Yesterday I got a message from Tom Field, A/Superintentendant of Schools. Mr. Field advised that the BOE website had impemented the Q&A portion as it had previously promised. Upon my returning home I stopped by the site and found that it was just as Mr. Field stated. It requires that you send an e-mail and recieve your answer via e-mail or letter (I believe that's what I read). I can understand the need to have questions e-mailed in order to moderate the inappropriate language, etc., but I'd like to see the questions posted on the website as well as the answers for ALL to see. This is what I understand the site indicates. This would eliminate any allegations that the board is trying to avoid answering certain questions. I'm not saying that this occurs, only that there are those who feel that way.
I think that this is definitely a step toward open dialogue between the BOE and the tax paying citizens. Anyone interested should go to http://www.wcboe.org/BOE/questions/ and pose your questions. Perhaps they'll be posted for everyone to see.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
14 comments:
How many times will they answer the same questions over and over again...via an email Q&A system {how many times will there be diff answers to the same question?}
EVERY Question and Answer should be posted for the Public to veiw!
Someones willing to do extra work to keep things from the public, thats shady to say the least!
hip.boots
It's unfortunate that they had to be shamed into following through with their promise to do this.
And, what is the purpose unless it is posted?
if you would actually check the site the Q&A are posted
As it reads, they will filter the questions deemed acceptable prior to publishing them on the site. The more uncomfortable questions will either not be answered or be done privately. This is not a step toward transparency but simply another ruse used to keep the unwashed at bay as well as silent.
Several parents, including myself, have gone to the Bd. about many academic concerns. We went as individual parents to ask why eighth graders were no longer required to write research (term) papers. Each parent who went was told this was the first time the concern had been raised. When names and dates of other parents' meetings were cited, the Bd. supervisor/director/coordinator had no memory or record of any of them. Parents are always told they are the first and therefore only ones to raise the issue. Trust me and other parents and teachers who know, uncomfortable questions and answers will not be posted unless the answers are so general that they are meaningless.
Eight graders are not required to write research papers because too may students can' hardly write a complete sentence.Our educational standards had to be lowered with integration. Lower expectations and poor discipline all started at this point.The superintendent,Mr. Mahaffey, at that time said it would take 12 years to bring the blacks up to the white educational standard. Guess what happened? They met in the middle. So that's where we are tday.
I offered to mentor a high school graduate who was trying to get into nursing school. I was dumfounded when I realized this student could not spell or write a complete sentence.
She sure knew how to use her cell phone, though!
Pitiful.
Nalagirl
So, separate but equal wasn't equal? Shocking news.
Now, what can be done to raise the bar?
9:11
As parents, we were told that most kids did not have the ability to write a paper. Then we asked why those students identified as gifted or advanced or top group were not being required to write the papers either. We were told that many of those kids could not write either. We asked why they were in the top group then. We were told that their parents requested the kids be put there, even though the kids had no advanced ability at all. The school had said no to those parents, but the board always says yes. This is sad but true. So the top group today is less capable than the lowest group of years ago when everyone had to write the paper. The same is true of the magnet program which has standards but parents of kids who do not qualify get their kids in it anyway by going to the Board of Ed. It is true that 100% of parents wanting their children in a higher group than the child merits are told yes by the Board after the school has made the proper placement. Also, parents who do not want their children retained in a grade go to the Board, and the school is always told to pass the child on to make the parent happy.
Exactly what is wrong with a good portion of the American society today. People expect everything given to them. Mommie and Daddy take care of their problems. No responsibility, no accountability-just gimee, gimee, gimee.
Nalagirl.
Maybe the new school superintendent will have some balls and make necessary changes to raise standards. The present administration is scared to death of parents who have any money, politial influence or they are of the minority race. Each year discipline gets worse, students graduate knowing less, etc. Yet, all the administators and teachers want more money for no improvement. Does that make sense to you? Maybe we need an elected school board who has some guts to fire incompetent educators. We all know that the inmates really run the prisons while the warden and guards just keep them within the prison fence.It seems that the parents and students are running the schools while the administration tells the parents what they want to hear. The teachers beat their heads against the wall in many cases trying to teach a few concepts to those who want to learn.Some teachers will tell you that it is just like a zoo at times and they can hardly wait to retire.What happened to the respect that people used to have for education and the teachers?
I thought the new president of the Bd. of Education would give some leadership and demand some changes.Nope, not true. Parents who really want the best for their children are still not getting straight answers and are constantly fighting for improvements and needed changes to enhance the instruction and probable success of their student. Parents are tired of getting answers like this is the first time the Central office or administration has heard any tell of the concern.This old crap will no longer work because parents now communicate with each other and have their own pipeline.It's time for honesty folks and a little house cleaning.
Joe, it's time for a CHANGE. We need an elected school board and not handpicked politial puppets. Nothing is changing for the better. Visit some of our high schools but take your tranquilizers before entering the building.Sit in on some of the classes.I have substituted my last day.It's a show that can only be called KIDS GONE WILD.Teachers want more money not for their teaching ability but for their ability to survive the day without a nervous breakdown or stroke.I suggest cameras be put in all classrooms so that parents can call in and observe their student and what goes on around them.I'll buy the first camera.
We test kids to death, but at least when it comes time to put them in the correct group for instruction, we have the data to back up where we place them. Unfortunately, every parent wants his or her child in the top group. The teachers say no, the administration says no, and the director at the Board says the placement is absolutely correct but move the child to the top group to please the parent. We the teachers present tons of data, samples of work, grades, whatever, and it makes no difference in the world. The parent presents no evidence that the placement is wrong, just that they want it changed. This is why below average groups are so wild, since many of the children who should be in them have been moved out. Top groups have loads of kids in them who should not be there holding back those who deserve for the class to do advanced work. Until Mr. Field changes his view that parents should tell us how to group, nothing will improve. I think the Board should support us unless there is concrete evidence that the child belongs in a top group, and we misread the data or didn't average the grades right or something like that.
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