Hugh Bailey is tired of the oft-told tale of the miracle district and the “savior” who comes in on a white horse, turns around a low-performing district, then rides off into the sunset. He is writing in this case about Paul Vallas, but he is looking at the repeated stories of miracle districts (think Houston) and miracle-makers (think Rod Paige, Paul Vallas, and the list could go on.)
If only the people with access to the big media would acknowledge how hard it is to improve schools and districts. Anyone who says that it can be done easily, quickly, and on the cheap is not telling the truth. Change comes slowly or it isn’t real and doesn’t last.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
As we now know none of his “reforms” are sustainable.
Mayor Finch referred to him as a knight on a white horse and the Board chair, Reverend Moales, said he was a fireman saving terrorists (19 real firemen had just died tragically in Arizona).
The boys are so enamored with Paul and then this appeared on twitter:
https://mobile.twitter.com/realsaramerica/status/352398724418387968/photo/1
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Why should you expect a miracle from a joke like Vallas? Now do not tell me that schools cannot be rapidly turned around when it has happened but not with jokers like Vallas, Obama, Duncan, Deasy, Gates, Broad, Walton et al at the helm. You need competent understanding driven people to do this work. In 1970 Richard Arthur and Marcus Foster, the superintendent, turned around Castlemont High School in Richmond which at the time was rated the most criminal and violent school in the U.S. they had constant gunfights on campus and the principal was shot to death in their office. Know of one like that now? I didn’t think so. Well, Richard and Marcus did it for four years until the SLA decided it was time for assinations. They killed Marcus Foster and twice attempted to do the same to Richard. It is all about leadership. As soon as Richard and Marcus Foster were gone they let it all go to hell as usual in all the other situations I have seen where this has been done and it has been done and recently. So do not say it cannot be done when it has been done.
The Fish Rots from the Head and that is all there is too it.
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I agree that a lot of people don’t consider the consequences of their choices. I’ve had charter parents tell me that as charters grow, it will be good for me because the class sizes in my child’s school will come down.
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I guess considered isn’t the correct word – they don’t fully research the consequence of their choices.
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That has been my mantra through this whole thing: anyone who says public education policy is easy is not really thinking about it or does not want to be part of the conversation. In fact, I find very few people who do want to be part of the conversation and so I turn to this blog (albeit I do try to talk to people about education in our state).
What I am finding is that most people don’t know what is going on around the country (many do not even know who Arne Duncan is), or they do not seem phased by “reform” because they think back to any minuscule complaint they might have had in their own public school past and they assume that ahhh, at last that tiny little thing will be fixed. They do not realize that one weed does not need to be solved by unearthing an entire garden–and/or they do not realize that unearthing the garden is actually happening. Some think that certain proverbial gardens (school districts) needed to be unearthed, but that somehow their own will just be neatly weeded and blossoms will abound and we will skip down the garden path pleased as punch.
A garden path indeed.
And RttT is the Round-Up being sprayed on everything.
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Well stated, Joanna! You have become a terrific participant in the important discourse occurring daily in this great blog. (I remember when you were writing only quotes from songs!) I am SO tired of all the ignorance and the fact that people actually believe the phrase “ignorance is bliss.” As we all know, ignorance is actually kiss–as in, the kiss of death, the end of our public schools, our freedom of speech and, in totality, the end of our existence as a democratic nation. So, everybody reading this blog, keep spreading the word and telling the honest truth, which will KEEP us free. And–everyone with schoolchildren–OPT OUT of STATE, “STANDARDIZED” (not so–neither valid nor reliable) TESTING, to insure the future existence of public schools, parental input and access to experienced educators and administrators. Yes WE can!
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For old times sake. . .
Joe Strummer (because this blog needs a soundtrack):
Late news breakin’, this just in
Tonight there was a power cut in the city of madness
And all conversations died in the burst of a solar flare
In the darkness an angel won the beauty pagent
Stroboscopic snowflakes fell from the stratosphere
And all the neon blew down funky Broadway
And shorted out the eastern shore
Only saxophones and beach trombones
We’re left to shout out,
“We all need a little more.”
I’m waiting for the rays of the morning sun
Somebody tell me clearly, has the new world begun
Let all the wailing wail, let the drummer drum
We’re waiting for the rays of the morning sun, hey, the morning sun
Whoa, oh, the morning sun, hey, hey, the morning sun
Has anybody seen the morning sun
I’m lost in a world beyond the lost city
I’m looking for a phone and I cant find one
Gotta Tony Bennett eight track in the hotel pity
The moon turned and shot someone
I’m lost in a mack truck, Jack, in the city of words
Only dead men stomp on the brake pedals in the city of nerves
Sow me some reaps, Jack, I’m dead on the heap
Show me some glycerin, Mac, downhill is so steep
I’m waiting for the rays of the morning sun
Somebody tell me clearly, has the new world begun
Let all the wailing wail, let the drummer drum
We’re waiting for the rays of the morning sun, hey, the morning sun
Whoa, oh, the morning sun, hey, hey, the morning sun
Has anybody seen the morning sun
Late news breakin’, this just in
Late news breakin’, this just in
The whole city is a debris of broken heels and party hats
I’m standing on the corner that’s on a fold on the map
I lost my friends at the deportee station
I’ll take immigration into any nation
I’m waiting for the rays of the morning sun
Somebody tell me clearly, has the new world begun
Let all the wailing wail, let the drummer drum
Waiting for the rays of the morning sun, hey, the morning sun
Whoa, oh, the morning sun, hey, hey, the morning sun
Has anybody seen the morning sun
Has the new world begun
Who is that screaming in Lunar Park
If they make Tony Adams captain
We could all go screaming in Lunar Park
I say yes, oh, yes, you should check it out
Check it out, yeah, check it out
Check it out, check it out
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Letter from Bridgeport parents:
Time to move on from Vallas term
http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Time-to-move-on-from-Vallas-term-4652828.php
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Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
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