Scapegoating Teachers & African American Males

Much of the education news recently deals with the low (42%) graduation rate among African American Males. Of course this story, based on recent studies was covered by NPR, CNN and most of the other major news networks. I don't know about FOX, I think FOX was covering the Kardashians in Miami. As was expected the "experts" who offered their opinions spewed forth the usual accusatory comments. It was the Blame Game. Teachers don't care. We have failed to hold the interest of these students. They are bored. School is not fun. It was the usual litany of finger pointing accusations.

I decided to Google the news story and see if anyone had something new to offer. Well, I came upon this piece by a social activist, Rev. Romal J. Tune. Reading this article was like a breath of fresh air after dealing with so much hot air. This man has his head screwed on right. He ought to be this country's Secretary of Education instead of Race to the Top advocate Arne Duncan. Rev. Tune understands that to be successful it is more than just the school experience. It is much more.

Take a look at this article. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Scapegoating Teachers Will Not Help Young Black Males Succeed

Rev. Romal J. Tune
Social Activist

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The Schott foundation study showing that less than 50 percent of black males are graduating from high school is astounding and depressing - but not a revelation to many in the African American community.

We've known for years that our public school systems are failing to meet the needs of young black males. Unfortunately, instead of sparking an important dialogue this news has started the old finger pointing blame game. Blame the teachers, torch the unions and throw social justice organizations under the bus.

This tired argument misses a huge point which is revealed in the study - the fact that our communities are also failing these young men. But talking heads would like to hijack this commendable study to instead galvanize the community against teachers.

African Americans know anecdotally, and this study confirms, that there are a host of other social factors that affect young black males who disproportionately come from single parent homes, are more likely to live in poverty and are predisposed to inner city violence from gangs and drugs. And too often these young men lack role models to show them another path

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I know because I was one of those young men. I came from a family where being gang-affiliated was more prized than being on the honor roll. There was a history of drugs and violence in my neighborhood and frankly a lot of the conditions in my house left me so distracted that often school was the last thing on my mind.

Because of my unstable home environment I moved in and out of schools - attending nearly 10 different schools during my elementary years. Were the teachers to blame for my early failures? Not at all, but my community and my home life were huge factors.

During my years in school there were a lot of great teachers who tried to get through to me. Teachers who stayed late when they weren't paid overtime. Teachers who bought me food, gave me bus fare with their own money and used their paychecks to provide classroom supplies for other students.

Too often these teachers get swept up in the anti-teacher rhetoric that's become common in our public policy debates. Dangerous rhetoric that leads Americans to think that teachers are ineffective, overpaid, part of the problem and should be fired on a whim; an instant recipe for dissuading talented people who are thinking of pursuing a profession in this unappreciated field.

I agree that our education system should focus on the children but I also believe that we need to protect teachers from critics who want to scapegoat them as the sole source of the problem while ignoring other factors.

Children should have good teachers to protect their future and teachers should have a voice on the job to protect them when they are not the source of the problem

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I work closely with many individuals and groups who are committed to using an integrated approach to improving our public school systems--including teachers unions. Together, we are working to provide teachers with the supports they need to help students succeed, to strengthen teachers' skills and to develop ways to accurately identify teachers who are not cut out for the profession. I believe in the work that I do because frankly it's just too easy to think that firing all the teachers is going to solve our education problem. And it's way too easy to throw out the public schools and the kids in them and start with whole new model that's only available to some kids.

But that won't solve the problem for many urban communities who are waiting for us to work together to find a solution that allows all schools and communities to succeed

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Improving education outcomes for black males is an urgent priority, but the blame game will only move us in the wrong direction. Only when parents, administrators, teachers, and the community come together to find solutions can we truly address all the factors in making a child a success. Meanwhile let's stop finger pointing and begin to share solutions because there are too many kids - kids who are growing up like I did - who are waiting for us to get our act together.

• Education

COLLEGE ANYONE ?

In 1997 my daughter graduated from high school. After considering several colleges and universities she chose to attend Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. At the time I was somewhat concerned and disappointed that she chose not to attend a California college or university and take advantage of her resident status. I had a lot to learn and my daughter would be my teacher.

Apparently for a host of reasons more and more California college students are not able to complete their course work in the customary four years; but need additional years of college time before graduation. Of course this additional time means additional expense. My daughter assured me that even with the added expense of being an out of state student at Western Washington, the overall cost would be less than attending college in California because she would graduate in four years.

One needs to know that my daughter has a common sense streak that many mature adults would envy and a frugal side that is the basis of many family stories. As a result, since she guaranteed completion of all her course work in four years and graduation, she left California for Bellingham in the early Fall of 1997 and as promised, she graduated from Western Washington in 2001.

As a result of Lauren's experiences attending college we were more prepared for the college experiences of our sons. One started at UC Santa Cruz and after his sophomore year transferred to Oberlin College Music Conservatory. Another started his course work in the community college system and eventually entered UC Davis. By in large our financial expenses with the UC system and our sons' experiences with courses and college life were vastly different from that of our daughter.

As a result of generous grants from Oberlin our musical son was able to attend Oberlin for less money than of the cost of attending UC Santa Cruz. Our chemical engineer son recently graduated from UC Davis ;but now has hefty student loans to repay because of the additional time needed to complete his course work. Sadly, his student loans carry interest rates higher than most of today's current mortgage rates and car loans. Go figure !

Reports indicate that tuition at all UC campuses has doubled since 1999. Granted that California's budget is a disaster; but it is unfortunate that the UC regents continue to attempt to balance their budget at the expense of students and their parents. Of course budget priorities could be adjusted. UC Berkeley is in the process of a $300 million dollar seismic upgrade of its stadium and athletic facilities. Stanford University (a private institution) recently spent approximately $100 million dollars on the university's new football stadium.

Many of our country's colleges and universities have substantial endowments and receive vast sums from both the public and private sector. In the words of Jerry McGuire: "Show me the money." Specifically, how is this money being used? The public perception is that too much is being spent on administrative costs, inflated salaries and extravagant expenses accounts and too little on students, especially in the area of holding tuitions costs down. There needs to be an accounting. It is time for the U.S. Department of Education to audit the books of all colleges and universities that in any way, shape or form receive directly or indirectly public funds. It is time for transparency. It is time for the American tax-paying public to see exactly how our colleges and universities handle their (our) money.

FIXING OUR SCHOOLS FOR DUMMIES - IX

Teachers + Students Test Scores =Teacher Evaluations ?

Some 200 Washington, DC teachers were fired in July as a result of being classified poor and ineffectual under the school systems evaluation process. This new and improved evaluation process evaluates teachers based on students' test scores. The students' test scores became the "value added component" or 50% of the fired teachers' evaluations. If these 200 DC teachers were deemed poor and needed to be fired, then I would hope that they were terminated because they did not possess the necessary skills, knowledge of subject matter, classroom management and organizational skills and certification. Unfortunately, these teachers were fired based on a large part (50%) on their students' test scores.

Why is it that when looking at students who do not achieve fingers always point at teachers. More than likely students who do not test well have a history of poor attendance, poor behavior, poor attitude, refusal to do work both in class and at home and many have parents who have no control over them. If teachers are to be evaluated and held professionally accountable for their students' standardized test score results under the heading of a "value added component" then the same standard should be applied to students and their parents. Let's determine and document if parents have added value to their children's lives. Let's face it, many students add value to a school's test score results and ranking while other students by their inability or outright refusal to participate in the testing process lower their schools test scores and subsequent ranking. Maybe it is time to evaluate and classify students as either students who add value or decrease the overall value of a school.

With these 200 teachers no longer in the classroom will there be a dramatic or even noticeable improvement in the test scores of DC's students? I doubt it because the actual test takers, the students, both those who add value and those who decrease value will still be participating in the testing process. Until the alleged educational leadership of our schools come to grips with problem students who take standardized tests in a "could care less" fashion, some schools will always show poor results. In any school showing very good test results you will see students who want to learn and achieve dominating that school's student population. Troublemakers and the disinterested are not present. These same schools will have parents who are actively interested in their child's education and see the school as more than convenient day care. This combination of engaged students and proactive parents allow an atmosphere to exist where all teachers can teach and add value to the students school experience. What we continue to see are solutions not based on a clear understanding or even an acknowledgement of the actual problems in our schools that teachers must deal with on a daily basis. What we do see are not really solutions, they are poorly conceived and haphazardly executed reactions.

Being a retired teacher I am no longer subject to reactionary solutions, half ass improvement programs and in vogue evaluation procedures. I sympathize with many of my colleagues, both senior teachers and those just starting their careers. Most have the knowledge to teach their respective subjects. All must teach under the residual pressure of ivory tower conceived programs like Caught in the Middle, No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. Is it any surprise that many new teachers do not remain in the profession after their fifth year? Does it surprise anyone that private schools are so appealing to so many teachers, parents and students?