Is it Really Everybody Else's Fault George?

This is my response to George Hawthorne's disingenuous editorial from Sunday's PNJ: George-your use of selected quotes of mine, taken out of context, then re-constituted inappropriately to cast me in a false light is both disingenuous and disappointing. Let’s get the facts straight. I have never said I believe the District is perfect or even blameless when it comes to some issues. To the contrary-there are many things I know we need to be doing to continuously improve for all students. I’m not shy about it either-just peruse the videos of our workshops and meetings over the last few years if you don’t believe me-I constantly urge the district to try new ideas to improve, and that’s not going to stop anytime soon. However- with respect to your editorial on how we’re somehow to blame-I’ve got to take issue with you on that. Because I know that to develop successful students requires a strong partnership with the family. You see, George, the lion’s share of the problems with some students at some schools (the 12 schools in our district with the highest levels of social dysfunction) is not a problem with poverty as much as it is a problem with the families of these students in these schools--families that in many instances have abdicated all of their parental responsibilities. Then, when their children do not succeed, these same people engage in a systematic blaming of anyone that will listen and give them an audience. But they never own any of the problems as their own. George, if you can’t see this, don’t see this, or won’t see this- then we can’t have intelligent discourse on this or any subject-as you are intellectually dishonest and engaging in blame shifting in order to dodge uncomfortable realities you simply never will admit. Be that as it may, let me ask some rhetorical questions of you George. 1. If we are such failures as educators in this district—as you put it---how do so many students (including MANY students who live in poverty) in our district achieve stunning successes yearly, winning more national merit scholarships than any other panhandle district, multiple appointments to military academies yearly, and admission to some of the finest universities in our nation on a consistent yearly basis? By contrast-how do some students who have the same access to all the same resources that produce these many highly successful students referenced above-how do these others not achieve? (hint: family support plays a role) 2. How do we succeed at bringing Limited English Proficient students who arrive in our district from out of country yearly-how do we succeed in many instances with such students to a point where they are tops in their classes in English and writing within 2-3 years? (hint: we impart the same teaching and provide the same resources, but family support plays a critical role) George, if your doctor told you for decades and decades on end to quit smoking but you didn’t-- and you found yourself dying of lung cancer—would you be the guy who would blame the doctor and hospital? George, if crime in your neighborhood remains rampant but nobody in the neighborhood cooperates with police investigators-are you the guy who would blame the police on the beat for your high crime neighborhood? George, above all else, please just have the intellectual honesty to keep it real. Blaming imperfect governance for the failures of whole neighborhoods for decades running is ridiculous. Quoting gobbledygook, mumbo jumbo from business books you brought down from your shelf and dusted off to make points that are meaningless to this discussion—this impresses no one and in many ways just illustrates to a greater degree the level to which you are detached from the reality of the situation. George, here is the way this works: We will keep trying to reach all students as best we can, no matter what, and no matter if their own families check out altogether( which sadly is a common occurrence) Along the way, however, I will never allow people like you to misappropriate blame to hard working teachers and administrators for the failures of some parents and some communities that do not, apparently, place high value in education. George, there are teachers, administrators, community volunteers, and other partners throughout our district that are working themselves to death, killing themselves slowly while trying to teach every student everyday no matter where these students come from! Do you get this? I won’t let you spit in the collective faces of these dedicated employees as you attempt to tell them they are failures! You know where the real blame lies but cannot bring yourself to name it which is sad but not surprising.

A Tale of Two Teachers and One School

A true story below about two teachers at one inner-city, extended-day elementary school in the Escambia County School District.....Should we treat all teachers exactly alike in terms of pay?  I have questioned  this in the past as I've advocated for expanded differential pay for teachers in tough assignments.  I'm amazed that the idea is constantly rejected,  few in education are in it solely for pay, however I believe we should pay a stipend for teachers that work in the toughest schools--they deserve it!

 One teacher worked at this location for nearly a decade, she loved her job and her students. But the combination of changing leadership at the top, with growing demands for precise teaching pedagogy and rigid test preparation protocols dictated downward to this individual in her classroom slowly wore her down. Meanwhile, continuity of staff at this school was impossible. Every year, 25-40% of the staff would churn, young teachers would quit, and veterans that could, would transfer out-others would retire. Her students, by and large, were impoverished and lived in appalling conditions. They made small to marginal gains and continuous pressure was put on this teacher to get the scores up! Was she not effective? She certainly thought she was! Meanwhile, support from the parents was sporadic at best, non-existent at worst. Lots of good intention and good will was poured out to this school by many local charities pitching in and putting time and resources into the school. But progress was still excruciatingly difficult to achieve. Many students were held back. Some 5th graders became pregnant. Lots of children were neglected. Massive dysfunction! Several teachers were physically attacked, and more than one student was arrested and led away from this

Chris, You Don't Get It

In response to the viewpoint from Christopher J. Lewis in today's PNJ....

Chris,

So your magic bullet to make it all better in Escambia County Schools is to make school board districts “at large”?  Really? Didn’t you think “at-large” council seats were the solution for the Pensacola City Council?  What happened there, Chris?  Never mind.

Let’s see what your idea would do to our schools.  First, in violation of a standing court ruling from the civil rights era, it would potentially eliminate the minority representation for district three.  Poof, gone, and we’d be in violation.  Guess you did not think of that unintended consequence, right Chris?

Secondly, in case you didn’t know this, we do represent the community county-wide, we are simply elected by geographical districts, in order to minimize the influence of the politically savvy and wealthy concentrated in some areas of town.  You see Chris, geographical representation is a balance to outside influence.  What does this mean?  Let me dot-connect for you.   It means I can walk neighborhoods and visit Thousands of households going door to door in my campaigns to target my message inexpensively in my district (which I have done on multiple occasions)—neutralizing, to a large degree, any outside money, influence, and power.  So your proposal actually takes power away from voters and candidates at the grass-roots-which seems counter to what you appear to believe in based upon your writings.  Paradoxical.

But, back to the response to Peacock’s article—I stand by every word of it, because it is accurate.  Chris, I understand from scanning your lengthy and rambling screeds that you see the world through rose-colored glasses instead of dealing with reality.  Folks like you that are naïve and glib on many

Thank You District 1!

I've Been Re-elected Unopposed--Thank You District 1 Voters!

The 2014 Campaign for Escambia County School Board, District 1, has ended.  At 12:01 yesterday afternoon, the last day of qualifying, I received a call from Supervisor of Elections Mr. David Stafford.

 He called to let me know that no other candidates had entered my race by the deadline, and therefore I had been re-elected without opposition.

Although I had prepared for a grueling race, I'm extremely grateful and very much humbled that the people in my district saw fit to send me back to the board for another term without any opposition.  To my constituents in district 1--  I will continue to work as hard as I can for you to make our schools as best they can be;  I'll continue to keep it real and challenge the status quo wherever and whenever it appears, and I will always put students, parents, and taxpayers first--nothing is changing in that regard going forward.  That is my promise to you, that is what I'll do.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  

Sign SB 850 into Law!

So-- very few will actually wade through all 140 pages of SB 850 before jumping on a bandwagon, listening to others' talking points, then becoming conscripts in the charge demanding Governor Scott veto this bill.  But there are some important matters addressed in this bill and I hope Governor Scott will sign it into law.

First and foremost, the provisions related to Career and Professional Education are extremely important;  we all know college is not for every student, and proper CAPE implementation is imperative for the students who will be foregoing college and entering the workforce directly.

In addition, this law fosters an increase in cooperation between colleges and school districts, which in turn will hasten increased dual enrollment opportunities for students and families.  This will save HUGE money for these folks when the college years begin and is a big benefit to parents/taxpayers/college families/and students who do not have lavish budgets for school.  All these folks benefit from SB 850!

Also, the fact that Florida Corporations can lower their tax burdens while simultaneously benefiting students that have special needs, this is a GOOD thing!  The fact that more parents will have more options for their students as a result of the expansion of this program is a GOOD thing!  When did helping families and students with disabilities become a bad thing?  Why would anyone want to stand in between a parent and student, stuck in a failing school system, and a better educational choice for such students/parents?
Answer: ---those who would do this are those who's loyalty is for the system, not the student.  I am the opposite.  I am for parents, students, taxpayers and choice!  I'm agnostic as to the educational vehicle--be it public, private, charter, virtual, or home-school. I want public schools to succeed and get better, I'm a product of excellent public schools and my kids go to public schools--- but the world is changing and we need to keep up.   I also understand economics;  oligopolies and monopolies, in most cases, do not benefit consumers and lead to inferior products, higher costs, and inefficiency.  I want our district, and all districts, to compete!!  This will, in time, make us better, more efficient, and more student-focused.

Meanwhile--the disingenuous vitriol coming from the various guardians of the status quo is just about enough to make me violently ill.  I'm sick and tired of people screaming that allowing student and parental

Starbucks Will Pay for Employees' College Tuition!

 My wife and daughter practically live at Starbucks, but I only go to Starbucks on an infrequent basis because I'm cheap, I mean Frugal. After reading this article in Forbes this morning, I may have to start going more often and I definitely want my son to look into getting a job there! What a great perk to offer employees--the chance to graduate with a Bachelor's degree and no student debt! From the article: "This morning at a company meeting in Manhattan, Starbucks SBUX +0.54%’ billionaire CEO, Howard Schultz, announced that the company would pay for thousands of workers, including baristas who work just 20 hours a week, to get a bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program. The initiative, the first of its kind, will allow many of the Seattle-based company’s 135,000 workers to graduate debt-free. Those who already have two years of college credit under their belts, will be entitled to a full tuition reimbursement. Those just starting college will receive subsidies worth an average of $6,500. There will be no requirement that employees who graduate with the program stay on at Starbucks."

Incremental Progress Part I

Making progress on big issues while sitting as one member of a 5 member board is difficult. When one board member sees things, let's say, differently--this further complicates the effort for changing issues. Making progress on these issues when the board has an elected superintendent of schools and does not necessarily favor a policy or idea is next to impossible. So this past week has been exceptional.

 At last week's special workshop for discussing the rights and responsibilities handbook, some very important progress was made with respect to the addition of language that requires that a student's parents be called before a student is questioned at school for law enforcement, non-school discipline related matters, by Police. It's the sort of language I've been trying to get inserted into the book for three years over HEAVY opposition from the superintendent's staff, the county sheriff, and several members of the School Board.

 So at this meeting, knowing that time was a factor in getting the book advertised for adoption, I brought