Reply to Kaya Henderson has Undermined her own Leadership

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "Kaya Henderson has Undermined her own Leadership"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I hear quite a bit of talk about a coalition to improve our schools and am very interested in participating. I suggest that this is the time to focus on a city-wide effort led by families focused on improving school quality and creating  tangible indicators for what successful schools would look like from the perspective of children and their families.

One of my disappointments about the DME process is how it has pitted parents against each other and has not mobilized families around improving the quality of schools overall or even in specific higher, lower or middle performing schools.

The "secret" of the successful DCPS and charter schools is that the administration, teachers, and parents work together for the good of the students. [b]Henderson's statement that families can leave DCPS is unacceptable. It alienates parents who want to be engaged in the education of their children at all socio-economic levels and leaves the system even more vulnerable and likely to fail.[/b]

DC is full of strong-willed, policy interested and engaged people. I would like to see this talent and energy funneled into productive ways to make DC schools the very best for the children of our city.[/quote]

But makes sense if her MO is to preside over the demise of DCPS, to qualify for a position in the Charter industry.

But  perhaps she's just tone deaf -- not a good quality for a leader.[/quote]

that would make her the second tone deaf chancellor in a row - and DC has had three "tone deaf" mayors in a row, I guess.

I think the problem goes deeper than that - I think the near feudal sense of entitlement that charecterizes DC politics makes it almost impossible for any poltiical leader to succeed.   "I cannot be redistricted because we have ALWAYS been IB for school X"   "IB kids are welcome at school Y, AS LONG AS they do not change its "unique culture".  "We must build no new apartments, because I have a right to park easily on the street using an RPP that costs under $50 a year"  " we cannot enforce parking laws on Sunday, because we never have, so its my right to park anywhere when going to church"    These kinds of attitudes, and the deference paid them, render it very difficult to accomplish any kind of rational planning and policy.   It tends to make DC dysfunctional.  The district rebound has been as successful as it is, mostly because of its wonderfuil legacy layout, because its still the major concentration of employment in the region, and becauase of the paradigm shift to urbanism among the young.   Not because of its political culture, which resists change.

I beleive that some other less well situated jurisdictions, with more functional political cultures, will benefit from this. [/quote]

Excellent points.

Deal is overcrowded. The boundary has to change. How do those fighting to undo the boundary changes want to address overcrowding?[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics