News-Record.com

Okay, I admit I just had a margarita, but something doesn't make sense, Morgan.

First you say that NC was "singled out for not making a good faith effort to meet NCLB's goal of having high quality teachers". But then you follow that up by giving a statistic that Guilford's percent of highly qualified teachers is 93-97%.

Are you saying that Guilford's teachers are so highly qualified and that it's the rest of NC that is to blame for being "singled out"?

Did Grier tell you to say that?

What amazes me is the fact that the kids in Guilford are the among the dumbest in the state--the country for that matter, but the media--the N&R in particular--will search through data and statistics to put a positive spin on good ol' Guilford's system.

Morgan, your time would be better spent investigating why Guilford has such a suck-ass system. I don't care how many "highly-qualified" teachers we supposedly have. Let's just figure out why Guilford's kids can't read and write. That's what the state want's to know too.

Could it be because Guilford's too busy busing students around? Could it be because Board Members are too concerned with the color of students' skin? Could it be because some Board Members are trying to save Furniture City, instead of educate kids? Or is it because some board members are trying to eradicate racism via classrooms? Or is it just because we have given a little too much power to 11 people?

That's the story Morgan. I don't want to hear crap like NC is failing as a state but good ol' Guilford is doing great. If that were the case, we see the evidence in our graduates. It ain't there.

I'm going to have another drink now. This asinine county makes me want to drink my guts out.

Hold on.......
93-97 % of our teachers are highly qualified?????
Yet how many of our schools are under the 60% mark.

Where is this number coming from and how is this
measured? Is every school included?

HOLD THE PHONE!

If 93-97% of Guilford's teachers are "highly qualified" what the heck would we need Grier's new baby, "MISSION POSSIBLE" for? Don't tell me the 3% that are not 'highly qualified' are all in High Point? I don't buy that statistic. If it's true than someone please give me the definition of "highly qualified" and then someone else please bring me a drink!

I smell a big ol'stinky fish.

I expect (don't know) that the 93% of highly qualified are only for the tested subjects... but even if that is true are all of them in the 'non title 1' schools? As I have said before, if we have teachers show negaive growth in their value added sores for two years in a row, they should have to go back to school, get more training or perhaps change professions!

Pepe,

Confucius say that a fish smells from the head down.

(There's not enough Pepe Lopez in this county to make what happens in this school system palatable.)

"Formulate a plan and bring it to the board for implementation for the coming year to increase the number and tenure of highly effective teachers in our most impacted schools."

Since this was a performance goal for Terry Grier for 2006, one can only assume that all of the unqualified teachers are in Title I schools, can't one? This was what prompted the need for Terry Grier's Mission Impossible. Since the school board held out the carrot, then Grier offered up this program.

Now, what I don't understand is if we have such a high number of qualified teachers, why do we have the worst system in the state based upon results? Is it because that those qualified teachers are failing to educate? Or, is it because those qualified teachers aren't allowed to make a difference because of the schol board and the central office and their policies.

Morgan,

Please explain where the 93-97% comes from and
also what exactly defines "highly qualified"...

We reported on the Guilford County numbers in May (Jennifer did a story on the highly-qualified teacher deadline. When I get into the office I will try to link to it). However, I am still waiting to find out how those teachers are apportioned (elementary vs high school, higher-income schools vs lower-income). In any case neither the county or state are passed the federal standard last year of 100 percent.

Here is the story Jennifer wrote in May:

Schools push for 'highly qualified'
Greensboro News & Record (NC)
May 21, 2006
Author: JENNIFER FERNANDEZ

School systems are racing against a June 30 deadline to get all of their teachers "highly qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Some teachers already have been moved to other positions for next year. Local officials hope a one-year extension sought by the state will provide enough time for the remaining teachers to reach the qualified designation so that no teachers lose their jobs.

Between 93 percent and 97 percent of teachers in Guilford County Schools meet the qualifications, said Mike Harris, chief human resources officer. In comparison, the state reported about 83 percent of elementary classrooms and 87 percent of secondary classrooms were taught this year by highly qualified teachers.

"Hopefully, the extension will come from the state ... so we don't have to lose any teachers," said Alison Yates, Guilford's director of staffing.

The state should know by Aug. 4 if it has received the extension, said Kathy Sullivan, director of human resource management for the state Department of Public Instruction.

Once the deadline has passed, states must decide whether to sanction districts that do not comply, she said.

Education department officials have said they won't tell systems or states to fire teachers, Sullivan said.

The state Board of Education would decide on sanctions for any non compliant district. Most likely, the state would take more control over how districts spend their federal money, Sullivan said.

The highly qualified requirement affects only core teachers and covers all subjects and areas except for physical education and vocational courses.

No Child Left Behind defines "highly qualified" as teachers with a bachelor's degree, a state license and proven competency in every subject they teach. Teachers who do not meet those qualifications can take a test or undergo an evaluation.

Evaluators, trained by the state, look at teachers' competence in each subject area. The evaluation includes reviews of the teacher's college course work, professional development and student test scores.

Anderson Shaver, a special education teacher at Northwest High School, won't be able to take the test and evaluation until after the deadline. That means she won't be able to teach her own class but can work with other teachers in a classroom next year, she said.

"This whole thing has been confusing. We've been told so many different things," Shaver said.

The U.S. Department of Education has threatened to pull funding from some states for not complying with or making a good-faith effort to meet the highly qualified requirement.

North Carolina, initially threatened with eight states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, was removed from that list Tuesday after submitting revised information. But the state must outline its efforts to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified in the 2006-07 school year, according to a letter sent to the state Department of Public Instruction.

Local and state officials say they have worked hard to get teachers qualified.

"We've done all kinds of things to comply," said Carla Freemyer, spokeswoman for Asheboro City Schools. "But it's a process. It's not something that's instantaneous."

About 89 percent of Asheboro's 369 teachers are qualified, district data shows.

Harris, of Guilford County Schools, did not know how many still lacked the qualifications. Guilford has about 5,000 teachers, the majority of whom are considered core teachers.

"I don't know that we'll quite make 100 percent this year, but that's our intention," he said. "Our main concern is with the handful of people left out there who are going through the (evaluation) process."

In Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, about 100 of the nearly 2,700 core teachers still must meet the qualifications, a spokesman said.

Randolph County has about 90 of its close to 1,100 core teachers still taking tests or being evaluated, said Amy Cagle, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel.

Reaching the 100 percent mark has been difficult at the middle school level and with special education teachers. Both cover multiple subjects, requiring teachers to prove their competency in each.

"And that's a real challenge," Cagle said. "You can only imagine the burden that is putting on the special education teachers."

Contact Jennifer Fernandez at 373-7064 or jfernandez @news-record.com

Here's the Web site to the state's information on "highly qualified" which is a part of the No Child Left Behind legislation:

www.ncpublicschools.org/nclb/faqs/highly/

Once again, my post-Margarita senses tell me that if you take BRAIN SURGEONS and employ them in this county is does NOT make for better educated students!

It would be nice for our kids to learn to READ AND WRITE. Anyone with a 5th grade or greater education can teach that.

The point that many are missing here is that is SUCKS to work for a Nazi. When many restrictions are placed upon our good teachers it TIES THEIR "HIGHLY QUALIFIED" HANDS! I'm happy that our county has so many "highly qualified" teachers but for God's Sake, LET THEM TEACH!!!!!!!

* LET THEM SUSPEND!
* LET THEM YELL!
* LET THEM SCREAM!
* LET THEM FAIL THOSE THAT NEED TO FLUNK!
* LET THEM THROW CHAIRS IF NEED BE!

Our socialist feel-good system is rearing and teaching a bunch of whiny-ass cry-babies that run to Deena if they are looked at crossly!

So much for having great teachers if Nazi-Grier is breathing down their necks!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sick of this crap! It's obvious how to teach. Guilford County is so backwards that it can't see the obvious! Now our "highly-qualified" teachers are LEAVING!

Then what?

God I need a drink!

How can Harris say 93 - 97 % meet the qualifications and in the same breath say he does not know how many still do not?
He knows he has 5000 core teachers.

What are the numbers? He knows the numbers by now
and so does the state. The deadline has past

Where do we stand today?

A highly qualified teacher is licensed and educated to teach the subject. I as a parent would like to know if my student has a highly qualified teacher of not in the subject that they are teaching.
How can we find out?

We can't blame the stupidity of Guilford County students on the kids. We aren't allowed to blame it on the parents. It's obviously not the fault of our highly qualified teachers. Who does that leave?

Our SUPERINTENDENT!!

My child will be attending Welborn Middle School this year and I will DEMAND that she have "Highly Qualified Teachers".

Anything less is unacceptable.

I'm sure our esteemed school board would never implement a redistricting plan where children might be forced to attend a school with less qualified teachers than they had before, right?

Walter was last seen on a yellow bus peering out of a window with a bewildered look on his face.

Just switched on the board meeting again and there was Deena going on and on about racism.

Deena: Repeat after me..

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

Deena, in the four years you have been on the board Smith children have been passing at a dismal 50%. This year they passed at 45%.

During this time your personal wealth has increased substantially. You even drive a nice Lexus now.

Deena: Repeat after me..

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

I represent Smith children!

You should be ashamed of yourself. This is your responsibility period! Stop hiding behind words and do the job!
Either do it or resign.

A lexus, huh? Can you afford one of those on a school board member's salary? Heck, if people find that out, there'll be many more people filing to run. That'll solve the problem of no one running for the board.

Deena said to Allan that in her four years on the SB they havent "had the talk" about racism...

Well, I wish they would have the talk instead of just spending money.

Another 154K in racial training this year.

OHMYGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the hell is Deena waiting for?? An apology from every single living white person--man, woman or child-- because she is NOT white? What is the deal with her?

I really think that she needs to step down from the school board until she can get over her issues with race. She is impeding education with her constant whining about color.

I seriously think that she needs diversity training more than any other person in this county! Either that or the Dr. Phil show.

Someone please escort Deena to the door and then get me a D-R-I-N-K!!!!

Are we sure that Deena isn't getting a finder's fee for the racial training here? Lexus' don't grow on trees....

Pepe,

Racism is good business. Deena knows it well and seems to do well by it.

And god forbid that I have to think about those pesky stinkin failures over at Smith.

Oh Man I wish I was black!!!! I don't mean a light-skinned black person like Deena. I mean REALLY, REALLY, no-doubt-about-it BLACK!

I'd go around singing this to the tune of the Oscar Meyer Weiner song:

I'm glad to be a black kid in Guilford
That is what I really love to be.
Cause since I am a black kid in Guilford
I never take responsibility!!

I could cuss at teachers, fight, use drugs, fail classes miserably, skip classes and then I would work up a tear and say, "You're treating me like this cause I'm black!" and all would be forgiven. If it wasn't, all I would need to do is call Aunt Deena or Uncle Skippy and they would make it all better.

OK, I'm off to find an all night tanning salon. Wish me luck!

Jennifer, Morgan:

I missed the first half of the meeting last night, so I apologize if this was discussed before I begain watching - did I see John Wright there last night?

Is he back?

Is Kevin gone?

Dr Wright is back and Kevin Lear was also at the meeting.

It was mentioned that Dr Wright would take over the responsibilities of the proposed additional hearing officer so that was cut from the budget.

Debora,

Thanks for the info. The Rhino reported that John Wright has not worked in about a year, yet has continued to earn his salary. I thought John Wright was the equivalent of the Asst. Superintendent - would that salary be equivalent to a hearing officer's salary?

No, the hearing officer is cheaper! I understood that he would take that on in connection with other duties. He had a leave of absence, maybe sick days etc... but I agree with the Rhino that he was paid. Not sure what his title will be now that he has returned.

A couple of points about the FMLA:

. The FMLA provides that eligible employees of covered employers have a right to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in any 12-month period for qualifying events without interference or restraint from their employers.

Mr. Wright was awarded 12-months of leave, when the law only required 12 weeks. It is probable that he had sufficient unused vacation and sick time available to ensure that he was paid for the 12 month period. Still, awarding a "key" employee such as this 12 months of leave is very unusual.

. An employee who returns from FMLA leave is entitled to be restored to the same or an equivalent job (defined as one with equivalent pay, benefits, responsibilities, etc.). The employee is not entitled to accrue benefits during periods of unpaid FMLA leave, but the employer must return him or her to employment with the same benefits at the same levels as existed when leave began.

It would be interesting to see if he has been restored to active duty at his full salary prior to being granted leave. The law says that he has to be restored to the same or equivalent job, pay, etc. They obviously have no intent to restore him to his old job, but it is likely that they restored him to active duty at an "equivalent" job, but the "same" pay. Of course, he will be overpaid for this new job, but what does Terry Grier care about that? It's only the taxpayers money. In the scope of a $1/2 billion budget, what's $30,000-$40,000?

You're right Stormy, $30,000 or $40,000 is not even a week's worth a racial sensitivity training. Or the cost of Deena's new Lexus for that matter.

In today's News and Record,

"Amos Quick said he found it interesting that a higher percentage of students considered racial conflict a problem than gangs, which have received some recent community and media attention."

In our school, people wrote "death to rednecks,
crackers, and wet backs" on the walls in the bathrooms, but the same people that wrote this also claimed to be members of a gang by signing it with the gang signiture.

Amos,
Racial conflict and gangs are not necessary two different entities. Many gangs exist along racial lines and have a distinct racial identity. Yet the racial remarks and racial threats is what stands out to the students.

I believe that Dr. Wright's leave was slated to end July 1. I was told that he started work again last week.

Sonya Conway, executive director of communications/district relations, said that he is the chief hearing officer, assuming hearing officer duties as well as overseeing the other hearing officer. He also will oversee the transportation and student assignment offices. Transportation had been under Sharon Ozment. I don't remember where student assignment was at.

His salary is around $145,000, based on the data I was given at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year.

Things to Add about Highly Qualified Teachers:

Highly qualified means that you have training and certification to be a teacher. However, no amount of training or tests can prepare you for what really goes on in the classroom (not even student teaching). My point is that "real" teachers care about their students and get the majority of them to learn what they need. Highly qualified teachers do not equal highly qualified schools or a highly qualified school system, which is why you can have most of your teachers highly qualified and still have a poor school system due to other factors.

A parent mentioned above that they were going to make sure their child's teacher is highly qualified, which is good. I wanted to point out that next year, under either federal or state law, schools must send home a letter to parents stating if any of their child's teachers are not highly qualified (unless the rules are changed again this summer). I know because this was going to happen to an EC teacher who was not going to be highly qualified next year.

On a different note, this highly qualified teacher has decided to teach in a different county. Sometimes I feel like I am giving up the fight, but I realized it was more important to me to be able to teach what I love. It really hit me when I asked one of the teachers I interviewed with what new writing and reading programs they were looking at for next year. She smiled and and politely informed me that there was enough experience on staff that everyone could get together and come up with plenty of ideas to use on their own. Teachers as experts...what a novel concept.

Andi,

Good luck in your new school system. They are very lucky to have you. I'm sorry that Guilford sucks. It will NEVER change so you are making the right move.

TO THE GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM:

Wake up, you asinine fools!!! Another "highly qualified" teach bites the dust! Do you care or will you continue to sit with your heads up your butts and talk about racism and busing?

I have many thoughts along the lines of Andy. It seems that when have a problem in our schools we can only do one thing.
We bring in 'another' program. 200K-400K a pop. We only know how to throw money at it. The thing is we never seem to get any better. Even Deena commented something like this yesterday.

I dont know what the solution is but in the company I work in I think its the co-workers that really know the solutions for the problems we have.

At one point in last nights meeting Grier said something like this.
"Mike said I am leaving now so I am going to say that we dont spend enough on teacher development".
My point is that Grier missed it. The point is that GCS personnel can obviously only express their opinion when they are leaving.
You heard it from the horses mouth himself. The one and only Dr.Grief!

Andi,

In the words of Joe Stafford, "This is a sad day in Guilford County." While I have never had the privilege of meeting you, I respect you, your talents, and your many posts on this blog.

Your new school has made a terrific gain, Guilford County suffers another loss.

Andi's not the only one heading for greener pastures...add me to the list. I too am heading for another school in another county after being at Andrews for the past year-and-a-half. Don't worry, I'm not going far.

Actually, I was extremely disappointed in the board last night. They had a remarkable opportunity to make some real changes last night and they blew it, as usual. They had a chance to call Dr. Grier on the carpet for his alleged ugly comments regarding the final report from the Andrews state assistance team. They didn't. They had a chance to discuss allegations of ramifications resulting from whistleblowing at Andrews. they didn't. They had a chance to talk about the final report, or at least the executive summary of the final report. They didn't. They had a chance to address why the board as a whole did not receive any of the state team's monthly reports. They didn't. As a tax paying citizen of this county, I feel like I'm getting ripped off!

I did what I could to serve the children of Andrews. I tried...real hard. But they deserve better! God bless those kids and that school. We as a county deserve better.

Andi and former Andrews teacher,

God bless you both!!!! Good luck on your new job!

The more I watch the board meetings, the more I realize things will not change! That Grier is a sly one alright; the majority of the school board is like puddy in his hands.

To "Racial Hatred Not Just a White Thing"

Excellent point about the racial comments against the "crackers" and others. It goes on in many of our schools. The racist door swings both ways.

But our teachers are brainwashed at the racial healing training that you cannot be a racist if you are "black". Only whites can be racists. This is the b.s. many trainers teach as the blacks supposedly don't hold the power.

You could have fooled me by some of the leaders who influence Guilford County.

To Racial Hatred.....

Well at least you do admit that White folks have a problem with racism and that's a start.

The only way for us to get along is...

Can't we just get along,

"White folks" do have a problem with racism.

The problem we have with racism is people like Deena Hayes who like to pull the race card claiming that every wrong that crossed their path has to do with the color of their skin instead of their pure incompetence to do the job. I have a problem with the school board spending 500,000 to tell teachers that if they are white and "only" white they are racists, instead of giving them training on how to deal with problems in the classroom.

The problem is with principals that suspend students for three days for using the "N" word
yet look the other way when the word cracker or wet back is used.

The problem is with principals allowing "African American" students to cuss out and hit teachers with nothing more than a call down to the office because we do not want to suspend too many of them,
yet white students are suspended if they chew gum in class one too many times.

I'm as tired of being called or assumed of being a
black hating racist as a young black man driving a BMW is tired of everyone assuming that he probably stole the car.

All "Southern" whites do not hate blacks and I for one am sick of being told that I do. I don't even like referring to someone as black or white, because this says nothing about the person or their character.

Why can't students be referred to as students
and finally accept the fact that "poverty", "broken families", and "drug/alcohol" abuse has more influence on education than the color of the skin?

Let's spend the 500,000 to help with these problems. We could buy supply 1000 students
with laptops or books. We could provide tutoring
for elementary kids in after school programs.

White not racist, just realist,

In the "racial healing" workshops, you would be a self-defined racist. A quote from one of the workshops:

“Racism is the collective actions of a dominant racial group,” and “Every system and every institution in the US was created originally and structured legally and intentionally to serve white people exclusively.”

"Ruehle made a comment during the segregated discussion that blacks have more to fear from whites that don’t recognize their inherent racism than from neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan."

The very fact that you are white and don't consider yourself a racist proves that you are inhently a racist. You just can't help yourself.

I taught I taw a Puddy Tat...I deed, I deed!

"Highly qualified" is clearly Orwellian and hypocritical, as the states and private internet college diploma mills are increasing the rate of alternative licensures.

Teaching is not so easy any fifth-grade-graduate can do it.

The language and tenor of this particular blog thread, with the exceptions of Andi and a few others, only confirms the dire situation Guilford County faces. If many parents are this crass, racially insensitive and generally immature, how can any teacher hope to help turn a child's life in the direction of learning, art and the quest for knowledge?

Or is it just getting them a job and keeping them out of jail we are aiming for?

That's right Stormy, apparently you understand the problem. Many believe they're not racist, but as a result of their birthright are inherently a racist. Good observation.

If you suspect a group of minority citizens are somehow less capable of high achievement en masse as compared to those of middle income and the dominant ethnicity, or that somehow they have "earned" lower levels of economic and academic stability by virtue (or vice) of their "mindset" or other inherent factors, you are, ipso facto, a racist.

Believing one isn't a racist doesn't make it so. Believing one isn't responsible for institutional oppression and disservice is an easy way to absolve everyone: it's history, done, over. Let's move on, and pretend the advatages and disadvantages never got passed along through a thousand and one everyday and systemic means.

If you blithely (or angrily) declare that historically oppressed or ignored/underserved populations hop to, expecting them to pass through the same subtly guarded gateways the hegemonic "club" ushers their progeny through (while setting up many of the very obstacles that deny entry), you are, ipso facto, a racist.

Since those of us privileged not to have been born into a historically oppressed population don't admit we get subtly preferential treatment, we never see the ways others are denied.

All that said, I am glad some in these under-privileged populations, some of whom have succeeded financially on par with the dominant classes (Cosby, et al), are calling for a reinvigoration of reading and academics generally. This bodes much more promise than "Culinary Arts" programs, for example.