John Merrow officially retired from his long and distinguished career in journalism, but he is not inactive. For one thing, he has printed up some bumper stickers in appreciation of teachers (the other 1%) and is selling them at cost.
And on his blog, he has imagined Eva’s testimony when she goes to court to defend herself against parents of students entitled to special education services and New York City’s Public Advocate Letitia James. Of course, she doesn’t back down an inch and says that her charter schools treat all “scholars” exactly the same.
Here is a small part of her “testimony”:
“I certainly do not apologize for using out of school suspensions more than any other schools, whether charter or traditional public. They are an important tool in the Success Academy toolbox, as I have written about in the Wall Street Journal. I know that other schools treat behavior issues at the school, but we think sending the child home sends a message to him or her and to the parents.
“A child who cannot keep his eyes on the teacher at all times doesn’t belong at Success Academy. A child who continues to call out the answer to questions, even if she’s right, clearly isn’t Success Academy material. A kindergartener who gets curious about the pictures on the bulletin board and leaves his seat to take a close look, that’s behavior we have to stamp out. Obedience trumps curiosity every time, because if we allowed children to follow their desires, curiosity and passions, chaos would ensue.
“Yes, it’s true that the parents of children we suspend multiple times often decide to withdraw their children from our schools, but that’s their choice.
A lot of kids leave Success Academy, to be replaced by children on our long waiting list. But, your honor, those kids who disappear from our rolls are PITA kids, not special needs.”
Read on to find out what PITA kids are.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
PITA (pain in the ass) kids…..really….WOW
So glad to see that John finally saw the light.
There are already unbelievable quotes out there from Moskowitz. Explaining why she won’t backfill, she swipes at children whose reading skills are below grade level:
“It’s not really fair for the student in seventh grade or a high school student to have to be educated with a child who’s reading at a second or third grade level.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/04/10/new-york-city-charters-leave-thousands-of-seats-unfilled-despite-exploding-demand-study-finds/.
She has also insulted the parenting that goes on in her scholars’ homes: “We are old-fashioned. We don’t believe that children should curse at teachers. We do not believe that children should throw chairs, either at teachers or other kids. Not only do we not believe that children should hit, we have a no-hitting-back rule. And that’s very challenging for parents. Many of our parents say to us, “I teach my kid, you get hit and you stand up for yourself and you hit back.” And we have to say, you know, that might be an appropriate rule for the street, but we are in a house of learning. And that’s not what we do here.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-eva-moskowitz-charter-schools-success-perspec-0522-20150521-story.html
Eva is the face of hubris, arrogance, ignorance, intolerance, and dare I say?; no let that come out in court.
Do you have a lot of seventh grade or high school students reading at second or third grade level in Hastings (1% ELLs, 5% FRPL-eligible, 3% black), Lisa? Maybe you guys could show Success how it’s done.
Tim, Success Academy seems to prove that high test scores do not translate into life success.
Eva would have made a great turn-of-the-century settlement house teacher and admin, or imperialist occupier.
Positively Dickensian.
Remember the one Eva celebrated the girl who took her tests just after — the same day — that she had her infected spleen removed under anasthesia:
https://dianeravitch.net/2015/10/31/jack-covey-reviews-evas-ed-talk/
I had trouble with the link to the post on The Merrow Report, but I think this works.
http://themerrowreport.com/2016/01/22/eva-goes-to-court/
A recent story in the NYTimes (1/22/16) noted that “Ms. Moskowitz also discussed her educational philosophy and said that her approach was based on “a different view of children” from that of the larger culture . . . ”
Indeed!!
Her view of children is DOLLARS, it rhymes with “scholars.”
Here is the correct link to PITA
http://themerrowreport.com/2016/01/22/eva-goes-to-court/
“Successful Turnarounds”
Eva’s found,
Without a doubt,
That “turn-around”
Means “turn ’em out”
“Branded for Success”
Eva’s brand
Is “Tests R Us”
“Worst” are canned
And “best” are bussed
“The Cuckoo’s Nest”
Birds of a charter
Flock together
Lay their eggs in public schools
Feed from a mother
Of another
In a land where cuckoo rules
As I recall, Professor Snape had similar complaints about Hermione answering questions out of turn. Eva = Snape?
Snape! Perfect comparison!
Nah, as intimidating and sinister as he is, Snape is ultimately a good guy. Eva is closer to Delores Umbridge.
Eva=Gilderoy Lockhart. A complete and utter self fabrication of pomposity and deceit. Snape is “always” on the side of Harry inspite of his outward demeanor.
Wow, this is really damaging testimony.
John Merrow has never been anti-charter. In fact, I would have characterized his reporting as somewhat pro-charter until last year, although not overwhelmingly so. He certainly had no agenda to try to undermine charter schools. He was, and is, a journalist who tried to report the facts as he saw them.
The fact that he is now writing things like this demonstrates how much his eyes have been opened as to how this extremely successful charter school (in terms of test scores) achieved those results, and the cost borne by the many children who left the school.
It’s rather a shame that the SUNY Charter Institute saw its role as a cheerleader for charter schools instead of an oversight agency, since they were the only oversight agency allowed to put a check on these kinds of practices. Had they done their job years ago and told Ms. Moskowitz in no uncertain terms that high suspension and attrition rates for at-risk kids who won Kindergarten spots was unacceptable, there would not be this conundrum today. The more she realized that SUNY was going to reward her for these practices instead of censure her, the more incentive there was to continue these practices. Talk about enabling this behavior — the people at SUNY Charter Institute were the co-dependents who made it easy for her to continue. The one person who perhaps might have cared enough to put a stop to it years ago — Pedro Noguera — resigned from the SUNY Charter Institute board 4 years ago and no one since has been anything other than a cheerleader unwilling to look closely at anything that might damage the Success Academy brand.
Here is something that Eva Moskowitz and the people who run and sit on the board of the SUNY Charter Institute never learned and is the reason none of them should be anywhere near public education. The value of a school cannot be measured only in the test scores of the students who are allowed to stay, even if those students do well and their parents are thrilled to be there. The value of a school is how they treat ALL their students. Keeping those struggling students and having a school whose test scores were not nearly as good would not have made Success Academy a failing or terrible school. It would have made it an admirable charter school trying its best to educate the students whose parents were desperate for a better school. Not just the ones among them who gave them bragging rights.
We all know Stuy and Bronx Science are fine schools but no one would ever hold them out as a model for how failing public schools can improve. But Success Academy claimed to have the secret sauce and SUNY endorsed them with their stamp of approval and claim that they had looked at everything and it was all legit. As John Merrow realized, there was a very high cost paid for their success, that was ignored for far too long.
Has Merrow not ever addressed the rather brutal assessment of his Success reporting written by PBS’s independent ombudsman? I couldn’t find anything on his blog.
http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/blogs/ombudsman/2015/10/26/a-high-stakes-schoolyard-fight/
I guess the reporting is supposed to “stand on its own” and that’s that.
Tim,
In light of the many emails I get from former employees of Success–teachers and administrators–I would say that John Merrow’s report was on target. Do you ever tire of making excuses for Eva? I thought her philosophy was “no excuses.”
I agree with the PBS ombudsman that simply piling up additional sources who refuse to go on the record does not atone for the shortcomings in Merrow’s reporting.
No, Diane, the fanboys (and fangirls) of Moskowitz will never tire of making excuses for her.
Tim, the NY Times article vindicated everything in the Merrow report and more. In fact, if anything, the Merrow report was very balanced and didn’t bash Success Academy entirely. What was most damaging was Eva Moskowitz’ interview — which revealed to all viewers exactly who she was — that upset the pro-Success Academy folks. (It is an indictment of other educational journalists that they have never bothered with follow-up questions
I suspect that the PBS ombudsman — who wrote his response right after Merrow’s report was broadcast and the billionaire donors began their complaints to PBS — is now pretty humiliated. Despite the confidential sources in the PBS report and the actual data on suspension rates that were in the Merrow report, the ombudsman somehow dismissed it all as having no evidence because every person did not go on camera. That has never been the requirement of other investigative reports, but hey, the big donors were complaining and he had to find something wrong.
In fact, I think the ombudsman did Merrow a favor by his outrageous criticism — as did Eva Moskowitz’ attempt to get revenge by releasing private records designed to “prove” that a suspended 6 year old child was a violent monster. When the NY Times did its reporting of the “got to go” list, so many more parents chose to go on the record. Someone leaked that got to go list as well as the fact that the Harlem Success Academy principal who trained the Fort Greene one had a policy of refusing to send renewal forms home with the kids she put on her “imaginary” got to go list. Obviously even insiders at Success Academy want those practices to stop. What amazes me is how many people on here are happy to have them continue. I guess when it comes to privatizing public schools, the ends always justifies the means, no matter how truly reprehensible the means are.
John Merrow’s reporting did stand on its own. That’s why the NY Times article proved every word was correct. Nothing in the ombudsman’s report says it was not correct — just that they should not have used sources who wouldn’t go public. Aren’t you glad those sources finally did, so you can have no doubt that it was all true?
Excellent comment, NYC, but I’m afraid that you’re talking to (well, writing to) a brick wall. Charter proponents will not be budged, and as for the Eva Moskowitz fans…….it almost seems cult-like in some ways.
Zorba, you are right about the supporters seeming cult-like.
Maybe Donald Trump can tap Eva Moskowitz to be his Vice Presidential running mate. I’m sure his supporters would approve.
Oh, ugh! Although I’m not sure that the Donald would want as a running mate someone who is almost as good at self-promotion as he is. It might take a bit of the spotlight away from him. 😉
I am buying 50 tomorrow – don’t care who thought them up – our teachers will appreciate these!
Thanks!