Wednesday Links

Bxgrl, you should expect improvement because the same people who gave out the failing letter grades to the big schools this year will give A’s to the new smaller ones next year 😉

There ar teachers in my family and I have friends who are teachers. A more dedicated and hardworking bunch I have not seen- sorry to disagree with the generalized assessments here but most teachers go in wanting to educate kids. Management is the real problem- it doesn’t support the teachers, or the kids or the parents.

As for blaming the kids- you reap what you sow. Don’t blame them for the shortcomings and failings of their parents, the union or the City. I’m not saying there are no bad kids- there are. And also bear in mind, not all of these kids are in failing schools because they are bad. A lot of them have learning disabilities, or simply could not get into a better school for whatever reason, including overcrowding in the better schools. But instead of putting resources into making failing schools better, Bloomberg’s thinking is to toss them out.

Most of them will remain in the same building, grouped into smaller schools, with new staff. So in essence, they will be served by the same Brd of Ed that failed them all along- why should anyone expect improvement?

rob-agree with you once again. it’s these dumbass kids that’s the problem. they are just getting stupider as time goes on. like you said, hopefully things will get a bit $ucked up and send these yuppies property values down the shitter and hopefully push them to the suburbs. i am always happy when i hear that property values have gone down. long live the renter!

The students from the closed schools will not go to currently high-performing schools. They will go to smaller, newly created schools. So, one high school with 1000 students will now become 4 high schools with 250 students each, sharing the same building. Each of the new schools will have its own administration and educational philosophy or specialty. The theory is that smaller schools can provide closer supervision and oversight and better address the needs and interests of the students. (And, in fact, this has been proven to be true).

The “good schools” will not absorb the failing students, and it won’t lead to (more) overcrowding.

If there’s a real criticism here, it’s that Bloomberg and Klein are wresting control from the UFT by setting up charter schools, which can hire non-union teachers and administrators. But personally, I think the UFT is more interested in engaging in turf wars and controlling its fiefdoms than in educating students — so, I’d side with Bloomberg on that issue. But that’s what is at the heart of the conflict….