CALLING ALL INSIDERS: If there is something happening at your school that makes you go “hmm,” but you would rather remain anonymous because you like being able to pay your bills, please email it to educationonblast@gmail.com. Without any real unions, the only power educators have is making sure the world knows what is really happening. It forces the proverbial "hand" of the districts-that-be to act (even if just to cover their butts).
I just left a really awesome blog on education written by
Diane Ravitch. She is a historian, professor, and education policy analyst in
New York who has some really insightful
things to say about ed reform. As an educator and researcher, myself I like to hear
what others think about controversial topics. However, my approach is to use
humor to enlighten the masses.
After reading her post, “Tumult in NOLA,”
and all of the responses, my jaw hit the floor. Hmmm!
As I read these responses, it seems like people’s hearts are in the right place. But because they display a lack of temperance for what they
criticize, their credibility is being easily overlooked. I mean, who spends
time on a post about education (the stuff of true equality) discussing the
proper use of a blind carbon copy? Even if Gideon had used it improperly, why
does it matter? In order to be heard and taken seriously, we can’t be petty or
un-cleverly sarcastic. I mean, why
grasp at straws when the topic is filled to the brim? In fact, the cup
definitely runneth over. As for you, Gideon, “Thanks for the lesson
on blind copying and your faith in my intelligence.” Is that the best you’ve got? If you are going
to expend energy trying to insult someone for implying that you are lacking in
intelligence, make sure the reply is just that—intelligent. I’m disappointed.
That was a prime opportunity for you to show that you are as lofty and
important as you try to act. Maybe next time. :)
Moving on.
People! It’s
useless to attack Gideon’s intelligence. Nothing is black and white. You have
the right intentions, but your own credibility lies in having the insight and
ability to give credit where it is due. Hitler. He brutally, systematically, and
(although he tried to destroy the evidence) publicly murdered millions of
people (not just Jews). HOWEVER, no one could ever say he was an ineffective
leader. Jeffrey Dahmer. He was a certified genius. Considered handsome by many,
and was as charming as they came. Unfortunately, he enjoyed the occasional
sautéed person of color (possibly with fava beans and a nice chianti?). The
people running this organization aren’t necessarily lacking in intelligence
(Except the principal/CAO. Poor guy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed). But I
doubt they go home and eat people (again, not including their school leader in
this observation. That dude is…special.). They are so far removed from
everything that they say and do ridiculous things. Their only context stems
from their pre-conceived notions, the media, the many angry (and sometimes
ignorant) people they meet, and their beady-eyed little jackal of a school
leader. Yes, jackal—the doglike opportunistic omnivore that is classified simultaneously
as a predator and a scavenger. They hunt in pairs until one feels threatened. The
threatened one chases off its perceived rival(s), then pisses and craps on
everything it can to feel in control of a specific area. In a sense—smelling
himself.
But I digress.
The external (NY)
leaders of the school just don’t know what’s going on. They are not educators,
but because they have high-powered (high-paying) jobs, they think they are
better (know more) than teachers about everything (including education). They
forget that everything they know, they learned from teachers! They think that
because someone decided to TEACH, that they can’t DO. This would be pure comedy
if the kids weren’t suffering because of this asinine mentality. They come in
and make decisions about the school (the curriculum, the schedule, what color
to paint the walls, etc.) but have NO clue what it means to shape minds and
change trajectories (especially in a place where educational corruption is
standard). People like them say naïve things like, “It’s not like I’m a teacher
who only works 180 days a year.” But it can’t be a teacher who sets them
straight because they aren’t respected enough to be heard. <And Stein, it’s
futile to deny it. If you did have any respect, when teachers told/tell you
about the foolishness that happens on campus, you’d actually do something about
it. I would bet somebody’s farm that if YOU had a child in the school, you’d
cause a huge ruckus. But that’s ridiculous. Why would your children be in
public schools? That’s where they put those commoner, right? Do they still call
them commoners? We stopped using peasant, right?> It’s interesting that the
people who have the most say in educational matters don’t have children who are
affected by it.
Once again, I say,
“hmmm…”
People are always
so surprised when the kids get upset for being screwed daily. Just like us,
they are humans. Real life people…with eyes, ears, brains, emotions, and
FUTURES. Of course they want better for themselves and are going to speak up. And
that’s exactly what they need over there—a little brouhaha. Not from the kids,
though, because that’s already happening (bless their sweet but defiant little
hearts!). They are begging for structure, but poor tiny jackal man has no faith
that the kids can behave. He (and others who work outside of the classroom)
claims the kids are “different” there than at other more successful OPEN
ENROLLMENT charters. To quote Shakespeare, “Words, words, words.” Or better
yet, excuses, excuses, excuses. The same kids are shuffling around the same
schools. Just ask them about their histories. They have been at Sojourner
Truth, Carver, Clark, Sci Academy, KIPP, King, Lake Area…yada yada. It doesn’t
matter that many of them have hard lives, or children, or whatever. They are
kids. And when we lead, they will follow. Plain and simple. It takes time,
trust, patience, and consistency (not of which Jackal Man possess)…but they WILL
follow. When kids feel unsafe (because they have to make the school culture by themselves),
they freak out and get all “Lord of the Flies.” Don’t blame children for not
knowing how to act when Wee Little Jackal Man doesn’t have sense enough to
provide “standardized” replacement behaviors. Don’t get upset with teachers for
struggling in the classroom when he won’t (possibly because he can’t) provide
the tools they need to be effective (i.e., meaningful PD, respect, the power to
teach discipline). How are first-year (or twentieth-year) teachers supposed to
be effective when their self-obsessed leader thinks everything is about him?
How can kids learn if he is bursting into their classes with cameras in their
faces giving high fives and yelling questions about football when they are
trying to get their lesson? What message does that send about what and who is
important in a school? How can he yell and curse a heavily educated, hard
working adults to “use techniques” to connect with children, then refuse to
teach them any of these elusive “techniques”? And when they ask learning
questions, he tells them that they “think too much.” Aren’t teachers paid to
think “too much”?
The term principal
originally meant, “principal teacher” or “head teacher.” But the diminutive
jackal is a terrible teacher, and an even worse leader. Good teacher rule
number one is never get upset at your students for not knowing something you
have not explicitly taught them. And if someone can only lead by bullying, he
(you, Mr. Marvin) should take a step back and think about what he is missing in
his own life and intellect.
But back to the wonderful
whistle blowing that is constantly ignored.
People tell NY
about the abuse and doo-doo show that happens there, but since they are not
here, they have to believe the leader they have in the city. Unfortunately, Mr.
Midlife Crisis (aka Little Jackal Man & Mr. Marvin) is prone to sharing his
own version of the world’s happenings. He is in over his head because he did
not realize how unique New Orleans was. And this is okay! The initial shock is
expected—even when more experienced people constantly tell you what to expect
here, you think they are exaggerating…until you get here. What’s NOT okay is
that he’s afraid that people will realize he is extremely fallible, so he
fronts—hard. And since infallibility is impossible for us mere mortals, a
person must lie to keep it (or the illusion of it). He does butt-covering
things like holding board meetings during the day so teachers can’t attend,
then tells the board that they don’t need to talk to teachers because he knows
everything. He shoots down the ideas of other people, then uses them as his own
in public settings (another example of the aforementioned pissing and crapping).
As for kids, he curses at them, tackles them during altercations, and tells
people who lament the need for behavior intervention that they are “expecting
too much.” Suffice it to say, the teachers are working their behinds off, but
the kids can’t learn when their teachers’ hands are tied.
“They” say the
oldest profession in the world is prostitution. Well, with this organization,
it seems like the teachers are being pimped daily. Mr. Midlife Crisis is more
worried about his image to the outside world, than with actual results.
Corporate (NY) are up there in their little platinum bubbles impressing people
with their altruism at dinner parties…Yes! I have a school in New Orleans.
Aren’t I the best thing since the chargeable vibrator? I get to check the
“philanthropy” box on LinkedIn, and take teachers out to fancy dinners to say
“thank you.”
Get a clue! Nothing
says “thank you” to an educator like a whiteboard and a projector. Can a
brother get some post-its? How about a second copy machine since we have 40
teachers? Or you can stop bogarting the
one in the main office because you don’t like lines.
Here is why the
school is failing miserably:
1.
Little
Jackal Man
2.
Little Jackal Man & his minions
3.
The disconnect between the school and the money
4.
Little Jackal Man & his perceived substance
abuse issues
5.
The fact that corporate isn’t doing anything to
check or balance Little Jackal Man
What the school needs:
1.
To focus on the needs of the CHILDREN (yes,
remember them?)
2.
A positive discipline system
3.
The message that teachers are the end all be all
4.
Teacher recognition
5.
A revamping of the mindsets of the
administrators and support staff (realizing that they are there to serve the
teachers…not the other way around. The teachers are the most important because
they work directly with the children)
6.
A lesson on the difference between a turnaround
and a hostile takeover. (more on that another time)
7.
A fancy staff retreat with a turnaround
consultant (that is NOT the poor crazy pants Jackal Man…a REAL turnaround
consultant…preferably someone who has read a book about education in the last
decade). He needs to sits his paranoid and self-important self down and learn a
thing or fifty and stop acting like he’s Mr. Miyagi’s big brother.
8.
A school culture overhaul (AFTER the retreat).
This should be teacher-designed.
9.
A shrink that follows The Jackal around telling
him when he’s being ridonk.
10. A
REAL and PUBLIC apology from corporate and the principal for failing the kids,
the teachers, and the community (and a real request for help to fix it TOGETHER).
There’s more, but this post is too long already. I wanted to
post my favorite quotes from The Jackal, but they are too funny. It may take
your attention from the point of this piece. Also, the fact that Oprah is
making a documentary (another “Left Behind” from the types of stuff they like
filming) is a giant problem. It may be a documentary, but our media culture
cries for sensationalism.
The only way to change the things that are happening at that
school (outside of finding better leadership), is to expose it in its raw and
uncut form. If Little Jackal Man and the people in New York knew for sure that every little
racist, classist, sexist, ageist, illegal, inappropriate, disrespectful, and
dangerous thing that happens was going to be blasted for the whole world to
see, then things would be different. Their only power is that they work hard to
control what the public sees and hears. Unfortunately for them, this is a small
city with an even smaller educational community. So I’ll just say it: FIN! Take
care! Your horns are showing. They just slipped from under your Brooks Brothers
golf hat, and the community sees them.
Let’s see how long it takes for them to infringe on the
teachers’ first amendment rights to keep things hush hush. Will they have to
sign a muzzle order disguised under the term “confidentiality agreement”? Or
will they do it jackal style and use threats and psychological and professional
warfare?
Follow my blog at http://nolaeducationonblast.blogspot.com
to find out!
