only. Existing “temporary zone” goes to fill empty seats until schools can catch up with rate of new development. Makes developers responsible to the community. “Education is a shared community responsibility.” Mission Statement.
OTHER ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS
TOMLINSON BUILDING:
1. Middle College similar to that at GTCC Campus.
Use the existing existing Tomlinson Building to establish a Middle
College in the High Point Area. Model after one at GTCC which
is working so well.
OR
2. Alternative School For At Risk Students
Remove the trailers that are spread out over High Point now to
house those students who are at risk. Establish a true Alternative
School with innovative programs for reaching at risk children and
truly educate them. Provide tough love type programs with
mentors, coaches, specialty teachers, psychologists, medical staff
to work with drug addictions.
Provide technical training for those who may not be college bound.
Give these children purpose and self-esteem and put them in a
Program that will meet their individual needs and at the same time
reduce suspension rates. Establish on the job training programs
with local businesses.
Provide training, education and support programs for parents of
at risk children. Involve the community with programs such as
Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
Posted on March 15, 2005 11:02 PM
SC,
Richard of Eastern's may have been the first Alternative Solution that you "read" but the Alternative Solutions Proposal posted above was written and presented with a map attached the night of the SW forum. All the school board had copies; the commissioners have copies; much of the press have copies.
Having the Arts Magnet at Andrews in lieu of Central was discussed at length on the phone before the vote between a School Board member and myself. That part was very flexible.
Either Andrews or Central would have made a great Arts Magnet location because of their proximity to the theaters in Downtown HP.
See, SC, you have written proof that other solutions were researched and offered but this "Choice Plan" now called the "Random Reassignment Plan" recently by the HP board member was a get-go from the start.
I find it interesting that this plan is now being called "random" assignment. The parents no it not as choice because you do not get your first choice guaranteed. It is also not "random" because you apply for your order of choices.
This new name is very confusing.
Posted on March 15, 2005 11:13 PM
It's interesting that Davenport knocks on National Board Certification for teachers, then trots out the school spending comparison.
Maybe N.C.'s improved performance over the past decade has something to do with the board certification process? N.C. does lead the nation in board-certified teachers.
Also, those state-to-state spending comparisons are tricky. Why? They hinge largely on personnel expenses, specifically teacher salaries. D.C. teachers rank about 5th or so in the nation in average salary. N.C. usually comes in around the high to mid 20s. The difference: about $10K in D.C.'s favor.
And that's because a school district's teacher salary levels are largely market-driven. D.C. might pay more than, say, Guilford, because it's more expensive to live in D.C. than it is to live here. Guilford, likewise, pays more than its neighbors so teachers will choose to work here rather than Randolph, Rock or Alamance.
Whether a district's residents are getting what they're paying for is a whole other matter.
Posted on March 16, 2005 9:44 PM
John,
You state, "Whether a district's residents are getting what they're paying for is a whole other matter."
To answer your statement - NO!!!
Posted on March 17, 2005 8:31 AM
Barbara Ann-
"Either Andrews or Central would have made a great Arts Magnet location because of their proximity to the theaters in Downtown HP."
That's a great point. I like it.
Now that there are some new Board members, do you know if they have alternate plans in their possession? I KNOW I might be naieve so please don't rip my head off, but maybe if there was some support from all HP groups (Please include African-American groups like the High Point NAACP), maybe a situation could be presented that would be win-win for everybody. I mean if EVERYONE could get together (not just North High point) wouldn't it be worth a try?
I am not interested in arguing with anybody, so before Mr. Ballgame and the rest of the vipers jump in with attacks, I'm just asking you what you think. You seem pretty reasonable.
Posted on March 17, 2005 10:12 AM
SC,
I'm not a viper, please don't attack me either. Let's play fair.
Your idea to get many diverse groups together is a good one. I think we can all agree that High Point has been misrepresented long enough and does not have the care and concern of the board. I do not believe anyone in HP is happy with the academic environment of any of the high schools and the way the lottery plan is playing out.
How do you propose getting groups together? I have attended the Al Heggans' sponsored events and have found that they are not helpful.
Posted on March 17, 2005 10:34 AM
You're right Sue, the "viper" comment was not appropriate--I apologize.
I thought I heard that the NAACP was interested in having community meetings. If I can find out anything more about it, I will post more info. I will be away for a while, but I'll make inquiries when I get back into town.
Posted on March 17, 2005 11:24 AM
SC,
I'm loving your newly-found agenda to help. BUT, be prepared to deal with a DEAF board of education.
Until the board is REPLACED, a hidden agenda exists. And yes, even the new recruits (Amos Quick, Walter Childs) seem to be easy sell-outs.
What High Point needs is a representative to the school board. Right now, we have NONE. Do you have any ideas on how to have the current ones recalled?
I'm truly out of ideas.....
Thanks for joining the battle, but just wanted you to know what you're up against...and all the while, our kids are losing. What a travesty.
Posted on March 17, 2005 11:35 AM
In an attempt to get HP together, there is a meeting of the HP Coalition of Concerned Citizens this Sat (3/19) from 10-12 at the Morehead Rec Center (on Price off of Leonard behind police station). This meeting is a follow up to a small group meeting held in Feb at the Y that was moderated by Al Heggins and attended by reps from HP middle schools/high schools, NAACP, ABC, SROs, HP CAV, and others - no school board members; just parents/citizens trying to come up with possible solutions to issues in HP schools.
sue - when you say you didn't find Al's meetings helpful, are you talking about the above meeting or the one in late Dec at City Hall or the one in late Jan at the SR center?
I know Al has been trying to have meetings thru out the city to get as much input as possible and that she has been working with Joe Alston, NAACP.
Posted on March 17, 2005 1:14 PM
r.i.g.o.r,
I attended the meeting on January 31. I have read minutes of the other meetings. They are not helpful.
While I am NOT a member of ABC, emphasize NOT A MEMBER OF ABC, has that group been invited to discuss these issues with Al Heggins? I simply don't know. All I know is that that group has a large membership and would seem that it would be hard to ignore such a large group of parents.
I don't agree with their tactics, but surely they're not all bad. Anyway, I just think that that's an existing group of parents that should be heard.
Posted on March 17, 2005 1:32 PM
sue,
I agree that the Jan 31 meeting was much more frustrating than helpful.
As far as the ABC group, Tim Mann and Michael Murphy are on the email list for Al's meetings and Michael Murphy attended the Feb meeting at the Y.
Posted on March 17, 2005 1:45 PM
Sue
Thanks for your recognition that surely not all ABC members are "bad". I can assure you that the overwhelming majority are not!
I was just curious as to what "tactics" you don't agree with. There has been so much misrepresentation of who and what ABC is and has done.
I think that the wrong impressions people have are a huge deterent in the voice of ABC being heard as legitimate.I'm the first to say that not all members of any group always behave properly, but it seems really unfair to label the entire group for the possible bad behavior of a few.
It would be great if the people of not only High Point, but all of Guilford County would come together and demand Excellence in Education for all of our students.
Posted on March 17, 2005 2:50 PM
Great article in today's Rhino about the School Board's achievement gap committee meeting on Tuesday. Here's an interesting quote from the article about our superintendent:
"Terry Grier said that assigning a teacher to a school where that teacher didn't want to go doesn't work"
Hey Terry, it DOESN'T WORK FOR STUDENTS EITHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on March 17, 2005 5:32 PM
Here's another city that faced the same problems as Greensboro but what a delightful way to overcome them!
Here's the link to the story:
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/living/education/10945731.htm
Posted on March 17, 2005 7:15 PM
Ronald,
This is confusing - what is the name of the story - couldn't find it on the link.
Barbara Ann
Posted on March 17, 2005 9:09 PM
SC,
Nice to hear from you. Thanks for hanging in there.
To my knowledge, the new school board members do not have a copy of the Alternative Solutions Plan. You have it here on Chaulkboard except for the map which I have in a stack of papers God knows where. Feel free to cut & paste from here and give to them if you like. You can give it to anyone you like.
This was a proposal BEFORE the vote on 2/10/04. I doubt it would do any good now, just as it didn't work before the vote. Last I heard, and myself and many others are ademently opposed to this, GCS still plans to tear out perfectly good classroom space and build a dance studio. Beside the cost of the demolition, new trailers will have to be added to an overcrowded school at about $60,000 a pop. What sense does that make? Some of the kids have never had dance - an expensive hobby to try; waste of taxdollars in my opinion.
As mentioned previously, certain board members have had their own agendas since the "Choice" Plan was first conceived. They weren't willing to listen to any alternative solutions. So I don't see where that has changed now.
Many people have always been willing to sit down and talk and unite for the good of High Point and our kids. There were certain people that had spread vicious rumors and enjoyed seeing divisiveness so that has helped prevent this from happening in the past on some occasions.
Please keep us posted on any upcoming community meetings involving our kids. We are all in this together for the good of kids. Myself and some others attend the Community in Dialogue Education group in East Greensboro which also focuses on various problems in education in this county. We get ideas from different groups and share these ideas.
I, like Sue and everyone I have talked to, thought Ray Collier meeting was a WASTE OF TIME; a joke and a political dog and pony show. We left there more frustrated than ever. What was accomplished? Everyone I talked to said they wouldn't go to a similar meeting. They had more productive things to do with their time.
What is happening now is that many groups have gone their own separate ways. It seems like the HP coalition was a spin off from the group of Ray C. It's great that parents are willing to sit and talk together no matter what group it is or where. The key is communication. The problem has been that the school board does not seem to listen to our needs and concerns. So what has changed here?
ABC and other citizen/parents groups have had some very positive influence on school issues in many ways. ABC, itself, has gone through many changes since its inception. To those of you who aren't familiar with it's structure, ABC was never a "membership" - it was simply a group of concerned parents who wanted the best for their kids. That is it. Because of many involved, dedicated parents last year in various groups across the county, there is at least a great awareness of the issues. Many have done their part to raise this level of awareness. Knowledge is a good thing to have. It just remains ever frustrating to have a majority school board who does not seem to listen or care about our kids.
I get tired of hearing the same excuse, we could do this but "we need more money". It gets rather old. As you can see when you read, many private schools can produce a better product for much less money - an educated, productive student who can read and write and do math and go on to college if that is their choice. Why can't GCS do the same with all the money they receive?
Posted on March 17, 2005 9:50 PM
I posted an article I found with comments about educating minority children at Link.
The original article in its entirity can be found at article
I enjoy your column!
Posted on March 28, 2005 1:06 AM