Judging from Diette Courrege's article on Stall's principal in Friday's P & C, she may now have a glimmer of how hardworking and caring many of CCSD's principals and teachers are. Judging from her report shadowing him on "Principal for a Day," Dan Connor seems to fall into that largely unsung group.
However, the anecdote about the 17-year-old with two felony arrests not only reinforces stereotypes about Stall but also shows ignorance of military standards.
According to Courrege, last fall a young man asked Principal Connor to allow him to enroll at Stall even though he was already 17 years old, had no high school credits, had two felony arrests, and had already been turned down by two other high schools. Connor, learning that his close relatives were in jail and he had no permanent home, took pity on him and took him in. Fast forward to December 6th, when Courrege reports, "Conner spent part of his day [Thursday] trying to work out a deal with an attorney that would keep this student out of jail and allow him to enlist in the military next summer [italics mine]." Unexplained is why going to jail has suddenly become an issue. Conviction? Plea bargaining? Pleading guilty?
No branch of the military takes 18 year olds with virtually no education and two felony arrests. Normally a recruit has a high school diploma with maybe a misdemeanor or two overlooked. Does Courrege think the standards for enlistees are so low? Do readers of the newspaper think so too? I guarantee that Connor, as a high school principal, knows perfectly well that the young man's chances of enlisting in the military this summer are somewhere between slim and none.
Sorry to be a party-pooper, but there remains the question of the effect of Connor's action on the rest of Stall's students and on the school's overall reputation. Two felony arrests for what? Guns? Drugs? Stealing cars? Are we to believe that he fit right in with the rest of the student body? Can you imagine the uproar from well-connected parents at a school like Wando if its principal acted similarly? She wouldn't dare.
Oh, I forgot. Stall's parents aren't well connected or wealthy. So it's ok.
Yes, there should be an educational environment for this young man, but why at Stall High School? What did Connor know would happen if he didn't say yes?Does CCSD have provision for such desperate cases? Murray Hill Academy? YouthBuild Sea Islands Charter? Anybody out there?
Friday, December 07, 2007
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28 comments:
Under the terms of the new contract with CEP at Murray Hill Academy, they no longer accept anyone who reaches their 17th birthday on or before August of the year they are to be enrolled. As for the sudden explosion of numbers in YouthBuild, guess where all those 17+ year olds came from at the start of this year? Marvin Stewart called Murray Hill a student jail and also said that there is some doubt that valid high school credits can be received at Murray Hill. If there is an appropriate alternative, CCSD isn't providing it.
This kind of story reminds me of the church group that likes to pick out a "poor" family to receive holiday gift baskets...and then they all want to be there when the designated "poor" family is given the baskets. Never mind the fact that they may have just humiliated the family with such a public display. The writer (just like overly self righteous church group members) obviously didn't consider the big picture for this story. The Stall vs. Wando comparison is priceless.
I sincerely hope that Mr. Connor at Stall High is as student oriented and is as accessible as he comes across in the P&C's article. However, having been a teacher in CCSD for 30 years, I can attest to the fact that when media is around, principals, teachers, etc., do change and do show only the good sides of school issues. Stall does need a caring principal and one who can return Stall to the great school it can be. Please let this be the case--not just a show for the media.
Wow! I'm cut to the quick!
Yet you keep coming back.
I see either Mr. Butzon or Mr. Meyers is back with the nasty remarks. Someone needs to expend a little energy to see if Mr. Meyers even lives in his district anymore. His house on Sullivans Island sold, so he may be up to his old tricks living outside his elected district
Whether it's Butzon, Meyers or someone just as arrogant makes little difference. Every time someone comes up with a proposal to "do something constructive"...they crush it.
Communication is a positive thing, if only to encourage people to learn more. Babbie, or whoever she is, deserves credit for pulling the curtains back to reveal what's really going on with that strange "man in the booth". It's turning out that behind all the smoke and mirrors the "all powerful Oz" really isn't.
One downtown parent said recently about the flurry of communication that's been happening with them (no just this blog), "People like us who keep tabs on all of the 'promises' and 'plans' made in years past are frightening to District officials...".
Keep it coming Babbie. Our kids are depending on you.
More clearly stated: "...(NOT just what appears on this blog)..."
According to an ad in yesterday's P&C, Sallie Ballard and the rest of the "We feel your pain" bunch at Buist Academy will be hosting an open house on Wednesday from 8:30 am to noon. I guess this is so they can pick over a new crop of Daniel Island applicants with fake addresses.
What about the unfilled vacancies in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades? They won't tell us anything about that.
Maybe someone can contact Nightline and ABC news. What a great opportunity for a picket line to demonstrate the unfair and corrupt admissions process CCSD is hiding at Buist.
Want to bet they didn't place an ad for the Buist open house in The Chronicle? They didn't tell anyone that the District 20 waiting lists are empty either...or at least they are only now admitting they've had vacancies at Buist for years. The prinicipal just decided not to fill them.
Apartheid is alive and well at Buist Academy. Toya Green, downtown's only representative doesn't seem to mind. Oh, yea, I forgot. Her child was "given" one of the rare District 20 seats that didn't go to a fake address applicant. Maybe demonstrators should picket in front of her offices at the McNair firm. It's just across the street from Buist.
Maybe Ms. Ballard on Wednesday will offer the demonstrators coffee and cookies, too. I doubt it.
I've read and read all the posts on this blog and agree with many of the points made. However, what exactly are most of the posters actually DOING to make a change?
Who is the "someone" that should contact Nightline?
While I applaud the retired teachers and administrators who worked in the school district, did any attempt to affect change or like many of the teachers I observe, moan and groan about the sad state of affairs? Yes, it's a tough job, but I would assume they did their "homework" and I have never heard anyone anywhere say that being a teacher is easy.
As a volunteer in two elementary schools (both Title I) in two different districts, there is more apathy than imaginable. In one school, the average tenure is 10 years and these folks don't want anything to upset the "status quo" - they don't want the parents empowered and their sure don't want "outsiders" coming in.
The school board and district administrators are easy targets and certainly don't deserve too many compliments. But I just have to ask - are all you concerned posters giving any sweat equity to our kids?
Dear Crazy Scarlett:
You summed it up quite well by saying "...the average tenure is 10 years and these folks don't want anything to upset the "status quo" - they don't want the parents empowered and they sure don't want "outsiders" coming in."
County school administrators (particularly middle management bureaucrats) are of the same mind. They have more power and are even more determined to thwart parent envolvent. Their job security depends on no change & the status quo. Janet Rose's name comes to mind here.
Most parents do care about the quality of education available to their kids...it's just that few of them appear to be able to do anything about it in this kind of environment. Top CCSD administrators and board members have perpetuated this "you can't get there from here" mentality for one reason or another. The only alternatives are either beyond the reach of most parents (private schools or homeschool) or they lack the leverage to "game" the system by getting into schools like Buist. Charter schools are slowly rising as a viable alternative, but you can see the county administration is fighting this tooth & nail.
These are not just hollow complaints. This is from years of pent up frustration with a system that doesn't want to fix itself. We want honest leadership from the top and so far we've never had it.
BTW, here's Jon Donvan's personal telephone number. He's the ABC Nightline independent reporter who did the last "puff piece" on Sallie Ballard, Gregg Meyers and the Buist spin factory.
Jon Donvan's number in Washington is: (202) 222-7286. Now anyone can be "someone".
In the interest of balance (do you know what that means, Bable?), maybe we should post Clelia's home phone number on here.
I have both a practicing lawyer and a computer expert for children. Your threats are pathetic. As I said before, why keep coming back? Oh, I forgot. You want to change the subject.
Just to be clear. The telephone number given above for the ABC correspondent is to his "personal" office...nothing more.
What a contrast between the principals at Stall and Buist. Word is out that Sallie Ballard has to answer for a teacher calling a group of children at Buist by a racial epithet that was overheard by others. What are the qualifications of these people who are barring the doors at Buist?
So the truth comes out. Buisties really don't want the less than 20% African-Americans they currently have. Is this Brentwood in reverse? I wonder what the official letter of apology will look like...so that means the teacher stays?!? Well, after all, the Buist clan has to stick together.
Sounds like sensitivity, fairness, personal responsibility and even common sense are concepts not found in the curriculum at Buist...or at least these aren't practiced by the school level leadership.
To anonymous who wrote: I guess this is so they can pick over a new crop of Daniel Island applicants with fake addresses.
I am a Buist parent. I find it appalling that parents would use fake addresses to improve their chances at getting into school, and I am all for shining bright lights on offenders. But your comment (and others like it on this blog) belie a "pack of rabid dogs" mentality that ensures there will be no useful discussion in this valuable forum.
The unfettered invective discredits this forum and any information or viewpoint expressed here. I am disappointed that Babbie implicitly condones these comments.
Then as a Buist parent you are in a much better position to demand that the administration address these issues instead of leaving them become boils that fester in such an offensive way. All previous requests for reason and meaningful dialogue have been rudely rebuffed. That's why this is now being taken up in the state courts. It's just as offensive that we are all having to pay for this type of excess. So why haven't the parents at Buist pressed for this being handled properly? Better late than never.
Post Script to the comments above. There have been no bright lights shown on anyone...just a lot of meaningless talk of doing it. At least 10% of the current first grade class (at least 40% of all the seats reserved for downtown) that were exposed to CCSD officials before they entered last year and nothing happened. It's a closed shop. Maybe it will take a “pack of rabid dogs" to get through all the BS. Yes, there is a better course. Please show the rest of us on the outside where this path is. We've tried all the others already and they've gone nowhere. Well?
I can't help but find it interesting that a Buist parent is telling people on this blog how to behave. How many of us on this blog have been personally affected by the cheaters at Buist? And how vocal have you been in support of true District 20 residents?
Give me a break. Parents have a right to be angry. Thanks to Babbie for allowing us to voice our opinion.
Hello? The unfettered invective what??? Let me go grab my dictionary.
Your words remind me of that architect who writes letters to the editor regarding shadows on Marion Square. Are you a Buist parent, too?
If you really want us to listen, then speak in layman's terms, please.
Yes, believe it or not, some of us on this blog were educated in District 20 schools and we go to BAR meetings, too.
We're just waiting patiently for the cheaters to excuse themselves from Buist so we can have our school back.
The sarcasm expressed by one commenter regarding "a new crop of Daniel Island applicants with fake addresses" hardly falls into the category of "unfettered invective." Considering what CCSD did with the verified fake addresses last year, it is quite restrained!
UNFETTERED: : free, unrestrained;
INVECTIVE: "abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will"
OK, point taken, I'll try to keep my comments in plain english.
Perhaps I misheard that poster's comment - but even re-reading it, it doesn't sound like sarcasm, it sounds like hyperbole (figure of speech that uses an exaggerated or extravagant statement to create a strong emotional response)
I agree that it stinks to be cheated out of something rightfully yours. I also agree that there needs to be more light shined on the processes at Buist. But I know as little as most of you about what happens behind closed doors, and when I come here searching for information and opinions and background perspective, I find instead anger and hyperbole, and I find myself in a group labelled "cheaters" and "apartheid supporters" and "elitists" - and I take offense.
I will thicken my skin, and keep looking for the nuggets of truth.
To the Buist Parent: I appreciate your candor. Many of us who are trying to more than just one public school downtown also need for you to understand our frustration with a system that is stacked against them.
Unless you've experienced it, the bigotry and racism that underlies Buist may be hard to see. Left unchecked, this flaw has become too great to ignore. It is unfortunate, but CCSD's failure to address these recurring problems has left exposed to criticism everything associated with Buist. There is now little regard for what may have once been a good idea. This was caused by CCSD's inaction and not by the anger of a handful of bloggers and their occasional readers.
Many of us sincerely want Buist to be fair, equitable and successful. We want the same for every school recognizing that each has unique needs with great potential.
You say you have no control over what goes on behind closed doors at Buist. I disagree. If you are a parent with a child who in good faith applied and was admitted to Buist according to legitimate admissions policies, then CCSD and Buist administrators owe it to you to tell you what's going immediately and whenever you ask. Otherwise, you're placing your child in an environment that is by example teaching her or him to be dishonest and deceptive.
In light of what you have said so far about being in the dark about important matters that should concern you at Buist, then I have to say that more transparency may exist at Porter-Gaud (a private school). As a public school Buist Academy has a greater responsibility to provide you with answers to your questions and to maintain much more than just the appearance of propriety.
Does anyone need to caution you about what can happen when a school isn't transparent? You might ask those more familiar with Porter-Gaud's history. That school paid a very high price before its administrators came to the realization that more information was much better than less.
Using such a comparison isn't being hyperbolic; it's practicing common sense tempered with experience. We've also seen too many generalizations and too little dialogue with those who could do something to make change happen.
Thanks for your comments. Please try to forgive, but also to understand, many here whose hope for downtown schools has gradually turned to rage against those who stand in the way of common sense and who too easily discount the experience of others.
I'm not at all surprised that someone at Buist would use a racial slur against a child. There are people that have worked very hard for many years to keep downtown black kids out of Buist. Racism is clearly the motivation in the anti-District 20 mindset.
Thank you, Buist parent. I, too, appreciate your comments.
But, I don't what hyperbole means.
I'm sorry.
Maybe we could start of the word of the day of this blog.
Off hand, I seem to recall this meaning for 'hyperbole' from my Dist. 20 high school English class (of course, long before CCSD). Hyperbole is the use of overstatement as a figure of speech in a discussion or debate to make a point. Or I could just look it up on-line in the American Heritage Dictionary:
hy·per·bo·le (hī-pûr'bo-lē) n. A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in 'I could sleep for a year' or 'This book weighs a ton.'
...or you could add another example of hyperbole... 'CCSD officials are all experts in their fields and are all highly intelligent professionals. They should never be questioned by ordinary citizens who are not experts in anything and who have no training in anything that has to do with running a large school system. Unless a person is part of CCSD they couldn't possibly have any idea of how to improve Charleston's public schools. Everyone should leave this to the experts.'
That's hyperbole (in overdrive), with a touch of sarcasm thrown in for added effect. Now here's an understatement: 'Only a fool could believe our schools should be left to the experts.' ...which is my point exactly.
It's actually exaggeration--here used in the service of sarcasm.
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