News-Record.com

Doug? Really?

OK - I'll take the bait - of course the number of crimes reported is up - remember the Channel 2 News report last year that chastized the under reporting of crimes in Guilford County.

And, of course the number of suspensions are down - that was a Grier mandate - lower the suspensions - no matter what!

It's always about the numbers!

I have no faith in any numbers coming out of the school system - they find creative ways to cook the books.
A year or so ago I was in attendance when a Guilford County elementary school class was taking EOG tests - the proctor told all students they would be notified when three minutes remained and, at that time, students were to mark just any answer for all questions not yet answered. Later, when I asked about this, I was told that overall scores might improve if a child guessed the correct answer, but if left blank the answer was sure to be incorrect.
And these are the people setting examples for our kids ???

It's pretty simple, though we can't talk about the obvious here in Greensboro - you'll be labeled a racist when in reality, you're a realist.

Superintendent of schools mandated suspending fewer black males.
Schools suspend fewer black males.
Chaos ensues.
Crime goes up.

1+1=2

It could also represent a decrease in suspensions resulting from actions that fall short of being classified as "criminal" .

I agree also with Monica. There's no Underwriters Labratory that independently audits this type of schoolboard statistic. They can be pulled out of the air for all anybody knows and spun every-which way. That's why it's so important that people have trust in the board and staff, something that got lost along the way with the last admin.

"1+1=2"

Imagine that!

In addition, imagine if those in a position of importance and influence had the political courage to point out the obvious, and insist we put a stop to the tired, worn out "intolerable racism" theme as a pandering technique and as a wedge issue.

It needs to start right here on the pages of this newspaper.This is the place where that theme gets propped up regularly in ways subtle as well as obvious.

"We know that there often is a relationship between crime and violence incidents, suspensions and expulsions and high school dropouts," State Superintendent June Atkinson said in a prepared statement. "By consolidating the reports that look at each area, we hope that we can better understand how to efficiently address student needs and help more students stay in school and be successful."

The problem identified here is dropouts, not school violence. That's the problem. If you define your solution as "help[ing] more students stay in school" and the students you're "helping" are the violent ones, then guess what's going to happen?

The solution to violence in the schools is to remove these students.

The previous posters are 100% correct. The Guilford County Schools have been far too concerned with reducing the number of suspensions, even if that means making the schools more dangerous places.

It reflects the district's priorities. For some reasong, this school board and the previous administration placed a greater priority on troublemakers, hoodlums and juvenile delinquents than on law-abiding children. It was okay for a few "good kids" to get beaten up or pushed around in the name of social progress.

I hope Mo Green doesn't continue this dreadful policy.