  Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 621 Registered: 05-2006 |
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20090205/P OLITICS/902050396/1409/METRO I was really glad to read this. Over the last several months whenever there was a topic on this board relating to DPS I would in various ways throw out that the mayor should take control of the district. I understand the mayorial candidates not really wanting to take this on. As a matter of fact Cockrel in an interview with Rev Anthony on his TV show just refused to address the issue saying his plate was full with all the other stuff. What the mayorial candidates must be made to understand that if the schools don't get fixed nothing else in their vision for Detroit matters. Kwame, for all of his faults was willing to do this, however the voters made their will known at the time. If the voters make it clear up front that we expect you to fix the schools as well as reduce crime and pick the garbage etc then based on their promises we can pick the best guy. | ||
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement Post Number: 673 Registered: 08-2007 |
quote: Of course Kwame was, it meant more money he could steal and more shady contracts for his family and friends plan. Aside from that I agree with you. This would remove some layers of bureaucracy and streamline the running of DPS while making a single person accountable. Detroitteacher, what do you think of this? | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 629 Registered: 05-2006 |
Another thing if you are really torn about who to vote for in these elections, with the top candidates there is not a lot that separates them, question them on this issue. Some of them don't want to touch it, some will dance around it talking about working together with the schools on safety issues etc. My choice from among the top candidates will probably be the one who will come out and be willing to tackle this issue head on. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 2316 Registered: 08-2007 |
Spot-on CP, to The Felon, DPS was just another pocket to pick. ----- This is interesting. The chattering classes have been pretty quite about Gov. Granholm delving into the topic of altering the Charter of Detroit. Barely a peep about Lansing being a paternalistic overseer, barely a peep about Outsiders trying to take over the City, barely a peep from the usual chorus of grape-throwers. Hmm. Now, is the reason for the silence due to overwhelming respect for Ms. Granholm? I recall when Engler tried to allow the Citizens of Detroit to vote up or down on the subject of City Council Wards. You'd have thought he was caught violating someone's daughter. The howl of outrage came from every corner until the issue finally ended on the steps of Supreme Court. Just a couple of weeks ago there was a small squawk when Robert Bob was appointed the financial strongman over DPS. Is the lack of outcry a realization that DPS is financially, morally and educationally bankrupt? The silence seems to be one of those steps that grieving people go through: anger, denial, bargaining, and acceptance. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1354 Registered: 06-2006 |
The article had this to say: "It doesn't matter if the district is under the rule of the state or an elected board," she said. The results, including poor student achievement, will be the same until the district changes the model for educating students, she said. "Until we do that, it's not going to matter and we are not going to be effective." Hayes-Giles advocates giving more power to individual schools and principals over their budgets and instruction. I am in total agreement with these statements. Until DPS, as a whole, changes the way it educates kids and offers selection of classes (more electives, more choices for a variety of classes...such as Creative Writing, Research and Report Writing just like colleges offer) things aren't going to get any better. I also am in support of giving more local control to the Principals and teachers about budget spending. Each school should be given a certain amount of money with which to pay teachers (and decide how many teachers a school needs...based on the needs of the kids and not just raw numbers), buy supplies, offer programming for kids, etc. If the entire staff is responsible for how the money is spent and makes sure what is agreed upon gets paid, then there won't be much room for mismanagement. Someone will always be asking questions when something that is agreed upon doesn't get done. Believe it or not, there are still some honest folks in DPS who really want what's best for the kids. I wouldn't want a mayor like KK to be in charge of anything. The mayor who is responsible for DPS must be transparent in their spending and decision making (in other words, someone who is honest). Unless that person is an educator, I don't think they have a firm grasp of what it takes to educate kids. Same for the Board. Unless they are in the business of educating KIDS (not college students) then I don't think they can effectively run a school district. We have to get away from the self centeredness of the current board and get some folks in there who know what they are doing when it comes to educating kids. Someone who runs a business isn't going to know the first thing about what kids need, educationally and from a teacher's viewpoint. They might be great at what they do but that would be like asking a teacher to do brain surgery. Some people have specialties and there isn't any more room for error when it comes to the kids. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 630 Registered: 05-2006 |
DT- I agree with your assessment of what should happen at least on the curriculum side of education. When I say the mayor should have control of the schools I mean it in a sense that that mayor would select the super or the board and that person or entity would report directly to the mayor. In the example of Wash DC the mayor disbanded the board hired Michelle Rhee(an educator) to report directly to him and gave her the political cover to do what is necessary to try and reform those schools. I could see something similar happening here. The reason the mayorial candidates are lukewarm to the idea is because there is a lot of political risk and not that much reward for the person who would be mayor. Thats the reason why the voters should insist on the mayor running the schools. It would be in the mayors best interest to make sure the schools worked or risk not being re-elected. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 896 Registered: 08-2007 |
Since the district is in the Mayors city the Mayor should have a say. The perception of a bad district will lead to people snubing your city for another. | ||
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement Post Number: 675 Registered: 08-2007 |
I agree with both Firstandten and Reddog289. Another thing is that it would be the mayor that would grant more power to the individual schools because he/she has other issues to deal with. A school board would never do that because it would be eliminating their own usefulness. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1355 Registered: 06-2006 |
I am all for dismantling the board and giving control to the mayor (provided he/she is not a crook and wouldn't hire friends and family to run the district). If that mayor and his/her appointee would give more control to individual schools that would be great. As it is now, DPS is too top heavy and people are serving in THEIR best interests and NOT in the best interests of the KIDS. Whoever is running DPS should have a "kids first" attitude and truly do what is best for the young people (same goes for teachers and admin). This is a contract year and, no doubt, teachers will be on strike come fall. I do hope that we agree to concessions (in the best interests of the kids) so that school can start on time. In this economy, we are lucky to have jobs at all. Don't get me wrong, we still need to make enough money to pay our bills and live and there are other things we could give in return for not taking a major pay cut. I'd be more than happy to pay more for my health benefits/co-pays in exchange for keeping my pay the way it is...even though we haven't had a raise in years. I am not for striking since there are other ways to agree on a contract. I also believe that we should eliminate some of the cush jobs downtown to save some cash. We also need to stop outsourcing things teachers should be doing (we just paid Kaplan 1.4 million to come in twice a week for 3 months to high schools to tutor kids on taking the MME). Teachers would gladly do this if we were given the resources to properly do our jobs. We don't have the basics, yet they expect us to perform miracles. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 498 Registered: 11-2007 |
I think the idea of reforming the DPS is very much less sensible than the idea of eliminating them. I agree with the people who say that a better educational system is important to whatever future Detroit has, and I think the DPS in general get something of a bad rap because the population they are charged with teaching is very challenging. However, it seems completely obvious that improving the reputation of the system would take decades, whoever was running it and regardless of whether they were able to improve the schools themselves sooner. It would be a lot cleaner to disestablish the DPS and make the money currently spent on them available to be spent by parents directly on schooling. This would immediately both make Detroit a more attractive place for parents who are concerned about education, and make people a lot more confident that the enormous amount of money being spent on trying to educate the children of Detroit was not being spent largely in vain. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4087 Registered: 10-2003 |
You're advocating the disbanding of primary public education in Detroit if I'm reading this clearly, right? | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 499 Registered: 11-2007 |
Yes. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 500 Registered: 11-2007 |
And secondary--if anything, that is even less effective, unfortunately. | ||
Brownfieldguy Member Username: Brownfieldguy Post Number: 12 Registered: 02-2009 |
I think Lansing just does not want to get sucked into the whole situation. Political suicide. I say dismantle the whole thing and start afresh with some sort of quasi public/private operated system. Who knows, if successful it could become a model for many of urban areas with failing educational systems. What we got is not working. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4088 Registered: 10-2003 |
EDIT: Lowell, you have to fix this double-posting. (Message edited by lmichigan on February 06, 2009) | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4089 Registered: 10-2003 |
This is not a new idea; cities all across the country have charter schools. BTW, by primary education, I'm talking about everything below higher education. | ||
Brownfieldguy Member Username: Brownfieldguy Post Number: 14 Registered: 02-2009 |
Lmichigan, no I mean something new or different. Charter schools are fine and in the current situation they can help, but I am thinking of something much more district or area wide. I am thinking of something like United Space Alliance. Its a consortium of aerospace company's that operate the space shuttle for NASA. There are some government employees, but many of the employees that do the day to day work are private employees. THe organization just happens to do the job that used to be done solely by government-hired or government contracted entities. Its a lot more autonomous and is geared to results and efficiency. I know there are other examples, but that is one that comes to mind. Maybe a consortium of Michigan universities would operate the system. Got to try something. Charter schools can exist, but I do not see the entire system addressed just by charter schools and private religious schools. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 634 Registered: 05-2006 |
I'm not quite ready to give up on DPS. I believe if there was an innovative leader who benchmarked and adopted best practices from other urban districts we could see slow improvement. The problem was you couldn't put Calloway and innovative in the same sentence. Ms Calloway was in so far over her head it wasn't funny. However I blame the board that put her in more than I do her. The problem with the charter schools in the city is that they run the gamut from very good to marginally better to not as good as DPS schools. A criteria that city parents use to evaluate a school is safety. Too often a safe school in their mind equals a good school. This is one reason charter schools are perceived to be better because of the perception of safety. In some cases the charter school is just as crappy but safe. I would view a mayorial takeover as a last best effort to save DPS. If that didn't work I would be in favor of dismantling the entire district. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4091 Registered: 10-2003 |
Brownfieldguy, what you're describing are charters, the only difference you're really hinting at is scale (and perhaps slightly different tweaks to autonomy and set-up) as all have to be accredited by a university. You're really not proposing anything new. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 675 Registered: 06-2005 |
Firstandten makes a really valid point. quote: A common reason for this perception (and frequent reality) is that DPS middle schools are neighborhood schools and at dismissal time several hundred youngsters are sent home walking on the neighborhood sidewalks/streets/lawns at the same time. At times this can look like (and sometimes is) a rowdy band of out of control teenagers. It often is not a reassuring picture to neighborhood residents. Most charter schools. on the other hand draw from a much wider range so most kids are picked up by car by their parents. This puts a large number of supervising parents right outside the school at dismissal time. Thus their children have neither the time nor the space to get into trouble. | ||
Brownfieldguy Member Username: Brownfieldguy Post Number: 15 Registered: 02-2009 |
Lmichigan, I really want something more bedrock in its formation. Charters can always exist as an option, but it does not address district wide what is needed. Really what I am politely proposing is that we gut the entire system and discharge everyone. You get to reapply for a job. The good educators will have a place in the new system. Further, the hiring will be by an organization or committee that is not beholden or associated with the current district management or old parties of influence. An entirely new structure that likely includes a choice of which school you send your child too (i.e., not just the nearest) and a new payment system. Beats me if that means vouchers or something else. Key point is to destroy a broken and corrupt system. It will likely mean pushing aside the MEA as it will get in the way of the quick changes that need to be made. It would be drastic and maybe involve federal control. Lets call it the District Educational Reconstruction Program, etc. and push for something along the lines of the Gore proposal of 2000. He might have had something there when he proposed bringing in a core set on educational professions that would take over the struggling district and rebuild it. Unsettling for sure, but necessary as the students don't have much time for a slow approach to improvement. If your an educator and a good one, you should have a place at the table. If not, then time for a new career. If it works here in Detroit then the feds can take in on the road to other troubled districts. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1356 Registered: 06-2006 |
Brown: The whole idea of restructuring in Detroit is happening now in individual schools (Ford and Cody, for example). The only problem is that they are keeping inept teachers. It was my understanding that teachers had to reapply for their jobs at the restructured schools (or move and bump teachers who were at status quo schools). I don't think this happened. The only thing that came of it was that admin was replaced. As it stands, the restructuring hasn't worked. Both Cody and Ford have their share of problems (mostly violence). At Cooley, we are undergoing some STUPID changes (having teachers move from room to room to keep the same grades on certain floors). This is problematic since the kids also move around and we don't have grade specific classes except in English classes (and then we find various grades in each class for those who have previously failed that class). Teachers often forget supplies needed since we move so much. We don't have carts and must carry everything in hand. This is laborious and tedious. It isn't working despite admin's assertions that it is (seniors are on the 1st floor and they generally don't act silly, so admin sees this and this only and feels that the plan is working). I am all for sweeping changes for the benefit of the kids. I'll do what it takes if it proves to be working. If dismantling DPS is what it takes, then so be it. If I have to reapply for my job, no problem. Something...everything needs to change. | ||
Brownfieldguy Member Username: Brownfieldguy Post Number: 16 Registered: 02-2009 |
Detroitteacher, I'm with you. Trouble I have with the unions in this situation (and I have philosophical issues with their existence, etc.), is that it could be a force to protect those that are part of the problem. I think the most vexing issue is how do you make vast improvement quickly without causing such diruption that you in effect crush support. | ||
Mwilbert Member Username: Mwilbert Post Number: 501 Registered: 11-2007 |
quote: I believe this is possible. However, who is going to tell the kids that the schools will be better sometime after they graduate? And as I suggested earlier, the public perception of the schools will lag behind the actual improvement if it occurs. It would be simpler and probably more effective to just get rid of them. As Detroitteacher implied, many, probably most, of the teachers in the existing DPS could end up employed by whatever new schools pop up to serve all these students. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 638 Registered: 05-2006 |
Great idea Brownfieldguy, however there is a political reality called the teachers union that will have a big say, especially in a city like Detroit. Thats why I would like to see that kind of idea implemented somewhere else first then try it with Detroit. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4092 Registered: 10-2003 |
Brownfieldguy, I hate to sound like a broken record, but what you're proposing is not new, in theory, and at least already implemented, in parts, in other cities. Furthermore, I think the idea, in theory, is like essentially trying to kill and ant with a sledgehammer (i.e. it's overkill). The problem is that the system is only part of the problem, and not nearly as large a part as I think you and otehrs give it. You're at the very least misindentifying the problem. This "Shock & Awe" offensive against DPS sounds naive, at best, and needlessly destructive at worst. I'm not sure what the answer is, myself, what I do know is that it's not dropping an atomic bomb on DPS as I hardly believe that one can so simplistically ascribe enemy status to a public school system. BTW, Detroitteacher, do you happen to know how many of DPS's teachers are has "highly qualified" status? I ask because it was recently revealed that Michigan ranks #2 in the country for the percentage of its teachers classified as "highly qualified", which means that they are more than qualified to teach their core academic subject(s). It's why I can't readily go along with the belief that the system and teachers are the enemy. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1357 Registered: 06-2006 |
Lmich: Highly qualified and "doing your job" are two different things. We do have highly qualified teachers, as is defined as highly qualified. Just because someone is highly qualified, it doesn't mean they are a good teacher. Many of these highly qualified teachers haven't been back to school to brush up on methodology (or anything else) for 30 years. Teachers who received their certification after 1994 (I believe) are required to take a certain amount of credit hours every 6 years to keep their certification. Those that were teaching prior to that year don't have to take classes. Times have changed, kids' learning styles have changed, we see more LD students in the gen ed classrooms, etc. ALL teachers should be required to take classes every few years, not just we "newbies". I learn tons about teaching in the classes I take...and I am shunned for my "new fangled" ideas and approaches. I encourage discussion, critical thinking, debate, challenging me and my answer key...most older teachers want the kids to sit quietly and complete work and turn it in and that's it. No real teaching going on there, no explanations of concepts...kids learn it from the textbook. By inept, I simply meant those that don't do their jobs...don't teach, don't grade papers, don't give a crap about the kids, call off every other day, sit at their desk and fall asleep (yep, I've seen it with my own two eyes), and just generally don't know how to get concepts to reach the kids (read this chapter and answer these questions just doesn't cut it). Some teachers know their subject matter but are crappy teachers...those are the folks we need to get rid of. There are many other folks who aren't yet highly qualified who are wonderful teachers and also know their stuff. They might lack a few classes or whatnot to become highly qualified. Don't get me started on the special education department having elementary school teachers teaching high school students. They DO NOT know their subject matter for the high school level but are still required to teach it to the kids. The elementary certification is much different than that of high school in the tests and classes they must take to be highly qualified. Overall, DPS has some highly qualified teachers who are inept, as I defined the word. | ||
Detroitfats Member Username: Detroitfats Post Number: 65 Registered: 05-2007 |
I have only taught in Detroit for about five years. In no way do I claim to be an expert on restructuring a school district. I can tell you what I have personally observed: 1.Inept teaching methods are not tolerated in our building. I have seen several teachers released because their performance was weak. 2. I have not yet met a teacher or union official who would try to protect an incompetent teacher's job. 3. More than 95% of the teachers in Detroit that I have ever met have their students' well being as their first priority. Every teacher I know spends countless hours outside the classroom preparing lessons, reading and correcting papers and doing many other tasks that cannot be accomplished during the school day. 4. 100% of the DPS teachers I know regularly spend their own money for school supplies. I sincerely believe that blaming teachers and unions for the state of affairs in DPS is a mistake. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1358 Registered: 06-2006 |
Detroitfats: I have been in DPS for 12 years and have observed most of what you have except that it isn't that easy to get rid of teachers. They may be gone from YOUR building but they usually end up in MY building (or others). They are NOT fired from DPS, they are simply asked to leave that particular school (or transfered without knowing why). It is difficult to rate a teacher unsat (at least in the high schools). Many administrators don't want to put in the effort to do so. I can name at least 10 teachers in my building who shouldn't be teaching because they don't actually teach. The kids could probably name more. The kids readily tell other teachers who is and isn't challenging them. They tell us who isn't teaching, who falls asleep, who doesn't grade papers, etc. Admin is aware of these teachers but can rarely do anything about it other than transfer them (and that doesn't happen much in our building). I am NOT blaming teachers in any way, shape, or form for the problems in DPS. The good far outweigh the bad. I'm just saying that there needs to be better accountability rather than shuffling inept teachers from here to there. I've seen the good, bad, and ugly come and go. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 639 Registered: 05-2006 |
Detroitfats I think putting the blame on the teachers and unions is a simplistic answer to a difficult and complex problem. There is blame to go around all over the place from the board to the parents, to the community rabble-rousers, to the DPS administration etc. Detroitfats your building seems to be functioning at a high level. However I think many peoples experience has been more along the lines of DT. I seen teachers fall asleep as well. I would love to see the mayor lay out what he would like to see for the schools, select a reform minded super and let that person and the head of the teachers union negotiate whats going to happen and the timetable to make it happen. The only time you really hear about the super and the head of the union talking is at contract time. We need constant discussion about the problem without the same tired arguments both sides bring to the table. | ||
Detroitfats Member Username: Detroitfats Post Number: 66 Registered: 05-2007 |
DetroitTeacher-- It is true that it is not easy to get rid of teachers. From what I have seen, this is a good thing. It takes time to investigate allegations of poor performance, outline a program for improvement, and assess whether or not the instructor has improved classroom practices. We need to take every allegation of incompetence seriously, but I don't think firing teachers quickly, without a thorough investigation, is in the best interests of our district. FirstandTen-- It may be that teachers falling asleep in class is a widespread problem in DPS. If so, these teachers need to be given their walking papers. Again, speaking strictly from what I have seen, the most serious problems in DPS do not come from incompetent teachers, but rather from a system of organized corruption that is largely outside the influence of the average classroom teacher. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 642 Registered: 05-2006 |
Detroitfats in terms of getting rid of poor performing teachers the system of getting an unsat rating is NOT in the best interest of the district. Teachers have learned to game the unsat process so much that it is very difficult to get rid of a nonperforming teacher. I understand that you need to do a investigation and outline a improvement plan, but at some point the rubber has to meet the road and some teachers can work the system to the point that it never happens and then they get shuttled off to schools like Cooley where they can wreak havoc,when they need to be gone. Thats where the union needs to step in and help management adjust the process so that its not so easy to circumvent it. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1359 Registered: 06-2006 |
Detroitfats: If you don't mind my asking, what grade level do you teach? I don't think problems are as widespread in elem and they are in HS with teachers not doing what they are supposed to be doing. Our kids don't have time to wait for a teacher to "get their shit together"...they need teachers doing their jobs all the time. It can take years to rate a teacher unsat...THAT is NOT fair to our kids. No one is saying that all of the issues DPS is dealing with is the direct result of the teachers...the question was about teachers in DPS being highly qualified. My response of being highly qualified and doing one's job are different was to that question. Enjoy where you are at...sounds like you are at a decent school with decent admin. With only 5 years in though, don't be shocked if you aren't there long. Word gets out about good admin and folks will start bumping new teachers. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4093 Registered: 10-2003 |
I'm glad we have the opinions and insights of some actual Detroit teachers, on here. It adds a whole other and important perspective when talking about this complicated issue. Thanks for chiming in Detroitteacher and Detroitfats. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1360 Registered: 06-2006 |
LMich: Have you gotten hit in the head? That's about the nicest thing you've had to say in discussions about schools (at least with regard to me) | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4094 Registered: 10-2003 |
huh? Whatever side I come down on in the debate in no way changes the fact that having inside knowledge presented is good for the discussion. Really, I have no idea what you're talking about? What do you mean this is the nicest thing I've had to say about schools? Are you not reading my posts? | ||
Detroitfats Member Username: Detroitfats Post Number: 67 Registered: 05-2007 |
DTeach- My students are 10-12th graders. The only elementary level teaching I've done was my student teaching back in 2003. I have no way of knowing if high school teachers in Detroit are worse than elementary teachers. Of course students need teachers to be doing their jobs all the time. I hope nothing in my posts suggests otherwise. However, I can't help but wonder if every teacher in your school that you deem unsatisfactory were to be let go tomorrow, do you think that would solve the most serious problems you face? If so, then I have underestimated the amount and degree of teacher incompetence in our district. In my (limited) experience, lack of parental involvement, a nonexistent attendance policy, overcrowding of classrooms, scarcity of books, desks, toilet paper and almost every other service that other schools take for granted are the most serious problems we face. Thank you for your warning. Even though I've only got five years in, I don't think there are too many things that DPS could do that would shock me. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1650 Registered: 07-2004 |
The issue about the mayor taking control of DPS concerns the ability of this city to sell its public school system. The mayor has very few options to market a school system if he has no say in how it is run. He or she can put their political clout behind candidates running for the school board or running for the superintendent, but nothing replaces the mayor's influence other than having the mayor have a say in the day-to-day operations of the school system. Many citizens in Detroit do not favor the mayor having complete control of the school system, especially if the mayor is anyone like Kwame Kilpatrick. A compromise that I've considered would involve simply having the mayor or a representative of the mayor serve as a school board member with full voting rights. At least this way the mayor can have some say as well as a vote. You never know, the mayor's vote might be the deciding vote. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 644 Registered: 05-2006 |
Royce, the problem with your suggestion is that the mayor's person on the board will be only 1 of 11 votes, not enough clout to affect real change. I do understand the citizens reluctance in having the mayor take control of the schools. I think however if a choice was presented of a state total takeover of the schools (a very real possiblity) or having the mayor control the schools the citizens would vote for the latter. Or the state could totally open up the district to unlimited charter schools and let the free market do its thing. I don't think the citizens of Detroit wants that to happen either. Here is an instance where the citizens of Detroit must be educated to the fact that DPS cannot govern itself, it has failed in its mission to educate the children of Detroit and like President Obama said if what you're doing is going to take you over a cliff then you have to change directions. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1361 Registered: 06-2006 |
Dfats: I am in total agreement with you on the teachers having the supplies needed to get the job done and having parental involvement as an important factor. What you are seeing in your bldg isn't happening everywhere. I think it all boils down to admin and how involved they are in making changes in their bldg. DPS may not be operating with a full chalk box but teachers CAN make a huge difference to the kids since we have direct contact with them. Getting rid of the inept would only be one step in the right direction. We also need all of the things you mentioned in your post. | ||
Detroitfats Member Username: Detroitfats Post Number: 68 Registered: 05-2007 |
DTeach-- Agreed! ;) |
