Creation of a Fairy Tale, Part Two

One can only hope that our nation's leaders are not nearly as blind to the truth as our district appears to be. Today, Superintendent Sharon Contreras was one of several panelists at a briefing for members of Congress and their staff. Also on the panel were:

• Dan Losen, Director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies
• Marcia Weissman, Director of the Center for Community Alternatives
• Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers
• Representative Bobby Scott from Virginia, top ranking Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee

At this briefing, the Superintendent was quoted as saying "This has been difficult work, but we certainly have seen a dramatic reduction in the number of suspensions in the Syracuse City School District."

As if this is the measure of success???

When asked for hard numbers to back up the assessment, they were not "readily available." Did no one anticipate that this question would be asked and ensure that Superintendent Contreras was armed with the necessary data? Or could they not arm her with data because the statement is NOT TRUE?

Just because the district is not suspending students out of school DOES NOT mean that things are better. It may just mean that, as hundreds of teachers allege, our district is...

Sweeping behavioral issues under the carpet!!!

 

Our friends at Be the Change recently polled their members to get their perception - as people who are in the schools on a regular basis - on how the disciplinary crisis is playing out. 78% of the nearly 500 respondents are current district employees and another 10% are parents. All people who have a pretty good idea of what is going in our schools RIGHT NOW, because they are there every day. 

 

Their assessment is devastating, to say the least, and in direct contrast to the fairy tale our district leadership attempts to paint. Take a look...

 

Be the Change Safe Schools Report

 

What do YOU think?

An Open Letter to Mayor Stephanie Miner

Dear Mayor Miner,

It has been nearly a week since you appointed Mark Muhammad to fill Bill Bullen's seat on the Syracuse City School Board, following his sudden resignation. Mr. Muhammad's credentials - both academic and as a long-standing community activist - were glowingly recounted in your office's press release. Also acknowledged is the fact that Mr. Muhammad is a minister with the Nation of Islam.

In the days since the appointment was announced, many in the city have struggled to understand how it can be that a representative of the Nation of Islam - not just a representative, but a MINISTER charged with preaching its word and doctrine - could be appointed to the school board.

So we ask you... Why?

Are you unaware that the Nation of Islam is - at the end of the day - a group that preaches a radical separatist agenda? One that advocates for SEPARATE SCHOOLS for blacks and whites, boys and girls. One that advocates for black children to be taught by their own teachers - teachers who are left free to teach as they wish.

How is this appointment in the best interest of
ALL children in Syracuse?

 

Regardless of Mr. Muhammad's countless achievements as an academic, a mentor and a community activist, this is an inappropriate appointment in light of Mr. Muhammad's high rank within the Nation of Islam.

 

It is wrong in the same way that appointing a white supremacist or a Neo-Nazi or member of Westboro Baptist Church or an anti-Islamist would be wrong.

 

It is wrong because it is exclusive, not inclusive.

 

It is wrong because it is a tacit endorsement of the philosophies that Mr. Muhammad represents as a minister of the Nation of Islam.

 

It is just wrong.

 

We urge you reconsider your appointment. Mr. Muhammad has made - and will certainly continue to make - many, many, many valuable contributions to the city of Syracuse. But neither he, nor any person holding separatist beliefs, belong on the school board in a city with the rich diversity that Syracuse is blessed to have.

 

Sincerely,
The Writers and Editors of the "SCSD Take Back Our Schools" blog



Oh, the Hypocrisy!

On Thursday, December 18th, Superintendent Sharon Contreras spoke at the Thursday Morning Roundtable, a program sponsored by University College of Syracuse University. She spoke about the challenges the district is facing, as well as programs that are in place and recent successes. Following her talk, time was allowed for a Q&A session. One gentleman in the audience questioned Superintendent Contreras about the stabbing that occurred at H.W. Smith K-8 the prior day. The superintendent essentially chalked that incident up to a violence in the community spilling over into the schools and is even quoted in the syracuse.com article highlighting her talk, as having said she "will not own all the violence in the community."

By attributing this specific incident to community violence, she continues to absolve herself and the district from the violence in our schools.

A teacher pointed out recently...

When there is tragic behavior in school,

the Superintendent can absolve herself by saying

"That's what the community sends me."

But...

When dedicated teachers who work long hours

are less than successful working with

underprepared/poorly behaved/emotionally compromised/asocial children,

it is all because the teachers are bad.

Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this?

It Ain't Pretty...

Here is a transcription of the 911 calls to schools in the month of December.

Remember - this is in a district that reportedly
ACTIVELY discourages building personnel from calling 911
and we still had THIS many calls in just 12-1/2 school days...

As you review them, notice how many schools are NOT represented. Do you think it's because those schools have no issues? Or is it because administrators in those buildings are afraid to rock the boat? 

12/1
9:06 - Disturbance @ Danforth
9:28 - Fire @ Fowler (police and fire department dispatched)
13:14 - Call @ Fowler (reason unknown)

12/2
10:39 - Lost/found property @ Roberts
12:45 - Larceny @ Nottingham
13:33 - Call @ Danforth (reason unknown)
14:52 - Call @ McKinley Brighton (reason unknown)
17:58 - Juvenile complaint @ Henninger

12/3
Lost/found @ LeMoyne

12/4
12:50 - Fight @ ITC

12/5
8:03 - Stabbing @ Fowler
11:06 - Disturbance @ Grant
14:04 - Call @ Corcoran
14:09 - Disturbance @ Delaware
14:36 - Disturbance @ Blodgett
14:57 - Alarm (fire) @ HW Smith
16:56 - Intoxicted person @ Frazer

12/8
8:19 - Suspicious @ Salem Hyde
8:24 - Harassment @ Nottingham
9:21 - Harassment @ Nottingham
12:05 - Disturbance @ Danforth
12:28 - Call @ Huntington (reason unknown)
13:48 - Alarm fire @ Delaware
15:07 - Assault @ Frazer

12/9
9:35 - Criminal mischief @ Salem Hyde
10:59 - Assault @ Nottingham
14:14 - Domestic @ Blodgett
14:49 - Call @ McKinley Brighton (reason unknown)
16:10 - Alarm (fire) @ King

12/10
13:00 - Call @ Weeks

12/11
No calls - Oh, wait... This was a snow day!

12/12 - (half day)
10:48 - Alarm (fire) @ Henninger
11:06 - Fight @ Delaware
11:16 - Domestic @ King

12/16
9:16 - Civil dispute @ Bellevue
12:54 - Alarm (fire) @ Ed Smith
13:16 - Domestic @ Corcoran

12/17
7:40 - Suspicious @ Meachem
7:40 - Stabbing @ H.W.Smith
13:56 - Trespassing @ Henninger
18:40 - Criminal mischief @ Blodgett

12/18
8:29 - Disturbance @ McKinley Brighton
15:20 - Criminal mischief @ Frazer

Enough Already!

A stabbing in the H.W. Smith middle school wing today... As various people on syracuse.com debate how serious the wound was, how the altercation started, whose fault it was, whether or not the district is minimizing the incident, and on and on and on,

we lose sight of the reality that
a 12 year-old child stabbed another 12 year-old child -
IN SCHOOL!

And we are all becoming used to it because, sadly, it is an all-to-frequent occurrence. This cannot continue happening!!!

No one...

Not students...

Not staff...

Not parents...

Not administrators...

No one should be AFRAID to go to school!

What Can a Small Group of Determined People Accomplish???

Anything!

A small group of parents and family members managed to get the attention of SCSD district administrators in a big way this morning. They staged a protest at Lincoln, making bullying the center of their pulpit. Frustrated by a lack of response from building administrators, specifically when confronted with bullying issues, they took to the streets showing up today with signs shouting "Stop the Bullying" and "Stop the Violence.

Great job!

These parents have vowed to show up every morning and afternoon to show their support for the kids who have been forgotten in the Code of Conduct debate - the victims. So, every morning at 7:00 they will be there with their signs supporting the students as they arrive at school. And again, every afternoon at 2:10 they will be there.

And now they need our help!

Come to Lincoln to show YOUR support for safe schools. We can never forget - there is power in numbers! The more who show up, the more attention will be shone on the issue of violence in the Syracuse City School District - and the community as a whole.

And stay tuned for future protests at a
school (or board meeting) near you!

The Creation of a Fairy Tale

Anyone who attended last week's Board of Education meeting was witness to a wonderful fairy tale.

As evidence that discipline is still being meted out at virtually the same rate as prior years, the Superintendent informed the Board and the public that the numbers of both referrals and suspensions are virtually unchanged for September/October of 2014 when compared year-over-year to the same timeframe in 2013.

This would imply that behavioral challenges remain about the same, 

in spite of teachers' outcry to the contrary.

If this is the case, then why do so many teachers, parents and students continue to feel that they are not safe at school? That behavior continues to spiral downward, at an increasingly fast pace? That students are no longer concerned that misbehavior will warrant a disciplinary referral?

Why?

If you believe in fairy tales, you might also believe that statistics don't lie? Or that the district is being 100% transparent in their reporting of disciplinary numbers. They certainly wouldn't intentionally try to mislead us, right?

Wrong!

When the Superintendent compares referrals year-over-year, she does not mention that Level One behaviors no longer get referrals. Level One behaviors include, but are not limited to...

• refusing to respond to staff directions or requests;
• non-compliance with classroom rules and procedures;
• goofing off in class;
• teasing, taunting and name-calling;
• throwing objects without injuring others;
• making excessive, distracting, or disruptive movements or noises;
• engaging in confrontational arguing or backtalk;
• cutting class; and
• minor hall or public space misconduct.

When faced with these behaviors - and other Level Ones that are not listed - staff now redirect students and write up "observation notes" to document the behavior. Additionally, unless the violation is egregious, children in grades K through 2nd no longer receive referrals - again only "observation notes."

So... In order to compare statistical apples-to-apples, one would have to take all of this year's referrals and add in all of the "observation notes" documenting Level One behaviors and the behavior of our younger kids. Only then would you have a truly accurate year-over-year comparison. 

Do you think that the picture would look as rosy? 

We don't... It is time to demand the truth from our district leaders! And to also demand that our city and county leaders stop continuing to blindly accept that which they are being told by those in charge at 725 Harrison.

Only when the truth is fully told can we

- as a district, city and county -

begin to work together to address the problem and
help our children succeed.

Last Night's Board Meeting

We left last night's Board meeting disappointed, perplexed and a little bit angry.

Why?

One speaker quoted from our blog, although the quote was misattributed to our friends at Be the Change. While we appreciate the fact that our blog is being read, the way in which it was quoted was misleading. The speaker quoted from our "We're Back... Unfortunately..." post on 11/3/14, where we stated that the Code of Conduct, Character and Support  was "abysmally implemented" thus far. The speaker neglected to also highlight (from the same blog post):

• that we believed that the Code was borne out of wonderful, powerful ideas and philosophies;
• our concern with the lack of personnel and funding to properly implement the Code of Conduct, Character and Support, as it was intended;
• we are also concerned that most schools do not have staff trained in using Restorative Justice techniques;
• our request that each of us closely watch how the Code of Conduct, Character and Support is actually being implemented and ask ourselves if we really believe that it will nurture and teach students in the SCSD how to behave in society at the level they need to be successful.

The same speaker said we should move past the document - it isn't what is important now. It is old news. Now, action is what really matters. And, our blog was critical of how the Code has been implemented and how staff have been trained. Apparently that is a no-no. Why? If the actions are what matter now, why can't we question the actions that the district has taken to "get this show on the road."

Actions...

The district's roll-out of the Code has been lacking in both timely and substantive actions, in spite of the fairy tale that was woven in the Superintendent's remarks last night. And this is where more people in the audience were perplexed. After visitors were allowed to speak, the Superintendent made her remarks. And last night it became crystal clear why the agenda is set up that way.

Because this way, no one can call attention to her 

misrepresentations or omissions, 

including:

• While foster grandparents are in place at most schools, that is a recent development. And already at least one has been punched.
• 180+ community partners in the buildings. This is not all new personnel! Some of these organizations have had staff in the buildings for years. Sort of like re-gifting...
• More than 200 people attended the Keeping Kids in School Community Summit. That's news to many, as we've not heard an estimate higher than 125 actual attendees. And many of those were politicians and community agency representatives... BUT, let's suppose that all 200 attended AND they were all parents interested in keeping their kids in school. That still represented less than 1% of the entire student body. When examined statistically, it doesn't seem to be the rousing success that was hailed last night...
• Students have been trained in the Code of Conduct. Indeed, they have. What was omitted was the fact that the training didn't take place until TWO MONTHS into the school year. Or that at some grade levels, the scripted lessons included exercises in learning their classmates' names, as if they hadn't done that in the first two weeks... Or that most teachers didn't receive the lessons until a day or two before they had to present them, giving them inadequate time to become familiar with the material.
• While referrals and suspensions statistics are virtually the same year-over-year, no one mentioned the fact that Level 1 offenses are no longer referrals. Instead they are now "Observation Notes" that no one is reporting on. If one added all of the "Observation Notes" to the statistics to present a true year-over-year behavioral snapshot, we'd see a picture of a district spiraling out of control.

Another head-scratcher... How could a metaphor about building a city - a metaphor that highlighted the need to put out fires as they occur, rather than letting the a scheduled timeline dictate continuation without regard to problems - somehow turn into a comparison with how "Eminent Domain" has been used in the past to take over and destroy housing in some of the poorest neighborhoods, even here in Syracuse? What?!! Have we become THAT literal? Or are we expected to be so committed to this path that we follow blindly and abdicate our right to critically and honestly examine the path and make adjustments as necessary, which was point that the original story illustrated.

Now some questions for the Board President...

• Why are one or two audience members consistently allowed to comment disrespectfully to speakers they disagree with?
• Why is one Board Member allowed to smile and nod assent to the speakers they agree with, while smirking and laughing at those with whom they do not?
• Why are those speakers whose positions favor the Superintendent allowed to consistently exceed their allotted time, while those who do not always agree are generally kept closer to the three minute limit.

One can only hope that maybe
next month will be better...

Concerned about the Future of the SCSD

Reflecting on those SCSD administrators who have spoken out publicly about the Code of Conduct, Character and Support, it is hard not to notice how very few tenured administrators are in that group. It is also hard to not to notice how many of those very same administrators are struggling mightily under the weight the very same document that they held in such high esteem...

PSLA, McKinley-Brighton, Dr. Weeks, H.W. Smith, just to name a few...

And now the sudden departure of Geovanti Steward at H.W. Smith. He is the first administrator to leave since the Code of Conduct was approved on September 10th. He announced his resignation on November 6th, just shy of two months into it. While many reports indicate that he is moving on to something "too good to refuse," one is left wondering whether it would have been too good to refuse IF things were going well this year and the lofty expectations he had going into this year were coming to fruition.

Instead, under the strictures of the Code, at H.W. Smith - as in many city schools - the principal's job has been reduced to being a combination of firefighter and student-wrestler. It is hard to imagine many jobs that would NOT be "too good to refuse" when your hands have been tied behind your back and you are no longer able to run a school and help improve the lives of your students.

Geovanti Steward may be the first administrator to leave, but he will not be the last... He was a good man and a good administrator, who wanted to make a positive impact on his school's community.

How many more good people is this district going to lose?

We've lost so many already...

We can't afford to lose any more!

We're Back... Unfortunately...

The Code of Conduct, Character and Support... Great name, right? And when you read it, you'll find it is filled with wonderful ideas and philosophies...

Borne from the assumption that suspensions
have NOT created better behavior or safer schools in Syracuse.

Borne from the assumption that children who are out of school, do not learn.

Borne from the assumption that Restorative Justice will give us
the opportunity to help students be accountable for the impact of their
actions and that they WANT to make changes.

Borne from the assumption that if we teach students
HOW to make appropriate choices, we will be providing them
with the tools they need to make better choices in the future.
And that they WILL.

Powerful ideas... Thus far, poorly implemented. Abysmally implemented, actually. Why? Pressure from the Attorney General's office created an immediate need to do things differently. So, we created a wonderful, philosophically admirable document. But we did it without having the financial or human resources to implement it...

Just saying we are implementing Restorative Justice and a
new Code of Conduct, does not magically make it so.

Without the necessary funds or personnel, we do not have an intervention team within the district that has been fully, professionally trained in Restorative Justice. In many schools, we do not have school-based personnel with even rudimentary knowledge of how to conduct basic techniques of Restorative Justice.

So instead, right now many schools deal (or more accurately, don't deal) with minor infractions by doing nothing. More severe infractions are dealt with by a "time out," reset, or trip to the behavior intervention center (BIC), with (in most schools) very little discussion of the impact of the undesirable behavior or how to make a more appropriate choice later. There IS no student accountability.

And because we are not teaching students the appropriate behavior nor are we applying a consequence - and we are certainly NOT holding them accountable - we have now fallen even deeper into the hole...

• Just ask the parents of the Corcoran student who was so severely beaten WHILE IN CLASS last week that his spleen ruptured...
• Or the principal who has been assaulted at least three times since the start of the school year...
• Or the elementary teacher who spends hours each week dealing with one destructive child, while the rest of the class huddles in the hallway. How much instructional time has been lost for every child in that classroom...
• Or the parents of the 900+ students at H.W. Smith who had six - count 'em, six - fire alarm pulls in three days last week... Or the firefighters who responded and had to take time to break up "girl fights" while they were there...
• Or the six staff members who have reportedly already quit at Dr. Weeks, just two months into the school year...
• Or the teachers at city schools who have requested transfers... 
• Or the teachers at more than a dozen schools in the district whose administrators are changing Code of Conduct Level 2 offenses into Level 1s or non-reportable "observation notes"...
• Or the 911 dispatchers who have fielded close to TWO HUNDRED calls to Syracuse City Schools this year. And those are just the calls we know about. Many more may have been reported that never went through 911...

This district is not doing what they promised. We - parents, district staff and community members - need to look closely and critically at how the Code of Conduct, Character and Support is ACTUALLY being implemented and ask ourselves if we really believe that it will nurture and teach students in the SCSD how to behave in society at the level they need to be successful.

And if our answer is no, then we need to hold this district accountable for living up to the promise that was made to the Attorney General when they held the Code of Conduct, Character and Support up as the document that would guide us moving forward.

Racist Sentry?

Awful story in the Post Standard today...

White Syracuse School Guard's 'Joke' Gets Black Student to Assume the Position, Mom Says

In response to repeated requests by community groups, students, parents, teachers and district staff, the SCSD Board of Education approved additional sentries for the elementary and K-8 schools. The goal was to provide additional security and – perhaps – to alleviate the concerns that many had about the safety of kids and staff in our schools.

This was the right thing to do and we applaud the district for doing so. Thank you!

If the allegations in this story are true, what this individual did to this young man is NOT ACCEPTABLE. And to use the excuse that he thought it was “a funny joke” is ignorant best. Had he REALLY thought it was a funny joke, he would have played it on other kids, not just the black male with special needs.

It demonstrates what we already know...
Racism DOES still exist within some individuals.

And this sentry’s alleged actions spoke volumes. But only for him – not for the district, not for the staff, not for anyone else. Only for him…

Please, please, please DO NOT let the actions of one individual negate the hard work that has been – and continues to be – done. And please don’t allow this incident to define our district, our teachers and staff, our community members.

We need to continue working together to create

safe and welcoming learning environments for ALL kids.

Code of Conduct

Many have been wondering about the new Syracuse City School District Code of Conduct. Tah-dah! We have a draft copy right here. Further revisions are expected. Once the draft is completed, at least one public hearing with comments and feedback must take place before the Board of Education is allowed to vote on whether or not to adopt it.

SCSD Draft Code of Conduct

What do YOU think?

Does it go far enough in ensuring the maintenance of a safe, chaos-free learning
environment for ALL students in the district?

Does it adequately safeguard the rights of students and staff?

Will it create an environment where students learn appropriate ways to
handle anger and frustration? 

Does the district have the right resources in place to effectively implement this code?

Will it impact instructional time for students in the classroom?

Follow-Up on Incident at Dr. King

One of the parents of the young man who wrote the letter to Superintendent Contreras followed up with a letter to all seven Board of Education Commissioners, with copies sent to:

• Mayer Stephanie Miner
• all Syracuse Common Council members
• Governor Andrew Cuomo (in part because they could find no email address for the AG)
• Superintendent Sharon Contreras

She included her son's letter with this note. The letter to the Board is attached here in its entirety (with personal information removed as needed for confidentiality).

 Parent's Letter to Board of Education

This situation appears to have been resolved in a way that supported ALL of the children involved. We hope that this is a sign of things to come from the Syracuse City School District. Maybe we are seeing some results from the fruits of our labors. 

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON!

The Reason We Exist - And Why We Wish We Didn't...

Today a child at Dr. King Inclusion Summer School had a major - and dangerous - meltdown, resulting in a room full of third-graders curled up in balls to protect themselves, six adults trying to protect the kids in the classroom AND the child who was melting down, and one child being injured.

A nine-year-old child who was in the room as the incident unfolded, wrote and emailed the following letter to Superintendent Contreras after he arrived home today...

"Dear Superintendent,
I would be grateful if you would listen to me as I tell you about my horrible experience at Dr. King Summer School. A kid that I cannot remember his name was having a bad day and was thumping his desk in my classroom. Another kid named D*** was politely Asking him to stop the other kid was mad at D*** for telling him what to do and began to throw pencils and crayons at him. They then began throwing insults at each other the kid that was throwing pencils at D*** picked up a nearby chair and threw it across the room luckily it missed D*** and slammed against the floor kids and teachers were frantically dodging the chairs it was very intense.

My hopes of leaving alive were very slim. I couldn’t hear myself think with all The teachers yelling for the kids to stay in one place and talking about how To handle the situation and people screaming with fear .

I must be honest with you it was the scariest event of my life

Now things are calmed down I am home typing this on my computer.
Also I remember the image of children in my class curled up in the corner
Fearing a hit to the face. Five minutes or so later when we believed the chaos had ended our friend came back and had a basketball in his hand and threatened to kill D***. I am completely terrified to enter that school again I fear that that same kid will come back and nobody will be safe.

Just to inform you, M***"

 

This is why we must continue to be loud!

What can and will the district do to help the child who melted down - and who so clearly appears to be in crisis - so that they can learn how to handle their anger and frustration appropriately? What can be done if they do not have the support of the parents, family and community members?

As a school community, we must help these kids.

 
And what about the twenty-five other children who are afraid to go back? Who is protecting them and their right to a safe classroom?

They are the forgotten ones...

Although not to the parents who had to soothe them to sleep tonight and reassure them that they WILL be safe in school tomorrow. And who pray that - indeed - they will be safe.

Better Than We Could Ever Have Said It...

Last week, Sean Kirst of the Post-Standard did a two-part story on a young man - a graduate this past weekend - who worked incredibly hard for his diploma.

Quiet work and dedication, amid the noise

Did Jerry Kelley III pass his English Regents? 

By profiling one child, Sean was able to shine a spotlight on the many students who struggle daily - in similar circumstances - with or without the family supports that Jerry Kelley was blessed with. Jerry is among the lucky ones.

Not all of our kids are so lucky... Kirst's article was an eye-opener regarding the daily challenges countless kids face outside of school that create and/or contribute to their struggle. Jerry spoke of the "noise" all around him and it really resonated. How many of our students are living in the midst of this "noise?" All too often those are the kids who are lost in the cracks.

How do we better support them?

In school, we can strive for chaos-free classrooms that become a part of that solution by creating a "noise-free" safe place for kids to land. We need to seek out creative ways to minimize distractions outside the classroom for students, even where our influence is minimal. We must continue advocating for supports for those kids who are struggling. We should be asking for professional development for all student-facing positions to ensure that all staff receive cultural diversity awareness training. We must continue to do all that we can to foster school-parent partnerships that are open, honest and always with the best interest of the child at heart.

Acknowledging the need that exists on all of our parts is not a weakness, but a strength. By working as a team and committing to becoming a part of the solution, we can ALL make a difference in the lives of the students in the Syracuse City School District.

Some Kids Need MORE

Are you a parent? Can you say that you always provide equally for all of your children? Is that even your goal? Or is your goal to provide them each with what they need and hope that in the end you've been fair and given them the tools to succeed?

Why does school have to be different?

Over and over again, we fight the assumption that providing academic and social-emotional supports for students who are struggling the most means that they somehow will receive an unequal - hence, unfair and somehow lesser - education...

When we talk about struggling students, we are speaking of students who spend more time in ISS, out-of-school suspension, wandering the halls or who are not participating in their education in an academically meaningful way.

We do not mean...

Students with IEPs whose behavior results from their disability

Students who are below grade level

Students who occasionally misbehave

The students we are speaking of are those who - for all intents and purposes - are not receiving an education now.

This needs to change!

We want ALL STUDENTS to have an education!

We want to level the playing field for ALL STUDENTS!

We want ALL STUDENTS to have an equal shot in life, not just in school!

So, some kids may need extra support to get to that point. In a perfect world, those supports would be delivered in traditional school settings, with as little disruption as possible to the student receiving the supports. There may be times when it is not possible to stay in the traditional setting - either because supports cannot be delivered there or because that may not be the best setting for the individual student. So... even in those situations, the goal is always to bring the students back into the traditional classroom as quickly as possible.

Is it equal? Maybe not. But unequal doesn't have to mean less... Some kids need MORE. And if we refuse to consider that point, we will continue to give them less. All in the name of being equal...

The Great Divide

We are still processing through the SCSD's June School Board meeting.

Never has it been so clear how divided our fair city is. And yet we all - parents, teachers, administrators, community activists - have the same goal...

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN IN A SAFE, CHAOS-FREE ENVIRONMENT.

How do we come together, cut through the rhetoric, lay aside our baggage and preconceived notions, and sit down at the table to REALLY discuss how to best serve ALL children?

Who Is at the Root of THIS Racial Divide?

Who is the creator of this?

SCSD Take Back Our Schools Blog and Be the Change have always advocated for a safe, chaos-free learning environment for ALL students and staff in the Syracuse City School District and the addition of the academic and social-emotional supports necessary to ensure that ALL students have the tools to be successful both in school and in their lives after school.

Nothing more, nothing less.

If You Don't Vote, Don't Complain

From another blog reader...

"Again -- NO one who refuses to vote is in a position to complain. The irrational fears of voting could well hamper extremely critical efforts to improve status quo. When we vote on election day in November, we must sign our names, but HOW we vote in the booth is confidential. The same holds for voting for STA issues. There is NO EXCUSE not to vote. None. Not a single reason. There is NO record of how any individual voted. And -- we cannot assume the votes of the (responsible and accountable) "others" will ensure the outcome. There is simply too much at stake to remain silent."

Regardless of your position on the issues at hand, your vote counts! Make your voice heard! 

Perspective

On fear and voting, one reader pointed out the following...

"Good Lord! People are out voting in places where they face the threat of armed militias."

Just a little perspective for everyone...