Grannan: Time for Obama to meet with the Central Falls 93, and gain some compassion – and a clue

[Starry Messenger]

It starts out with a brief summary of events, but I thought the anecdote about Newsom calling families was of particular note so I chose to highlight it.


http://perimeterprimate.blogspot.com/2010/03/grannan-time-for-obama-to-meet-with.html

...Well, I have a proposal. Those 93 teachers, support staff and administrators should get together, pull the necessary strings (which are in their reach right now while the story is hot), and request a meeting with the president – all 93 of them. If Obama could have a beer with Henry Louis Gates and that cop whose name I’ve now forgotten, surely he’s willing to spend a little time hearing the viewpoint of 93 people whom he has essentially attacked sight unseen. While it would be hospitable for him to invite them to the White House, it would be a lot classier for him to have a soothing spot of tea catered in at Central Falls High School. (And he desperately needs to show a little class right now; his supply is perilously low.) I’m sure the cafeteria has enough room to seat the Central Falls 93, Obama and his entourage.

Two years ago, it would have been impossible for me to imagine saying this, but I also propose that President Obama emulate something San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has been doing. I’m not normally Newsom’s biggest fan, with the exception of back in February 2004 when his then-revolutionary gay marriages were spreading joy through San Francisco. But lately, my city's mayor has been doing something admirable after being challenged by Patricia Gray, the longtime rock-star principal of San Francisco’s Balboa High School. Newsom has been spending Saturdays calling the homes of students who are chronically truant from their San Francisco public schools. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Matier and Ross political insider column wrote about this in a Jan. 31 column (not available online.)

“It has been a real eye-opener,” Newsom told the Chronicle. “In just about every case,” Matier and Ross wrote, “the family is in crisis.” In other words, truancy isn’t all the fault of inept teachers and uncaring schools after all, Newsom is learning.

At last week’s overflowing Town Hall meeting called by San Francisco parents to address the current budget crisis, Newsom brought up his calls (and visits) to the homes of truants, and reiterated that point quite emphatically. The truants are almost always living in households battered by the worst life can dump on them, and it’s unrealistic to expect educators to magically cure it all, and to blame them for not working miracles.

[Catshrink]

1. Get real, my friend.

Obama and Duncan have proven that they don't give a damn what teachers have to say. They want to hear what the billionaire tycoons and failed pols (Newt, Sharpton) have to say. Teachers are insignificant in their eyes -- so insignificant that a kid fresh out of college with no experience and no devotion to the job can do the job just as well.

One term.

[Starry Messenger]

3. It's true, one term.

I agree. I was just glad to see someone in education media calling the Administration out directly. I realize it's kind of a tiny crumb, but I needed a crumb today. :)

[radical noodle]

7. Here's another crumb for you

Diane Ravitch was on CNN this morning discussing her new book The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education. It was a great interview in terms of support for teachers and opposition to NCLB. I've tried to find a transcript of it or video, but no luck so far.

[MichiganVote]

4. Amen ot that.

[FBaggins]

2. Yes... He should

He won't.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. And I want him to shut the hell up

Stay in the WH and do something about health care. His opinion of our schools, our teachers, especially these teachers in Central Falls, means diddly to me. If he invited me for a beer, I would politely decline.

[Starry Messenger]

6. Sadly he's doing the same thing to health care he's doing to education

we're screwn.