The New York Post published an article that showed that many Elementary and Middle School students were chronically absent. Every study shows that children who are absent from school for a period of time are likely to fail and drop out in high school. However, unlike high school, parents weld the most influence on their child and allowing their child to be absent is their fault and nobody else.
According to the article PS 396 in East New York Brooklyn had an astounding 58% of its students were chronically absent last year. Other schools with high absenteeism rates were PS 50 and PS 123 in Harlem at 50% and at PS 112 in the Bronx 47% were chronically absent. All of these schools are in the poorest neighborhoods in the city and have a 100% minority population. Overall there were 127 elementary and middle schools that had 40% of their students defined as chronically absent. Is it any wonder that these schools academically struggle? In fact, Researchers have long noted a correlation between school attendance and academic performance, and 18 schools with the most absentee students have landed on the city and state list of academic laggards.
Blaming educators, be in school principals, teachers, and support staff for the academic failure of these students is not only unfair but wrong and not holding parents accountable is the primary cause for student academic failure in the elementary and middle school years. Its time for politicians to stop blaming educators and make parents and guardians accountable for their child's high absentee rate and poor academic achievement.
17 comments:
But it is easier to blame the teachers and then rate them ineffective for this. My former AP always said it was the teacher's fault when kids were absent. He claimed good teachers would not have attendance problems.
IF this message was posted ALL OVER THE NEWSPAPERS and INTERNET, then politically correct parents would get the point - LOUD AND CLEAR!!! This is absolutely on point... "parents being held accountable" would be the end all be all for all schools; hence the reason MOSCO'HORROR'WITZ get critical acclaim for her "attendance" and student profiles because her schools don't have the high turnover and school absenteeism. Clearly, this creates "accountability" issues with lower income parents/single home parents/homeless-shelter children and while some of these "parents" are attached to paychecks with their children, if the DOE were to put ACS on their tracks, I bet you those student would manifest themselves into these schools. But, no one wants to make that assertion, sadly enough!! The duplicity when making "parents accountable" and those parents who have "nannies or caregivers" responsible for taking children to school sets the pattern for those who make the effort for their students vs those who just keep "hustling and shuffling" these students from school to school or shelter to shelter. There is madness in dysfunction, yet complacency in the mundane and unaccountable responsibilities. So the AP is right - it's the teacher's fault for the social demons or society's blame game because that AP is stuck in the wonder world of "Alice in Wonderland" where the mad hatter and the Queen of Hearts lead the way.
IF this message was posted ALL OVER THE NEWSPAPERS and INTERNET, then politically correct parents would get the point - LOUD AND CLEAR!!! This is absolutely on point... "parents being held accountable" would be the end all be all for all schools; hence the reason MOSCO'HORROR'WITZ get critical acclaim for her "attendance" and student profiles because her schools don't have the high turnover and school absenteeism. Clearly, this creates "accountability" issues with lower income parents/single home parents/homeless-shelter children and while some of these "parents" are attached to paychecks with their children, if the DOE were to put ACS on their tracks, I bet you those student would manifest themselves into these schools. But, no one wants to make that assertion, sadly enough!! The duplicity when making "parents accountable" and those parents who have "nannies or caregivers" responsible for taking children to school sets the pattern for those who make the effort for their students vs those who just keep "hustling and shuffling" these students from school to school or shelter to shelter. There is madness in dysfunction, yet complacency in the mundane and unaccountable responsibilities. So the AP is right - it's the teacher's fault for the social demons or society's blame game because that AP is stuck in the wonder world of "Alice in Wonderland" where the mad hatter and the Queen of Hearts lead the way.
Chaz,
Wouldn't it make more sense for new teachers to the profession under tier VI to actually start later in life? Why would someone become a teacher fresh out of college at 23 when by rule, you must work until 62 to receive a full pension. How the hell can you do 39 years? Basically, they just got rid of pensions for teachers correct? You want to say 1 out of 10 will make 39 years, fine. 90% of incoming tier VI teachers will not receive a pension WHILE contributing 6% every single year. Wow!!!
Why not start at 37 years old and do 25 years until 62? The new wave should start in their upper 30's. Why the hell would you start in your 20's? Ridiculous. These young kids are so stupid. They don't even know. One at my school, such a nice girl in her 1st year at 23 years old. She didn't know she was tier VI. She didn't know the rule until 62 or the 6%. They don't know. She will be a manager in Baskin Robbins in 7 years at 30.
Anon 9:42
You make an excellent point. Moreover for the VI teachers its 63 not 62 years of age to get an unreduced pension. Therefore, they would need to start at 38 years old to get the 25 years that Tier VI requires.
That's easy, because then you would be called a racist, since most of the problems come from minority, African American, poverty schools.
MORM here. Thanks Chaz for letting me speak here. A crisp, beautiful night. Ahhhh. Out to eat with the wife. Teaching has become so happy and relaxing since I gave up fighting my administration. Feels damn good too. I'm much more excited about going in and not to much bothers me. Actually, nothing bothers me. I mentioned in your last post that I gave an open book test yesterday. I certainly did. The funny part was that mostly all students had notes to do the test. The ones that didn't, I let them partner up with others to make it a group test. It was the funniest thing. I said if no one talks during the test, you can all work together combining notes. It worked. I got a silent day and straight 90's and higher. I put it on our pupil path bullshit web site and those special yellow stars came up. It was so awesome to see those stars next to the kids' names.
I feel like a million bucks. My AP's are looking at me like I'm crazy. I'm too happy. There wondering what's up. I keep telling them I'm part of MORM and they keep laughing because they don't know what I'm talking about. Let's see, next Friday's a half day with open school afternoon. It's a 4 day week. Then it's a 3 day week after. Can you make this up? What a profession we have here huh? Have to start thinking about what to buy my Puerto Rican female AP. Very big rule within MORM. Prob go with something professional, yet trendy.
Doesn't matter. Listen, heading out soon. Great to be on here. I could care less about anything DOE related. It's so far from my mind. I do enjoy venting in here though. All the data came out this week. The snapshots are sobfunnybti read. All nonsense. The schools who survey at low remarks for theories "rigor" are the funniest. No rigor, not enough instruction on high level BUT the grad rate is 45%. I love this stuff. All fake 100%.
wouldn't it be easy just to say schools, administrators, teachers, etc. aren't responsible for low attendance, therefore can't be held against them.
In the Bronx high student absenteeism is the only, and I mean ONLY, perk we have. The problem is that as an ATR it's coupled with high teacher absenteeism. Every Monday and Friday I have at least 6 classes. There was an emergency yesterday, another teacher got a hysterical pregnancy (turned out to be gas- much to her disappointment), so I got 7. The entire staff is getting pregnant to get some time off and no I'm not joking. MORM, I've been doing your schtick since 1990, it's the only way to thrive - only problem is I got thrown into the ATR cesspool. So I've fine tuned it a bit. You're doing a real service to teachers. The UFT should give you medal or at least a piece of the action.
Dear 11:06. This is MORM. First I must salute and give appreciation to Chaz for allowing me (and others) to voice anonymously.
Truth be told, the Union should have the MORM group cruelly in the payroll. I personally guide and talk teachers off the ledge. Hundreds if not thousands of teachers are going home each day either crying or very nervous. In my school alone, several teachers started taking medication last year based on the stress and gotcha mentality coming from the administrators.
I'm trying my best to show them that nothing matters. Read the next few lines clearly as examples.
If you look at the DOE Snapshot for parents looking at whichever high school, you will notice what a farse this entire system is. You mention the Bronx. Perfect example. Type in a high school in the Bronx and notice the Snapshot. Look at the confusing data, ready:
The data will show Rigor feedback. Plenty of schools show that the kids, parents, etc are giving feedback that the Rigor is low. That there is not enough Rigor, too easy, too boring. There will be one bar for the category Rigor. Then check and match the Graduation Rate for this school with the Low Rigor. You will see first hand that the Grad rate could be 2% or 47% or 53%. How can this be? How can you have a disgusting, pathetic Grad Rate and at the same time have No Rigor? Want more?
How can you show on the Snapshot that schools are pulling 92% or 94% Regents Pass rates BUT the Grad Rates are so low? These same schools, how can they have 90's Regents Pass Rates BUT have 17% or 12% College Ready Scores? How? How's that possible? More?
Same Snapshot actually shows schools with numbers that are mind boggling that they're even still open. These schools have putrid Rates of Graduation, putrid Regents Scores, putrid Attendance, etc, etc, BUT the School Leadership Category has 4 out of 4 bars? What? How's this possible? Perfect scores for School Leadership in a putrid school ANS terrible scores for school leadership in fantastic schools.
The FUNNIEST part is that the DOE actually put this info out to the public. It's hysterical with non stop contradictions.
Master your Relationships. Glide along and reap the 100K+ salary with benefits in top with TDA fixed guarantee at 7% with Pension with 10 sick days per year carried over with free weeks in Jan and June for Regents testing (high schools) with This with That. Endless "Withs". Ha haaaaa!!!
I love this! SPREAD THE WORD. Stop trying to save the FAKE system. Take your $$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!! There are kids graduating Duke and St Johns and others, who are working in Starbuck's. You're making 100K++++++. Shut the FUCK up. Laugh a little. The kids were retarded before you got them and they'll be retarded after. You are NOT SAVING ANYONE!!!!!!
Enjoy the beautiful Sunday. What a glorious day. Thanks for the airtime Chaz. Every single UFTmember should be reading your blood. Seriously, it's therapeutic.
I have been following the MORM-type strategy for some years now. It usually works fine, but sometimes you get an AP or Principal who is just a nutcase. You smile, you pass everyone, you don't send anyone to the office, you never call the dean, your room is clean and tidy with work up, your paperwork is perfect, you're never late or absent, your classes are all reasonably under control and the kids always appear to be doing work - but it still isn't good enough for the Leadership Academy true believers.
They nitpick every little thing you do and ignore the failings of their little favorite brownnosers. You have impeccable data yet they assign you an untentured newbie as your "coach" to harass you. Mind you, I'm talking when you look totally perfect on paper, with the data and in the classroom - yet you still cannot escape the lunacy.
I have had the misfortune of four years now with an AP who is nuts like that. Other teachers have dirty rooms, are late everyday, are constantly calling the dean, are late with their paperwork and fail almost everyone, yet the AP is bothering me along with them. Thank God for tenure, but some of the untenured teachers are so in despair right now it is sad. I will continue to MORM though, because I need to protect my sanity and I cannot fix a broken culture of failure, no matter how many useless PDs they send us to.
Just thinking how things are for teachers since the Mayor and his Chancellor took over. An article in the Post today about Steve Sloan, a blind gym teacher, who took a resignation over a 3020a. I'm happy to be getting out soon. I have no respect for diBlasio, Farina or Mulgrew. The awful truth is things were better under Bloomberg.
I fell into the MORM-like strategy the hard way. I no longer work for the DOE-honestly, it was probably too tough for me. After a misstep, I got a good teaching job-less money and less stress-but I thank God for it everyday. I do my best to get along with everyone. My students are fine and I do my best to help them succeed. MORMing, while partly a concious decision, was probably also maturity. Disagreeing with people got me nowhere-very fast! So now I have a good job, can take care of my family, and am not a pain to work with! Good luck everyone!
Can u share the misstep? Just curious.
10:44 great post i needed it today as i entered my new school a real dump in the third world bronx
To Chaz,
I made this point in a number of posts. It's important to remember (for newer teachers that is) as far as the ideal age of when one should begin their teaching career. It matters little (As far as I'm concerned.) The conditions are so horrible, deteriorating so fast that It's unlikely in the extreme that one will stay in the system more than ten years.
Statistically 50% will resign after five years. I myself was wrongfully discontinued from the DOE and was forced to work in the charter world where there is no state retirement plan (other than a private 401k.)
I fell bad about that. But me saying this is not a case of the sour grapes. It's the truth
1:02 PM- There's nothing like civil service benefits. Check The Chief newspaper, take some tests- you never know, when they call you, you may be ready for a change. Also, I know a teacher who was let go form a DOE school and ended up working on LI. If you've got a teaching heart, no one can take that away.
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