Can I just take some of this shit point by point? I'll differentiate the newspaper text from mine by font color. This is about the superintendent of our school district, who is stepping down.
Before starting as the new superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District, Jonathan Raymond was told how he could escape unscathed from the no-win job he was taking on.
“Rudy Crew (a former Sacramento superintendent who later ran New York’s public schools) told me: ‘Stay three years, keep your head down, and whatever you do, don’t close any schools,’” Raymond said with a wistful smile the other day.
Of course, Raymond did close schools.
Yes, seven of them. All in poor neighborhoods with higher-than-normal poverty and higher-than-normal numbers of brown kids. Just FYI.
He not only didn’t keep his head down, he took on the local teachers union repeatedly. He actually cared about the poorest kids in a poor district and showed it by making those schools a priority backed by his office.
This doesn't exactly say that the teachers don't care about kids, but it comes pretty goddamn close. And this is the kind of thing that pisses me off about the newspaper. The teachers union is TEACHERS, just like a band is made of musicians. And he cared about SOME poor schools. Others got left in the dirt.
In a state where the teachers unions control politicians, Raymond was ripe for being fired with an agenda that actually put kids first.
LOL. Find me ONE politician who is a puppet of the teachers union.
LOL. Find me ONE politician who is a puppet of the teachers union.
So Raymond is leaving after four years of success against long odds, but with few accolades and allies.
He was the ultimate solitary figure, doing good work that was praised by outsiders and ripped by insiders. His experience is a window into what truly ails public education in California.
So you're saying he is praised by people who don't know dick about the situation and ripped by people who have to live with the effects of his policies? Good to know.
Hack politicians seeking higher office from the school board dais jerked Raymond around constantly, even as the district achievement gap between the highest performing non-minority students and lowest minority students was reduced under Raymond’s watch.
Probably all the results of his policies, too, right? Nothing to do with the hard work of those evil teachers.
The teachers union fought him and sued him at every step, even as school suspensions dropped across the board – most tellingly at the middle-school level, from 3,437 in 2010 to 1,236 in 2013.
Yeah... we sued him because he violated our contract intentionally and repeatedly. Also, WE and the principals were the ones responsible for that drop. You're welcome.
Under Raymond, the dropout rate in the district fell from 23.2 percent in 2010 to 11.5 percent in 2012. The Latino dropout rate went from 27.8 in 2010 to 13.9. And for African Americans, it dropped from 37.1 to 15.5 percent.
Given these numbers and other achievements, and the virtual silence Raymond’s coming departure has inspired, the question remains: Are public schools a priority in Sacramento?
If we’re being honest as a community – and we rarely are on this topic – the answer has to be no. And Raymond’s lonely experience is illustrative of why.
The local teachers union cares most of all about preserving teacher seniority.
Eat shit, Breton. You are a dirtbag. Obviously, the union cares about things like job protections for and the working conditions of teachers. But the TEACHERS, who make up the union, care a whole lot about kids and schools. Otherwise, they'd probably go do something else.
And you know what? When, due to budget issues, Raymond suggested shortening the school year by two days, do you know what teachers did? We said no -- we'd rather donate $950 each and teach those two days, because we thought the kids deserved the time. So we care most about preserving teacher seniority? Eat a bag of dicks, Breton.
And you know what? When, due to budget issues, Raymond suggested shortening the school year by two days, do you know what teachers did? We said no -- we'd rather donate $950 each and teach those two days, because we thought the kids deserved the time. So we care most about preserving teacher seniority? Eat a bag of dicks, Breton.
Many parents talk a great game, but Raymond’s idea of lifting the lowest ships gained him scant love from many whose true idea of public school greatness was preserving the schools and programs that their kids were in. As he recalled, “It was like the parent from (the high-achieving Genevieve Didion Elementary in Greenhaven) told me at a meeting. She said: ‘Superintendent, you’re not just the superintendent for poor kids. You’re the superintendent for all kids.’”
Raymond will likely be appreciated much more in retrospect – after he leaves for his native Boston in December.
His “priority” schools have been a resounding success after he arranged for the poorest-performing schools in the district to receive stable funding and staffing.
I think we may have different definitions of "resounding success." One of the "priority schools" dropped 91 points on the API index. One of the schools to make the highest gains was one of the seven he closed.
Further, protecting the "priority schools" in many cases hurt the other schools. It took away funding from my school, at least as impoverished as the high school that was made a "priority."
I think we may have different definitions of "resounding success." One of the "priority schools" dropped 91 points on the API index. One of the schools to make the highest gains was one of the seven he closed.
Further, protecting the "priority schools" in many cases hurt the other schools. It took away funding from my school, at least as impoverished as the high school that was made a "priority."
He set up a pipeline to cultivate principals and district leaders of the future. He prevailed in a lawsuit that allowed him to essentially get around teacher seniority in some cases. He got the community to pass school bonds to upgrade aging schools. He brought in youth counselors to foster a sense of community in schools where kids didn’t always enjoy the benefits of a stable home life.
Speaking of hurting my school, that lawsuit that allowed him to get around seniority meant that my school's staff was DECIMATED last year. (Actually, knowing that decimated means 10% destroyed, it was MORE than decimated.) Initially, about 1/3 of the English department was on the layoff list. We ended up losing five great teachers because first- and second- year teachers at the priority school were "skipped" due to their "special training." Whereas the special training our teachers had (including very specialized, very expensive training which allows us to run an advanced program for our neediest kids) was ignored. It didn't count. Tell me how that's a success? It's like being proud you could fatten up one of your two skinny kids by giving one of them the other's food.
Speaking of hurting my school, that lawsuit that allowed him to get around seniority meant that my school's staff was DECIMATED last year. (Actually, knowing that decimated means 10% destroyed, it was MORE than decimated.) Initially, about 1/3 of the English department was on the layoff list. We ended up losing five great teachers because first- and second- year teachers at the priority school were "skipped" due to their "special training." Whereas the special training our teachers had (including very specialized, very expensive training which allows us to run an advanced program for our neediest kids) was ignored. It didn't count. Tell me how that's a success? It's like being proud you could fatten up one of your two skinny kids by giving one of them the other's food.
He was a tireless advocate for Common Core standards that push students – and teachers – to drill down deeper on core subjects. He also set up restorative justice programs in schools through which students worked out conflicts in a safe environment, often in contrast to the environments in which they lived.
Raymond also bit the bullet and closed schools with declining enrollments and was pilloried the entire way by vested interests.
Vested interests: parents and community groups. Those tyrants!
Vested interests: parents and community groups. Those tyrants!
What was the worst thing that anyone said to him?
“I know where you live,” Raymond replied.
From the beginning, Raymond was in a tough spot.
He remembers, in his first week on the job, eagerly accepting an invitation from Mayor Kevin Johnson to attend a news conference.
“But some members of my board were upset. They said: ‘Remember who you work for.’”
It was then Raymond realized what a polarizing figure Johnson was to the teachers union for turning Sacramento High School into a charter school.
(Which was a shitty thing to do, and my neighborhood STILL doesn't have a comprehensive high school because of it.)
(Which was a shitty thing to do, and my neighborhood STILL doesn't have a comprehensive high school because of it.)
Raymond was wary of getting too close to Johnson for fear of having his initiatives scuttled by union-backed board members.
Oh, no worries: we endorsed some of those sonsabitches, but once they were elected, they gave us the finger and said yes to everything Raymond wanted, ever. They often read the Raymond-penned FRONT PAGE only of the board meeting agenda and voted based on that.
Oh, no worries: we endorsed some of those sonsabitches, but once they were elected, they gave us the finger and said yes to everything Raymond wanted, ever. They often read the Raymond-penned FRONT PAGE only of the board meeting agenda and voted based on that.
Just months after Raymond arrived in 2009, Johnson pitched the idea of bringing Teach for America to city schools. The nonprofit organization trains teachers and sends them to underserved schools and Raymond thought it was a great idea to bring a small number to city schools.
Yeah... the district laid off 70 teachers that year. We actually did not need anybody. Particularly anybodies to whose organization you have to pay a finder's fee.
Yeah... the district laid off 70 teachers that year. We actually did not need anybody. Particularly anybodies to whose organization you have to pay a finder's fee.
But when Raymond couldn’t be sure he’d get votes on his board to approve a pilot program, he had to tell Johnson he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t risk a big defeat so early in his tenure. The union objected, as other teacher unions have, because they label Teach for America as “union busters” who supplant veteran teachers with younger ones.
Mmmm... did you mean "younger" or "untrained?"
Mmmm... did you mean "younger" or "untrained?"
Johnson was not happy and a potentially valuable ally has been kept at arm’s length – depriving city schools of the biggest funding rainmaker in Sacramento as a full partner.
Meanwhile, a worthwhile program eventually set up shop at Natomas public schools instead.
And there were even bigger obstacles.
“There are some teachers in our district who should be getting paid six figures and there are some who should have been gone yesterday,” Raymond said. “And as superintendent, there is very little I could do to influence either extreme.”
While Raymond felt isolated as he dealt with these issues in Sacramento, John Deasy, leader of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is poised to leave for many of the same reasons.
It is what it is, and Raymond is clear-eyed about it. The only time he grows emotional is when considering the children of Sac City Unified.
“I love our kids in Sacramento,” he said.
“I’ll never forget this first-grader. He was so cute wearing a suit that still had the labels on it and making a presentation at a science fair,” Raymond said. “For many of these kids, it’s probably the first time in their lives where someone told them, you matter. You’re going to be something. Who knows what is going to happen with that kid (in the suit)? But maybe that presentation was the spark for him. That’s the stuff I feel really good about.”
Aw, then someday perhaps he'll wake up and realize he had fuck-all to do with that. Because science fairs have been going on for decades, and it's teachers who organize them, teachers who judge them, teachers who stay late for them, and shitasses like Raymond who show up for the photo-op and then wax nostalgic about it later. Good riddance.
As for Breton, seriously, man... did a teacher touch you in the no-no place? We're not Lex Luthor. We're not like in the cartoons where the bees swarm together to make GIANT BEE. Do we have some political sway? Some. But here's an example of how tenuous and hard-won it is: last election, there was a CTA-endorsed piece of legislation running against a billionaire-endorsed proposition. CTA represents 325,000 people. There were about 6 billionaires who supported the other bill. We had grassroots action! We talked to people. We walked precincts. They spent an ASSLOAD of money. We spent money, too, although we didn't have the assloads they did. And for a while it was really, really close. We did win. But it's not like politicians or school board members bend to our will. We're an organization of people, of teachers. The fact that we talk to people *should* have some sway. Many parents support teachers and think their kids' teachers are doing a good job. Not because we're some giant threatening mafia, but because every day, we strive to send their kids home just a little bit improved.
Aw, then someday perhaps he'll wake up and realize he had fuck-all to do with that. Because science fairs have been going on for decades, and it's teachers who organize them, teachers who judge them, teachers who stay late for them, and shitasses like Raymond who show up for the photo-op and then wax nostalgic about it later. Good riddance.
As for Breton, seriously, man... did a teacher touch you in the no-no place? We're not Lex Luthor. We're not like in the cartoons where the bees swarm together to make GIANT BEE. Do we have some political sway? Some. But here's an example of how tenuous and hard-won it is: last election, there was a CTA-endorsed piece of legislation running against a billionaire-endorsed proposition. CTA represents 325,000 people. There were about 6 billionaires who supported the other bill. We had grassroots action! We talked to people. We walked precincts. They spent an ASSLOAD of money. We spent money, too, although we didn't have the assloads they did. And for a while it was really, really close. We did win. But it's not like politicians or school board members bend to our will. We're an organization of people, of teachers. The fact that we talk to people *should* have some sway. Many parents support teachers and think their kids' teachers are doing a good job. Not because we're some giant threatening mafia, but because every day, we strive to send their kids home just a little bit improved.
