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DC Public and Public Charter Schools
Hearst Principal Leaving/Washington Post
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Anonymous
| Anyone read today's paper, with first-hand account by newly departed Heast Principal? He hits on many points that are the under-reported facts: Rhee/Henderson's agenda is to serve upper middle class white wards first and hope the reputation improves, the poorly served wards still get nil. Anyone beg to differ? |
Anonymous
Anonymous
| After reading the article it appears it is not just Rhee et al that are the problem. I get why Rhee/Henderson et al want and need well off parents in the system. It is not just money they bring, they bring buy in for continuing funding the system. However I do see a chicken and egg problem too many parents will not consider going into the system until it gets a lot better. That has to be the focus no matter what. |
Anonymous
|
So, I've tried to stay out of this, but as one of the neighborhood families looking for a slot at another NW school, I have some issues with the things stated in this article:
1. Hello! the central admin continued to force Hearst to take in a kid who was a danger to his classmates. (The pen stabbing was one of several serious incidents) Of course I want my DC in a safe place. Before they blame lack of neighborhood participation they need to understand what people with choices will and will not tolerate. 2. Me and my neighbors are not racist. Most of the kids on my block go to Murch or Janney because the OOB is so prevalent at Hearst that beyond first grade, there is no diversity. If AA families are honest, they would prefer to send their child to a school out of boundary than have their child be the only or one of two black students in their neighborhood school. And if they did, I doubt anyone would call them racist. 3. THis is changing in the lower grades, and many young families I've spoken to really want Hearst to become part of the neighborhood and want to send their kids there, but if the attitude of the principal is that the community support doesn't matter, he won't get any, because they do have options in many cases. As someone who had great confidence in Mr Kerlina, I'm both sad and angry that he wasn't given support for his disciplinary decisions, but I'm also disappointed that after all my cheerleading with neighbors about giving Hearst a second look, its leader would take such a cavalier attitude about the importance of encouraging neighborhood participation. |
Anonymous
| DCPS teacher here. Article sounds pretty reflective on the dysfunctional culture in DCPS. |
Anonymous
| Ugh. Why is Kaya saying "ain't"? |
Anonymous
| Makes you want to cringe. I'd be embarassed to be a DCPS employee. |
Anonymous
|
He'd never been a principal, wasn't going to be one in Montgomery County, and lasted only his first couple of years as a DCPS principal. And wanted more salary. There's not really a story here that I can see unless it's one about elevating someone who doesn't have what it takes.
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Anonymous
| Oh, really. As a parent who has not enrolled a child in Hardy or Hearst, this sounds strikingly similar to the possible screw-ups by DCPS at Hardy MS removing Patrick Pope. Neighborhood...let's please think of the white neighbors. Ick. Amanda Alexander is the perfect foil -- she came in after the witch hunt to remove Sandra Gonzalez from Ross ES rabid parents. AmandaA, being non-white, was able to shake things up and not be called racist. She and Kaya are in the same category - performing to suit whites in order to make DCPS look good all over. But the problem has never been high performing white neighborhoods -- the bad DCPS rap is all about the inequities in wards 7, 8 and parts of 4, 5 and 6. And Ballou still has a crap building while W3 Wilson has a gleaming castle on the way. The list goes on and on and it's great ONE principal is telling it like it is. |
Anonymous
| Thank you, Mr. Kerlina for having the courage to tell it like it is. From my experience what he says is so true; we face the same issues in our predominantly OOB, NW school. Dealing with chronic behavior problems without central office support, unreasonable attitude and demands from neighborhood parents, a punitive teacher evaluation system, and a DCPS lack of interest in inquiry-based learning. |
Anonymous
| PP why are the neighborhood parent's demands for a successful school unreasonable? A lot of us of all colors want a successful school. My sense that us parents are to blame is the extent to which we don't support discipline in the school. |
Anonymous
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It is upsetting that a principal tried to protect his students from a violent student and was given no support from "central office." Further,the article highlighted another example of a family who lives in Maryland gaming the system to send their child to a DC public school.
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Anonymous
Wonderful spokesperson; yikes! Is she trying to be 'just folks'? Not the right moment in a situation meriting a serious, reasoned response. --former DCPS teacher who give thanks every day for my good fortune in escaping.... |
Anonymous
I am AA. I honestly prefer to send my children to the best possible school. If they are the only black students there (they are), so be it. The difference between AA and white families who make this choice, is that AAs who want opportunity for themselves and/or their children are used to being one of a few. I don't blame any family for doing what's best for their children, nor do I think this is racist. |
Anonymous
So many take-aways in this article. Good on the Principal for putting his real thoughts out there. That said, when I read "ain't" coming out of the Chancellor's mouth in an on-the-record interview with the Post, my first thought was: she should be fired just for that. Can you imagine a CEO being interviewed in, say, the WSJ, about a key executive's departure and hearing the word "ain't" in her answer. Please!! Just ridiculous. Standards are set from the top. What a joke. |