Fixing the Baltimore school system in five easy steps: Introduction
by M.M. McDermott | October 16, 2008 at 12:37 am
Posted in Baltimore, education
{Baltimore Sun photo}
This post is the first in a series offering a former Baltimore City Public School teacher’s prescriptions for what ails the city’s failing schools.
It’s called “threading the needle.” When a kid manages to graduate from Baltimore City Public Schools with a diploma and an education on par with what students in more successful districts are walking across the stage with, he’s done something notable. He’s navigated through a very small window, surrounded by failure at all levels and on all sides, and come out the other end. He’s threaded the needle.
It’s even more impressive when you consider that you’ve got a better chance of correctly guessing a coin flip than you do of graduating from a public school in Baltimore. Graduation rates in the city range from about 35% (as reported by Education Week) to just over 60% (as reported by Baltimore City Schools). In all fairness, determining true graduation rates in the city is like grasping at moths by the porch light; the transience of students and lack of intersystem information-sharing guarantees that the fates of many students will never be known. It’s more convenient from a statistical standpoint to list The Lost as dropouts. From a school system’s perspective, it’s a death sentence.
The last two decades have been a catastrophic free-fall for the Baltimore City Public School System in performance and perception. An unimpressive procession of superintendents and a seemingly hapless school board have failed to change that.
For the first time in recent memory, though, there have been glimmers of hope, even if those glimmers are the sparks from the fire Dr. Andres Alonso has set to the status quo. But in trying to smoke out the inefficiency and mismanagement that have pervaded 200 East North Avenue for a generation, Alonso’s taken heat from all sides. Cries of “Slow down!” have echoed through the marbled hallways of local and state government, the wood-paneled walls of community associations, and the crumbling classrooms of schools themselves.
While Dr. Alonso’s efforts are to be applauded, they are not scripture and should not be interpreted as such. Some of the proposals from the transplanted New Yorker are plagued by an understandable ignorance of Baltimore nuances as well as a fealty to the feel-good politics of liberal education—politics that have helped to create many of the problems that currently have the school system by the ankles.
This series will offer a common sense approach to fixing Baltimore schools in an era when fatuous mandates and political correctness have too much sway in determining how we educate our children. I’ll draw much from my experience as a former student and teacher in the system. Some suggestions may seem obvious. Others, outlandish. Some of you may even disagree, and that’s a good thing. In fact, it’s necessary. No good solution has ever come about without honest dialogue. But considering the degree of dysfunction that exists in the system and the city that surrounds it, I think we can all agree there are few comfortable solutions to be had.
So stick around. School is now in session.
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October 16th, 2008 at 11:24 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
This is a 20 year problem that has been going down hill. Yes, you are right; the answer's, solutions are obvious however; many parents and politicians don't take it serious. Mr. Alonzo is doing the best he can but it is time the parents take some responsibility too; by getting some control over their children, go to the governor and mayor and demand that their children a better education. In order to get things changed, we as parents need to change our methods of discipline, respect and accountability to their teachers and peers. NOTE: TELL THE BALTIMORE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PLEASE RETURN THE MILLIONS THEY HAVE STOLEN AND MISMANAGED.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:32 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Good points--but as obvious as they seem to us, there are still folks who downplay their importance. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this throughout the series, CW.
October 16th, 2008 at 4:10 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
It'll be amusing to see how you define "political correctness"?
Has it dawned on anyone that perhaps BCPSS works? Maybe the school system is working as intended, failing those who are unable or unwilling to work and until students shape up the current situation will be the norm.
October 16th, 2008 at 4:56 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I see your point...kind of. It's the responsibility of the student (vis-à-vis the parents) to take an interest in their education. However, that's can't be the final word. The BCPSS situation is what's known as syndemic production - a constellation of issues resulting in one general outcome. I think it's lazy to point to the finger in one direction.
!
October 17th, 2008 at 11:06 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
IASW:
It's a confluence of many things, and I certainly don't blame the system wholly for the problems that plague it. I'll get into it in Monday's article--believe me, the fixing needs to happen at many levels.
As far as "political correctness" as it relates to education, standby for the series. I'll give you a general Menckenian definition of PC now, though: It's sanctimonious tip-toeing on eggshells while tearing up sheets of facts and statistics.
October 16th, 2008 at 4:36 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
This will make for an interesting read. I'll be looking through a number of lenses former public school student, son of a former teacher's aide, friend of a number of teachers specifically young teachers. To some degree the answers may be obvious but to some degree the issues are certainly complex.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:19 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Answers are easy. Execution is the hard part.
October 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
MY THEORY:
how about this: fixing society VIA school:if we replace service learning hours in high school with a sort of "work-study" and withhold the student's wage until graduation. They can use it as pocket change or towardsgtraduation. this will do many things.The government would mandate certain employers to hire these students with or WITHOUT prior work history.
1) motivate potential drop outs to stay in school
(work will now not interfere with school,studentis guarenteed work, as opposed to dropping out of school and searching on his/her own,etc)
2) students will have aquired some job skills
3)thus are more employable after graduation
4)the money may be a huge help to the students and their families
5)reduction of crime over time
(less young adults turning to drugs, violence, crime for financial means (because they now have a job)
6) the unemployment rate will decrease in years to come (the more job experience one has early on, the more employable they become and the more likely they are to stay employed
7)THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE...all because of my implemented plan.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:10 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Not sure how I feel about making employers hire kids. Quotas and mandates rarely work out.
But I like step 7.
October 18th, 2008 at 1:08 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Employers love child employees. They rarely know when they are being exploited, are happy with limited salaries, and do not need real salaries because they live with mommy and daddy.
P.S. I accidently clicked the "report this comment " link while not paying attention. Assuming you all pay attention to them, please disregard.
October 18th, 2008 at 5:02 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Perhaps for manual labor employers. I know my agency keeps the young hires we bring in on a very short leash, and expect a great deal from them.
Truth be told, I have a general mistrust for the work ethic of the Millennial generation--pretty telling considering that, according to some historians, I am technically a member of it.
October 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Do I have all the answers?? No. Do I have ideas, sure. We all have our ideas. Do this, do that...etc. SO, I'll give you my 2 cents. I believe there is a lack of morality lessons. This environment has been created throughout the city, and it continually gets passed on from generation to generation (not always intentionally). When religion was removed from public schools it also removed life lessons. Now, I'm not saying that religion should be in schools, but there needs to be some guidance for these children, and it has to start early, it can't wait til highschool. You don't see these sorts of things in affluent(and not always affluent) neighborhoods because, for the most part, the children are being taught morality from their parents. Now, without these lessons, the students in the city take on this dog eat dog mentality. They have to fight to eat, survive, live, etc. This throws out life lesson guidelines that are normally followed. I think possibly increasing the school day, making kids stay at school longer might prevent or help to prevent counterproductive instances that could occur while they are at home.
Sorry, I'm no writer, just an engineer who thinks the city needs to fix this problem and help these students.
October 17th, 2008 at 4:14 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Rye,
You've hit the point squarely, and I think many ills can be traced directly back to a loss of morality and, more specifically, the capacity for empathy.
Got to agree with ycktr in part--making kids stay just to stay won't help much. Giving them a reason to want to stay, well, then we're getting closer to a solution.
I think you've identified the biggest problem, though. Seems some people in power haven't even managed to do that.
October 17th, 2008 at 2:19 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
You guys have clearly never met a high school student.
Stay at school longer?
Work for Free?
Good luck with that...
October 20th, 2008 at 11:01 am | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
I agree...it won't be easy convincing them to stay, but it something that will need to be started prior to high school. I'm not a military man, however, there philosophy is quite productive. They break the cadet down in training camp and build them back up. A similar philosophy could and possibly should be applied to students starting in elementary school.
By the way, Matt congrats...the softball team still needs you though...lol