Allendale? Even Jim Rex Gets It

Talk to anyone associated with the Allendale school system--teachers, parents, and former students--maybe even administrators, for all I know--and you will get the same opinion: the state takeover of its schools was a disaster from beginning to end, even last year when the state department of education declared victory and got out (see previous blogs on that topic). Clearly, at least in South Carolina as the state department of education is presently constituted, takeover of a school district (or a school, for that matter) will not cure what ails it.

Apparently even State Superintendent Jim Rex can read the tea leaves on this one, and, as a result, the school boards of Allendale and Lee Counties, responsible for two elementary schools that failed to address recommended  improvements last year, have been scolded by the state school board and can look forward to future reprimands from the state if they fail to act. 

Question is, who decides what the state school board thinks is worthy of meddling? What would motivate it to look into CCSD's multifarious problems? And, if the old lion has no teeth, no matter how loudly it growls, who's going to pay attention?

Allendale-Fairfax: Declare Victory and Get Out?

"Little more than superficial graffiti" is the phrased contempt shown by one reader of this blog for last Sunday's P & C report on a rural school district's return to local control after eight years of direct management by the State Department of Education.

All will agree that the P & C consistently misses important details in its coverage. For example, reporters frequently ask Jon Butzon to comment on education but don't say who Butzon is or why his comments would be of interest, let alone establish their context.

Yet another example of shallow reporting occurs with the economically stressed community of Allendale. Its rural location, economic conditions, and local politics all relate to the topic, but the central issue of this article should have been the specific progress made by the Allendale schools since the state takeover in 1999.

The piece provides limited information about power struggles and individual egos along with a really lame photo of a junk yard near the Allendale town limits. The unrelated photo serves as only one of many cheap shots taken by the P&C at this rural community. Don't photos need to illustrate the story they accompany? Otherwise, why not show a photo of the Bayside Manor housing project on Charleston’s East Side or an unkempt industrial lot in the Neck when doing an article on Burke's near takeover?

Once caught by this condescending photo, readers quickly realize the article has no substance. The P & C’s hook irresponsibly plays to a stereotype and arguably damages its subject. But that’s just about a poor choice of photos.

The Allendale School District takeover interests Lowcountry readers, but the most important issue disappears from this end-of-the-takeover article. What initiated the state takeover of the Allendale schools in the first place? The reporter doesn’t address that at all. Was the state takeover a success for the schools or not? Did the schools improve? Courrege starts to go there when she reports that that takeover “did damage” and “left unpleasant memories,” but then she drops the ball. What about the state report card for Allendale? That’s left to readers to find out on their own.

In either case, this article shows no depth of understanding for the story or its context. This lack is what's wrong with the P & C today. Its reporting generally fails to focus on the specific issue while maintaining an eye on the context. Quotes from major players, if indeed they are major players (the jury’s still out on Jon Butzon’s credentials), are fine, but without data and analysis of the facts, the article fails in its purpose.

One point worthy of news is buried deep in the story: Jim Rex announces that "No one can predict whether the state again would chose the daunting task of taking over a school or district, but . . . that remains a possibility if the safety of students is at risk [italics mine]. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, but that option should be available for schools in crisis situations, he said."

In other words, the State Department of Education will not intervene for academic sinkholes or corrupt finances--intervention will occur only if students are "in crisis" for "safety." Now, that's news!

Why tout an eight-year takeover without data to support (or belie) its effectiveness? Rex has taken a page from the late Vermont Senator George Aiken--"Declare victory and get out." The P & C hasn't the moxie or the interest to find out the conditions.

Because of statewide concerns about measuring effective public education, the Allendale School District takeover deserves more analysis than what appears here--and the Allendale garden club may be owed an apology for the photo.