Arkansas Blog

I still believe the mediation, although a huge and baffling mistake, was within the Board's prerogatives--especially since a "proposal" is not a "deal." In theory a final settlement *could* be something as meager as payment of the $455.00 filing fee for the appeal (it won't be, but the point is that intervention at this stage doesn't recognize the possibility).

Even so, I will credit today's movants with meeting the issue head-on and stating their objectives *in the pending action* -- rather than filing a separate case allegedly on grounds that have nothing to do with the decision they oppose.

(And this seems like a good time to apologize, again, for the derisive nickname I used for some who took the latter approach. I won't repeat it.)

Max,
Brooks is all but gone so let's let go of that issue. This one relates to miss use of taxpayer funds. Our state AG told them not to do what they did. Now the Govenor and the legislature are talking about taking away the funding the district receives from the state. That means less money for all children. All this is in jeopardy because the board wouldn't want to impose on John Walker to actually have to file an appeal and see what happened after that. Doesn't make sense (or cents). How many wrongs does it take to make a right?

ARK. BLOG: I think Beebe and McDaniel are all wet legally on what they've said so far. Much as I oppose this strategy, it wouldn't affect the declaration of the district as unitary and that's what the district is bound to by the deseg settlement. It is not prohibited from a continuing commitment, even contractual, to monitoring of black student performance. Nobody is shining on this issue on either side. But if this is to go forward. I prefer to play out the mediation process -- and what I expect will be a hearing officer who finds little merit in Walker's case -- before I decide what's REALLY going to happen.

Can someone give me the date of a DOG editorial where reference is made to a black "gang." I've seen the "gang of four" reference, but not a "black gang," which would be much more inflammatory (I put the quotes around the entire phrase the second time to reflect Max's intent.)

ARK. BLOG: I quoted only the word "gang." But the newspaper makes it abundantly and repeatedly clear that the gang comprises all the black members of the board. If you don't think the usage is intentional and inflammatory and received as such you are deluding yourself.

Tired,

I may be misinterpreting your post, and please correct me if I am, but you mentioned that taking LRSD away from the state teat would hurt "all the children"?

I hold just opposite. When the LRSD settlement was first enacted, it was estimated that it would cost $311 million (taken from 'all the children in Arkansas') to satisfy the historical discrimination of children in LR from the 50's. That has turned out to be about twice that much, taken from 'all the children in Arkansas' to provide wide sweeping benefit to the children in the LRSD. If the money could have made a difference? It might have been worth something. But, if you look at the test scores, we have invested a shocking amount into one school district, and here is what we have: Gross discrepancies between the achievement of African American students and Caucasian students. Center piece Central High School has an average ACT score of 16 . which won't even get a student into a community college. Central's college remediation rate is ..87% .. 87% of the graduates are not anywhere ready for college when they graduate. This is not to diminish the specialty AP tract at Central, just to emphasis how very small a population it serves.

How can our conscience say that the LR students are more important than the children in Helena, Marianna, Forrest City? All that money . the money that Mr. Walker wants to keep flowing in LR, is on the backs of every other student in Arkansas.

There is nothing equitable or even moral about that.

A Pox on LIttle Rock--the sooner it becomes a backwater suburb of NW Ark, the better. Nothing but bad news comes from "The Rock".

Ones and Zeros, I don't know where you are getting those figures on Little Rock Central's ACT scores, but they are completely wrong. Check out the normes website at this link: http://normessasweb.uark.edu/src1/School3.php?school=6001001&Submit3=Submit.
The actual average ACT at Central last year was 22.8, and students at Central took over 2500 AP exams. Sadly, the other high schools in Little Rock, (with the exception of Parkview), don't come close to this.

Sorry, I mis-typed. Central students took over 2200 AP exams, but scored 3,4, or 5 on over 800 of those, which is well above the success rate of the rest of the state.

I want all this to go on when September 25,2007 comes, so the world can see how far we have came since 1957. If you don't know what I'm talking about Central High.

I am so glad I am "retireded". Roy G. is in Hussman's pocket - bought and paid for on a trip to the Bohemian Camp. The LRSDSB specifically directed "Dr." Brooks to cease and desist any and all employee actions. He continues to rain havoc with the umbrella of "legal" action. Kurrus has applied to run again with no opposition so far. So sad.
Please, Mr. Hussman, leave LRSD alone. You did not send your kids to public schools and have no idea about the NCLB requirements. You bought Ken James and you bought Roy Brooks, where has integrity gone?

Is having a child in the public school system a prerequisite for understanding NCLB requirements?

Does one need to have a driver's license to understand traffic signs and speed limits?

Is having a child in the public school system a prerequisite for understanding NCLB requirements?

Does one need to have a driver's license to understand traffic signs and speed limits?

It helps, Doc, it helps.

PUBLIC schools are supported by taxpayers, not just parents of public school children. We all benefit from public education, we all pay for it, and we all get a voice in how it operates.

Agreed, Doc. However, too many parents choose to remove their children and don't understand the Federal requirements in PUBLIC schools. Lots of us old folks are still paying school taxes and our "kids" are in their 30's with families of their own and live out of state. Or, in the case of my mother, children are in their late 50's and they still pay the taxes. If one doesn't feel an investment, one is not involved. If the only folks involved in LRSD are the parents, the system will fail, as it is doing.
As I said in response to this reply:
Is having a child in the public school system a prerequisite for understanding NCLB requirements?

Does one need to have a driver's license to understand traffic signs and speed limits?

It helps, Doc, it helps.

O&Z

Central's college remediation rate is 37.3% - the GRADUATION RATE is 87.6%.

S me don't T me -

The reason Central has such high numbers of students taking the AP exams is that they have skimmed the best students from the district and concentrated them into mainly one school - Central.

It is always bad to be terribly mistaken; it is even worse to be terribly mistaken publicly. My information on Central High School in Little Rock was completely incorrect. I did not realize that there were TWO Central High School's in AR; Little Rock ... and Helena/West Helena.

Please accept my apology.

Explains a lot about Helena/WestHelena

Explains a lot about Helena/WestHelena

Explains a lot about Helena/WestHelena

And says a lot about charter schools. See KIPP.