Comments on: Portland Public Schools Push Poll: Have You Pushed Back?

By: Steve Buel

Steve Buel — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 01:54:11 +0000

I went to one of the focus groups and it was the first time for years where a person could talk and not be limited to 3 minutes. Actually was pretty good because someone had screwed up and hired a pretty good moderator. The problem is when you keep getting more and more data then it allows you to do what you want because there is no clear direction. When Vicki Phillips was hired I was told by a person on one of the “community” committees that the other candidate was unanimously supported by her committee. The Foundation and Stand for Children hand pick the school board (including Ruth Adkins) and their people will pick the superintendent. The real focus group is the upper middle class neighborhood friends who whisper in the school boards’ ears.

By: megs

megs — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 02:49:17 +0000

I just had to add this observation, because I kept thinking about it this week. The word “pushback” seemed to become part of our vocabulary when Phillips came to town. She was always saying she enjoyed the “pushback.” Well, in my mind, in order to have “pushback”, you have to have someone pushing you. So was Phillips admitting to “pushing” us around? Ok. You push me, I push you back.

By: Himself

Himself — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:49:18 +0000

It’s absolutely a union busting scheme. Eli Broad has long been an enemy of teachers in California. Now he’s using his wealth, in concert with Gates, to bash teachers nation-wide. Charter schools with uncertified teachers, merit pay based on test scores, traditional schools replaced with business academies… These are just a few of the strings attached to all that corporate foundation money.

By: megs

megs — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:39:43 +0000

Hope, closing schools and creating charter schools is all part of the Broad agenda. Create as many seats outside of public schools as possible…this is good for public schools according to Broad, because it makes them COMPETE! The business model that is at work in PPS since VP came to town. But how can a north portland K-8 PPS school compete when they have no art, music, drama or librarian? ?…and down the street the new charters have all of these choices? They can’t…so kids are siphoned out of the neighborhood schools and eventually we have to shut down more existing schools…It goes on and on…. Charters have problems…the first of which is only half of the teachers have to even be certified…(which can be seen as a union busting ploy by Broad et al , in my opinion.) Lack of enrichment classes still persists, even after VP’s promise of restoring these. The money instead was spent on an unwanted and expensive curriculum adoption.

By: becky

becky — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 02:42:02 +0000

Oh yeah, I’m aware charters are “public” schools. They’re just not public enough for me!

By: Hope

Hope — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:23:46 +0000

Becky,
Next year your school may lose a few more students to a new Montessori charter school that also plans to locate in N/NE Portland (http://www.theivyschool.com).

Watch for more neighborhood school closures in PPS unless more people wake up to the fact that charter schools can only exist by draining students and funding away from our existing public schools. I don’t think PPS should approve any charter schools during a time when the district is already having to close schools due to declining enrollment.

By: Himself

Himself — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:21:20 +0000

Becky, keep in mind that charter schools are public schools. But they compete with neighborhood public schools for enrollment and money, they hire teachers outside of existing collective bargaining agreements, and their only "accountability" is test scores.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 17:54:18 +0000

Charters clearly drive middle class upper middle class WHITE parents away from public schools. Three of my daughter’s kindergarten classmates are leaving public school for the Waldorf charter.

By: Wacky Mommy

Wacky Mommy — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:37:11 +0000

Yeah, I was just handed a survey for a New Harvest Charter School — “It will be opening here in St. Johns!” The woman who gave me the form couldn’t understand my lack of enthusiasm for another charter school, Catholic school, Montessori/Waldorf/hippie school in lieu of decent public schools in my neighborhood.

I want K-8, or elementary and middle, with a good high school option.

Too much to ask, it would appear.

By: Himself

Himself — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:04:50 +0000

Terry…. Right. They’ve already done focus groups. Sheesh.

Meg, I hope you’re wrong, but I fear you’re right. Don’t we have a little glimmer of hope with the new composition of the board? Or do you think they’ll just get buffaloed by the rump of the PSF/Gates/Broad crowd?