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Originally posted by Undertoad
Some fine sputterings sir. I agree on the school system. How is it that they could be so annoyed about the takeover... and NOT be annoyed by decades of crappy schooling leaving behind so many people.
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As sick as it sounds, I laughed at all those protests in the weeks leading up to last week's takeover. For the simple reason that a takeover was imminent. There was no way the City could continue the system as is.
I DO understand the concerns of the students and parents. They knew full well that the Commonwealth would pass the buck on to someone like Edison. Essentially, the kids are being sold. (And given the large number of black students in the system, I don't blame anyone for getting pissed one bit.)
But it's obvious that the system NEEDS help. All the reports last fall about lead in the school drinking fountains is more than enough evidence. We have a shrinking school system along with aging buildings. The test scores are in the toilet. The City is still coming back from being broke 10 years ago, and is in no real position to do a complete overhaul. Would the students and parents rather continue with the status quo?
I wouldn't say Edison's track record is necessarily bad...more like unproven. They run several schools in the City of Baltimore, and the jury is still out. Based upon what Edison is doing with those schools in Baltimore (from what I saw and read while living in Washington), I don't think it would hurt to just TRY it.
I also suspect two other issues in the parents and students versus Edison. One is the fear of the unknown. Change sucks...not knowing what could possibly happen is downright scary in some aspects.
*tries to walk on eggshells for this, but can't* Secondly, I think the teachers are partly behind it too. I can understand their concern as well...they may have to reapply for their old jobs. But from what I've seen, the animosity from last year's mini-strike never seemed to completely subside. The school system has been falling apart for years, but those teachers knew that and continued to teach in the City schools. Secondly, at least IMO, teachers should not be allowed to strike during the school year...it is tantamount to police officers and fire fighters walking off the job. When they strike (as they did in Bensalem this past year), you have a bunch of kids not learning as they probably should, with parents scrambling for day care or alternate plans. Granted, I understand that these teachers bust their asses and don't get paid what they should, but I don't feel they should be allowed to call a general strike.
How much control Edison is going to get is still not known. I hope they will allow other groups to chip in and help with the process (such as charter school folks). Truth be told, if Rendell is elected governor next year, I think it would give a lot of people a sigh of relief over this.
Granted, I have no children, have no intention of having them, and would not put them in the city school system even if I did. However, many parents simply don't have a choice in the matter. Furthermore, Philadelphia is trying to "clean" its image--trying to get people to stay in the city and attract new people here. If the school system is improved, the kids that are already here will (hopefully) get a better education, hence making them smarter and keeping them here when it is time for them to start their own families. For attracting people here, if the school system is improved, it can only help in attracting family-minded people here.
Maggie, you make a few good points as well. Discipline begins in the home, and it seems like kids today get away with so much more than even I did...at the same time, maybe it has always been like that, just not as obvious.