Red Clay’s Latest Idea Will Create More Hardship For City Parents, Or… Red Clay Demonstrates, once again, how Clueless They Are

I had heard whispers about this for months.  Kilroy spells it out: Red Clay’s (RCCD) plan for two of its Priority Schools is to turn one (Shortlidge) into a K – 2 and the other one (Warner) into a 3 – 5 school.  And while I’m no fan of the Neighborhood Schools Act (NSA), Kilroy points out that this move violates the NSA.

§ 223 Neighborhood School Plans.
(b) Neighborhood School Plans shall consist of the following grade configurations:
(1) A lower-level school, or elementary school, consisting of either grades K-5 or grades K-6;
(2) A middle-level school, or junior high school, consisting of either grade 6 or 7 to grade 8 or 9;
(3) An upper-level school, or high school, consisting of either grades 9-12 or grades 10-12.
[emphasis mine]

Yep, this new configuration, designed to accomplish god knows what, is in direct violation with the NSA.  I wrote a comment over at Kilroy’s.  I will expand on it a bit here.

I don’t understand the thinking behind this.

First, RCCD has built 2 new suburban elementary schools in the name of NSA – even though space existed in other district elementary schools.  These new suburban schools were built for location not lack of district capacity.

One of the arguments for these new suburban schools, and the NSA, was that children should attend K – 5 in one school close to home – don’t forget, K – 5 in one school was the major point since suburban busing only existed in grades 3 – 5. The NSA didn’t work unless grades 3 – 5 and K -2 schools became K – 5.

My first point above is self explanatory.  If K-5 (or K-6) is the law, then it’s the law for everyone, not just suburban kids.

Second… another reason stated for NSA was the difficulty parents experienced in having to deal with/juggle two elementary schools. For city families, splitting Warner and Shortlidge will mean two different buses and/or two different schools for drop off, pick up, teacher meetings, parent nights, holiday/school events, etc..

And since most families (city and suburban) have more than one child, close in age, this idea will make more work for city parents. Elementary schools start and end their day at the same time so a parent walking or driving their children to school will have to leave their home earlier in order to get their children to two schools on time – which will result in one child arriving to school early (will there be accommodations for that?) while the child dropped off second will arrive without a moment to spare. And which child would a parent pick up from school first? Which child would have to wait to be picked up? Dismissal is at the same time, so will RCCD be supplying a safe, supervised area for children to wait? AND… would parents now have to leave work early in order to pick up children in after care due to timing? (The more I type the more questions I have!)

If each school has their own buses then a parent will be waiting at the bus stop for a longer period of time (will they even be the same bus stop, or will parents have to get to two bus stops for pick up and drop off?) – unless someone thinks those buses will always arrive within seconds of each other? If RCCD decides to merge Warner’s and Shortlidge’s buses then that would require an earlier morning pick up since the buses would have to drop children off at two schools – it would also mean that the children would get home from school later (same reason) and result in children spending more time on a bus (which was a major suburban complaint against busing).  Guess all these complaints only count for the suburban community.

After Care is pretty strict about pick up, so Warner and Shortlidge parents would have to leave work early in order to make two stops?  Or would we be busing, or walking, kids from one school to another in all kinds of weather?  Oh, you have an older sibling at Warner? You’ll need to go there for after care, but you don’t have an older sibling so you’ll stay at Shortlidge?

And even if they changed the schools’ start and dismissal times that still equates into more of a burden for city parents (wait times at bus stops for pick up and drop off will be longer, extra time needed for car drivers and walkers to get to two different schools).  What the hell is Red Clay thinking? This solution ranks right up there with school uniforms as a solution for struggling schools and demonstrates how out of touch RCCD is with its city community.

And the idea of two parent nights, special events, etc. boggles the mind. It’s burdensome and not conducive to the tired mantra of “parent involvement”.

Think about that.  RCCD is actually considering an idea that will create more work for city parents.  Two of everything.  Seriously, there’s something wrong with these people.  And I hope the RCCD school board points out how clueless these district employees and superintendent are.  (I can’t make the meeting because I have to pick my son up – he’s coming home from college that night.  I will be listening to the recorded meeting – thanks for pushing that, Kilroy!)

Third, if RCCD does this then would Shortlidge still be considered a Priority School? What tests would that designation be based on?

I guess this is one way to get one of your schools off the Priority Schools list.  It’s as easy as changing the grade configuration!  Maybe RCCD’s next state-of-the-art suggestion will be new and improved uniforms (with a fancy school logo!) and calling one a learning center or academy or institute?  So far that pretty much sums up their “ideas” for improving city schools. Lord knows, they never offer anything like equitable funding, smaller class sizes, desirable programs, etc..  Those things cost money so they’re off the table.  And then they sit back and scratch their collective heads wondering why these schools don’t improve.  Hey, we gave them uniforms!  That’s the solution, right?

I’ve said it before… we could get rid of 40% of district office (and DDOE) and actually see improvements in schools.  These people cause more harm than good – and are vastly overpaid for their idiocy.  Sorry if that sounds harsh, but district employees (as well as those who work at DDOE), who earn far more than teachers and other school staff and who have rarely, if ever, stepped foot in these Priority Schools are the biggest obstacle to success.  District offices and the DDOE need to cut their staff drastically.  Know what they are?  They are a condo council or a neighborhood association that exists to “make work” for others – all outward facing curtain backs must be white, garage doors must be closed, trash can lids must be attached to trash cans.  It’s ridiculous and doesn’t improve a damn thing.  It’s also a classic example of eff up, move up.  People should be promoted into a classroom, not out of it.  And that would be the case if we actually put children first – which we don’t – or we do, but only certain children.  Keep fighting, ACLU!  School districts and DDOE have given you everything you need to make your case.

Fourth, from what I’m hearing RCCD did not include the Warner and Shortlidge community in this decision and these communities are not happy.

Yep, my email inbox is filling up and my phone has been ringing.  Looks like, in typical fashion, RCCD didn’t consult the community on this brilliant idea.  Why am I not surprised?