DC Charter school teachers fired for teaching Black history

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Parents-Howard-Middle-School-Teachers-Fired-for-Teaching-Black-History-290400981.html

"Three social studies teachers at a D.C. public charter school were fired for teaching black history lessons beyond what’s in the curriculum, students’ parents told News4.

"It's about the history of who we are and where we came from,” said Michelle Payne, whose son is in the eighth grade at Howard University Middle School of Math and Science.

Parents say it is unacceptable for a school located on the campus of a historically black university to stifle African-American history lessons.

<snip>

News4 reached out to school administrators and the D.C. Public Charter School Board several times this week. They promised to release a statement.

Parents said they are also upset because the teachers were fired and escorted out of the building in front of the kids."

[riversedge]

1. "teachers were fired and escorted out of the building in front of the kids."

This is just beyond belief--that administrators would demean the teachers like this!


....News4 reached out to school administrators and the D.C. Public Charter School Board several times this week. They promised to release a statement.

Parents said they are also upset because the teachers were fired and escorted out of the building in front of the kids.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Parents-Howard-Middle-School-Teachers-Fired-for-Teaching-Black-History-290400981.html

[gopiscrap]

33. This is what happens when you PRIVATIZE education

and make no mistake charter is on the slippery slope to privatization..this has been a wet dream of just about every fucking Republican in the land. First of all they want their greedy hands on that big pile of cash and second, they want to control the conversation. Make this next generation ignorant so they can create two classes of society. If you teach in a private school or send your kids to one, you're part of the problem.

[Starry Messenger]

39. "ProfitShip Learning"

[Staceyw]

61. Howard University Middle School- Please sign & share the link for the petition for justice.

Here's an update on the Howard University Middle School fiasco. Please click on the link below or cut and paste the link below for the full story and to sign the petition. Please share with your media outlets too so we can help to get justice for the students and the teachers. Thank you.

https://www.change.org/p/board-of-trustees-president-of-howard-university-immediate-resignation-of-howard-university-middle-school-administration?just_created=true

[olegramps]

42. Charter Schools have one major objective: INDOCTRINATION

This is the primary intent of the creeping movement to privatize primary education along with the destruction of unions. The end result will be teachers will have only one option; that is to teach what the 1% dictate. We used to think the Russians were hilarious with their scrubbing of history and ridiculous Pravda nonsense. Welcome to Orwell's brave new world of Big Brother.

Just consider the rapid influx of so-called fundamentalist Christian schools that are nothing more than indoctrination factories. I listened to some kids who were indoctrinated to accept every word in the Bible was the solemn word God and should be accepted without question. It was scary that they firmly believed in Creationism and their disregard for the scientific proof. How could even the minimally educated not look at the Grand Canon for example and not grasp the evidence before their eyes of the massive changes that the earth has undergone.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

46. I guess they'll get right on that shit after they finish putting up the sandbags.

[Shrike47]

2. Appalling. Unless they did something to compromise safety, having them escorted out is awful.

My already low opinion of charter schools is declining.

[Starry Messenger]

3. The principal brought the pink slips to teachers right in front of their kids.

Students were interviewed after witnessing their teachers get fired right in front of them.

It's fucking awful.

[Blue_Tires]

17. Wasn't that a Michelle Rhee trademark back in her heyday?

[Starry Messenger]

22. Yep, she did it in front of documentary cameras too.

So the firings could be filmed.

[BrotherIvan]

47. I don't think it's possible for mine to go any lower

They are a SCAM pure and simple.

[LWolf]

4. Waiting to hear from

the charter school defenders.

[Starry Messenger]

7. Scooch over.

I brought a bag too.

[Recursion]

10. Have you worked in DC schools? (nt)

[Starry Messenger]

12. I work in a unionized school where I can't be fired in front of my students.

Especially for teaching Black history to Black students.

[Recursion]

15. My question was, "have you worked in DC schools?" (nt)

[Starry Messenger]

20. Nope, why would I want to teach in a place where I could be fired for teaching?

You were a tutor, correct? Not a teacher?

[Recursion]

26. Tutors aren't teachers?

Interesting.

[Starry Messenger]

30. In front of classrooms?

All the tutors I am aware of work more one-on-one, and wouldn't be in a classroom full of kids. Or would be fired by the principal in front of 30 kids that they'd had all year. "Teacher" is a labor category with certain meaning.

[YvonneCa]

16. May I join ...

...you?

VERY unprofessional behavior by that principal.

[Starry Messenger]

24. The poor kids.

There are reports that the principal could be "abrasive." How do mean people end up in administration? In charge of children? It baffles me.

[YvonneCa]

28. I have worked with some wonderful..

...principals and some really lousy ones. It seems to me that the good ones get used up and taken for granted and the lousy ones get covered up for. That needs to change, IMHO.

[Starry Messenger]

31. I'm lucky I've worked with wonderful principals.

I don't know how anyone could teach in an at-will situation with someone lousy. The job is stressful enough!

[HappyMe]

25. Yup.

[AwakeAtLast]

45. Me, too...

(I really like popcorn )

[Lancero]

48. Heh, didn't take long for a couple of em to show.

[4139]

5. The teachers gave notice they were quitting...

From wjla:

After all three of the school’s social studies teachers gave their two weeks’ notice last week, parents say the new principal, Angelicque Blackmon, confronted all three with pink slips Tuesday, in front of students. http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/01/howard-u-middle-school-parents-say-principal-fired-social-studies-instructors-for-teaching-black-his.html

Sounds like workplace politics

[LWolf]

11. Politics

which included being told not to teach Black history.

Refusing to comply with corrupt politics is called professional integrity.

[madfloridian]

6. Kick.

[Starry Messenger]

13. Hey, hey!

Thanks!

[LittleBlue]

8. I think we ought to hear from the principal before judging

I think the principal is a black woman, so I'd like to hear her side of the story before she's crucified

[Starry Messenger]

9. This event occurred three days ago.

Media outlets have reached out multiple times for statements. Journalism doesn't work like that. The lack of response in itself is newsworthy.

90% of the school is Black. The parents and students are very upset at the principal and have been unsatisfied with the school's response.

Eight classes now have subs because of teachers leaving in response to the firings.

[4139]

14. The teachers were quitting anyway...

They got release sooner.
http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/01/howard-u-middle-school-parents-say-principal-fired-social-studies-instructors-for-teaching-black-his.html

[YvonneCa]

18. That does not excuse unprofessional..

...behavior by the principal.

[Starry Messenger]

19. The parents are pissed at teachers being fired in front of the kids, while teaching Black history.

Last edited Sun Feb 1, 2015, 07:43 AM - Edit history (1)

I read all the stories about this, thanks. Whether they'd given notice is immaterial. "They got release sooner", is a stupid statement, imo.

[madfloridian]

21. I think it's shocking you are excusing firing teachers in front of students.

[FLPanhandle]

23. Sounds like the violation is more teaching off the approved curriculum

Which brings up a few questions:

1) Is sticking to the curriculum part of their employment contract?

2) Has anyone violated that rule in say a science class and been disciplined?

3) Since they were quitting anyway, was this purposely done as a provocation to the principle?

4) When they say black history lessons, I wonder what was being taught. That's too vague to know.

[Starry Messenger]

27. Those are all good questions.

So far the DC Public Charter School Board has not issued a statement. They are separate from the regular public school board, so perhaps they have greater latitude when dealing with the public that they are supposed to be serving.

[Orrex]

29. A charter school acting contrary to the interests of the community?!?

Say it ain't so!

Next, you'll tell me that they engage in selective student retention policies and value the bottom line above all else. Who* could have foreseen this?

*answer: anyone with open eyes.

[Starry Messenger]

32. With its own school board.

That really baffles me. If they are part of the public school system, why do DC charter schools need their own school board? Members appointed by the Mayor.

[Orrex]

34. Because they're non-profit organizations, I'm told.

You know, like churches, hospitals and the NFL.

[Starry Messenger]

36. Oh, but yes!

Out here we have "Rocketship" taking over in some CA districts. Talk about a shell game...they use non-profit status to behave in every way like a corporation.

"How to Get Rich off Non-Profit Charter Schools" http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/24/1294428/-How-to-Get-Rich-off-Non-Profit-Charter-Schools

"Some of the worst conflicts of interest were found at the Rocketship charter chain, which uses a "€œblended learning"€ model to cut down on costs --€“ placing students in computer labs run by low-paid attendants for a significant part of the school day.

According to Lafer'€™s report, student achievement has not improved at Rocketship --€“ in fact, seven of its schools failed to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress in 2012-13. And, a Department of Education study showed that one of Rocketship'€™s key software programs, DreamBox, had "€œno discernible effects on mathematics achievement for elementary school students."

But Rocketship continues to use DreamBox software despite a lack of results. Lafer connects the dots: Two major investors in Rocketship, Reed Hastings and John Doerr, are also primary investors in the DreamBox software company.

Following the money is important when it comes to our tax dollars. When Wisconsin taxpayers fund charter operators to the tune of $7,925 per student, we expect the money to be used for the child'€™s education. At Rocketship, not only is the money going to for-profit software companies, it'€™s also being used to fund Rocketship's extensive growth plan in other states. Rocketship'€™s business plan states that the charter operator will pay "€œrelatively high facilities fees"€ to a sister company called LaunchPad, so that "€œthe profit margin will be used to finance new facilities."€

Do worse and suck down public funds--win-win. Why wouldn't everyone want this in their community? Why wouldn't you want the CEO of Netflix to de-facto run your schools? Whiner!

[Archae]

35. One question I have...

This "outside the curriculum," does that include what is called "Afro-Centrism?"

I've seen some "Afro-Centrism" stuff that the advocates wanted to teach, and it was pure garbage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrocentrism#Criticism

[Starry Messenger]

38. The parents and students cited examples of Kwaanza and Black US politicians.

Absent any statements from the school, it is hard to say, but randomly speculating about curriculum you dislike seems odd. Black History, when spoken of in an education context, generally means US Black history, Civil Rights movement, etc.

[Archae]

40. Nothing wrong there.

I'm just wondering if any of this "Afro-Centric" stuff was being taught.

[Starry Messenger]

41. I seriously doubt it.

[oberliner]

51. Marion Barry was the black US politician who was cited

Sounds like a teacher may have gone off script with that one.

[Starry Messenger]

54. Well, he exists in history.

It that somehow in dispute?

[oberliner]

56. He does

So does Alan Keyes.

Point being - if you are hired to teach a set curriculum, teach that curriculum.

If you want to have an after school discussion group about Marion Barry or Alan Keyes or whatever topic interests you, then go for it.

[Starry Messenger]

57. Point being, teachers were fired in front of the students

and escorted out of the building by police.

These were social studies teachers, and the school has not yet issued any statement on what they felt was the justification for frogmarching teachers out of classrooms in front of the students.

You probably don't work in a school, but this is a highly inappropriate step to take and would only be done in a case where a teacher posed an immediate threat to students.

This wasn't that.

[oberliner]

58. That is not true

The article states "all three of the school’s social studies teachers gave their two weeks’ notice last week."

[Starry Messenger]

59. Did you read the story I posted?

Firing someone before their stated last day of notice is fired. Firing them in such a dramatic and unprofessional manner is unheard of.

Naturally, you're fine with this though, so we're through. Amazing what free speech you think is fine, and who's isn't.

[oberliner]

60. Yes

Just not sure that we have all the details here. For instance, there have as yet been no statements from the principal, the teachers, any of the school administration, etc.

It's just parents and students so far.

[weissmam]

37. rule number one

the moment you make something profit oriented , such as a charter school, the main focus becomes making a profit not teaching kids-period- remember they do not have to adhere to any standards or prove results

Charter schools -dumb idea that keeps giving and giving

[Starry Messenger]

43. The principal is apparently also a CEO.

No harm in running a business, but some people tend to think this is a skill-set that carries over well to running a school. Lord knows why. She has an interesting background, but perhaps not tailored to working with the public.

https://ilearnconcepts.com/dr-angelicque-tucker-blackmon/

[W T F]

44. History seems to be repeating itself

[kiva]

49. I don't like charter schools, I believe they are an attempt to destroy public education.

That said, please read the article...the principal who told the teachers to leave (they had already given notice so not sure if fired is the correct term) is African American. I seriously doubt that she looked much like the white policeman in the picture.

[Oilwellian]

50. How do you think the CEO principal appeared to the kids?

Do you think firing the teachers in front of the students is a professional thing to do? I believe that has been more of the issue throughout the thread. Although I will note, a part of Black History teaches how one group of people can destroy the dignity of another, and that's exactly what happened in front of these kids. Sad day for America.

[kiva]

55. With the information we have, I think it was an unneccessary display of power.

The teachers had already given notice, and if the principal didn't want them to work out their two week notice she should have let them know privately and not made this scene in front of the students. I'm assuming that the teachers weren't a danger to the students, which would be the only reason I can imagine that this would be justifiable.

[oberliner]

52. Not even remotely

Pathetic post.

[underpants]

53. That can't teach black history at HOWARD UNIVERSITY middle school ?

It, of course, should be taught everywhere and all year. Howard U is one if THE predominant historically black colleges in the entire country. Good grief!!