San Diego Unified Parent- Life At School

Our son’s name has not changed- nor his birthdate, or his emergency contact information, his health insurance, his conduct, his doctor. His social security number, he’s still not taking medications, and he still brings his own lunch, but probably doesn’t eat it, and that’s not changed either.

Why am I filling out all these forms again?

Why not, like the rest of business worldwide, have a password-protected database where I can make the changes required, if any?  I strongly suspect the information will be input into a database at some point, why the duplicity of effort?  Yes, written forms can always be provided as an option.  But how much money is wasted by all this inputting?

Food for thought- this video was posted in November of 2007, and is already looking tired.  No, I don’t believe in throwing books away, but yes, I agree with using new tools to teach.  Tools with which students are familiar, but many teachers are not.

An advantage (there are many DISadvantages) of being a geek is immediacy. Today’s example is this post, my first created entirely on iphone directly from a school board meeting. This is an amazing process, and makes me even more thankful that I’m a photographer and not a boardmember. There is interesting stuff happening right now, so I’ll post more later.

As mentioned before, I attended the Board of Education Meeting (good) on the 8th.  

Now, many of my closest friends, in moments of candor, will tell you I can be a grumpy old bastard.  I am well over 40, and have a view of the world and expectations of conduct that began in another century.  I was taught by parents who had their values solidly based in the Depression (you know- the 1929 one).  This life experiences puts me in the fist-shaking at the wind category.  I am embarrassed we live in a society that has to have signs to tell people to get off their phone before approaching a service counter, or in the neighborhood of my studio 2 blocks from the ballpark (hear the angels sing), a sign that says “Don’t [urinate] in this doorway”.(bad)  It makes me grumpy.(bad)

The BOE meeting on the 8th was just such an event.  There were LOTS of parents (good) who wished to speak to the Board about their particular cause (good) and were fervent in their beliefs.  Primary among these were supporters of Eddie Caballero.  Mr Caballero is an awfully popular guy (good) among the Sherman Heights Community and parents.

The BOE made it clear from the beginning that there were so many speakers, time would have to be limited to one minute per person.  And off we go to the races.

Grumpy me has certain standards of behavior for certain activities. For example, riding my dirtbike has a lower standard than walking through a house of worship- anyone’s. (naive)

There seems, however no standard of behavior for parents attending BOE meetings.  Many of Mr Caballero’s supporters were Latina-istas, which is far easier to type than to say.  The Latina-ista mob was completely disruptive (rude)- talking on cell phones, chatting amongst their crew, and making their hats of protest while the BOE was in session.  When the Caballero announcement was made (good) the place went crazy- you would have thought Terry Grier was a soccer announcer and had yelled GOAL-OSOOOOOO!  

Look-I understand and support the enthusiasm these parents have for their community (good) and have no objection to their outburst (good) celebrating the goal.

But then it took an ugly turn.  The Latina-istas continued to conduct themselves as if they were at that imaginary soccer game, (rude) while other business was trying to be conducted.  At one point, a Latina-ista leader grabbed the microphone away from another person addressing the BOE on a seperate matter to let her crew know it was OK to leave the building. (rude!).

Lost in the Latina-ista pandemonium were speakers who had very important discussions for the BOE.

One was the parent of a special education child who was, above the din of the soccer-match crowd, trying to explain to the BOE that their budget cuts would saddle principals with too many special ed students. (bad)  Another was a pink-slipped science teacher, who was pointedly reminding individual members of the BOE about statements they had made in previous meetings- and holding them accountable (good).  

But overall, the attention in the room was stolen by Latina-istas.  One speaker all but shook her fist at the BOE and told them that they “were taking over” (rude) and they would be watching EVERY decision the BOE would be making in the future, in all future meetings (good!).

Until the break, when they all left. Including Ms Fistshaker of the Future.

As parent, I believe we should support open access to our BOE.  Their process(s) should be as transparent and visible as possible.  But with public behavior like I witnessed Tuesday, it’s no wonder the BOE enjoys it’s closed-door sessions. And it just makes more of those closed sessions more likely- I completely understand why.

Oh- and another (naive)discovery.  I’m not an educator or a politician, and when someone “schools” me about these situations, I feel pretty foolish- but I’m learning. I’ve subsequently learned that at least some of the Latina-istas were not Sherman parents at all:

They were just activists trying to guarantee that our school system continued to teach children in Spanish.

And let me clarify- not Spanish as a second language, but Spanish as a primary language in the classroom.

I’m so naive.(bad)

It’s entirely possible I’m wrong.  Will someone can comment and disabuse me of my opinion?  Just click on the comment link below.  Thanks.

Possibly the best single source of hard news about the San Diego Unified School District is voiceofsd.com’s education reporter, Emily Alpert.  This website is an excellent example of how news reporting is SUPPOSED to work.  You have this site for snarky commentary.

That typed,  have a quick look at this story, then hurry back- I’ll wait….

I had the chance to meet Edward Caballero and tour the new Sherman Elementary early this month.  This is a great school, and clearly an excellent, dedicated principal.  Clearly proud of the new site, and excited about his new position, I thought I’d  witnessed a great example of the district working the way it’s designed.  Caballero is a young, open, accessible guy with a caring and thoughtful nature- the kind of principal we need, in a neighborhood who needs him.  I was fortunate to both meet him and see the new school.

Now, we have:

The Sherman Elementary community who’ve been jerked around.

The Scripps Ranch Community who’ve been jerked around.

A solid message sent to the rest of the SDUSD staff that you may not expect rational treatment from your employer.

A solid message to parents that we may not expect rational treatment from those (the Board) that work for us.

 Luis Acle, who’s judgement is clearly clouded- he can’t even get the correct signatures to keep his own job- is the only person giving us clues.  <sarcasm> Helpful, thanks. <sarcasm>

So- when will the Board be accountable to us?  When will the Board begin acting in our, and our children’s best interest?

I get my car washed on Washington Street, which is just across from the Normal Street offices of the School District.  In the afternoon, the breeze blows in a westerly direction, and with it will sometimes arrive discarded paper and other bits of information.

A few weeks ago, the breeze brought a copy of an email from Superintendent Terry Grier to all elementary principals, dated 5.11.2008 . Now, so far I like him- I like what he’s had to say, and appreciate he went to work ahead of schedule and threw himself into the political inferno that was our budget “crisis” of 2008.  I’ve attended an event where he spoke, and he’s friendly and congenial, has an amazing CV, and has probably forgotten more about education than this silly parent will ever know.

This email that blew in the breeze across Washington Street goes into detail about a new cost-neutral school improvement strategy regarding placement of kindergarten students on which I’m still edumacating myself, and I’ll hopefully have more later for you on that subject.

But for me, the last paragraph is the most interesting and provocative.  I’m going to risk a lawsuit by quoting directly from the email- if the district lawyers read this, and take objection with it’s publication, please let me know and I’ll be happy to publish your order to cease and desist and remove the quote if necessary.  So, onward:

” In addition, please remember Dr. Bill Sanders research on the importance of students, particularly disadvantaged students, NOT being assigned to weak teachers (teachers not being able to produce a minimum of one year’s academic growth) in kindergarten through third grade.  His research STRONGLY calls for our best teachers to teach disadvantaged children in their early years” [the caps are his]

Let’s see, where to start?

First, why does the SDUSD maintain teachers on staff with a proven track record of being unable to produce a minimum of on year’s academic growth?  These are teachers that should be terminated. It’s that simple- we should not have teachers on staff that cannot provide a minimum service standard.  Are we (parents) allowed to know exactly how many teachers are so substandard?  And how long have these substandard teachers been on staff?  Will they remain on staff?  How many of our children will be taught by these “weak” teachers?  Why don’t we hire strong teachers, and get rid of weak teachers? (sniff, sniff- is that the union I smell?

Second, why is just fine and dandy that children who are not “particularly disadvantaged” (it’s too much typing, let’s call’em NPD and PD) are assigned these teachers who cannot do their jobs?  Is there some standard by which staff should discriminate (ding! special word!) which children are PD from those who are NPD and thereby deserve the lower quality education?  Should my family apply for the free lunch program or something so our child can qualify as PD?

I’ll grant you, in any workforce, there are employees who are stronger or weaker than some statistical norm.  But none of the teachers we pay for should fall below the line of being unable to produce a minimum of one year’s academic growth.

p

Welcome to San Diego Unified Parent, a blog created for free and candid discussion of life in the San Diego Unified School District, with some specific references to our family’s school, Grant Math+Science Magnet. San Diego Unified Parent has been created to promote and encourage community interaction. We’ll be maintaining a positive and mutually-respectful environment that thoughtfully considers alternative points of view. Personal attacks are unwelcome and this IS a moderated blog without any guarantee for first amendment privilege.

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