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I caught this on the digital cable dodad at my grandmother's house. For some reason in my mind schools like this only exsisted in movies like Lean on Me or Freedom Writers. I guess I don't really understand the "No Child Left Behind" rule because I felt like since I've already finished school, it wouldn't affect me and I never gave it too much attention. I feel sorry for kids that go to schools likes this. I have to wonder what kind of shot they have at going to college and having careers.
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Douglass principal Isabelle Grant oversees a staff of teachers that is two-thirds non-certified, while many are substitutes unqualified to teach their subject areas. Threatened with sanctions, or even closing, unless student scores improve in annual standardized tests, the faculty tries to find workable solutions to chronic problems of attendance, lateness and apathy among students, many of whom come from poor backgrounds and broken homes, and lack the most basic reading and math skills.
I saw the same program. What I took from it wasn't that the school itself was inadequate, rather that the socioeconomics of the local society doesn't value education highly enough. Without stronger community development, the "have nots" will continue spiral further behind.
I watched this show and I didn't like it at all. One of the Douglas basketball players went crazy after a loss. He said they lost because of racial oppression and the establishment wanting them to end up dead on the streets.
Yes, this was a rather depressing look at inner city schools. It was quite sad to see one of the teachers who seemed like he was good at what he did and genuinely cared get burned out. These educators are too busy trying to control the student's behavior than to actually teach. Then to threaten the school with closure? And exactly where do they plan on sending these kids now? This isn't solving the problem; it's just passing the buck.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by natalayjones
I caught this on the digital cable dodad at my grandmother's house. For some reason in my mind schools like this only exsisted in movies like Lean on Me or Freedom Writers. I guess I don't really understand the "No Child Left Behind" rule because I felt like since I've already finished school, it wouldn't affect me and I never gave it too much attention. I feel sorry for kids that go to schools likes this. I have to wonder what kind of shot they have at going to college and having careers.
How ironic is it that this school is names after Fredrick Douglas?
I saw the same program and i thank God that neither HS i went to was even close to what these kids have to deal with. While i dont think it is impossible to have a sucessful life after going to a true inner-city HS the odds are VERY against you. Personally I think for schools like this there should be more emphasis on trades and blue-collar career education for those who are least likely to go to college. That way these kids have a better chance of being a contributing member of our workforce.
As a black male, i find it sad that many in my community have to put up with this embarassing quality of public education.
Yes, this was a rather depressing look at inner city schools. It was quite sad to see one of the teachers who seemed like he was good at what he did and genuinely cared get burned out. These educators are too busy trying to control the student's behavior than to actually teach. Then to threaten the school with closure? And exactly where do they plan on sending these kids now? This isn't solving the problem; it's just passing the buck.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing - they're going to close the school and do what...just have the kids collect welfare forever? I don't understand how that's even considered a solution. Where's Joe Clark when you need him?
I watched this documentary also. I teach high school in the East Los Angeles area - have done it for nine long years now. The community where I work is almost all Mexican immigrant. I was sure when I started viewing that I would see contrasts. The community is so different - African American, East Coast, dilapidated rowhouses. Imagine my shock and amusement when I saw the same sad educational catch phrases, excuses, and blame-the-teacher song and dance routines.
The Bush administration is so certain that the whole problem boils down to bad schools and bad teachers who need to be punished - that's laughable. Socio-economics and the educational level of the adults in the community are an almost PERFECT forecaster of the performance of a community's kids in school. In Los Angeles Unified you can absolutely predict the API score of a high school when you know the distance in miles it lies from South Central LA.
This is why merit pay, although it sounds good on paper, is so implausible.
I just finished teaching in the South Bronx and, yes, the problems run deep and unfortunately no one really knows how to make things better .....
I have a friend who was teaching in South Miami, she quit in the middle of the school year. Said she just got burnt out from trying to play the teacher/parent/friend/supporter/counselor hat with all the kids. She said when she addressed her concerns with the principal he told her this was not a movie and she need to stop trying to save them and just let them be.
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It's so familiar.
