News-Record.com

Congratulations. Guess the 35.4% passing hurdle was more easily cleared than first feared.

How serious are the most debilitating handicaps faced by that subgroup at these high schools? Are are more than 40 such students at each of the high schools, to qualify as a passing subgroup? Will they be judged by the same standard starting again in two years, when the passing bar will be raised into the 70%+ range?

oops, my mistake, the reading scores had a passing requirement at 35.4% this year, and in 2007-2008 they will go up to 56.9%, not 70%+.

And with the passing bar set at 35.4% - many still did not pass.

Yet, the GCS administration and board are jumping up and down with excited bliss at the accomplishments.

Tell me - how many of you would want a surgeon operating you who was allowed to pass his exams with a 35.4%???

Happily, the required score for passing math is significantly higher:
70.8%. So, if the doctor mainly relies on statistical and chemical data, at least they'd need a C to pass.

But woe unto you if he or she must interpret more subtly worded information. And don't expect much in the way of conversation outside golf and college basketball. Maybe the stock market.

Fred,

I'm happy for you that you can find humor at the expense of MY kids that are stuck in this horrific school system.

Your tone will change when your kids (if any/or in the future) are subjected to the cruel and unusual punishment dished out by Grier and our incompetent School Board.

I don't see anything funny about a system that is failing its students.

But Betty, the good news is, the number of schools that have passed more than doubled! I was having a little laugh with Numbers over the hypothetical surgeon. I certainly didn't mean to make any jokes at the expense of your own M.D.-to-be.

(Actually, a surgeon doesn't need much of a bedside manner, so the reading/language arts scores aren't as critical. He or she might not get into an Ivy League school, though, to begin with if they can't pass all their tests with higher scores in high school.)

Betty, I am deeply, deeply concerned about GCS. My wife is a teacher in the system. I teach the product of the system in college. I want good teachers, good administration, good facilities and, above all, good students to help inspire one another to excel. My irony is aimed squarely at the pitiful standards and even more alarming battery of testing ad nauseum itself. If it will appease you, I would be pleased to discuss the nuts-and-bolts of these issues while refraining from Zen and Dada-inspired lunacy.

Sometimes that's all we've got, though.

Grier knows how to make a school pass (bus struggling students out, bus smarter kids in, split schools up and say it is now two schools, etc, etc, etc) but how does that help a kid? I am only interested in the number of CHILDREN that passed AYP and I'm sure that number hasn't doubled.

A friend of a friend is on the school board in Wake County and Grier's "tricks" are transparent and laughbale to those who really know what is going on.

We were dead in the water. Now the trend in High Schools is up. This is progress. The question is whether we will rest on the modest improvement or will it energize us to reach new heights. I was a little disappointed that they always compare us with other counties that have scores that are nothing to bragg on. Why don't they compare Guilford Co. with the national average or some of the counties in NC that are way ahead of us. One thing to keep in mind is that the current figures look good because last year's were awful. It is too early to celebrate. When they put three good years in a row on the board, I would celebrate, not before.

I'm more concerned now about shoddily-constructed school buildings that will collapse on young children in minimal weather conditions than I am about their AYP scores. When will the people of this county finally stand up and say "Enough of this madness, Terry Grier". When?

We're finally seeing some positive results. The changes Dr. Grier and the Board have implemented are showing progress.

Give the man a raise and in addition, extend his contract. Christmas has come early to parts of the Piedmont.

Merry Christmas Bubba!

I'm sure you'll be celebrating ALONE. There's MANY in Guilford who aren't ready to make nice.

I want to know exactly why there is construction going on at Eastern Guilford, Hairston, and Kernodle.

I want to know how they started this without building permits.

I want to know how much of the school building is involved in the construction and how much it is costing the taxpayer.

I want to know who is responsible for this.

What are the facts on the schools? We were told it was confined only to the gyms. Now, we know it is more than that. Why does BOE allow architect to go public blaming the contractors and school staff without an BOE answer. The unanswered questions makes the system look guilty of poor work. This may not be true, but this is the assumption made when the school system goes silent. Does someone have answers? Why can't someone get this info thru the FOI act? Am I parnoid?

Joe,

No - you're not being paranoid.

I suggest the students of the 3 schools have a silent protest on the first day of school and refuse to enter the building until there is proof positive that the buildings are safe.

...and all the kids should be wearing hardhats and REFUSE to take them off until the school system comes clean!

I just think it's funny that someone whose screen name is a Flintstones character is chastising Freddie for not taking this stuff seriously enough.

Joe: facts are slippery little creatures hiding under exploding retrofitting lingo that they tried to hide under carpet by not applying for permits so no one would notice..., as long as no one notices, nothing drops on kids and they can shell game money, well you get picture.

As for AYP, Zhang it all anyway, my idea of success and pat on the back material is a tad bid different! Our schools are failing badly, unsafe and improper for a quality education and until the public gets off their self satisfied posteriers we will see little more than what we have now.

That said, I am still fighting mad and intend to be a pain in January.

A well placed letter to the building inspectors reminding them of their liability if there is a structural failure might make it hard to open these schools in a couple of weeks.

Would you want to be the building inspector responsible for 30 kids in the hospital because of a roof failure? Especially if someone warned you?

Joe,

Dot Kearns likes to say that facts are stubborn things. I guess that means it's hard work to pry them out of teh school system.

I am glad that more HS have reached the outstanding rank of passing the 35% rate. Yes, that was tongue in cheek. I can't even write 35% in bold... it is so sad. That being said, at least we are making that amount in some schools, however wait until the math comes out. Usually the math scores are better than English, but I doubt they will be at 70%. The Middle schools are terrible. As a group I don't see us making much progress. If we are to have well educated children we MUST have high standards and the children have to stay in that grade until they can reach that standard. Grier says that our goal is to have every child reading on grade level by third grade. Let's hope that happens and then hopefully they can stay on task and on grade level. I know that we are all watching, and waiting... and waiting... and waiting......

Debora,

when Grier comes out with things like this I wonder why now? Now he is a BOLD LEADER, he is being "innovative"!!!!!!
He has been here for several years.Why did he not set this goal when he first came? Its a reasonable goal for me. My kids could do it. So why not all kids?

Whats next after we have forgot about this?

STOP THE BS PLEASE AND JUST EDUCATE!