Treading Familiar Floor Boards
“Call them gooks, call them niggers, call them kikes, micks, spics, wops, or frogs, call them whatever you want as long as you call them something—anything—that removes one layer of human being from their bodies when you think of them. That’s the goal. If you can do that, you can get kids to cross oceans to kill other kids, or you can get them to stay right here at home and do the same thing.”
― Dennis Lehane, Small Mercies
I've been semi-following all of the debates about school curriculum, the banning of books, and the importance of public education these past several months.
Yea, as a writer commenting on education policy, I probably ought to change that 'semi" to "closely" but here's the thing, it just gives me a pounding headache. Because a large portion of it is smoke and noise, despite its serious underpinnings.
There is only so much hyperbole, straw man-building, and gaslighting that I can handle in a day. This public conversation about public education is filled with all of it. From both sides.
I don't need to repeat the tired old arguments thrown into the maw, at this point, even those with just a passing interest in education should be familiar with the tropes.
Here's the thing, some traditional schools do a really shitty job of serving all kids. Some charter schools do an equally shitty job of educating kids. The same can be said for private schools and homeschooling. Kids ain't widgets, and all come with different needs and circumstances.
A Ford F150 is an excellent vehicle, unless, of course, I live in downtown Manhattan. Nobody would deny that a Porsche 911 is an excellent automobile, but do I need one to drive 3 kids to schools 155 miles every day? Yep nobody feels they have to justify the buying of Porsche by running down an F150.
My point is, schools are like cars, to pronounce one better than the other simply based on the model, is a little ridiculous. Like cars, we should be analyzing the need, and then prescribing the model. Instead, we declare everyone should be using an F150 no matter what the circumstances. Then we are shocked when outcomes are less than exemplary.
After a decade of watching this education debate up close - seeing fads and silver bullets come and go -I feel confident saying, no matter what the devilry method, it all comes down to the student/teacher relationship. You can have the "Science of Reading", the "Science of Math", balanced literacy, or unbalanced literacy, without that student/teacher relationship, none of it matters.
The litmus test for policy should always be, how is it reinforcing the student/teacher relationship.
Instead, the litmus test continues to be, how can this benefit me and my friends, while teachers and principals cover up the flaws.
Now let's talk about this indoctrination thing. I keep hearing, there is no indoctrination going on in public schools, nothing but straight production of critical thinkers. So when did this start?
I ask because public education took off in the early 20th century as a response to increased immigration numbers. There was a fear that America might fracture unless these new Americans were instructed on how best to be Americans. In others, they needed to be indoctrinated into the American way of life. That indoctrination word has an ugly connotation to it, but taking a look at how fractured a society we've become, maybe those fears were warranted.
Lately, I'm told there is no more indoctrination going on, just a desire to produce educated citizens capable of becoming their best selves. We just want to make sure everyone is educated enough to function in society. The public school system exists because we care about you the individual, as opposed to the benefit of creating a cohesive and functioning society.
Then riddle me this Batman, why is so much of the public school day rooted in compliance? Grades are partially a reflection of learning, but I'd argue that they are equally reflective of a student's ability to navigate the system. Test scores are definitely a reflection of a student's adoption of adult priorities.
Fifty-eight years on this earth have taught me that there are few people out here vested in me becoming a highly intelligent creative thinking individual. That may sound cynical, but the goal tends to be that I'm intelligent enough to grasp the tenets of the vision being sold, but not smart enough to actually question it.
From Justin Jones to Ben Shapiro, name me the social intellect that is truly embraced as admirable and enviable by those in power. Don't waste a lot of time looking, you won't find them. We write country songs mouthing platitudes about the non-conformists, but in real life, we firmly establish the importance of the time clock and getting along.
Look at the teaching profession itself. Teachers are evaluated by a system that rates them from 1 - 5. The criteria is structured with the assumption that almost all will be "3", and few will score a "5". In other words, be good, but not too good.
Back to my question, if we are not using public schools to shape society, what is the point of the public school system? Where does its value lie? What am I defending?
If we are using them as vehicles of social change, who gets to decide what that change looks like? If the changes don't match your morals and beliefs, do you have the right to question and how is that supposed to look?
These are quantitative questions, not qualitative ones. About 5 years ago, MNPS made social-emotional learning (SEL) a primary initiative. On paper, SEL is one of those things that sound great, but that greatness doesn't always translate to practice. For 6 months, I asked every school leader I could, "What happens when the SEL definitions used in schools don't align with those at home?"
That is not an uncommon occurrence. Your family's interpretation of how to express anger or love may be different than mine. Your family may value family over hardworking, community over individualism, and the list goes on.
Only one principal was able to provide an answer.
"With lots of conversations." They said, "We hold a lot of conversations."
I used to argue that our public schools served as a lab where kids from all races and classes could learn to coexist and collaborate in a safe environment. I don't think that is as true anymore. Our schools have undone desegregation efforts at an alarming rate. Those with the means, both black and white, have fled the system. Choosing instead to go to private schools or home school.
It's regularly offered up that a local elected school board gives voice to the citizens of the community. Really?
Is that why board meetings are held at 5 pm? Most business gets done in committee and those meetings are held even earlier in the day. Or maybe it's reflected in rules that continually exert more control over what can be talked about by citizens during designated public comment periods.
Maybe the value of the system lies in the pursuit of academic achievement. If it was truly about reading, writing, and arithmetic, all of that could be addressed through the establishment of academic standards, independent of the model of schooling. So that's not it.
The reality is that, despite all the conflagration by the media, the current debate over books and how subjects are taught is nothing new, Because when we argue about these things, what we are really arguing about is what we want society to look like in the future.
Here's where I put in a plug for the new Dennis Lehane book, Small Mercies. The book is a thriller set against the hot, tumultuous months of 1974 when the city’s desegregation of its public schools exploded in violence. It brilliantly captures the conversations and fights that closely mirror those of today.
Recently The Tennessee Star ran a story about a parent complaint over a pride flag displayed at a Nashville School that serves pre-K to 4th grade. Which translates to 4-year-olds to approximately 9-year-olds. While I certainly take no exception with the flag, my question is why is it being displayed in this space. Would it be acceptable if next to it a flag displaying the Playboy Bunny was hung?
The example is a bit of a stretch, but you know what I'm getting at.
If this pride flag, and its inherent message, are directed toward students, which of them are wrestling with their sexual attraction? And furthermore, why are we even differentiating people based on their sexual attraction at such an early age?
Now it can be argued, that schools are made up of children whose families are less traditional than others, and this is a means to convey acceptance. This a fair argument, but what are you doing when you do this?
You are shaping what society will look like in the future. No different than the intent of requiring kids to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. The same holds true with the teaching of history. The same holds true for the banning of books.
I bet I can come up with a whole list of books that would never make the banned books marketing table. I'd start with the Anarchists Cookbook, throw in a little Mein Kampf, and move on from there.
There's a trope that says, history is nothing but facts. Maybe, but the context those facts are placed in, that kind of shades the story one way or the other.
Furthermore, there are only a number of hours in the days, and days in the year, so invariably "facts' get left out. Who decides which facts get left in, and which can be omitted.
The whole idea that any of this battle over books, curriculum, and class offerings, is a frivolous endeavor without precedence, is a canard.
It's the same thing it's always been, a battle over who has the money and who wields the power.
Unfortunately, most of us get none of either, we are just pawns in a game played for exceptionally high stakes.
The best we can do is be honest about what's at play, and try and make the conversations as honest as possible.
Remember though, when you start calling your perceived enemy names, all you are doing is removing one layer of human being from their bodies when you think of them, and that will never result in an honest conversation.
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With the arrival of a new state commissioner of education, comes speculation about her priorities. What's her proposed agenda and what her first steps will be as commissioner.
Early indications are that she'll be following the agenda of her predecessor, but in a kinder gentler manner.
Schools, and how to measure them, have quickly stepped to the front for the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE).
Funny thing though, Tennesse already has a process to evaluate schools. Been on the books since 2016. The formula includes academics, growth, attendance, English language learners, and for high school graduation rates are included. The TDOE is supposed to annually release letter grades for individual schools, but that has yet to be implemented. While superintendents may not love the current system, most are satisfied. Nobody is calling for a revamping of the system, especially since nobody has seen it fully implemented.
Still, Commissioner Reynolds feels this is an initiative that must be undertaken.
This week marked the beginning of a series of Town Halls supposedly designed to shape how Tennessee citizens want their schools evaluated and it trees familiar ground.
If you'll remember former Commissioner Schwinn tried to change Tennessee's accountability model within months of crossing state borders and assuming leadership of the TDOE. That didn't turn out well and served to piss a bunch of people off, including State Senator Delores Gresham and State Rep Mark White (R-Memphis). In a polite southern manner, they told her to go...well never mind, let's just say they said, "Bless you Mrs. Schwinn but you need to actually talk to Tennesseans before you try this. But welcome to Tennessee."
A lot of folks, attributed this initiative to Schwinn, but in my opinion, that's a mistake. Remember who's been working behind the scenes in Tennessee for decades - Chief's for Change and their sister organization ExcellinED. New Commissioner Lizette Reynolds is an alumnus of the latter, while Schwinn was a member of the former, so nobody should be surprised that the conversation has been restarted but this time with citizen input.
Here is where this gets even more interesting. Tennessee in response to provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), decided to use its state school evaluation process to meet the requirements of the Feds. At the same time, legislators crafted legislation to mandate that all schools are rated annually on an A-F scale. Those grades have yet to be issued, but the TDOE is swearing that they will be released this November. Anyone want to lay some money down?
The Federal Department of Education doesn't require a letter grade system, only that states identify those schools that require comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI), and Additional Support and Improvement (ATSI). Tennessee refers to those schools as Priority, CSI, and Focus schools. The letter grade initiative is solely at the discretion of Tennessee legislators.
The linking of the two evaluation models came at the behest of state superintendents and other stakeholders. When the model was being constructed, they were consulted and asked if they wanted one or two separate systems. Their response, to paraphrase, was, "God! Please don't make two systems that we have to keep track of." A fair request.
Truth is, the majority of what's in Tennessee's accountability system is crafted out of superintended input. A few items came through some of the non-profits, but, for the most part, the wishes of superintendents were honored.
This is why Commissioner Reynolds is receiving some pushback from district leaders about a potential change.
Another area of contention is around the weights carried by "growth" and "achievement". Currently, the system favors the former over the latter, both Schwinn and Reynolds hold a counter view, and aspire to tilt the scale in the opposite direction. I'm not sure I oppose that idea. While growth is reflective of actual learning, ultimately it comes down to achievement. No one is getting a gig post-graduation based on the amount of growth they made as opposed to the level of achievement.
Here's what some might not realize though. Tennessee's accountability model includes annual measured outcomes (AMO). Districts that reach their AMOs earn extra points. Those points are only earned by achievement. So achievement is built into the current system in every area but attendance. Now adding an AMO for attendance may bear discussion.
On Tuesday, the TDOE held the first of 10 statewide Town Halls in Dixon. Calling it a trainwreck gives trainwrecks a bad name.
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The event was hosted by TDOE Chief of Staff Chelsea Crawford. New Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds does not appear to be in attendance, but Tennessee's State Collaboration on Reforming Education(SCORE) Aleah Guthrie was in the audience. Ms. Guthrie offered comments but failed to mention that she leads SCORE’s policy and government relations work to improve outcomes for K-12 and postsecondary students in Tennessee. Nope, she was simply a former educator. Probably just an oversight.
Something else she likely won't tell you, SCORE regularly receives millions of dollars from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to influence Tennessee education policy. Just this past May, they received another million dollars in funding. The Gates Foundation also contributes heavily to Chiefs for Change and Excelled. Is anything becoming clearer yet?
People at the event in Dixon were clearly confused about why they were there. When educators asked for a clearer explanation. Crawford could only offer that the TDOE was looking to "co-create" a school evaluation system while failing to describe the current model.
On Thursday in Greenville, the TDOE held another town hall. Again hosted by Chelsea Crawford. again, a train wreck.
Here, it was pointed out to Ms. Crawford, by Greenville superintendent Steve Starnes, that legislation passed by the state General assembly in 2016 called for an evaluation system to be created and communicated to districts for implementation by the 2017/2018 school year. All of that, save the implementation, has been done.
In other words, why are we here?
In response, Crawford offered terms like, "co-create", and "creating a white space", but little substance. Seems like this would be a good place for a new state commissioner of education to step in and begin sharing her vision. But that didn't happen. Because once again, Reynolds was not in attendance.
Starnes further raised the question of TDOE proposing a change to an existing system of evaluation and using last year's data to generate evaluations with the new system. He stopped just short of immoral.
Imagine if Major League Baseball changed its scoring system and then when back and used games from last season to rescore games. Kinda of what it appears is happening here.
ExcelinEd was founded to promote eight core principles. ironically Common Core was one of them, but I digress. School accountability is one of those, and since Commissioner Reynolds has a long employment history with the non-profit, it's hard to clearly discern whose agenda is at play here.
This whole dog and pony show reeks of dishonesty. If Reynolds is serious about changing the state's accountability model, why not complete implementation first?
Release individual letter grades now, schools already have their TVAAS scores, let's convert them. Nobody's paying attention in November and by May they are irrelevant.
Let people see what the whole process looks like and then seek opinions. The original creation of the accountability model stretched out over 18 months, not 18 weeks.
Rumor on the street is that officials are worried that too many schools will get an "A" and once that happens the opportunity to make changes will be lost.
Maybe, maybe not. But it's pretty clear to me that Tennessee needs to have a deeper conversation about the undue influence exerted by education non-profits on state education policy.
I will add this final caveat. Commissioner Reynolds arrived in Tennessee with the reputation of a policy wonk, someone skilled in implementing policy.
Watch the two town hall videos and then tell me how they are representative of a leader skilled in implementing policy.
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Time to rattle the cup a little bit before I head out the door.
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