Jonetta Barras says what everyone is thinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1824 is fundamentally wrong about BRAC. For many small to medium size communities, closing a base is a very very big deal. Military bases are the life blood of many communities in terms of population, direct jobs, spin off jobs, etc. It was so difficult to close bases that the BRAC system had to be created. Pressure from the affected Congressman was tremendous. [I do take note that, for a few communities, closing a facility can be helpful, as it makes otherwise unavailable real estate available. Witness Walter Reed. But this is very unusual and only relevant in areas that are diversified and doing well in general.] So, I suggest the communities do have a legitimate interest in base closings for no other reason than they had built up an infrastructure to support the bases. So local communities did have a real legitimate economic interest in the closing of bases.

I did not say that it didn't impact the communities. But while the purpose of a school is to serve the community, the purpose of a military base is to defend the country. So when you go about locating military bases, it should be for the purpose of national defense, not whether it affects the "lifeblood" of the community. The community did not build up to "support" the base. They went there to make money off of the base. So when a base goes away, it's just like a factory closing in a town. Does the community have the right to expect the factory to stay? No, the best they can do is make their case and see if they can make their area attractive enough that it stays. The fact that it has a negative impact is not the responsibility of the US Army, the Marine Corps, or whoever else is there.

On the other hand, when you make decisions about schools, you should be thinking about the local population, because that's what a school is there for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I think 1824 misses is that, for DCPS, time is of the essence. As more time passes, dc kids suffer. So, the choice is between a drawn out process that tries to take everybody's views in account before making a decision or a faster (but no doubt imperfect) process that gets the job done quicker. Given the history of DC politic, and the emphasis on process and inclusion, I understand why many would prefer the first approach. For me, given the state of the schools and our children, I want the job done faster so DCPS can move on to the many other issues that it needs to addres. Time is not on the side of our children. The gap between many of our children and many others in the US is getting better. If one includes the rest of the world, it is worse. So, I am willing to suck up my ego and keep shut my mouth so the dramatics changes can be made quickly.

It does not take that much time to hear out a community. This is done in cities and counties all the time. If you sucked up your ego and shut your mouth, and then your kids got dumped into a really bad school, you would be complaining, especially if a better school was available and was not full.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but I have yet to hear any folks compare Gray to Barry .

Seriously?!! You must not be a regular reader of the DC Public and Charter Schools forum here. Or take a look at any of the comments people post after stories about Gray on WTOP's website or NBC 4's website. I saw so many of those kind of comments it made me sick to my stomach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UDC just started a community college. Where have you been. In addition, while I am a lawyer and did not attend UDC, they actually graduate very fine lawyers who enter public service overwhelmingly!

I am aware that UDC has a community college. But UDC should be a community college, nothing more. UDC has limited resources, and it needs to spend the money on those who most need it. For DC youth who wish to attend a 4-year program, there are more than enough of them around, even in DC. As for the law school, I would never recommend that anyone attend UDC law. It is a waste of money. The public service angle is way overblown. Most law schools have a public service angle, so that is nothing special. Even for those interested in public service, I would not recommend UDC. The key here is focus. UDC can't be everything to everybody. DC, UDC and DCPS needs to focus on those who most need the opportunities. Someone attending UDC law has other opportunities. If not, that person should not be in law school and is wasting money.

I just want to point out here that re-working UDC was a key issue for Vincent Gray while he was Chairman. But back to DCPS - how do we know that Gray is not for radical reform? Can someone give me evidence that he is against school reform - I want to see that please.

[Anonymous]

It would seem to be a difficult point to prove. Didn't Gray himself sponsor the legislation that created the position of Chancellor, specifically to enable the reform in the first place?

[Anonymous]

How could any mayor fix the chronic problems that result in many DC residents being jobless? Giving uneducated, unqualified people jobs will not be sustainable in the long run and will only worsen race relations.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:How could any mayor fix the chronic problems that result in many DC residents being jobless? Giving uneducated, unqualified people jobs will not be sustainable in the long run and will only worsen race relations.

One approach is to provide job training so that they become qualified. But, what do you propose? Ignore them? Push them into the river and see if they can swim?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I think 1824 misses is that, for DCPS, time is of the essence. As more time passes, dc kids suffer. So, the choice is between a drawn out process that tries to take everybody's views in account before making a decision or a faster (but no doubt imperfect) process that gets the job done quicker. Given the history of DC politic, and the emphasis on process and inclusion, I understand why many would prefer the first approach. For me, given the state of the schools and our children, I want the job done faster so DCPS can move on to the many other issues that it needs to addres. Time is not on the side of our children. The gap between many of our children and many others in the US is getting better. If one includes the rest of the world, it is worse. So, I am willing to suck up my ego and keep shut my mouth so the dramatics changes can be made quickly.

No matter how of the essence time is, it is nothing but pure disrespect and avoidance to hold two dozen meetings simultaneously just so that you don't have to face people in person. That was cowardice, pure and simple. There's a difference between leadership and autocracy. Fenty & Rhee forgot that to their own peril.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UDC just started a community college. Where have you been. In addition, while I am a lawyer and did not attend UDC, they actually graduate very fine lawyers who enter public service overwhelmingly!

I am aware that UDC has a community college. But UDC should be a community college, nothing more. UDC has limited resources, and it needs to spend the money on those who most need it. For DC youth who wish to attend a 4-year program, there are more than enough of them around, even in DC. As for the law school, I would never recommend that anyone attend UDC law. It is a waste of money. The public service angle is way overblown. Most law schools have a public service angle, so that is nothing special. Even for those interested in public service, I would not recommend UDC. The key here is focus. UDC can't be everything to everybody. DC, UDC and DCPS needs to focus on those who most need the opportunities. Someone attending UDC law has other opportunities. If not, that person should not be in law school and is wasting money.

I just want to point out here that re-working UDC was a key issue for Vincent Gray while he was Chairman. But back to DCPS - how do we know that Gray is not for radical reform? Can someone give me evidence that he is against school reform - I want to see that please.

He had the support of the educational establishment in DC, meaning unions, etc. Moreover, he, by his nature, is not radical and has not shown an ability to be bold. In many situations, that may be best. With respect to DCPS, it is not. So, it is not a question of whether he is for reform. Who isn't? But the question is whether he is willing to push for hard decisions, understanding that he will make enemies in the process. He has shown no willingness to do that. As for UDC, there is an example of where Gray took the easy way out. UDC can's be everything to everybody. DC must focus its educational dollars and resources on the people who really need it. It might be nice for DC to have a well known top notch university. But that is not really helping those who really need help. DC has too many young people who need a better education and more job training opportunities. Those are the ones really suffering and creating systematic unemployment as PPs have implied. The DC youth who have the ability and desire to go to 4-year colleges have many opportunities. It is not the top DCPS students that should be of concern. It is the rest. What are they going to do???? It is a very very serious issue. And spending time and resources worrying about the closing of "my school" and about turning UDC into a top notch university has nothing to do with solving the issues faced by these students.

[Anonymous]

I'm all for job training. I do not support bad teachers being kept on the DCPS payroll as a form of welfare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
He had the support of the educational establishment in DC, meaning unions, etc. Moreover, he, by his nature, is not radical and has not shown an ability to be bold. In many situations, that may be best. With respect to DCPS, it is not. So, it is not a question of whether he is for reform. Who isn't? But the question is whether he is willing to push for hard decisions, understanding that he will make enemies in the process. He has shown no willingness to do that. As for UDC, there is an example of where Gray took the easy way out. UDC can's be everything to everybody. DC must focus its educational dollars and resources on the people who really need it. It might be nice for DC to have a well known top notch university. But that is not really helping those who really need help. DC has too many young people who need a better education and more job training opportunities. Those are the ones really suffering and creating systematic unemployment as PPs have implied. The DC youth who have the ability and desire to go to 4-year colleges have many opportunities. It is not the top DCPS students that should be of concern. It is the rest. What are they going to do???? It is a very very serious issue. And spending time and resources worrying about the closing of "my school" and about turning UDC into a top notch university has nothing to do with solving the issues faced by these students.

Actually this is a simplistic statement. Whether you agree with the new approach or not, the creation of a separate community college was controversial because it meant a tuition increase for students in the four year program and students demonstrated in protest over this. The easy way out would have been to do nothing.

[Anonymous]

9/22/10/15:14: Maybe you would not recommend that someone go to UDC law school, but I would. I have always been impressed with their lawyers. I went to a "tony" law school in D.C. I have $106K in law school debt and I graduated 10 years ago. Tuition has gone up significantly since then. I could not practice public interest law if I wanted to. How would my kids eat? I can't save for my kids' education because I am still paying for my own. And - just last week, Obama told me that I was rich. Wow - that was a shocker. Students should have an opportunity to attend a college they can afford. Even with DC Tag money, other state universities are more expensive than UDC.

[Anonymous]

Let me add, too, that TAG is only for undergraduate studies. UDC is the only option for DC residents who want in-state tuition for a JD, MBA, MA, etc.

[Anonymous]

There is plenty of scholarship money out there for DC residents who want to get a JD, MBA, or MA. In my view, DC has very limited resources. It should spend all of those resourcs on helping those who really need it. That means radical changes to DCPS and to developing a first-rate community college. These programs would be focused on the DC youth that really need help. Spending money on JD, MBA, MA, etc programs is a waste of limited resources. Students attending those programs clearly have other options. Saying that DC residents ought to have an in-state option for these programs is nice but takes away limited resources from those who need the educational opportunities.