Detroit students officially the worst among urban districts

More bad news about Detroit.

Out of the Detroit fourth-graders tested, 73 percent scored below the basic level of reading proficiency, the highest percentage in the nation to score below-basic when compared to other large urban school districts in New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other major cities.

Only 22 percent of students scored at the basic level of reading proficiency, again the lowest percentage, while five percent were proficient and too few scored at advanced to register as a single percentage-point of the testing group.

The results for the 8th graders are no better. Add this to earlier results regarding math, and there is absolutely no defending the horrible performance of the entire system. The education process in Detroit Public schools is entirely broken.

The emergency financial manager, Robert Bobb, has been attempting to right this overturned vessel, yet who is fighting him? The asshats in the system who have perpetuated this mess. The school board is FIGHTING to regain control from Bobb. And, the teacher unions are doing everything they can to insure their precious monopoly on student interaction (their jobs) isn’t in the least put into question.

As the school board battles Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb over academic controls, the president of the teachers union is threatening an injunction to stop aspiring teachers from entering classrooms if it’s at the expense of laying off current teachers in those subject areas.

Detroit Federation of Teachers President Keith Johnson said inviting graduates who haven’t studied teaching when 1,983 teachers have received layoff notices “devalues the profession and the professionals.”

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100504/SCHOOLS/5040342#ixzz0of7nnfh0

Your professional teachers are doing a LOUSY job, Mr. Johnson. Perhaps we need graduates who haven’t studied teaching?

The usual suspects are protecting the status quo, which in my (racist) opinion isn’t a very good idea.

The Detroit Federation of Teachers wants to intervene in the case over academic control of the district, an issue “which is critically important to the members,” a DFT attorney says. Bobb’s attorneys want the DFT out of the suit, saying their involvement is untimely and lacks legal standing. Judge Baxter will hear arguments from both sides and ultimately decide whether the teachers are in or out.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100521/SCHOOLS/5210382#ixzz0of9LFEUo

And more:

The board sued Bobb, saying he is overstepping his authority as financial manager by making academic decisions. The board also says he’s failed to consult with them on financial plans, as required under state law. Baxter’s injunction to halt Bobb’s academic plans was overturned by the appeals court this month. Both sides are back in court for the first of several public hearings on the crux of the case. Witnesses are expected to be called; Bobb and the school board are expected to attend.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100521/SCHOOLS/5210382#ixzz0of9RQxx5

What is the priority of the school board? Power. What is the priority of the teachers? Their jobs.

Robert Bobb is looking out for the children.

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