In a message dated 10/30/2001 8:04:44 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> It's one thing to list and explain the problems (or symptoms of underlying > problems) faced by the students, families, teachers and administrators in > our public school system. It is quite another to identify, promote, > implement and test concrete solutions to said problems given the very real > limitations faced (i.e. funding, Board agreement and community support, > etc.). I'd like to hear the specific solutions Ms. Eubanks is espousing-- > and from her, not a spokesperson. > > Michael Hohmann > 13th Ward I am not a spokesperson for Evelyn Eubanks. I have endorsed Evelyn Eubanks, I have worked closely with Ms. Eubanks during the past 4 years as a member of the NAACP and Parents Union. I agree with Ms. Eubanks that we need to keep the focus on fixing the schools, not on fixing the kids, the parents and communities of color. That's been the theme of the many speeches that I have heard Ms. Eubanks deliver. That was the programmatic basis of the Minneapolis Parents Union. It seems that Mike Hohmann isn't very interested in identifying the problems, he wants to hear about the solutions. However, one cannot identify effective solutions to a problem without first accurately identifying the causes of the problem. Kathy Kosnoff wrote: "IF Doug was the candidate, his entire posting would have relevance. He isn't and Evelen has had little to say in re analysis, positions or proposed solutions to the many and complex issues faced by the Minneapolis School Board... " How does the fact that my name will not appear on the ballot next Tuesday make what I say irrelevant? And even if it were true that Evelyn has had little to say about in re analysis, positions, or proposed solutions to the many and complex issues faced by the Minneapolis Public Schools, so what? How would that make my analysis, positions, and proposed solutions irrelevant? "CLOSING THE GAP" It is quite evident that the Minneapolis Board of Education failed to arrive at an accurate diagnosis of the academic achievement gap between black and white students before it implemented a plan to close it: the community school plan. The board has certainly made progress in implementing the community school plan, but it hasn't made any progress toward its stated goal of "closing the gap." Ordinarily, one would speak of an organization making "progress" in relation to achieving the stated goal of its overall plan of organization, which is what the Community School Plan is. Yet, district officials say they have been making "progress" in the face of evidence that the academic achievement gap is getting bigger, not smaller. Why is the gap getting bigger? We know that class size and teaching experience makes a difference. On average, the concentration of experienced teachers and class sizes have increased at schools serving poor, predominantly black neighborhoods since the community school plan was implemented. The reverse has happened in schools that serve the most affluent, predominantly white neighborhoods. Poor neighborhoods usually end up with inferior educational facilities, unless kids from poor and non-poor neighborhoods share the same facilities. Schools serving students in high poverty neighborhoods need more of the resources that make schools good, but usually have to make do with less. A plan to desegregate the schools in Minneapolis is desirable because it puts some pressure on district officials to equalize educational facilities. As others have pointed out, the mayor proposed to desegregate the schools by desegregating the neighborhoods, but nothing has happened. If you are going to deconcentrate poverty and desegregate the neighborhoods, you have to identify the cause. It's not rocket science. Poverty is heavily concentrated in certain neighborhoods as a result of illegal discrimination in the job and housing markets. The solution is simple: enforce fair employment and housing laws. Are the school board candidates who regularly participate in this forum going to say something about these issues, or just attack Evelyn Eubanks? -Doug Mann, Kingfield _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
