  Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 760 Registered: 06-2005 |
I saw this segment on ABC Nightline last week, about the challenges faced by the Washington DC Public School system. Similar to Detroit Public School, the DC Public School system is predominantly Black and financially strapped. Michelle Rhee, was born in Ann Arbor(MI) and raised in Toledo(OH). Therefore, she does have ties to our SE Michigan region. ABC News CBS News Charlie Rose interview clip Washingtonian article Forbes magazine article Well, first we need a competent Mayor with an urgency. Then we can hope to land a school leadership like Michelle Rhee. Please share your thoughts. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1324 Registered: 06-2006 |
We just need someone who will hire HONEST people. Get rid of everyone that can have a hand in the cookie jar (money) and hire folks who won't bilk/steal from the system. The kids deserve better folks working for them than those who steal. | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 2720 Registered: 07-2004 |
The person who is mayor can use their political influence to persuade members of the school board to support his or her ideas and influence who they pick for superintendent, but the power of the mayor to do much more for DPS ends there. That's why Kilpatrick was trying to get the state legislature to give him the power to pick the superintendent of DPS. The voters, however, didn't like him having that much control and voted to return the control of DPS back over to an elected school board. I once heard that if you really want to get things done in government you need a benevolent dictator. I thought what Kilpatrick should have done was convince the legislature and the voters to at least allow the mayor to have a permanent seat on the school board. Given the fact that he has city business to take of, he would be allowed to have a representative take his place at meetings and cast votes on his behalf. At least this way he would have some say in DPS affairs. I saw the interview with Michelle Rhee on Charlie Rose. She appears to be very competent and the DC public school system has shown improvement. She appears to have the same role as David Adamany had under the state-controlled school board. Very few Detroiters have many positives to say about Adamany's leadership. I wonder what the DC folks will say about Rhee's leadership when all is said and done? The bottom line is that Detroiters say they want a competent superintendent, but as soon as the said superintendent does something that they don't like, like close a school because enrollment has been low for years, then they want the superintendent ousted. Also, the teachers' union will likely want the superintendent ousted if he or she implements programs or procedures that negatively affect teachers' pay(merit pay, year round schools) or affect teachers' jobs. Rhee said in the interview with Charlie Rose that some DC folks think she's too cold in some of the decisions she has made, and she admitted that her hands are tied when it comes to getting rid of bad teachers because of the union. The DC take over might be just what DC public schools need. Would it work in Detroit? I don't know. We've seen that ship sail and things are still off course. | ||
Crawford Member Username: Crawford Post Number: 270 Registered: 10-2006 |
Please, no more Reverends leading Detroit's school board. A religious affiliation is not a qualification. Better yet, put the schools under permanent state control. | ||
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 763 Registered: 06-2005 |
Detroitteacher: That is exactly the kind of problem that repeats over and over and over again in Detroit. Why does Detroit continue to suffer the curse of greedy, selfish and corrupted civic leaders, while other cities could turn the corner and rid itself of such pests? I agree with you - as long as we have people who steal from the system, be it in the school system or city government ..... this nightmare will persist. Royce: It has to work in Detroit. Something has to work in Detroit. This continuing mess in DPS has gone on long enough. It is time to change something around fast, very fast. One thing that was mentioned by Rhee in the Rose interview, centers around the fact that she didn't think she is anybody special. She knows that many of her predecessors have tried, tried, tried to do many, many different things, with good intentions - but failed. She said the only difference she is banking on making her attempt a success is the combination of many factors such as a good Mayor (Fenty), a good school board, a good teachers union and so on. The biggest question here in Detroit is ..... do we even have any of those factors in place? (Message edited by darwinism on July 27, 2008) | ||
Trstar Member Username: Trstar Post Number: 29 Registered: 05-2007 |
The Mayor should be able to appoint ONE member of the school board. There needs to be an official link between the two organizations. Note: I'm not endorsing the current admin in any way or shape. But from a functional standpoint only. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1327 Registered: 06-2006 |
Well, the current school board voted to have February be African-AMERICAN WORLD history month. Kind of a contradiction, isn't it? How about we just get people who know about education in there? | ||
Eastsidechris Member Username: Eastsidechris Post Number: 291 Registered: 12-2003 |
I would never wish it on her, but I have long maintained that my former principal--who was essentially forced into leaving our school in February to take an administrative position within the district (what a great plan, as our school was in controlled chaos mode the last 1/3 of the year)--would make a great DPS CEO. She has the work ethic, vision, and commitment to Detroit's children that would make her successful. But I fear the job would literally kill her, because she would devote 24 hours a day to getting the district turned around. I won't name her on the forum, but those who know her would agree with me. | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 758 Registered: 06-2005 |
The position of Superintendent in urban America is almost untenable. Not only must the person answer to their Board, they must also report to the public at large, the unions, whomever provides the funding, the staff, parents and, of course, ensure the safety and welfare of the children. All that, before and while, the focus is able to be on academic matters. When Dr. Adamany agreed to take the position of CEO of DPS, he clearly knew that he would be in office for just one year while the State appointed Board searched and selected a full-time CEO. He also was fortunate that he did not report to any of the aforementioned constituencies. He was answerable only to, well, himself. In 2004 when the DC school district was shopping for a new superintendent, Rudy Crew, the former NYC superintendent was offered (IIRC) over $600,000 (combination of public and private funds) to take the position. He declined and went to Miami instead. Detroit is not able to offer that type of money. We also seem (IMO) to only be interested in hiring an African-American. When Detroit was recently looking for a new Superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Smith (IMO, she is as sharp as sharp can be.) headed up the search committee. The BEST that they could come up with was Dr. Calloway. There simply was NO interest on the part of any of the nation's best black educators in coming to DPS. None, nada, no one. I believe there are many reasons for this. On a good day, our Board is, at best, unfocused, ineffectual, and highly politicalized. On a bad day, oh, well... The District is contracting, there is no money and there will be even less in the future, the impact and implications of the Board being one of the major employers in the state and the vast amount of money (Reference back to the various groups I mentioned in the 1st paragraph.) to be spent on various contracts. It is very easy to say that we need a superintendent who will focus on the children. But that really amounts to little more than mouthing a time honored platitude that will, in the end, get us and our children nowhere. The reality in Detroit is that we need someone who can deal with all of the various constituents that I mentioned in my 1st paragraph. It is my belief that, absent a dynamic, proven, black candidate, we need to broaden our next search to include white/Jewish/Hispanic regional superintendents from NYC, for example, who could come to Detroit and be beholden to no one. Perhaps such a background would equip this person with the the strength to manage our situation in Detroit. And in the process, that person, if successful here, could make such a national name for themselves that they could then write their own ticket to any educational position in the country. That challenge could be perhaps the draw that would attract the best possible educators since we cannot compete with salary. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1366 Registered: 10-2003 |
I am the right person to lead the Detroit public schools. I would immediately shut it down. Sell all of the property. and hand each student in the city a voucher to go to a real school. The massive variance in funds would be put into an account for future vouchers. Overnight success. Thank you, thank you, thank you! | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 3113 Registered: 09-2007 |
^A step closer to the death of our city. | ||
Crawford Member Username: Crawford Post Number: 271 Registered: 10-2006 |
The focus on only black candidates is idiocy. The nation is 13% black. Why limit the search to 13% of the candidate pool (assuming qualified candidates are representative of overall racial proportions)?? | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 755 Registered: 10-2003 |
What does race have to do with anything? *feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on* | ||
Greatlakes Member Username: Greatlakes Post Number: 225 Registered: 07-2007 |
Welcome to Detroit... | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 756 Registered: 10-2003 |
I know, Greatlakes... Actually, I thought Deborah McGriff, who was the speaker at my 8th grade graduation from Bates many moons ago, and David Adamany, who was the CEO the year I was hired into DPS, were good. I think a new and radical solution needs to be tried. Instead of one CEO, the top teachers, educators, researchers and policymakers in the world should be tasked with reforming DPS. Gut the school system and start over. We know how to educate this population of kids -- we know what works! Start from scratch and just DO it. Make every school KIPP, Marva Collins, or even a Bates Academy. Make Detroit a model for urban education the world over. | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 481 Registered: 12-2006 |
Whatever's done, just pls make sure poor kids have a chance for a quality education. A family that can't afford to send their kids to grade school? It just doesn't seem right. | ||
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 765 Registered: 06-2005 |
English made a good point. We need an urgent and radical solution. We need to gut the entire DPS and start from the ground up. What we have now are people brought in just to put out fire. I don't believe that is considered a solid solution to the variety of problems DPS faces. The question is how do we gut the system unless we have the combination of factors mentioned above, such as a good Mayor (not KK), a good school board, a good teachers union and so on? How can anything be done fast with so many obstacles in the way? | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7549 Registered: 02-2004 |
Who would be the right person to lead Detroit Public Schools? DETROITTEACHER! Come on down, you can run the Detroit School Board and push those lazy administrators to teach these at risk kids some ABC's to E=MC2. | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 760 Registered: 10-2003 |
I vote for Detroitteacher as well.  In the UK, most administrators still have classes that they teach. They do not perform administrative duties full-time. I think the Brits have the right idea. DETROITTEACHER FOR CEO! | ||
Themax Member Username: Themax Post Number: 961 Registered: 09-2005 |
It sounds like the school board is a lot of the problem. Maybe there needs to be a really tough campaign to put people on the board who really know how to change things. Lots of voter education. What/who are the major stumbling blocks to changing things? Are there political groups that are stopping progress? Then get a good model for school change. Maybe Rhee's plan of action in DC. Actually I guess the plan should come first so you have something to sell to the voters. Here is Rhee's plan for year one in DC. http://www.k12.dc.us/chancellor/documents/First%20year%20plan.pdf (Message edited by themax on July 28, 2008) | ||
Topflight Member Username: Topflight Post Number: 20 Registered: 04-2008 |
Scrap the board, put all principals in charge of their own finances, from the teacher to the counselor to the building manager. In each cluster of the city there should be 1 high-school, 1 middle and 1 elementary. From this pool makes 1 staff/parent from each cluster a member of the board, let the members of each community vote and decide who will hold what positions while on the board. Cut-out the unions, cut-out all the overhead at the school center building. Bring in a private company to oversee the food programs and maintenance. Just like the city we no longer have faith in the school system in Detroit. It is time for business to be conducted in a new way, the old way of doing business has truly failed. I have seen how my tax dollars was used while my children attended charter. I had a say, and felt very welcomed, no politics involved. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2446 Registered: 11-2003 |
I have scrutinized all the likely candidates and have concluded that only Saint Jude Thaddeus, Patron Saint of Lost Causes, is the one who could even begin to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, I believe he died in Persia in the 1st Century AD. But maybe he might have a few relatives willing to tackle the job. | ||
Higgs1634 Member Username: Higgs1634 Post Number: 601 Registered: 10-2005 |
quote: Why is black-ness the first qualification? You seem to first be critical of the Board looking only to black candidates, then you advocate it? I'm interested to hear why only a black person can lead DPS. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1328 Registered: 06-2006 |
I hereby remove myself from the running for CEO. I enjoy the kids too much to subject myself to being in admin. Besides, I am a middle aged white lady and would be instantly disqualified by the board. They seem to believe that white folks can't understand the Afro-centric curriculum. I think we understand it perfectly well, they just don't give us the tools to implement such a curriculum. Not to mention...the first thing I would do is get rid of the current board and get folks in there who actually have a background in education. Nothing like running a company when one doesn't have the basic understanding of the product/service of said company. | ||
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism Post Number: 766 Registered: 06-2005 |
English and Detroitteacher: You are both in the front lines of this mess we call the DPS, either in the past or in the present. It is clear that DPS can't advance without tearing apart its current form. How can we as Metro Detroiters help? It is very, very damaging to hear that race played a role in the hiring of the top person running DPS, when other cities like Washington DC could bring in an Asian woman to lead their district out of misery. It is obvious that our generation and many generations beyond us here in Detroit are through, due to the incompetency of our leadership, not on just one level, but virtually every level of leadership here in Detroit. Unbelievable and unforgivable. This needs to stop - Immediately!! | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7556 Registered: 02-2004 |
Detroitteacher, You can do it. Running for CEO from DPS will be a historically challenge. Doesn't matter about your age, sex or color. If you have the principles go ahead and convince Detroiters that you have the right stuff and the passion to save DPS from state takeover and the student flight to drop out or those EVIL charter schools. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1329 Registered: 06-2006 |
Danny: It isn't that simple. The voters don't choose the CEO...the school board does. Unfortunately, I am not the "right candidate" for the board to even consider me. I am very vocal about what needs to be done to make DPS better for the kids and I don't think that the powers that be (including the union) would enjoy having me destroy things to make them better in the long run. My 1st priority would be to get rid of the teachers who aren't teaching. A simple survey completed by the kids would tell me exactly who was doing what. Union would hate that. My next order of business would be to oust everyone in management and start fresh (I'd check references, criminal background, credit history, the works...in order to ensure that folks wouldn't steal from the kids). My next order of business would be to vacate the posh suites and set up admin in vacant schools throughout the city...admin gets the same treatment and facilities as the kids. When the kids get their buildings fixed, then admin would get those buildings fixed. Kids would come first. For some reason I don't think that would fly very well with DPS in its current state. | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1368 Registered: 10-2003 |
The next thing I will do will reduce payment for school board members to a $200 stipend for the year... just like the school board members at those mysteriously successful suburban schools get. Instant elimination of the clowns that are there for the buck. Instant addition of credible adults with skill sets to share outside of their real-world jobs. Thank you, Thank youm...no really, your too kind! | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1712 Registered: 07-2007 |
Detroit Public Schools -- RIP http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20080814/COL 10/80814118 | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 264 Registered: 05-2006 |
If Detroit had a more robust and diversified economy the school district could be fixed. DPS is the cash cow that keeps the economy going in the city, keeps residents employed and businesses going. The educational training of Detroit's youth is almost an afterthought. Because board members are almost always looking for a paying political job they are not going to rock the boat and play up to their base as much as possible. The fixes needed to be made are so painful no superintendent can survive for any length of time. Don't be surprised if the board finds a way to buy out the remaining years of Calloway's contract after this year. People want honesty but its like the people who say they want more prisons but don't put them in my neighborhood. I feel the district needs to either be broken up into smaller chunks that can be managed or a third party(state of Michigan ?) needs to come in run the district with a mandate of doing whats fiscally and educationally sound for the district and ignore all of the fussing and crying your going to hear from all of the political factions within the city. So if that means you have to close 10 half empty schools then thats what must be done. I know its fun to pile on KK right now, but as mayor he has little to do or say about how the schools conduct their business. You can say that DPS is like the city in that corruption is a problem. We have tried superintendent after superintendent and things have only gotten worse. Its time for a radical change. School districts are not designed to be economic cash cows for the cities they serve. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 265 Registered: 05-2006 |
After reviewing some of the links that were provided (thank you Darwinism) I am convince that the reason Ms Rhee could even be in that position is because of forward thinking leadership. I don't want to turn this thread into a mayor Kilpatrick thread but Mayor Fenty and Kilpatrick are around the same age. Detroiters thought they were going to get the kind of leadership Fenty is now providing in DC. The reason I say this is because a hot button item with me for the next mayorial election will be that absence of a state takeover I want the mayor to be responsible for the schools as well. And I would expect the mayor to do everything in his/her power to make sure that happens. The board should only serve in an advisory capacity. The current way has not worked in decades. A superintendent cannot serve 11 bosses especially in a political environment like Detroit. This will however require the voters to select the next mayor carefully. | ||
Border5150 Member Username: Border5150 Post Number: 218 Registered: 03-2004 |
What I want to know (at the risk of getting in semantics) is why are some of the heads of DPs (Adamany, et al) referred to as CEO - "Chief Executive Officer". That title just sounds so corporate. What ever happened to calling this person "superintendent"? | ||
Neilr Member Username: Neilr Post Number: 771 Registered: 06-2005 |
The title CEO - "Chief Executive Officer," applied to those leaders chosen by the appointed board (Dr. Adamany, Dr. Birnley, Mr. Coleman) during the period of the State's takeover of DPS. "Superintendent" is the title of the leaders selected by the elected boards before and since that period. | ||
Whittier70 Member Username: Whittier70 Post Number: 189 Registered: 02-2008 |
tyrone biggum can do a better job than the current.  | ||
Lefty2 Member Username: Lefty2 Post Number: 1713 Registered: 07-2007 |
1/10 "DPS is the cash cow that keeps the economy going in the city," Then why is it 400 million in debt? Why do only 21% graduate? Twelfth grade grads could tun it better. | ||
Whittier70 Member Username: Whittier70 Post Number: 190 Registered: 02-2008 |
400,000,000 buys 8000 of these for the staff  | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1349 Registered: 06-2006 |
Payroll is being held back a day. I don't follow their reasoning behind this decision other than they can't meet payroll on Tuesday and are hoping the money is there on Wednesday so they can pay us...at least for those who opted to spread our pay over the summer. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 266 Registered: 05-2006 |
DT - Maybe the article helps explain, still not a good situation at all. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20080807/SCHOO LS/808070340 | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7645 Registered: 02-2004 |
Detroitteacher should be the right person to lead Detroit Public Schools. For it has more principles and tough love potential than Eastside High School principal Joe Clark. Detroitteacher, you can do it. Be superintendent for Detroit Public Schools. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7648 Registered: 02-2004 |
I believe in you Detroitteacher. You could be DPS only hope. | ||
Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 3042 Registered: 08-2004 |
Blame Calloway and the CFO. In fact, the CFO wasn't even qualified for the position in the first place. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1350 Registered: 06-2006 |
DPS really needs to get its act together! Thanks for the article link Firstandten. We just received a Memo in the mail (snail mail...they paid to mail us the memo) saying our pay was being delayed by a day. This memo did NOT come in time for us to call the folks who take money out of our accounts on payday (such as mortgage companies) to have them suck the money out a day later. If it saves a million bucks, some jobs, and allows the kids to get what they need (I said that with the best of intentions), I guess I can make some concessions. I just really wish my employer would get it together...for the sake of the kids. DPS is going to lose some really great teachers if they keep playing around like they have in the past. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 1351 Registered: 06-2006 |
Ya know...I am wondering if central admin isn't getting paid when they should...or if they are taking a paycut (which would help the fund situation greatly)...or if they are getting lay off notices. I doubt it but that is what needs to happen. Or how about they move to a vacant school and stop renting? That sure would help th financial disaster that is DPS. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7650 Registered: 02-2004 |
Lefty2, By reading that article DPS is NOT DEAD, but sleeping. The whole school district needs to be restructured and reconstituted. So far those EVIL charter schools and suburban schools are getting the high ground of providing educational requirements to all students of color and creed. Detroitteacher should become the new superintendent of Detroit Public Schools. It know what to do to lure students back and turn the school system around. A Detroit without is school district meaning most kids in the ghettos would their learning someplace else. Either those EVIL charter schools and suburban schools or the means streets where crack heads, pimps and prostitutes are the teachers. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 275 Registered: 05-2006 |
Going back to the original post on this topic. someone like Ms Rhee will eventually run a district like ours. However with what she is doing she is going to need 24/7 security. She is rocking that district to its very core. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08 /24/AR2008082402397.html?hpid= topnews | ||
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement Post Number: 498 Registered: 08-2007 |
Firstandten, thanks for the article -- I really enjoyed it. I think Ms. Rhee is doing a good job but in some instances it seems that she is not engaging the community and parents. Aside from that I really support a lot of her initiatives. I say more power to her! Quote of the article: "Those who scream the loudest were used to winning." ^^^That's part of the problem here in Detroit. The bullies win, not the best ideas... |
