Guest Commentary from Bill Scott (the Elder)

Bill recently sent this commentary to the Post Standard with the hopes that it would be published. The paper politely declined, on the grounds that it was not a subject that was of interest to most of their readers. They then proceeded to suggest that our humble blog might be more in line. Ha!

Anyway, courtesy of Bill, here it is...

Let Us Come Together

 

To the editor:

In my 71 years on this earth and my 45 years working in the field of education (mostly with SCSD), I have been a student of the change process. I have been a participant in and a leader of countless workshops, forums, and community meetings. I am relatively sure that I know the essential elements necessary to bring about productive change, but I am absolutely sure that I know what does not work. I have been around too long to stand by and see politics, ego, hardened positions, and canned arguments that don’t fit get in the way of a thoughtful solution to a problem that is harmful to our students staff, and families.

Recently the president of the Syracuse Teachers Association presented a plan on behalf of the Be the Change (BTC) group, which is a coalition of parents and school district staff. The plan they submitted is a thoughtful plan of action intended to resolve the immediate crisis of violence in the Syracuse City schools and to build a network of support for families and students whose experience in the schools has not worked for them. The reaction of some advocates who have frequently spoken
before the school board and who have shared their views through the media has been extremely disappointing to those of us who had hopes that the community could come together to meet the challenge of a deteriorating learning environment that will adversely affect the future of hundreds, if not thousands, of students.

I am and have been an advocate, so I will speak of our role from that perspective. The job of the advocate is a difficult one. We are most often in the position of fighting for the rights of those who do not have the resources or the voice to be heard. Our tools are often well-established arguments that can be brought out when the critical lens that we use alerts us to an injustice that must be addressed. We are usually outnumbered and out-resourced by those that we have to stand against. So, we develop an early warning system that gets us prepared for the fight before it begins. The down side of this is that we develop a kind of professional paranoia. We sometimes see things that are not there. When we let our bias or prejudice blind us, we use arguments that really do not fit the situation. Our weakness, ironically, is the same thing that we have fought so courageously against. When our arguments and proclamations do not make sense, we lose credibility among those who could be
our allies. Those who have always been opposed to our work delight in our loss of credibility and are only too happy to join the team for the prosecution.

Arguments that have been put forward by advocates to effectively stand against discriminatory practices just do not fit the plan put forward by BTC. The first reaction of some advocates appears to view the plan as the same old practice of excessive school suspensions and warehousing of students that does nothing to support students in developing the social/emotional skills that will help them to
be successful students and productive citizens as adults. Nothing could be further from the truth. I believe that the reaction to the BTC proposal is one of those times that some advocates need to take a second look at the plan before speaking in opposition.

The following beliefs underlie the BTC plan:

1. All students are entitled to learn in a safe and healthy school environment.
2. Some students need alternatives (for a limited period of time) to the traditional school setting in order to be successful.
3. Some students need intensive support in developing the social/emotional skills that will enable them to participate fully in the traditional school environment.
4. Families should have access to services to support the needs of their children.
5. The fact that needed services for children and families are lacking is tantamount to educational neglect.

I doubt that anyone who advocates for equal opportunity and access in public schools would disagree with any of the above precepts. If that assumption is correct, we are all on the same side. We have many common obstacles to stand against. I urge advocates to meet with BTC to work with their draft proposal in order to come together on a plan that assures that our schools offer an opportunity for success for all of our students. The advocates who have connections among CBOs, private and public service agencies, and the faith-based community can also help us to bring together resources that are needed to meet many of the needs of our children and families that have been neglected for too long.

Thanks, Bill, for your support in so many ways!!!

Can You Say Pressure?

Keep the pressure on... Never doubt the impact we can make as a group speaking the truth with a single voice... We all want every child in the Syracuse City School district to have access to a sound, basic education. They deserve it!

WOW!!!

We have not received the number of reports that have come in today since the first week of the blog. So many, in fact, that we are compiling them all to be reported to the media. It will be impossible for the district to hide anymore... Keep the tips coming!

What If...

What if we all started calling Central Office on Monday and demanded action.? Bombard the School Board with emails, too? Would YOU do it?

Reported

Mother and Daughter Charged in Knife Fight at Nottingham
What if this had been a gun? Imagine how differently this could have turned out...

SCSD take notice!

This is not a perceived escalation, this is REAL danger!

And it was not the only knife fight in a school last week. There was one at Frazer, allegedly by two students who did not belong there, either because they were on homebound instruction or suspended or otherwise not supposed to be in the building.

The legal doctrines of foreseeability will make the district culpable when something tragic happens, because the warning signs are all there.

The time has come to make this issue a priority and truly address it,

not with glossy brochures that trot out the same old programs,

but with real change.

We Need YOUR Help Getting Stories into the Press

If you know anything about incidents this week at Nottingham and Frazer, we need help bombarding the media to cover them. Both incidents allegedly involved weapons and mace being brought into the schools and arrests being made. If you know anything, please contact the Post Standard and/or the TV channels to demand coverage.

Can We Fill the Ballroom?

The ballroom at Temple Adath Yeshurun holds 300+ people. Do you think we can fill it? Email us if you are planning to attend Thursday's "Be the Change" rally. REMEMBER - the more visible you are, the less likely you are to be the victim of retaliation because THE MEDIA IS WATCHING, READY TO REPORT ON ANY INCIDENTS OF RETALIATION. The time has come to step out of the shadows and let your voice be heard! Can you do it?

PERCEIVED Escalation???

• Parents complaining at board meetings
• Newspaper reports on teachers being injured in classrooms
• A weekly glass replacement bill reported to be in excess of $1,000
• Teachers being threatened DAILY
• Students being injured by their fellow students every single day
• Drugs being sold IN SCHOOL with virtually no repercussions

At what point does this go from being

perceived escalation of (negative) behaviors to

actually being acknowledged and addressed head-on?

The latest marketing piece generated by the district outlines all of the programs that are in place to help support students who are struggling on a social-emotional level. What the piece neglects to mention is the limited capacity of these programs. Most teachers, social workers and staff estimate that about 5% our students are in DESPERATE need of intensive social-emotional supports. In a district with 20,000 students, this equates to a need for at least 1,000 slots

Even estimating generously,

the district has fewer than 350 slots.

Far, far, far fewer than are needed.

 

What happens to those kids who are falling through the cracks?

Those are the kids that "Be the Change" wants to see supported. Those are the kids who are most at risk for THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE THAT NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN!

Only a concerted effort from the entire community will turn this problem around - parents, grandparents, mentors, teachers, social workers, counselors, churches, concerned adults. All of us working together. Redirecting funds from padded overhead fluff to the nitty-gritty hands-on service providers. Reassessing our priorities. Creating strong boundaries and high expectations.

Right now we are painting the walls

while the building is falling down all around us.

 

That doesn't make sense!

 

We cannot afford to wait any longer!

Parents, teachers and non-supervisory SCSD staff - contact this blog to learn how you can attend our rally on March 27th.

Come be part of  the change you wish to see in the world.

Excitement Is Building

As the second "Be the Change" rally nears, we can feel the excitement building. Our theme for the night is "Bring a Parent, Bring a Friend" and we are asking everyone to bring a guest with them. Please remember though - SCSD personnel are limited to non-supervisory employees only. Meeting details will follow later today, but make sure you hold Thursday, March 27th free.

Are You KIDDING?!

The Plan of Action advocates for warehousing kids? Especially those of color and with disabilities? Talking about "bad" kids?

Where is this coming from?

The team that worked on the draft plan included general ed teachers, special ed teachers, social workers, support staff and parents of kids with special needs. All were very cognizant of student rights and due process. And, while the plan is not complete, it is a starting point for acknowledging that our district does not have enough available slots to fill the need we have for supportive alternative schooling for those kids who are struggling AND for creating a safe, chaos-free environment for those kids who are not. This plan does not intend to take away from the long-range programs that are in place, nor does it seek to deprive any child of their right to an education.

Indeed, we all know that the only way our children will be successful
is to ensure that they all have access to a sound basic education.

Right now, none of our kids do.

Why? Because a very small percentage of the kids, through violent and intentionally disruptive behaviors, have created a chaos-filled environment within the SCSD - at all grade levels.

The Plan of Action does not advocate for removal from all education, nor can it legally. Instead it recommends movement to a more supportive environment where students can get the social-emotional and academic supports that they NEED to be successful when they return to a traditional classroom setting, which is the ultimate goal.

Twilight classes - evenings from 3:00 to 5:00 or 5:00 to 7:00 - already exist in a more basic form in the high schools, so the Plan is not suggesting anything new to the district. Rather it expands upon the program, advocating for partnerships with community-based organizations to adds daytime supports and the addition of social-emotional supports during the twilight school hours, something the program does not currently include.

All of this is with the goal of helping kids to be MORE supported so that they can be successful.

URGENT - SCSD Needs Our Support to Advocate for Fair Funding

The following is a message we received from Parents for Public Schools. Please consider signing this request for an increase in the financial support that SCSD receives from the state. If you haven't already signed their petition, the deadline is Thursday, March 20th, as it will be presented in Albany on Friday.

"The state has never made fair funding for schools a priority. Syracuse kids and families feel the effects every day. With this year’s budget season coming to a close, there is no action in sight. For this reason, Parents for Public Schools of Syracuse has posted online a petition to be sent to Governor Cuomo, Assemblymembers Magnarelli, and Roberts, and Senators DeFrancisco & Valesky.

We are asking our elected officials to act now to:

• Restore $7.7 million in foundation aid to Syracuse for the 2014-2015 school year as a good faith gesture toward renewing the promise that NYS will find a fair way to fund schools so that all children, even those who live in Syracuse, can enjoy their constitutional right to a sound basic education.
• Restore $1.8 million in flexible universal all-day pre-K funding.
• Eliminate immediately the balance of the Gap Elimination Adjustment and reallocate these funds to high needs districts, including Syracuse.

Will you sign this petition? It only takes a minute. Click here:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/a-syracuse-zip-code-shouldnt?source=s.icn.em.mt&r_by=1577722

Thank you for speaking up for Syracuse children."

Without these funding increases, we will not have the resources to provide the supports that so many of our students so desperately need in order to be successful in school. will continue to see the deterioration in our schools.

We must act now!!!

Sad, Sad, Sad

We are hearing that some community advocates have made the assumption that the Action Plan put forth by the "Be the Change" movement and supported by the Syracuse Teachers Association is designed to unfairly discriminate against both our minority population AND the special needs population. It is not unexpected, but still saddening to know.

To be clear...

The plan addresses only the most violent and disruptive behaviors, comprised primarily of three groups of students:

• Students who physically assault staff and fellow students, often causing bodily injury.
• Students who bring weapons into school, creating an unsafe environment and threat of injury.
• Students who are chronically disruptive (and we are NOT talking about minor disruptions or those created by children with IEPs, but continual disruptions that are intentional and designed to create exactly the havoc they are currently wreaking), creating chaotic classrooms and/or school buildings, and negatively impacting every other students' NY state constitutional right to a sound education.

This plan does not seek to, nor would we advocate for, deny students due process. We want to ensure that ALL students' rights are protected, including the 95% of SCSD students - of all races, religions and personal beliefs -  who are being hurt or whose educations are being compromised.

To that end, the "Be the Change" movement is striving to create a safe and orderly learning environment in our schools and advocating for intensively supportive programming for those students who fall into one of the three groups above - with the goal of providing them the social-emotional and academic skills that they need to be successful in school and in life. And we welcome all who want to join with us in the discussion.

And for those who assume that this is intentionally racist - with color never having been mentioned - we ask...

Why would YOU assume

that the kids impacted are minorities?

We Did It!!!

Tonight it is impossible for the
Syracuse City School District to ignore the movement.

With the full backing of the Syracuse Teachers Association, the action plan drafted by our grassroots Be the Change group was formally submitted to Superintendent Contreras and the Board of Education for consideration. A copy of the plan is linked below.

A Proposal to Assure a Safe & Healthy School Environment in the SCSD

Below is the President of STA, Kevin Ahern's, introduction of our plan:

"The STA leadership has been chronicling the deteriorating culture in our schools at virtually every Board of Education meeting for over two years. Our members have provided compelling personal accounts of their own experiences as they struggle to do their jobs in the midst of violence, incivility and disruption. Parents have asked this board to provide safe schools for every child and protect them from physical harm, disrespect and bullying. Elected officials, business leaders and community members throughout this city have expressed their grave concerns about the culture of our schools and its affects on our students, our quality of life and our future.

We recognize and applaud the districts implementation of programs and services that focus on restorative justice and social/emotional supports for students. These are positive and necessary steps that must be part of a long-term solution. What seems to be lacking, however, is a plan to ensure safe schools for students, staff and parents now. There is an immediate need for meaningful interventions that will restore an orderly culture of respect and security to our schools. Parents, students, teachers and all the stakeholders in the City of Syracuse are asking for this and, so far, there has been no response.

In the face of this inaction, the grassroots community organization known as Be the Change has asked the STA to present the Board of Education and the Superintendent with their Plan of Action. You have all received electronic copies of the plan for your review. This group is comprised of concerned educators, parents and community members who are advocating for a safe and respectful learning environment for every child in all our schools. The STA is proud to support their work and urges this board and this district to engage with them immediately to discuss the implementation of this plan. We will also be happy to facilitate these discussions and help in any way possible to move this plan forward.

The STA understands that we are part of the larger Syracuse community beyond the school district. We recognize that it will take a community effort to improve outcomes for our kids and are anxious to work with groups that share that goal. This is why we are proud members of the Syracuse Coalition for Respect and Responsibility and the United Syracuse Coalition for Equitable State Funding, community-based groups coming together to support our schools and our students. We know the SCSD has been willing to work with these groups and hope they are equally as willing to work with Be the Change. The voices of the community must be heard and the time for change is now. Let’s all work together for better schools and a better Syracuse."

The moderators at SCSD Take Back Our Schools are proud to have been a part of this process. After months of blogging to call attention to the war zone that our schools are quickly becoming - for students and staff alike - we have hope that perhaps we can effect quick, thoughtful changes that improve the environment at school for everyone who is there to do there job, whether it is teaching or learning or providing support services.

None of this would have been possible without the team of SCSD staff who bravely came forward to share their concerns, the eloquent and inspiring Post Standard commentary written by former SCSD teacher and administrator William Scott, and a group of SCSD staff members who volunteered their time and energy to develop and edit the Action Plan, and most especially two team members who VERY passionately encouraged (and continue to encourage) new members to the join movement. You all ROCK!!!

This is just the beginning of the marathon. We will continue to see this process through. Please join us in the fight!

Are You a Leader or a Follower?

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity."

-  Amelia Earhart

We recently saw this quote from Amelia Earhart and thought it appropriate. As our "Be the Change" movement gathers momentum, we continue to bear witness to a paralyzing fear of acting on your convictions, both by SCSD staff who fear repercussions from the Central Office and by parents who fear knowing too much.

We cannot continue to let fear rule us!!!

We owe more to ALL of the students in this school district.

We are sitting at a crossroads right now and we can choose to do nothing and watch our school district - and with it our kids - continue to deteriorate OR we can choose to act and follow through tenaciously to ensure that we send a message to all students in the district that we believe in them and their abilities. Whether we are speaking of academics or behaviors, they all have the ability to do more than they have been given the opportunity to show.

So now is the time to consciously decide to act and provide our kids - our students - with the support and nurturing that they deserve. Whether you are a parent providing it at home or a teacher providing it in school or an administrator providing programs that keep them safe and lift them up to be the very best they can be.

We can all make a difference - TOGETHER!

We Have STA Support!!!

As others join the movement, we are planning our next steps, which include bringing our action plan to the district, conducting a formal survey and another meeting. On another note, we keep hearing about a major incident / brawl at Frazer on Monday, but details have been hard to come by... If you know anything and would like to share, please post below or email us.

Step One - DONE!

A small team went to the STA office today to present the draft action plan directly to Kevin Ahern. Congratulations to all who have worked on this project and to all of those who were fearless enough to participate the first "Be the Change" meeting. You are amazing leaders! We pray that many, many more will follow your lead.

A Hint at the Action Plan...

Bill Scott once quoted a wise man:

 

"There are only three reasons why people don’t do what they are supposed to do. They are as follows:

 

1. They don’t know what they are supposed to do.

2. They don’t know how to do what they are supposed to do.

3. They don’t want to do what they are supposed to do...."

Bill continued on, echoing the sentiments of many when he stated...

"The crisis in discipline in SCSD directly relates to these reasons. The district leadership has not delivered a clear and consistent message to school staff, parents and students. When there is no clear expectation, school staff cannot make sure students know what to do. In our present breakdown of the social order, we cannot separate students in the first two categories from the third.

The plan that is about to be finalized by the “Group of Ten” deals with this crisis by considering these three reasons. A crisis does, not change the reasons, but it changes the way we address them.

The following steps are part of the plan: 

• The superintendent and the district leadership will visit schools and deliver a clear message: If you physically harm or threaten to harm a student or staff person in your school, you will be removed. This clearly addresses Reason 1 and adds a consequence that makes the “don’t want to” group think twice. As students see that those who violate the “prime directive” are removed from the traditional school setting, a new norm will begin to emerge and students will know and understand that there is a clear expectation.
• The district needs to provide an alternative education for students who have demonstrated the inability to comply with the “prime directive.” This alternative should offer the students a full educational opportunity, but it needs to add intensive social and emotional supports to assure that students learn the social skills necessary to return to the regular school setting. This addresses the students who don’t know how to do what they are supposed to do (Reason 2).
•  For those who fit into the category of Reason 3 (Don’t want to), intensive counseling should be offered to deal with the causes of not caring about the social order. This may, in fact, help to break the cycle of neglect that may lead some of our students on to deeper and deeper trouble.

When the "Group of Ten" brings their plan forward, it will be time for all who care about the future of the Syracuse City School District to show their support. If normal channels are non-responsive, it may be time to start marching. Much of the public is with the movement to save our schools."

Call to Action - We NEED You!

The "Group of Ten" has finalized their action plan and it is in final edits with a proofreader. Once complete, it will be presented, starting with STA and moving on from there.

In the meantime, our movement continues to gain momentum, with local politicians, former administrators, parents, community members and SCSD staff all coming forward, asking what they can do to help.

But, we still need MORE people.

If you are afraid, remember there is safety in being public. The true danger lies in the shadows. The local press is closely watching what transpires, ready to pounce if anyone who is prominent in the movement is retaliated against, even in the most subtle ways... And with hundreds of staff members involved in the movement, there is no way that all can be "punished."

 

 

 

A Big Day on the Horizon

The action plan is ready! We are moving forward - quickly. We'll keep you posted here...

Be The Change!

"Why don't parents get angry?"

It is a question we've all asked. Tonight I actually thought about it. And I think I know why...

We all see it every day - the violence, the disrespect, the disruptiveness - whether it is in school, in the news, or on this blog. And because we see it all the time, we assume everyone else does too.

We need to realize that parents don't. Plain and simple. They don't see it every day. How could they? Many aren't in the school with any regularity and some deliberately don't see it because they don't want to.

And the only way they will see it, is if it is unavoidable.

That's where we come in.

We can all sit by, wringing our hands and bemoaning the apathy that exists in our community. But if we fail to act, we become part of the problem. We must act - publicly and loudly. We must make a conscious decision that the safety and education of the students entrusted to the Syracuse City School District - and in turn our building staffs - is of the utmost importance. That we can no longer stand by silently and watch and entire generation of students set out on a path to nowhere.

We need to be the change!!! We need to speak out PUBLICLY. We need to give parents the information that they need so that they can get as angry as we are. We have reporters ready to talk to anyone who will go ON THE RECORD or to a LARGE ANONYMOUS GROUP.

Until we speak out, we cannot expect parents to get angry - because how do you get angry about what you do not know?

We Need YOUR Input!!!

As the "Group of Ten" prepares to meet again to finalize the proposed action plan for presentation to the STA and to create a survey for SCSD non-supervisory employees, we need your help.

Embedded below is the data survey that was compiled based on input at the February 13th "Be Heard" meeting. We ask that you review the list - and it is long - and try to narrow down your top three concerns and post them anonymously below. We are collecting your input to help us create a survey that is valid and reflective of your worries.

Data Survey

Please submit your responses - anonymously - as comments to this post.