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Councilor vows to fight BPS plan to turn Dearborn into charter school
By adamg on Wed, 08/20/2014 - 2:15pm
City Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) says he will fight efforts by BPS to turn the impending brand-new Dearborn STEM School into a charter school when that would open it up to students across the city, rather than giving Roxbury students preference.
Jackson rejected a request from school officials to lobby state officials to change state charter laws to allow for charters that are not open to kids across the city, not after the council voted to approve seeking and spending money to completely rebuild the school on the assumption it would remain a district school.
"We're not going to allow the Dearborn to be taken away and made anything but a district school," he vowed.
Jackson said he was furious to learn, after the council voted to approve the $72-million project - including $36 million in state funds - that BPS wanted to go the charter route.
At-large Councilor Steve Murphy joined Jackson's demand the entire School Committe and interim Superintendent John McDonough appear before the council and explain themselves. Murphy, who accused BPS of lying to the council to get funding for the rebuild, noted that if school officials don't show up, the council can force them to by subpoenaing them.
Report on BPS Dearborn meeting last night by Parent Imperfect.
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Comments
Tito seems to be a busy lad ,
Tito seems to be a busy lad , education wise today. Maybe the nuns should be enlisted to teach the lessons, from the Sisters of No Mercy teaching order.
Wait so let me get this
Straight! Roxbury is allowed to have a neighborhood public school, buy West Roxbury for example cant.
If a
predominantly White neighborhood had a predominantly White school it would be labeled racist. More so if the school was preforming well.
Oh, reverse racism, you old scoundrel
Do, please, tell us more of your theories of race and education. I can hardly tear my eyes away from the genius of your words, notwithstanding the misspellings and your German Capitalization of Nouns in a Telling Way.
Just one misspelling. And one
Just one misspelling. And one capitalized adjective (not noun) that is done for political reasons: http://dcentric.wamu.org/2011/10/when-to-capatalize-black-and-white/
Reply to "So Wait Let Me Get This"
You don't have all the information, The Dearborn, because of the low MCAS scores, probably because the district moved the SIFE students last September from Orchard Garden (miracle OG's becomes "Level 1") and only assigned 3 students to the Dearborn Advanced Work Class (AWC) which would have brought the scores up, qualifies Dearborn for “Neighborhood School” status. BPS school assignment plan notes “3.4 Smaller bottom 25% MCAS schools will serve the “sufficiently close” students only. Until their academics improve, they effectively become neighborhood schools, and can thus synergize with development of school-centered local support structure” (p.12).
Tito vs. Barros?
Isn't John Barros' group behind the proposed charter school and isn't it also an in-district charter school? This isn't exactly like taking a BPS school and giving it to a for-profit charter.
I'll go with Barros every time based on what I've seen out of these two guys.
In reply to Tito vs. Barros...
I wouldn't, after what John Barros did to the Emerson School Community letting them believe he was on their side when he was on the Boston School Committee! Then opening DSNCS in the Emerson School Building! Lawrence Harmon wrote a great article “A Little Too Close for Comfort” that voices some concerns about Mr. Barros.
As a Horace Mann "in-district" charter school the district pays an EMO (Education Management Organization) 14%-16%+/- right off the top of the schools budget. BPS is paying UP Academy (Gavin) over $600,000. to "manage" 600 kids. BPS doesn't pay John McDonough that and he manages 57,000. BPS is paying BPE/BTR a management fee for DSNCS and I hope that,at the Roxbury Town Hall next week at Roxbury Community College Media Center, someone asks BPE/BTR/DSNI how much they are charging BPS to manage DSNCS school now, and when it reaches capacity, and how much they plan to charge BPS to manage Dearborn STEM. As a Horace Mann in-district charter school, they would have to accept students by lottery citywide and the BPS has to pay transportation for these students citywide.
Then there no mention of the impact to the 3 traditional elementary schools, Ellis, Mason and Winthrop, whose “Pathway” is supposed to feed into the new Dearborn STEM in the new school assignment process. Where will those elementary pathway students go? On the MBTA to outlining community middle schools? Where will the Special Education programs the Dearborn houses go? For 35 years the Dearborn has been the first school of many Cape Verdean newcomers to our city. Where will Cape Verdean bilingual program go?
It won't be to the Dearborn if it is allowed to become a Charter! BPE/BTR Jessie Solomon finally admitted that, after next year, students would have to be chosen by "lottery" to attend the Dearborn. Is that why the district isn't assigning any new ELL Level 1 & Level 2 students to the Dearborn this year? Is it because their brothers and sisters would have “sibling preference” to the new Dearborn STEM? Making Dearborn a charter school will leave Roxbury families with even less traditional school choices and even less neighborhood seats at a “quality” school, and BPS with a city-wide charter transportation bill that will forever be taken out of the districts budget!
To add insult to injury, the day after the meeting last Tuesday DSNCS/BPE has the arrogance to post a job for a Director of STEM Instruction, Gr. 6-12, Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School Campus 2. Like this is a done deal! Well it isn't!
So tell me Vaughn K., now that you have more information, have I changed your mind?
To be honest, no
Your track record here (and elsewhere) leads me to believe you are related to or perhaps are Stutman and not really in line with what my experience and views are regarding what's best for BPS.
However, post away - the more opinions the better. I imagine you're pretty busy with the school year about to start, right?
reply to "To be honest, no
It's disappointing that I haven't been able to change your mind about Dearborn School remaining a traditional neighborhood Boston Public School. It is an important issue to the Roxbury Community and to Boston. Is there any particular issue about Dearborn that you are having difficulty with?
I wasn’t aware that I had a “track record” at Universal Hub or anywhere else for that matter. I feel flattered that you’ve read my posts and were impressed enough to remember my name. It is no secret that I am a Boston Public School Classroom Teacher. I am a proud member of the Boston Teachers Union (BTU). I am not a union rep, hold no elected office, and nobody pays me for my posts, as they say “the opinions are my own.” Oh and I’m not Richard Stutman.
My goal in commenting is to present the information that never is reported in the media, I hope that, when you have all the information, you can make an informed decision. Thanks for the welcome to Universal Hub. I, like you, feel that everyone’s voice should be heard and everyone should have all the information before forming an opinion.