Andrea Gabor wonders why Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick drew national attention to Orchard Gardens while ignoring the true turnaround at Brockton High School, the state’s largest high school?
Orchard Gardens fits the Duncan script: Blame the teachers, fire 80% of them. But the school made modest gains and still has low scores. Contrary to what Governor Patrick claimed, it is not “one of the best schools in the state” in only one year. He neglected to mention that the school has had six principals in seven years.
Brockton High, however, is truly a remarkable story of collaboration and success. And it does not follow the Duncan script. There were no mass firings. There was no blaming teachers. Instead there was a focused effort to improve literacy, not by testing and test prep, but by reading, writing, and discussion. The change did not occur in a single year. And the results are impressive.
Why didn’t Governor Patrick tell the story of Brockton High?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yes, the charterizers distort the record to falsify the promise of their privatization scheme. Pls circulate a number for us to call to Gov P objecting to his misrepresentation. We all should let him know, “Talk about Brockton! Talk about Brockton, you public servant!”
Yes or an email. Good idea!
Very interesting. It seems as if the DNC convention is full of misrepresentations and manipulating of the facts.
I’d like to know more about Brockton high though. Where were they? Where are they now? What do their math scores look like over the past few years?
etc.