daynurse
03-07-2012, 11:27 PM
The Shoreline School District has a huge achievement gap between the Latino children and the Caucasians. Although more than 50 percent of the student body is Latino, the school board is 100% white and it appears that its decisions reflect that inequity. Last year, an attempt to start a Charter School with a Dual Immersion was 'run outta town' by some school officials and white parents citing the same drill as in the recent movie "Waiting for Superman". [highly recommended].
I'm posting this report because this atrocious situation is quite possibly duplicated in other school districts in WACCO-land. Witness the first interviewee's response by a person with color blinders on. Statistically, the Latins don't go on to college.
The full report is available in pdf format (17 pages) and I'm more than happy to email it to anyone who would like to read it in it's entirety.
Shoreline Unified School District
Listening Campaign Report February 22nd, 2012
Overview
During the Listening Campaign, interviews were conducted in small group formats and one on one meetings. Approximately 200 people were interviewed over a span of four months from October 2011 through January 2012. Certificated staff, classified staff, students, parents, administrators and board members were interviewed and asked a series of scripted questions. National Equity Project facilitators transcribed the participants’ responses. All interview responses were kept anonymous. The campaign attempted to capture the participants’ thoughts, feelings, and questions about their experiences in the district and with the schools.
Experiences
Need fresh ideas, leadership and leadership. Because we are already doing really well. Our kids graduate and do well. I think we can be better at what we do.
There is a lack of vision – a common direction to go to. We’ve got so much around us as resources, the physical environment, these new teachers, and yet we’re a mediocre school
The board of directors are all local. They have their kids here, but they don’t represent all of the students. If we have a 50/50 population in this district why is there no Latino on the board?
I’m not sure that the board fully understands the curriculum and instruction going on and it is easier to focus on facilities.
I would echo that closed feeling from the board, it has felt that they were hard to move and not open to new ideas. It seems like there’s just a reluctance to change the system.
The community came to the board and kept complaining and complaining and the initial decisions that were made by the board were rescinded. It makes you wary about bringing decisions forward when you don’t know if you’ll have the support of the board and Superintendent.
There are decisions made at the board level that come from a board member who had not been to the school.
Voice/Advocacy for Students, families and staff
The board really doesn’t understand what an EL student is and what an EL parent is. We are not all the same. One board member said that we all want the same thing for students and they all need the same things. This is not true. For EL students, there are literacy issues, there are economic barriers and this is not understood by the board. They really need to understand that we are different in order to close the achievement gap.
Students can go to the board meetings, and although you can, it’s hard to get your voice heard. You need a lot of support, and even then, it doesn’t always help.
I think having a student on the board is a good idea. It’s really intimidating to go and talk there. And if we had a vote, it would be amazing.
They asked us what we wanted in a new principal. We said we want a bilingual principal, understanding of cultures, someone who has been a teacher, young so they could be spirited, interested in all activities, easy to approach. Also be around more often. You could go to her/his office and know s/he might be there.
I want it where the families come in and they are a part of the board and they are a part of the coop. I think that the Hispanic families don’t feel like they are part of the coop. I want the Hispanic parents to feel that they have a voice. Our non-English speaking parents need to know that their voices are as valuable and anyone else that walks through the door.
We’re looking for someone who can speak more than one language. Why not listen to our community and hear what they want?
It hasn’t been clear to me – sometimes when I’ve come to PTA, I’ve felt it hasn’t been the place for new ideas. the PTA meeting already has an agenda, I didn’t know where else I could go. Where could we get parents together to generate ideas for fundraising, to come together to brainstorm, but there doesn’t seem to be a place for that.
Community and Climate
Women teachers have expressed that they have felt bullied, dismissed, and very frustrated. There are certain attitudes here that haven’t been put in check.
There are staff bullies. The way some staff talk to people. There is a lack of professionalism and demeaning. There is a real separation between the classified staff and the certificated staff.
Staff meetings always have to do with the certificated staff. We don’t go because there isn’t anything that pertains to us and our work.
It is a great teaching assignment here. The small numbers of students, the personal relationships with students that aren’t even in your class. In big schools you maybe know a circle of people, but here you know everyone.
I'm posting this report because this atrocious situation is quite possibly duplicated in other school districts in WACCO-land. Witness the first interviewee's response by a person with color blinders on. Statistically, the Latins don't go on to college.
The full report is available in pdf format (17 pages) and I'm more than happy to email it to anyone who would like to read it in it's entirety.
Shoreline Unified School District
Listening Campaign Report February 22nd, 2012
Overview
During the Listening Campaign, interviews were conducted in small group formats and one on one meetings. Approximately 200 people were interviewed over a span of four months from October 2011 through January 2012. Certificated staff, classified staff, students, parents, administrators and board members were interviewed and asked a series of scripted questions. National Equity Project facilitators transcribed the participants’ responses. All interview responses were kept anonymous. The campaign attempted to capture the participants’ thoughts, feelings, and questions about their experiences in the district and with the schools.
Experiences
Need fresh ideas, leadership and leadership. Because we are already doing really well. Our kids graduate and do well. I think we can be better at what we do.
There is a lack of vision – a common direction to go to. We’ve got so much around us as resources, the physical environment, these new teachers, and yet we’re a mediocre school
The board of directors are all local. They have their kids here, but they don’t represent all of the students. If we have a 50/50 population in this district why is there no Latino on the board?
I’m not sure that the board fully understands the curriculum and instruction going on and it is easier to focus on facilities.
I would echo that closed feeling from the board, it has felt that they were hard to move and not open to new ideas. It seems like there’s just a reluctance to change the system.
The community came to the board and kept complaining and complaining and the initial decisions that were made by the board were rescinded. It makes you wary about bringing decisions forward when you don’t know if you’ll have the support of the board and Superintendent.
There are decisions made at the board level that come from a board member who had not been to the school.
Voice/Advocacy for Students, families and staff
The board really doesn’t understand what an EL student is and what an EL parent is. We are not all the same. One board member said that we all want the same thing for students and they all need the same things. This is not true. For EL students, there are literacy issues, there are economic barriers and this is not understood by the board. They really need to understand that we are different in order to close the achievement gap.
Students can go to the board meetings, and although you can, it’s hard to get your voice heard. You need a lot of support, and even then, it doesn’t always help.
I think having a student on the board is a good idea. It’s really intimidating to go and talk there. And if we had a vote, it would be amazing.
They asked us what we wanted in a new principal. We said we want a bilingual principal, understanding of cultures, someone who has been a teacher, young so they could be spirited, interested in all activities, easy to approach. Also be around more often. You could go to her/his office and know s/he might be there.
I want it where the families come in and they are a part of the board and they are a part of the coop. I think that the Hispanic families don’t feel like they are part of the coop. I want the Hispanic parents to feel that they have a voice. Our non-English speaking parents need to know that their voices are as valuable and anyone else that walks through the door.
We’re looking for someone who can speak more than one language. Why not listen to our community and hear what they want?
It hasn’t been clear to me – sometimes when I’ve come to PTA, I’ve felt it hasn’t been the place for new ideas. the PTA meeting already has an agenda, I didn’t know where else I could go. Where could we get parents together to generate ideas for fundraising, to come together to brainstorm, but there doesn’t seem to be a place for that.
Community and Climate
Women teachers have expressed that they have felt bullied, dismissed, and very frustrated. There are certain attitudes here that haven’t been put in check.
There are staff bullies. The way some staff talk to people. There is a lack of professionalism and demeaning. There is a real separation between the classified staff and the certificated staff.
Staff meetings always have to do with the certificated staff. We don’t go because there isn’t anything that pertains to us and our work.
It is a great teaching assignment here. The small numbers of students, the personal relationships with students that aren’t even in your class. In big schools you maybe know a circle of people, but here you know everyone.