First, I feel it was incredibly rude of Mr.Vallas to keep us waiting all that time, and then to come in like he did, ready for confrontation and clearly with ears and heart closed.
Second, Kalaamu's question never got answered, and I think it deserves to be revisited: What do we do, how do we respond, if the Boss breaks promises?
Third, it was truly weird (and gave us a real message) the way he aimed all his remarks at Mr. Nzinga. We need to be really sure who we can count on.
Fourth, I thought it a little strange that Principal Johnson was not invited to speak. All the principals that have been at Douglass have made new plans, some with community input and some without. But it seems pretty dismissive to leave him out of it altogether.
Fifth, his attitude toward Charmaine was reprehensible. We all know what a valuable resource she has been and continues to be in this community. She deserved better -- and she had some great suggestions that we can make part of our plan, whatever that turns out to be.
Sixth, the strategy of creating more layers of bureaucracy, creating a "class" of leaders that he will listen to is Basic Divide and Conquer. Clearly, it is a huge challenge to get a hundred people in a room and do some planning process -- but it can be done, it has been done, and we can do it. And we can figure out on our own who should represent us. I was really glad the breakfast meeting was taped, once I saw how he is able to completely contradict things he said earlier.
Seventh, I was very offended by his assertion that our students don't care about history -- their own, the school's and the community's. He didn't listen, and didn't watch the SAC presentation that was set up. He doesn't want to know. He doesn't care. But we know better. That's why our schools are not named P.S.#, they are named after people we admire.
Eighth, his division of the process into "buildings" and "academics" is specious at best, and an outright slap at worst. Of COURSE the building is part of the school experience (as Kathy Randels tried to point out to him) and it DOES make a difference. Taking the building away and saying there will be a Frederick Douglass somewhere is ridiculous. The building is important, the curriculum is important. One of the plans to put in a Performing Arts track is based on the great auditorium and theater. They need to stop moving these kids at random.
Ninth, he wasn't even clear on the academic strategy. We know by now, I think, that his aim is charter or charter-like schools. The model that works for our community is community-based schools. Magnet schools and charter schools are great -- for those who can get in or get to them. Not for everyone.
He managed to elude the question about the phasing out of 9th graders, which is already happening, and whether this is indeed indicative of decisions already made. Clearly, this non-admission of 9th graders is part of SOME plan. We need to know what it is. He also refused to deal with the anguish of the teachers whose future is uncertain and who have done their level best to keep Doulgass going, and to improve it. He says no one will be hurt by the phasing out of schools -- we all know this to be a blatant lie.
He may be right about the school population being tiny -- why would anyone risk sending their kids to schools with uncertain futures? If we're trying to do right by the kids, then we owe them LESS disruption. Has he forgotten the circumstances that brought him here? It seemed clear to me that the health, welfare and stability of children in his school sis not a priority. I mean, c'mon -- trailers?!?!? Haven't we had enough of that?
Tenth, the little document he brought with him from Parsons was a joke. The amount he brought with him was also a joke -- either he thought we wouldn't have many people, or he decided to enlighten only a chosen few. Either way, this is not a man who does his homework.
Overall, in addition to his being a terrible speaker, he took a real bite our of everyone's life to say absolutely nothing. Nothing is his decision, nothing is his fault, nothing is in stone. When asked about Douglass or the planning process or accountability or the nefarious-sounding Master Plan, he will only tell us to address our questions to someone else. When asked for documentation or information, he will ask someone else to get it. He will not enter directly into an agreement with anyone, will not work directly with anyone, and will not even give us reasonable timeframes.
On a side note, Amy has put in a FOIA request for Mr. Vallas' resume and contract. In case you didn't know, he is not any kind of educator, but an accountant by profession. And not necessarily a good one. One of the links below (we could be famous) contains a great deal of information about his past performances, and about Parsons, the company who did the estimate for the repairs. Strong stuff.
The Master Plan was first due in April, then May, now June -- when most of the teachers and students will be unavailable. This is not an accident. This is an insult, and a further attempt to evade input from the main stakeholders. I say let's not let him get away with it -- we'll keep pushing until we get somewhere.
One of the interesting points was about problem-solving rather than continuing to identify problems. Charmaine talked about volunteers, someone else mentioned that the whole school doesn't have to be closed at one time for repairs if we are smart about it and determined. We are very creative people in this community, and if we put our heads together, we can solve a lot of problems.
Last but not least, the question of returning Douglass to the OPSB was not brought up. I know there are several teachers and volunteers who find the RSD policies and procedures and management to be untenable, and we stand to lose a lot of good people if we don't find some way to bring our school under some form of local control. Well over half the students at FDHS are from the immediate neighborhood. The RSD under Vallas seems to be determined to take schools off the map -- so we need to put Douglass back on the map. And keep it there.
One thing Vallas did manage to do was to create some unity. Nothing unites like a common enemy. There are now some things that everyone can agree on, I think. Now we have to find the will to act on them. I believe we can. Thanks. -- Kathy