NAACP: "Keep your children in failing schools"

June 29, 2004

In Thomas Sowell's most recent column, he writes:

People sometimes ask if I have tried to convince black "leaders" to take a different view on racial issues. Of course not. I wouldn't spend my time trying to persuade the mafia to give up crime. Why should I spend time trying to convince race hustlers to give up victimhood? It's their bread and butter.

The NAACP is one such group of "leaders" which works tirelessly to maintain the status quo, to ensure a steady flow of grievances. Some of these grievances are legitimate, and one of the areas where blacks are hit hardest is in our urban school districts, (largely comprised of government monopoly schools), many of which have seemingly forgotten how to teach.

If the NAACP wanted to help in this area, they could simply join forces with the Black Alliance of Educational Options (BAEO) and work for parental choice, for a free market works wonders in improving schools.

As if on cue, today the Florida Times-Union published a list of recommendations by the NAACP for parents of children in Florida's failing schools. Florida gives parents a choice to withdraw their children from schools receiving a failing grade two years in a row (or parents can request a voucher for a private school). In Jacksonville, "[n]early all of the students at those schools are African-American," reports the Times Union.

It would seem an open-and-shut case for parental choice to rule the day. But no.

In the interest of public service we reprint all of the NAACP's recommendations, beginning with the most jaw-dropping one (emphasis ours):

To the parents of students who received letters informing you that you may transfer your child from one of the failing schools, do not transfer them. Leave them there and monitor your child, the teachers and the administration.

See, if parents transferred their children, the NAACP would run the risk that:
a) The children would attend better schools.
b) The chronically failing schools would close or be reconstituted.
c) The borderline schools would wake up and begin teaching again.

All of these things would reduce the supply of future victims, and they can't abide that.

Here are the rest of the NAACP's recommendations, with our comments. (Emphasis ours.)

Tie the superintendent's salary increase or extension of contract to the elimination of all "failing schools." If these schools are not removed off the list by the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, his contract should be reduced to one year and he should receive no increase in salary.

In other words, even though the identification of failing schools began years ago, we should postpone any accountability on the part of the superintendent until 14 months from now, at which time he'd receive a mild wrist-slap.

If any of these schools (schools with an F grade) receive another F grade, the [school system] should take immediate steps to transfer all national board-certified teachers to these schools.

So instead of two Fs, we need three Fs to take action. Even this action is questionable. And it might be nice if there were any confidence that "national board certification" has any proven value, which thus far is a highly debatable proposition. A final question: will the teachers have a say in their transfers?

The superintendent and his staff should hold quarterly meetings in Challenged Schools Districts Regions I and II to explain to parents, the NAACP and the entire community the progress or lack of progress being made by these schools.

Talking is one thing these folks are good at, especially explaining away failures with yet more excuses.

The district technology department should make available "loaner laptops" to Level II students so that they can access the FCAT Explorer math and reading tutorials from their home.

As if the FCAT Explorer tutorials are a good substitute for teaching kids right the first time.

All failing schools should have their media center open for a minimum of three hours after school and on Saturday to assist with reading and literacy.

If these schools are failing, we might suggest that more time spent there won't be the solution. Tutoring is a great help to kids who are behind, but these schools need to ask how these kids got so far behind in the first place.

Place highly qualified, committed and experienced administrators, faculty and staff at failing schools and provide extra compensation for them.

We think this is a great idea. Just one problem. You gotta get the union to agree. [cue sound of crickets chirping]

Provide extensive professional development for all school personnel. The training must include sensitivity training and the infusion of African-American history into the curriculum.

Ah, those handy old standbys: racism and Afrocentrism. Black kids aren't learning because their teachers aren't sensitive enough? Black kids aren't learning because the curriculum isn't black enough? Give us a break.

Technology must be an integral part of all schools, maintained and in operation at all times, with adequate training provided to staff.

Educational technology has wonderful potential, but when faced with a two-year track record of failure, that's the wrong place to look for a solution. (We've been there, trust us. We worked for years in computer labs before figuring out that technology wasn't helping our kids learn English or math better.)

Require continuity and regular attendance of all staff and students.

These aren't required now?

Allow schools the flexibility to choose and implement best practices that are appropriate for the students that they serve.

Flexibility is good, but be careful of the phrase "appropriate for the students they serve," for that's usually a code for "treating black or hispanic students differently." Kids are kids are kids. Just teach them the way you'd teach any group of children.

Have schools develop individual instructional plans for each student at or below Level 2.

Not a bad suggestion. The highest-performing schools identify their lowest-achievers and immediately begin remediation to bring them up to speed. Schools that don't do this are kidding themselves that these kids will ever catch up on their own.

District support must be evident at all levels, i.e., social workers must visit homes of truant students and help parents develop strategies to get their children to school and on time. There should be a check and balance system to assure that these visits are made.

Again, this isn't done already?

Make sure that the academic courses offered students are those that will help them master the Sunshine State Standards assessed on the FCAT, for example, no later than 10th grade all students should have taken Algebra 1 and English I and II.

Not a bad suggestion. But more important is the foundation of knowledge and skills that students must have before ever getting to 10th grade! Programs like Balanced Literacy or Whole Language sacrifice children's future study of high school English, and New-New math programs endorsed by the NCTM in elementary and middle school sacrifice students' future study of high school math.

Restore discipline by requiring a dress code for students, faculty and staff.

They seem to confuse correlation with causation. True, at many private schools where behavior isn't a problem the kids are all nattily dressed. But a school uniform doesn't "restore discipline." That is the job of the teachers and administrators.

Hold students accountable for their behavior. If they don't follow the Code of Conduct or the school's rules, require parents to come in for a conference or suspend them from classes or school until their behavior improves.

This isn't already required? (See our 5-Step Ladder for school discipline.)

Implement and enforce parental involvement programs to strengthen parent accountability.

Careful here, for "parent involvement first" is a red herring. Parents are an important resource, and schools should welcome them with open arms. But don't blame them for your failing schools.

Support and strengthen the use of Project REACH.

There must be a greater effort in staffing Project Reach Full Service School Program and providing extensive marketing to the community of its offerings.

Project Reach is a volunteer-run tutoring program. We're all for tutoring, as long as the key issue--of why these schools are not teaching kids to read and do math--is addressed.

Work with community organizations and groups to provide coordinated services to students and parents that reinforce the schools' instructional program. These organizations could include but not be limited to City of Jacksonville's Recreation Department and all of the Club Rec sites, Jacksonville public libraries, Jacksonville Police Athletic League, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., all local churches, fraternities and sororities.

Ties to community organizations are great. But what is the real issue here: a lack of community ties or failing schools? Over two years ago, a number of community organizations in and around Jacksonville proposed these same things (including Project Reach). And here we are, two years later, with double-failures of a number of schools.

Strengthen the partnership with the City of Jacksonville to improve and enrich neighborhoods, such as parks, recreational facilities, shopping, eateries and cultural events.

Focus, people! Address the failing schools, not the "eateries and cultural events."

Work with all social service agencies, HUD and HUD tenant groups to help parents develop realistic strategies to discipline their children and to help their children be prepared to get a good education.

Not a bad thought. We'd suggest parents be trained in the use of Setting Limits, a program for setting firm, appropriate boundaries by Robert MacKenzie. (He has versions for classroom teachers as well as parents of "strong-willed" children.)

Work with the ministerial organizations to help local churches that do not have a reading program and/or tutorial program for children, establish at least a reading program.

Good idea, but again, why should all these groups pick up the slack from schools which aren't teaching reading effectively?

Work with the local media to encourage and inform parents about what to do to help their children get a quality education. For example, start now getting ready for the opening of school by telling parents how to read and use progress reports, when to expect report cards, and how to cooperate with teachers.

This is common sense. Parents don't need to be taught "how to cooperate with teachers."

Invite and award grants to churches and community organizations to implement after school tutorial programs.

With what money?

We support the old African proverb which says, "It takes a whole village to raise a child." Based on this proverb, we implore everyone-- the superintendent, School Board members, parents, students, teachers, administrators, staff, and the community -- to let us all join together and work with our failing schools so that next year we will have no failing schools.

It is a pipe dream to think that in one year you'll have no failing schools. Get realistic, and start thinking in terms of how to get our kids out, and into effective ones. The schools could magically transform overnight (and it has happened), or you can encourage parents to do the best thing for their kids, which is to transfer to a non-failing school.

Don't force children to be lambs in your social experiment in maintaining the status quo at failing schools.

They deserve better.