[JayCT]

By now I am sure most of you have heard about the testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in which US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos talked of East Hartford schools and relayed a story told to her by a former student there. This of course struck outrage by the community and demonstrations by the teachers, parents and students there. Now the kid, Michael Robert Biagioni, that started this has come out with a statement/letter explaining his experiences and why he confided in Secretary DeVos.

'Michael' Tells His East Hartford School Story - Hartford Courant

While I know East Hartford High School has not been a high-performing school, I never thought of it as horrible either. I know the school has a lot of kids from poorer families or where English is not the primary language used at home. Does anyone here have experience at the school or know anyone that does? Would be interesting to hear other peoples take on this. Jay

[kidyankee764]

That's a question only people with experience with EH schools can answer. I will say, though, many people I know complaining about her comments live in affluent towns. Why did they move there? Schools.

Everyone is a hypocrite nowadays, it seems.

[HumpDay]

They're bad but she could have used her words better. This is the same lady that said "potential grizzles" during her Senate hearing.

I remember House member John Larson had an interview on TV about it and he talked about his personal experience as a student back in the 60's. The schools in that town are NOT what they used to be like in the 1960's. Obviously, he didn't agree that the schools were bad because he wants to get re-elected by telling parents what they want to hear and he didn't say the schools were good because everyone knows that's a lie. Just another politician trying to appeal to a demographic while not intending to help or change anything.

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

That's a question only people with experience with EH schools can answer. I will say, though, many people I know complaining about her comments live in affluent towns. Why did they move there? Schools.

Everyone is a hypocrite nowadays, it seems.

Though, this is pure conjecture, I think most of those people are complaining because she's in the Trump administration. In the unlikely event that she was hired by the Obama administration, the publics perception of her would be much different.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

Though, this is pure conjecture, I think most of those people are complaining because she's in the Trump administration. In the unlikely event that she was hired by the Obama administration, the publics perception of her would be much different.

Of course. While I don't love Trump, the outright witch hunt is showing the true colors of many Americans. It is both appalling and comical.

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

Though, this is pure conjecture, I think most of those people are complaining because she's in the Trump administration. In the unlikely event that she was hired by the Obama administration, the publics perception of her would be much different.

That's part of it. But she also tends to lean heavily towards religious schools in here own non profits, so there would be accusations of problems either way I think.

[GeoffD]

East Hartford has the school system ratings of any place that has that kind of median household income and poverty rate. The whole point of the Federal Department of Education budget is to prop up lower income, higher poverty rate places that have a need for Head Start, Special Ed, and Title I. In the red states, the states pretty much don't give those places a dime and the Federal money is all they have. If the Republican dream happens, places like Mississippi are going to completely collapse.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by East of the River

That's part of it. But she also tends to lean heavily towards religious schools in here own non profits, so there would be accusations of problems either way I think.

Whether the private schools are religious or not, it's all about subsidizing the middle class so they can avoid public schools attended by the working class and poor. If you're working class or poor, you're stuck in that failed school system since the voucher isn't enough to pay for any private school.

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Whether the private schools are religious or not, it's all about subsidizing the middle class so they can avoid public schools attended by the working class and poor. If you're working class or poor, you're stuck in that failed school system since the voucher isn't enough to pay for any private school.

Take a look at Indiana's voucher program. A number of religious schools designed programs to meet the voucher amounts. I see many problems with their system personally, but they did actually fund it.

With School Vouchers, Who Benefits And Who's Left Behind? Indiana's Program Offers Lessons : NPR Ed : NPR

[East of the River]

I never went to EH schools but I grew up in the area and knew many who did. They are not as bad as say Bridgeport or Hartford or even New Britain, but they are in the bottom category for the state (maybe bottom 20% of schools in the state). Based on test scores I would guess nationally they would be in the bottom 40-45% of schools or so. So yeah East Hartford is below average but not any worse then most schools in the country with similar demographics.

Also to answer Jays question directly a friend of mine did work very hard to move out of EH before his daughter hit middle school due to thew schools. I know another former coworkers two kids went thru the school about 10 years ago, one owns a small business now and the other did go to Uconn.