Comments on: AKA…You only need to fool enough people to win…

By: EdLeadershipcrisis

EdLeadershipcrisis — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 10:01:00 +0000

Why do you insist on digressing from the main point? This is not a discussion about using test scores inappropriately, which surely is debated in other entries in this blog. This is a discussion about effective local governance when the topic is a board of education. What gives anyone any confidence in a purely elected school board in Bpt, given that history? Where is the criticism of Reeves’ 90/90/90 schools, where over 90% are poor, over 90% minority and over 90% meeting the standard in reading and math? The education establishment must concern itself with the things it has the most control over, which is the efficacy of the education structures and personnel. What should it do, sit around and wait for Santa Claus with a bundle of money or a cultural revolution where two parents read to a child each night? Yes, the electorate should be putting infinitely more pressure on legislators to fund the education system adequately, no question, and to deal with housing, health, etc., but if it throws its hands up, more kids will suffer. Let’s parse the discussion out, at least for this week, on how to get an EFFECTIVE, not just elected, school governance bodies. Jon, Linda.. any real ideas that won’t yield the same ineptitude of the Bpt boards the last 30 years? Just elect the same people to be asleep at the wheel?

By: Brutus2011

Brutus2011 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 15:00:00 +0000

I have taught in both Bridgeport and New Haven. I have to say that my experience in Bridgeport made me appreciate more my former experience in New Haven a bit more. I say a bit because the top down control of New Haven’s system does produce a more orderly district than does whatever management model Bridgeport is using. Unfortunately, New Haven does not produce appreciably better student outcomes than does Bridgeport. It only produces a more manageable public relations situation for those who run the district.

So, what is the true goal here?

I believe that, as Wendy Kopp admitted on the Charlie Rose show, the public education system is run for the adults and not for the children. For proof, look at the administrative salaries and pensions, the consultancy fees, and the private firm contracts. Teacher’s salaries do not factor in because teachers earn subsistence wages in the current economy without even factoring in the hidden inflation that no one talks about.

I believe that the current system is a mess–from the education schools of our universities to the administrators who work with the ed schools to prepare future teachers to state and local politicians who look at ed reform as a political opportunity. I give teachers a bye because, as anyone who has been in the classroom knows, there is no harder job around.

What do we do with a situation like this? A situation where the chickens are getting restless in the chicken coop and the foxes who are guarding the chickens are getting anxious to retain their power and control over the rest of us?

To be honest, I don’t know.

Yet. Give me time, foxes, I always figure out a solution. Your time of preying on the rest of us is coming to an end.

By: Linda174

Linda174 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:14:00 +0000

Doug Lemov……control like a champion…..hand wiggling, sit up straight, line up in perfect fashion, do not speak, all eyes on the teacher at all times…yup…that’s exactly how they run schools in Avon,
Westport and Greenwich….militaristic test prep regimes. But I guess it is good enough for those kinds of kids. I now know more about your philosophy.

Sign your child or grandchild up for a Lemov style school….YOU FIRST!

Oh and this makes “good adult systems” because of test scores alone? Is that your only measurement? There is wide spread cheating and manipulating going on not to mention the validity issues.

By: EdLeadershipcrisis

EdLeadershipcrisis — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:55:00 +0000

nobody said poverty isn’t a big factor, but unquestionably authors like Doug Lemov in “Teach like a champion” and the Doug Reeves 90/90/90 schools prove that good adult systems make a big difference, and there is nobody who has followed bridgeport education for any lenght of time that thinks their school board of the past 20-30 years were anything but dysfunctional. THat is the point of this blog. Own up to that point first, then lets problem solve as to how they can be chosen with governing better in mind. THAT has nothing to do with cirasulo or rhee or anyone else. Stick to the point with a valid argument for a good governance structure when the completely elected body was a disaster for decades. any real ideas?

By: CT Essential Politics – Thursday 08.09.12 - CT Devil's Advocate

CT Essential Politics – Thursday 08.09.12 - CT Devil's Advocate — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:52:36 +0000

[...] Analysis and Blogs Negative Rate Of Return For CT’s Pensions! - Reuters Fooling ‘Some Of The People’ In Bridgeport - Jon Pelto, Wait, What? GOPers In CT05 Head To Finish Line - Amanda Falcone, Courant At [...]

By: Linda174

Linda174 — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:36:00 +0000

Yeah and where is all the reform and accountability for the leadership crisis in education? When scores improve the adminstrators get the praise. When scores are low, the teachers are blamed.

Educaiton is the only industry in our nation that blames failure on the workers and not the leadership.

So, where is the “reform” and the accountability for the “leaders”?

Why is juking the stats, moving the shells around, inflating grades and therefore graduation rates, just to make special masters look better, overlooked when promoting these charlatans?

By: guest

guest — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 11:07:00 +0000

Wow, is this a cleaned-up version of Michelle Rhee?
It’s true that many democratically-elected bodies (especially for unpaid board positions) can be highly dysfunctional. But there are checks and balances in place.
The reason poor schools in the US do not “educate” better is the complete lack of realistic financial support. Add to this the horrors of poverty and the traumatic effects of violence (school children as young as 4 suffer the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder–similar to soldiers in a war zone–from the violence and instability–one of the first studies of this took place in Bridgeport!).
Your argument is a thinly-veiled “poverty is no reason” talking point from School Reform 101. “EdLeadershipcrisis” is a fave of reformers. Maybe this is Cirasuolo.

By: EdLeadershipcrisis

EdLeadershipcrisis — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 09:47:00 +0000

Jon, while I generally support what you write in this blog, the one thing you continually fail to address is just how dysfunctional Bridgeport board of educations have been for the past 20 years using the democratic process. Bprt had rubber stamp passive players who got trampled by a strong Supt during the 80s and 90s while the system deteriorated, then followed by weak boards and chairs into the 2000s. The horrible governance and lack of proper balance of pressure, accountability and support of the system is arguably a principal cause of the conditions of the system. Myriad research shows that skillful adult actions, from governance bodies through the classroom supports, can mitigate to a large degree against the effects of poverty. In Bridgeport, the low expectations of the public resulted in electing dysfunctional boards for over 3 decades, then resulting in low accountabillity of the system. What evidence to you have that would suggest that the voters are now any more savvy about their elected board members? A balance of elected and appointed may be the best solution.

By: guest

guest — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:21:00 +0000

We absolutely need to get the New Haven story out. You are right, Brutus, the silence is deafening.
Oh, and Waterbury is in the pipeline for the exclusive Commissioner’s Network. Get out the gags, it’s a prerequisite for joining.

By: guest

guest — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Tommy Burns, you can’t be in favor of appointed boards in big cities and object to the abuses in Bridgeport! With strong mayors and appointed boards, corruption will rule the day.