Chris, the PDF of what Carty said got cut off at the end and is missing info.
On Sep 1, Bob Frantz interviewed TPS school board president Larry Sykes. From my account of the interview:
"Bob mentioned critics of TPS, and you could tell Sykes was getting defensive. Sykes told the public that if you can do better, then run for school board."
In an interview with the Toledo Free Press that was published on Sep 7, TPS Superintendent Eugene Sanders said in his own words:
"If you’re unhappy with the district, get rid of the superintendent, replace the members on the board of education."
Carty, just like any other citizen in Toledo, is simply taking the advice offered by Sykes and Sanders. If people at TPS have their panties in a bunch over Carty's comments, why don't they go after Sykes and Sanders for telling the public to replace the school board?
Back in August, intrepid suggested:
"Actually - forget holding the superintendent accountable - hold his bosses - the TPS school board accountable. Don't reelect any of them who are already serving. Now, who's going to sign up to work on the campaigns for those running for school board who are not incumbents?"
Carty just like intrepid or anyone else is entitled to suggest that the school board be replaced.
But ...
intrepid also said in August:
"You've hit a very important nail on the head - why the mayoral candidates are talking about the schools...they have NO authority over the schools and can do nothing about the way they're run, funded, etc. I get so tired of hearing anyone other than a school board member/candidate talk about the problems with schools...If they really want to address the school issue they should run for school board - not mayor or council or commissioner or judge (unless it's a juvenile judge, in which case they may have some leeway)."
From the PDF above titled "Carty Said," Carty's own words:
"As I walk the streets and visit the neighborhoods, I hear a re-occurring question, "What will you do to improve our public school system?" "
That's the problem. The public doesn't know what intrepid said, which is the mayor has no authority over the public school systems other than being a cheerleader. And a cheerleader can say vote in new school board members. That's about all Carty or the mayor can do. When Carty is asked the question about the public schools, Carty should tell the public, "I'm running for mayor not for the school board."
Carty, or anyone else, can help educate the public about the public schools. What Carty said is the kind of info the public needs to read and hear, but we're not getting it from TPS nor the media. Carty is in the best position to get this info out.
Like this piece of info from Carty that needs explored further:
"Toledo has two public schools systems -- Toledo and Washington Local. The Washington Local School District offers a startling contrast when compared to Toledo Public Schools. In state proficiency ratings, Washington Local meets 13 out of 23 state indicators while TPS meets only 4. In addition, Washington Local's Performance Index ranks 92 out of 120 while TPS lags behind at 76. We need to indentify the factors behind Washington Local's successes and replicate them throughout the Toledo Public School System."
Anyone could look up that info, but Carty has the ability to reach a large audience with his analysis about the public school systems. It's the type of analysis or opinion that should come from the media, but it doesn't.
Carty said about taxes paying for the schools:
"Toledoans have a right to expect a dramatic change for the better from TPS. It is time for a brand new culture of learning and leadership from Dr. Sanders and the Board of Education."
We can make those same statements on a blog, but it won't reach a large audience the way it does when Carty says those things.
Carty said:
"First, Dr. Sanders needs to lead this school district on a full-time basis. He has hurt his and TPS's credibility by continually seeking greener pastures."
We've said that here and a Blade op-ed writer also said something similar.
One of Carty's suggestions:
"Our School Board must put the principals back in charge of the schools. One reason the parochial schools are so successful is that they each have a leader. The principal should be the leader in each school, and the sooner our School Board makes that clear, the better for TPS."
Carty also said:
"The Chamber of Commerce and our civic leaders must demand better results from our schools, the parents and the students themselves. I'm not satisfied when our students pass but 4 of 21 competitive statewide exames, and neither should anyone else. Civic and school leaders must expect more of our public education system than mediocrity."
Bingo.
John S. Szuch, chairman of the board, Fifth Third Bank, Northwestern Ohio was interviewed in the September issue of The Development News. Szuch said:
"Education is key to winning the battle. Right now Ohio and Toledo are going the wrong way in the number of individuals with degrees. Only 16 percent of northwest Ohio students complete a two or four year degree. Too many Toledo high school students are not even graduating. We are not going to be competitive unless this changes. I'd like to see significant improvements in the education of our youth. This is probably priority number one."
The new RGP president, Steven Weathers, said:
"If you could stop the population where it is now and then increase the educational level, increase the job level, increase the quality of the wages, you'd have a great community."
Read the PDF of what Carty said. I think what Carty said is excellent. It's an opinion that should be reprinted in the Blade. A lot of it is known by those paying attention, but it's the type of analysis the mass public needs to hear. Finally, someone speaks up about the public schools.
posted by jr at 10:46 A.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
A new schoolboard won't cure an old problem. TPS has a large enrollment of students who are in school only because they are forced to be there by law. They are unmotivated, with no truly supporting parent or parents. They oftem move and change schools several times in one year. These kids will never test well thus dragging down the scores for all children. While some teachers may be underpaid they all are hard pressed to cure the social ills that befall many TPS students. This population of under achievers should be isolated from those students who make the effort to learn up to their individual maximum ability. Problem is you can't label any child a low achiever without the parents screaming about damaging the child's self esteem. These are precisely the parents who need to be motivated as well.
posted by holland at 10:50 A.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Unmotivated students and uncaring parents... My mother is an administrator at a school where this is a big problem.
Will replacing the school board give students hope and parents a reason to be more supportive? I don't know. I will read and swallow everything jr has written.
Something drastic needs to change before I decide it is safe enough into TPS or Washington Local school districts, for my daughter's education. (Currently in Holland)
posted by alexandra at 10:59 A.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Suggesting that the school board be replaced was not the only thing Carty discussed. That's why it's important to read the PDF of what Carty said, and hopefully Chris or someone can put up a complete file of Carty's speech.
posted by jr at 11:10 A.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Jr,
My fax machine ruined the last page, so I do not know what it said (there was not much more).
As Sykes has said, I think I can do better which is why I am running. While a mayor does not have authority over schools, a mayor can be a great resource in getting the whole community to support the schools. A city without a strong school system is like a two-legged chair, it will not stand. The city and the school system are intertwined and they must be more proactive in working together and understanding how one effects the other.
At the Tuesday board meeting, when questioned by Sykes during public comment, I made the suggestion there are other ways to cover the funding problems. One way is to take a cue from the university level and get individuals, organizations, businesses, and corporations to donate money to set up a foundation to pay for teaching chairs; this would be a win-win situation for everyone. A proactive mayor can link individuals with the schools to sponsor such chairs.
I think what has occurred is a serious case of group think and the board and the administration is so far down one road that any suggestion that another road may work is not considered or sometimes rejected. The call for a new board will bring some refreshing ideas, is appropriate, thus why I agree with what Carty has said. Robert Torres, Darlene Fisher and I have stood up and said we need to expect more of our schools, because Toledo deserves better.
Chris
Candidate for School Board
http://www.abcfortps.com
posted by chrismyers at 11:50 A.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
"Ah ain't seen tap dancing this good since I watched Ed McMahon host Star Search".
I'm going to watch the comments unfold and see who is for the children and who is for themselves.
Read very closely and from many sources.
posted by BrianInFlorida at 05:04 P.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
I NEVER used Toledo Public Schools for my daughter, she is now 28 years old, nor, will my daughter use Toledo Public for my grandson...it's an UNSAFE enviroment...there are some good kids there...but, for the most part I agree with, holland, they are there because it's the LAW...
Changing the administration...will that help? I doubt it very much...it's up to the PARENT'S to make a child's learning a NUMBER ONE PRIORITY...this means involved in every avenue of the child's education...and...recreation parent's should know their kids friends and their friends parents, etc.
My 9 year old grandson is programmed...HOMEWORK is done right afterschool,he opens his book bag as soon as he's home, asks for a Hawwain Punch and Cookie and gets on the books, he then knows the rest of the evening is his...if he receives in a subject a low grade, which isn't too often :-) he loses his play station, loses his one hour per evening he's allowed television...until that grade is brought up...his mother (my daughter works with him to help make sure that grade is raised)...
It's not the STAFF at Toledo Public needed to change as MUCH AS THE PARENT'S NEED to have an ACTIVE ROLE in their kids lives...
posted by MARIELORA at 05:32 P.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
From Carty's speech:
"Today, as American jobs flee to China, India, Asian nations, and elsewhere, we need to ask ourselves, "Are we educating our public school students for the jobs of the future?" If not, they will fail to find those jobs available to them, and this community will continue its economic slide. The future belongs to those who invest in its people and in high quality public education!"
Nothing too original there. Others have said that or said something similar. But how often does it make the news when someone besides Carty makes those statements?
Carty also said:
"Francine Lawrence, the teacher's union leader, should stop using the schools to advance her political agenda, and focus on the education of our school children. She would be wise to work together with the School Board and its mission, rather than seemingly being at odds with the Board the great majority of the time."
Some of these TPS people need admonished. I think our local media is way too soft on TPS. The local media doesn't inform the public about TPS like it should. To me, that's all Carty is doing here: informing the public.
Carty said of the teachers:
"Toledo Public Schools have many excellent and dedicated teachers who have gone years without a raise or proper recognition. In many cases our teachers pay out of their own pockets to purchase the necessary supplies for our neediest students. We risk losing them to suburban school districts who pay their teachers more competitive salaries. Great education starts with great teachers. The School Board must do everything it can to hire and keep the best teachers, and start by giving them their first pay increase in three years."
People say the parents need to be more involved and Carty says that.
"The Chamber of Commerce and our civic leaders must demand better results from our schools, the parents and the students themselves."
Carty is chewing everyone out. About time some public figure did.
How often has the local media pointed out these next facts that Carty states in his speech?
"Our Board of Education recently celebrated the ranking of continuous improvement by reaching four of twenty-three state indicators. However, nine elementary schools and four junior high schools lapsed into Academic Emergency. In addition, two schools -- Lincoln and Warren -- remained at Academic Emergency."
All we hear about in the media is how TPS earned Continuous Improvement for the second year in a row. Taxpayers don't get the details that Carty mentions. This info is out there for anyone to look up, but how many take the time?
Out of his entire speech, Carty only used one three-sentence paragraph to suggest voting in new school board members this November.
What Carty said should have been said a long time ago by TPS admins.
posted by jr at 06:03 P.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Jr, I agree, this should have been said a long time ago-just wish the statement got more coverage.
posted by chrismyers at 07:34 P.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Agreed, Carty covered it all...one statement that stands out...he feels teachers should be given a pay raise.
I have always believed teachers earnings should be doubled..."our children are the future" and they the teachers are teaching them...
posted by MARIELORA at 08:36 P.M. EST on Fri Sep 30, 2005 #
Sykes, Sanders, and all the rest of the completely top-heavy TPS are counting on the sheep remaining asleep each time they straggle into the ballot booth and "pull the lever" marked "DEMOCRAT". Hence, I'm sure that now when Myers is actually taking Sykes up on his dare, Sykes probably isn't happy. The TPS is the very picture of a complacency-run bureaucracy. Change is its very worst enemy.
People should also note that Sykes and Szuch have offices in the same building -- in fact, the same floor ... well, to be completely honest, the SAME HALLWAY -- of Fifth Third Center, 606 Madison Ave. in downtown Toledo. I don't in any way expect Szuch to apply any significant complaint about Toledo's educational systems such that he'll actually start criticizing Sykes. After all, in the demented dreamworld I've woven in my head, in response to such criticism Sykes can just go down the hall and punch Szuch in the nose (or urinate on his desk organizer, if Szuch isn't there).
I have no confidence that the TPS will improve, even if the ballot had a man running called "Anti-Sykes". Toledo's population is shrinking and is ever so much likely to fall beneath 300K by 2010. In addition to this, the TPS student base is fleeing to charter schools. What remains will unavoidably be underskilled ... a population of students whose families cannot afford to have them flee. I make this judgment even though there are incompetent students being offloaded onto charter schools for a variety of reasons.
Toledo also experienced its own housing bubble, and prices started to fall in 2003. This will relate directly upon property taxes (remember: Toledo refuses to properly tax businesses, so ...) and thence upon school funding.
The solution is of course significant discipline. Some might call this kind of thing "extreme", not just "significant". I've mentioned before that people under academic emergency should not indulge in any frivolity whatsoever. Unfortunately, the TPS is filled with frivolous spending mainly heaped upon nameless administrators and contractors, which renders its 4/23 and other terrible academic rankings into farcical metrics. The parallel to a poor person running up his credit card is direct. This can only end badly unless prudence becomes a priority.
Really, even if Myers and his ilk get into position, all they can really do after the Sanders/Sykes era of racio-political profiteering is put the fiscal clamp down on everything, therefore looking like "the bad guys" (boo! hiss!), hence placing themselves in direct electoral danger. If Myers et al do enact extraordinary fiscal discipline, it's very likely to not hold for the necessary period to reform the system to any degree.
In short, the TPS is dead, and you're all merely arguing about which position the body will be in when it finally falls to the ground. Too much discipline and hard-nosed decisions have to be made by too many people. So, it's gone too far to be stopped now. Sad, really.
posted by GuestZero at 01:12 A.M. EST on Sun Oct 02, 2005 #
Wow, Guestzero, do you hold out any hope at all for the Toledo public school system?
posted by intrepid at 05:03 P.M. EST on Sun Oct 02, 2005 #
No, for the reasons I outlined. Such a system tends to discharge the men and women of good character and discipline -- people who can make the stern changes in light of the academic emergency that exists. Systems filled with paycheck-collectors simply don't get better on their own. In the business world, such systems (called "companies") find themselves subject to bankruptcy or buyouts. So, external forces apply the fix actions. A public school system is not immune to equivalent catastrophes ... they will arrive in other forms but will have similar results.
The flight of students due to Toledo's population loss, as well as the presence of charter schools, shows that your customers can indeed choose other service providers. The TPS is significantly losing its monopoly position. Its income is due to take a severe downturn. Its expenses are virtually uncontrolled. What possible future do you really see for this "company", Intrepid?
posted by GuestZero at 02:15 A.M. EST on Mon Oct 03, 2005 #
Without severe changes and actions that are very difficult to take, I don't see any future either, but, being the eternal optimist, I hold out some hope that some new board members have the intestinal fortitude to do what needs to be done - as well as be able to communicate what they're doing and WHY - so they can continue to hold the office and make the changes necessary.
note - I said SOME hope. A recent document I saw characterizing our county listed the spending by school system...TPS was the highest at around $11,000/student per year. Interestingly, the graduation rates were NOT included. When I asked why not, I was told because it would be embarassing for TPS. My immediate reaction was "it's the truth, so it should be included - maybe it's about time there was some embarassment!"
Oh well...I'm also one for competition - I believe that having other options for your customers (parents) to utilize forces you to either go out of business or get better.
So I'll continue to hope while I help the school board candidates I think will be able to make the difficult decisions.
posted by intrepid at 12:15 P.M. EST on Mon Oct 03, 2005 #
Blade story about a forum attended by Mayor Ford and Carty:
"Mr. Ford said Toledo's test scores and graduation rates are the best of the eight major Ohio urban districts."
That's such a worn-out, senseless argument. So what if TPS is the best of the most wretched school districts in the state. That's not saying much, except TPS likes to lower the bar for success. More like perceived success. And what does comparing TPS to Dayton, Youngstown, Cleveland, etc. have to do with anything in northwest Ohio? Sane people compare TPS to the other schools around Toledo.
Now get this. Here is Ford's plan to improve TPS:
"The mayor, who is backed by the Toledo Federation of Teachers union, said twice that the schools would excel if Toledo would "love" and "revere" its teachers." "
The only response I can come up with to that revolutionary thinking is 'holy shit.'
posted by jr at 08:16 A.M. EST on Tue Oct 04, 2005 #
"Love and Revere its teachers" and show that "love" and "reverence" by not giving them a raise in more than 3 years! Meanwhile, their medical costs have increased, gas prices are up, and heating costs this winter will be "out of sight"!
posted by lew at 10:32 A.M. EST on Tue Oct 04, 2005 #
Intrepid are you sure the per pupil spending is $11,000?....Holy shit-where I teach it is $5,400...... ....as a teacher the one thing missing from the formula for student success is student and parent acoutability...thats all!!!,not much to ask....I teach children and for some of them, during the year, I NEVER see their parent(s)....they never come to school for meetings,never return phone calls,notes,some do not even list a working phone numbers on the school form-so I make home visits....and more times than not I am greeted with a less than warm reception-It makes me sick-there needs to be a law that parents MUST participate in their child's education.....and the best part of all is when there little one gets low test scores,it is my fault-I am a bad teacher!....THANK YOU NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND and GEORGE BUSH. I keep a copy of NCLB on my desk-do you know that there is no mention of parent acoutability?.....HELLO????!!!!OK I'm going on a home visit now-this child spit at me and called me a few "nice" words-he was put in the school d-hall room for a day-the mother still has not come to school for a meeting and this happened last week-he told me that at home "nothing happens when he gets into trouble....!....
posted by divamom26 at 04:16 P.M. EST on Wed Oct 05, 2005 #
divamom - the spending was in a draft report that I saw - it was in a section profiling the Lucas County community. TPS was the highest per pupil spending per year at around $11,000 (give or take less than $1,000). The lowest was, I think, Anthony Wayne School District.
Interestingly, Toledo's rating was the lowest and Anthony Wayne's was the second highest behind Ottawa Hills - which was also second in spending.
The draft report was an economic development strategy to get federal funding for local projects. I think it was called "seds" and was supposed to be approved by the commissioners sometime soon.
posted by intrepid at 06:20 P.M. EST on Wed Oct 05, 2005 #
I know that this is completely off topic - but why are the commissioners signing off on the economic development strategy for the county? Shouldn't groups like the RGP have a say in any "report" that the Commissioners put together?
I understand that there is a role for government with development, but I would hope that private groups like the RGP would be able to guide the process and not have the city, county or whoever speak for them ... that's why we have a RGP and others, right?
Interested to hear your thoughts, intrepid, since you've seen the report.
posted by tirednipping at 07:02 P.M. EST on Wed Oct 05, 2005 #
Draft of the report, tirednipping...
I'm not really clear on this myself as the draft I read was basically the background info - the profile of the county (earnings, education, home ownership and available homes/apartments, census-type data), the past economic development activities and membership of the group working on the report.
Membership included all government jurisdictions (county, cities, townships) and their staffs, chambers of commerce, RGP, UT, BG, utilities - probably more, but I don't remember them all.
The larger group designated a 'working group' to compile the document.
I believe this is required to get money from the federal government for projects that are identified in the report. If you want more information, it's a public document and I'm sure someone in the commissioner's office can provide it - maybe even answer further questions.
posted by intrepid at 06:23 A.M. EST on Thu Oct 06, 2005 #
Anyone else see the show last night called Making Schools Work on WGTE? It was a good show with interesting ideas. Description:
"This program focuses on educational success stories, highlighting the school reform models and district-wide reforms that have significantly raised student performance and closed achievement gaps for minority and poor students. From coast to coast and from inner city to rural America, more than a million students in seven different school districts have been affected."
A couple things spotlighted in the show were charter school KIPP 3D Academy, the Comer Process, and the Success for All Foundation.
posted by jr at 08:23 A.M. EST on Thu Oct 06, 2005 #
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