I'm still waiting for the answers to what it seems to me are very pertinent questions regarding the lottery [see previous post]. Since Jerry Adams hasn't responded, perhaps some of the commenters have the answers? That's (1) why no controversy at other "magnet" schools if the process is the same; (2) why can't parents get their list or registry numbers prior to the lottery; (3) what privacy rights are violated by publishing lottery results that are not violated by calling out names during the lottery; and (4) what happens to the lists after the lottery is finished.
ANYBODY???
Monday, March 12, 2007
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Answer to question #1. To the best of my knowledge all the other lotteries are run by at least 3 different entities each handling only one facet of the lottery. There is no crossover giving those lotteries the presumption of integrity. The applications are taken and numbered by school officials. The random lottery numbers are drawn by CCSD administrative officials and sent via e-mail on the day of the lottery. Finally the matching is done by the constituent board. Addresses of zoned students are also verified early in the process. This is because the available seats for the lottery are determined by the left over seats not filled by resident students of those zones which have priority. Only Buist has everything done by CCSD officials and only Buist does not give priority to zoned students. Only he Buist lottery has the same hands on every facet, including the address verification process.
...and those are the hands of Janet Rose!
Maybe the school board knew about the horrible problems in the Buist middle school and that is why they didn't fill the vacant spots. Buist couldn't handle the children they already had. In the last few years there were incidents that were even more dramatic than the death threats made by those 7th grade girls. Did any of you hear about the situation in the third floor restrooms at Buist? Address verification is not the only thing that Sallie Ballard has failed to keep her eye on over the years.
It's interesting to note that in spite of some real questions relating to actual discipline and conduct problems reported recently in the upper grades at Buist the most recent CCSD county wide school suspension reports show Buist as having a 0% suspension rate. We hear only what the P&C chooses to tell us or what slips out as rumor. What's the real story?
If I understand the first commenter correctly, the random lottery numbers generated by the computer program are emailed to the constituent board on the day of the lottery and the constituent board does the matching in the case of the other lotteries. Is that correct? But also the selection process to be on the list differs? At the other magnet schools the zoned students get priority--does that mean priority once they have met testing requirements, or could the entire class be made up of zoned students if that many wanted the magnet school?
Dear Babbie, That's the best I can figure out. What was described is something like the way St.Andrews Math & Science does it. One thing's for sure, no other lottery is (mis)handled the way the Buist lottery is.
Every elementary magnet school in the district gives priority to the children in its district first. Many of the magnet schools do not even allow you to apply if you live outside of their district. Downtown children are shut out of any magnet school because of this. Downtown also does not have another excellent rated school to fall back on like West Ashley does, or James Island does or Mt. Pleasant does. Can you imagine the frustration a downtown parent would then feel? Contrary to popular belief, paying for private school is not an option for all downtown families.
To the previous commenter: So if you live in a district other than District 20, your child who doesn't get picked for Buist gets priority for another magnet school in your district, but if you live in District 20, there is no other magnet school in District 20 where the child gets priority? How did THAT happen? WHEN did it happen? WHY did it happen?
To the best of my knowledge the constituent board has nothing to do with the numbers. It is my understanding that is one of the reasons that they filed a lawsuit along with a downtown parent against the CCSD in August 2006. That is also the reason they filed a last ditch attempt to stop the lottery that day...something not really covered by the paper.
There is another magnet school in District 20 it is called Charleston Progressive. Yes I did say magnet they advertise it as a magnet and I believe get funding from the state as a magnet but it is the only middle school that does not offer a foreign language. Hum why it is that? It is the only magnet school that is 99% African American Hummmmm.
As a downtown parent who was is forever on the waiting list I went to my congressman upon the advice of a friend when all this Buist crap started. Chip Limehouse said go ask your parents to pay for private school. Are you kidding? We have no priority in anything concerned with district 20 none. That includes, in my opinion, one ounce of respect from 75 Calhoun.
Why did Joe Riley not speak up for downtown children at Buist? Actually has he noticed what has happened with education downtown over the last 30 years?
Will this become an issue in the mayor's reelection race later this year? Should it have become an issue for the mayor before now?
Babbie-
I would like to answer your question on "how and why" this happened. Unfortunately, CCSD has been in violation of the Act of Consolidation for SO LONG..it would take TOO long for me to explain. Simply put, it happened because Dist. 20 schools are predominately African-American and no one spoke loudly enough (until recently). Now that we're speaking, CCSD is in shock and in major denial. The complaint the Dist. 20 board filed was amended on Friday. You should be able to get a copy of it on the Clerk of Court website.
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