Saturday, July 17, 2010

When all else fails make it a racial issue

http://www.newpittsburghcourieronline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2540:white-women-protest-single-gendered-school&catid=38:metro&Itemid=27

8 comments:

Questioner said...

A similar approach was used to obtain support in the Hill District for Milliones.

Anonymous said...

To a certain extent, I think the PPS administrators count on certain groups of parents NOT attending meetings. This just makes it easier for PPS to continue doing whatever they decide to try next. You always hear from the same certain groups of parents. i.e. Squirrel Hill. You don't see the BOE using Allderdice or Colfax as experiments. Grease the squeaky wheel.

Anonymous said...

To a certain extent, I think the PPS administrators count on certain groups of parents NOT attending meetings. This just makes it easier for PPS to continue doing whatever they decide to try next. You always hear from the same certain groups of parents. i.e. Squirrel Hill. You don't see the BOE using Allderdice or Colfax as experiments. Grease the squeaky wheel.

Questioner said...

It doesn't seem like Squirrel Hill parents come out very much. Probably because schools in Sq H have been left mostly untouched, at least in terms of reconfigurations, major calendar changes, closures, etc.

Anonymous said...

That is because certain SH parents are well connected and the BOE isn't going to mess with their school. Allderdice has an excellent alumni base also who cares about their school.

Anonymous said...

I can't agree about Sq. Hill parents not coming out. At least two of the three parents who stepped to the plate to be members of a group to provide the parent perspective on RISE and the Empowering Effective Teachers plan were Allderdice parents. At monthly EFA meetings most of the Squirrel Hill schools are well represented. For at least the past 5 years I have marveled at the level of parent participation I see from schools like Colfax and Minadeo. Until our school takes a hit in the change department it is unlikely that we step up to protest.

Anonymous said...

The title of this blog says it all. It's always brought down to a race issue. Here's my question: I grew up in the same neighborhood as all of the black students. I had the same plight. I consider myself a success because I made the decision to be better. Not because my alcoholic mother or drug addicted father encouraged me. I guess I don't count because I'm white? Get over it. Quit putting an issue where there isn't one. It has to do with culture, not race!

Anonymous said...

OMG! Anon 6:02, please refrain from making racist comments on this blog. We are having a hard enough time being heard without this type of rant undermining the cause of advocating for ALL children. The numbers of children that are struggling in the PPS has nothing to do with race (the only semi coherent statement in your post). But is is not african american "culture", it is the culture of poverty that stymies many in our public schools. It just so happens that in urban areas, the numbers of people living in poverty are disproportionately black. Go to rural America and you will find the exact same issues affecting the poor white population.

A little empathy and compassion is necessary here.