Howard University MS Charter school is imploding

[Anonymous]

If she told them not to talk about Barry, and they did, they should be fired. But unless the students are in danger, the resignations should be accepted and they should not be dragged out of the classroom by the cops. There are so many bad lessons for the kids in such action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the real story here? If teachers were really fired, it was not because they talked about marion barry, come on. There was a reason. And then other teachers chose to leave. Come on dcum, lets get the real story and not accuse an aa principal of racism.

This was on the news yesterday.

The real story is the principal is incompetent.

3 teachers submitted their 2 week notices last week. The principal decided to be horrible and show everyone why she can't keep teachers by firing and having the teachers removed during classtime.

It wasn't cute when Rhee did it, and it's not cute now. But these are charter parents, which suggests they're more savvy and involved. They're not happy about the teacher turnover rate and the way Crazy Eyes handled the situation. It was upsetting to their children.

I wonder what the real story is too. DC Police Officers escorted the teachers out of their classrooms? Really? The principal may have accepted their resignations immediately and she may have had them walked out by security. However, a few parents telling what they heard (not what they witnessed) to a reporter doesn't make it so.

[Anonymous]

The teachers resigned. They were not fired. So no unemployment. Don't believe the media hype, as I understand it, the students confirmed there were no police officers in any of the classrooms at any time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents are mad because the principal is trying to mainstream curriculum? Marion Barry may have made history but he was a corrupt opportunist who positioned himself as a champion of building the black middle class to benefit himself. He should have been a champion of educating to one's greatest potential. I would be concerned with how Marion Barry is being presented to a roomful of kids.

Besides, the media wasn't contacted by the school and/or administrators so it's just a tabloid one sided version of whatever the truth may be.

You are an idiot. Marion Barry did a tremendous amount of good for the African-American community in Washington, DC, despite some of his personal shortcomings. He championed educating one's greatest potential by opening opportunities for African-American to achieve middle class status. In so doing, there are a lot of African-American students who had the opportunity to attend some of Washington, DC's finest private school, and subsequently enter colleges and universities around the country. Through his Summer Youth Employment Program, generations of African-American youth received professional work experience that they may not otherwise have had. By no means does Marion Barry the poster child for political opportunism. There are political opportunist from various state, local and federal governments around this country. Edwin Meese, Dan Rostenkowski, Newt Gingrich, Robert Torricelli, Randy Cunningham, Tom Delay, Ted Stevens, James Traficant and the list goes on and on. However, since you're probably from Indiana, Ohio, or some other state, you feel the need to disparage and discount the positive impact Barry had on Washington, DC because you are completely clueless and an idiot.

The only things that Barry "did" were crack and cocaine and the numerous cheap bimbos he associated with. RIP and good riddance!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the real story here? If teachers were really fired, it was not because they talked about marion barry, come on. There was a reason. And then other teachers chose to leave. Come on dcum, lets get the real story and not accuse an aa principal of racism.

This was on the news yesterday.

The real story is the principal is incompetent.

3 teachers submitted their 2 week notices last week. The principal decided to be horrible and show everyone why she can't keep teachers by firing and having the teachers removed during classtime.

It wasn't cute when Rhee did it, and it's not cute now. But these are charter parents, which suggests they're more savvy and involved. They're not happy about the teacher turnover rate and the way Crazy Eyes handled the situation. It was upsetting to their children.

I wonder what the real story is too. DC Police Officers escorted the teachers out of their classrooms? Really? The principal may have accepted their resignations immediately and she may have had them walked out by security. However, a few parents telling what they heard (not what they witnessed) to a reporter doesn't make it so.

Did you watch? STUDENTS said the teachers were escorted out and they were not able to say goodbye.

Admin could've provided their side but chose not to.

Bottom line is that the principal was unprofessional and wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teachers resigned. They were not fired. So no unemployment. Don't believe the media hype, as I understand it, the students confirmed there were no police officers in any of the classrooms at any time.

They were fired after providing their resignations last week. So unemployment is now a very real possibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, by firing them is she opening herself up to all 3 applying for unemployment? That is really stupid.

Exactly! Stupid as well as mean-spirited and unnecessary.

I hope they are given unemployment. And, I smell a lawsuit.

The unemployment is trivial. Aren't these teachers at will?

Yes in a charter they probably had no leverage. Either burned out from public school experience for freshly minted TFA'ers.

unemployment benefits are not trivial. If you are fired, you get them. If you resign you do not get them.

Unemployment benefits are trivial to the employer. It appeared that the first poster was trying to make a point that the principal made a bad financial decision by firing the teachers and potentially setting up the potential for a lawsuit. The point about the unemployment benefits being trivial is that it shouldn't even into the decision making process on the employers side since it is really is trivial to an employer. The second point appeared to be that the principal also made a bad decision by setting up the school for a lawsuit. I just don't see it.

[Anonymous]

This is what I heard

The principle has been on a mission to make the school more like a Montgomery county school. She wants to cut out some of the cultural elements some teachers were teaching to make the school more attractive to a certain demographic.

She told the teachers not to do lessons on Kawanza and Marion Berry. She started doing class observations to make sure the teachers were complying. One teacher was observed 8 times over the course of 10 days.

The 3 teachers saw the writing on the wall and gave their 2 week notice. She went into a very popular teachers class and told him he was fired and needed to leave.

This is where it gets bizzare, the students started banging on the windows and desks in protest shouting that she was trying to whitewash them so she calls the police who escort the teacher out. I don't understand why she just didn't wait until the end of the day to fire him.

Sorry for the typos on phone

[Anonymous]

This story is actually really interesting. Apparently she's a new principal who hopefully has full support of her board.

She's making change parents don't like but might be good for the school and consistent with the school planning and vision of the board who selected her.

This story, though, is bringing attention to the school which will either completely backfire on the parents and people going to the media and may lead to the school next level of excellence. Or the parents/driving forces will win and the board will cave.

Whatever the real story is, I hope the principal only signed up with a solid contract that will financial support her for its duration if the board capitulates.

[Anonymous]

Well said!! One thing to remember at Charter schools ALMOST all decisions come from or through the board. The principle may not have to worry. A well run board is always watching!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well said!! One thing to remember at Charter schools ALMOST all decisions come from or through the board. The principle may not have to worry. A well run board is always watching!

It's "principal", but let's see what parents stay and who goes. DC is not MoCo and even if they implement another justifications education standards, I'm betting there still wouldn't be a signification percentage of high-ses students attending.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the correction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is what I heard

The principle has been on a mission to make the school more like a Montgomery county school. She wants to cut out some of the cultural elements some teachers were teaching to make the school more attractive to a certain demographic.

She told the teachers not to do lessons on Kawanza and Marion Berry. She started doing class observations to make sure the teachers were complying. One teacher was observed 8 times over the course of 10 days.

The 3 teachers saw the writing on the wall and gave their 2 week notice. She went into a very popular teachers class and told him he was fired and needed to leave.

This is where it gets bizzare, the students started banging on the windows and desks in protest shouting that she was trying to whitewash them so she calls the police who escort the teacher out. I don't understand why she just didn't wait until the end of the day to fire him.

Sorry for the typos on phone

The principal sounds like she was on a crazy power trip. It was totally inappropriate to have acted out in front of the students.

That said, too many schools in DC have emphasized the, uh, "cultural elements" at the expense of serious academics. Regardless of demographics, I believe that most parents want a top-notch academic experience. I would have had no problem with discussing Marion Barry, as long as it was an objective portrayal and not the Barry hagiography that seems to be the Party line in DC government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is what I heard

The principle has been on a mission to make the school more like a Montgomery county school. She wants to cut out some of the cultural elements some teachers were teaching to make the school more attractive to a certain demographic.

She told the teachers not to do lessons on Kawanza and Marion Berry. She started doing class observations to make sure the teachers were complying. One teacher was observed 8 times over the course of 10 days.

The 3 teachers saw the writing on the wall and gave their 2 week notice. She went into a very popular teachers class and told him he was fired and needed to leave.

This is where it gets bizzare, the students started banging on the windows and desks in protest shouting that she was trying to whitewash them so she calls the police who escort the teacher out. I don't understand why she just didn't wait until the end of the day to fire him.

Sorry for the typos on phone

The principal sounds like she was on a crazy power trip. It was totally inappropriate to have acted out in front of the students.

That said, too many schools in DC have emphasized the, uh, "cultural elements" at the expense of serious academics. Regardless of demographics, I believe that most parents want a top-notch academic experience. I would have had no problem with discussing Marion Barry, as long as it was an objective portrayal and not the Barry hagiography that seems to be the Party line in DC government.

Agree with your sentiments. Now that Marion Barry has passed, it would be an interesting exercise to do a study of his political policies and implementation, and effect. It would be a great dissertation topic for a PhD student!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents are mad because the principal is trying to mainstream curriculum? Marion Barry may have made history but he was a corrupt opportunist who positioned himself as a champion of building the black middle class to benefit himself. He should have been a champion of educating to one's greatest potential. I would be concerned with how Marion Barry is being presented to a roomful of kids.

Besides, the media wasn't contacted by the school and/or administrators so it's just a tabloid one sided version of whatever the truth may be.

1. What is it about DC that attracts such idiot/ego-tripping, power-playing school administrators?

2. I think parents are more pissed that the administrator is a maniacal ego-trip who's a micromanager to the point of running off teachers in droves. Good parents realize high teacher turnover is bad for their children's educational experience. What must their learning experience be like with several new teachers in one school year and subs in between?

I really think it's less about what's being taught. They're just throwing their support behind the wronged teachers.

3. That principal needs to go ASAP! And all of a DC (public & charters ) need training on what true school leadership means.

All of what you said may be true but the linked article states that the teachers were supposedly fired because a standard curriculum had been adopted and they were teaching outside that curriculum. It sounds more like a case of insubordination that anything else.

That was not given as the reason for firing. That was the ASSUMED reason for one of the problems between Crazy Lady and her teachers.

And I don't think those teachers had an entire Marion Barry unit. They may have thrown in a few things Crazy Eyes didn't like. Given that she is clearly a power tripper who doesn't lead well, I can just imagine her trying to micromanage every aspect of their lesson with no flexibility or room for creativity.

According to the article, these were not the only teacher turnovers this year but perhaps the most dramatic.

High teacher turnover is a sign of poor leadership and a failing school.

You don't see high turnover in good schools.

These parents are right to be concerned.

You also don't see high turnover in schools where teachers are running it.