Lessons from a “small school from the ‘hood”
By Katy Murphy
Monday, November 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 am in achievement gap, Algebra/Math, charter schools, curriculum, middle schools, NCLB, school reform, students, test scores.
photo of Oakland Charter Academy student by D. Ross Cameron/Oakland Tribune
The racial and economic achievement gap comes up, in some form or another, at almost every Oakland school board meeting. Yet there are a handful of schools here in this city that have made that gap invisible, at least on their campuses, and I sometimes wonder who is paying attention.
Take the Oakland Charter Academy, a charter middle school in Fruitvale with a Latino population of about 93 percent. Last year those students — the vast majority of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunches — scored a 902 this year on the state’s Academic Performance Index out of a possible 1,000 points.
The average Latino middle schooler in California scores in the 600s.
I wrote a story in today’s Trib about the loads of work that these kids (and those at the American Indian charter schools, which use a similar model) are putting in every day — and about the general skepticism surrounding their success. You can read it here.
This fall, the Oakland Charter Academy became the second public school in Oakland to win a National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. During the ceremony, OUSD’s charter school director David Montes de Oca said this:
“Throughout this country are people who believe not all children can learn. Sometimes it takes a small school from the ‘hood to prove them wrong.”
Has it?
What lessons can be learned from the academic achievements of Oakland Charter Academy and American Indian Public Charter School students? To what extent do you believe a school can help students overcome external factors and learn enough to compete with wealthier kids for spots in colleges or jobs?
[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
What can be learned is that we don’t need a secret sauce for achievement. We need quality instructors, good curriculum, motivated students and time. These programs invest time in children like other schools often can’t. Sure, they focus on tests, but that’s not all bad. We should check for understanding in other ways to ensure they are actually learning useable skills.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I read the story. There is one point in the article that I hope people pick up on. Read through the story about the the Directors and their ideals, and see what is truly wrong with Oakland Education.
Jim Mordecai was a OUSD teacher, and union representative. He best exemplifies what we in the ghettos have been saying for years, he thinks Latinos are dumb!
Does Mr. Mordecai have proof of any wrong doings at Oakland Charter for him to make such slanderous remarks? Never mind that the test industry is a multi million dollar enterprise with catch alls for irregualtites. He must be a genius sleuth.
No I think he represents the soft racism of the OEA and CTA unions very well in Oakland. These are the organizations that have produced horrible schools and have lost genreations of Oakland students because , as Mr. Mordecai and his union members believe, if your brown your dumb!
Of course they will not say it, but boy do they believe it, because of course to cover up for their lazy approach to the profession, and their apathy hidden behind the banner of tolerance, they must blame someone and it cant be them!
Of Corse Not! They are Maestros remember!
The union argues for teachers, but never for kids. I think this is the point all Oaklanders should take when they search for a school option, vote for a politician and for city measures.
The union represent the last public funded monopoly in america that is begining to unravel. I for one am proud of Oakland Charter. I grew up in San Antionio District and know what we used to do in school, soif they can produce this type of education for Mexicanos; I guarantee my kids and my neighborhood’s kids will go.
I never thought I would hear my self say this, but ” Abajo con la union!!”
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I think what we have learned is that schools need to make up for what is not taught at home in the first five years. Children who are regularly spoken to in complete sentences, who are asked for their opinions and are required to reason responses begin kindergarten at a much different place than those children who are expected to listen and follow the rules.
I was at a mall this weekend for the first time in several years. I saw no fewer than 25 mothers with tired hungry children ranging from infancy through about age 10 whose young parents continued to hang with friends and shop without regard to their children’s needs.
There must be an expectation from children and parents that it is not only okay, but it is good for children to learn more than their parents already know. It must be culturally good for children to spend time reading and studying instead of always playing with or babysitting younger siblings. It must be culturally good for children to want to hang out with smart kids. And finally, it must be good for a child to be at school as long as it takes to learn the material, even when it interferes with parents plans for the afternoon, evening, weekend or summer.
November 4th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Mordecai has a point and we need to recognize that. The larger the group of people you are dealing with the more you can predict group norms and behavior. If the stats of this school are so far off any comparable norms you had better suspect tampering – or that there is something else extraordinary going on with that group of people. I particularly enjoy his quote on “magic”.
I believe that you can get extraordinary performance from previously lower scoring folks with a combination of lighting a fire under them and culling the herd. This is what I would have OUSD and all the Urban Schools start doing. Maybe that’s what is happening at the school we are discussing here.
I’m not touting the Catholic way as a solution BUT the Catholic Diocese of Oakland set up primary and secondary schools in the flats of Oakland and during the Black migration to Ca following WWII they took in black and hispanic working-class students and pushed them hard enough to get the into the professions – which was a very big thing at the time. I believe they did the same thing around the USA. And they beat people.
Chavis’ schools may be onto something here but I would watch for cheating on the test scores because of the huge incentive to do so by all concerned.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
One of the points I made in the story, however, is that the intensity of the work which these students are expected to do — and the structure of the school day, itself — also appears to fall outside the norm.
If that’s the case, then why should it be a surprise that the schools’ results stand out, as well?
November 4th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Of course it shouldn’t be a surprise that unusually hard work produces a big jump in scoring. As long as that is what is happening.
I just wish it happened at the “ordinary” OUSD schools. I believe we used to get much better results from public schools – ordinary public schools – and now we have let those schools go to seed.
But I suppose the students are kept happy the way things are.
Only, their (student) happiness is not my goal. It’s nice if they are reasonably satisfied but that is optional. I’m thinking of students at OUSD schools I know. None of them are particularly challenged but they are full of themselves and their importance to humanity. They don’t even realize what they don’t know. I worry how they will compete in the (white) world. They are not exactly competitive now, mainly interested in the world being “fair”. I think they may become roadkill.
Brave New World.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Is this a Chavis school too? Damn, he is everywhere!
November 4th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Actually, the Oakland Charter Academy is run by Jorge Lopez. It’s a different organization than the American Indian Public Charter Schools.
But there is a connection. Lopez is — or was — considered a protege of Ben Chavis, American Indian’s retired director. When Lopez first took over the Oakland Charter Academy in 2004, he implemented a similar educational program, with Chavis’s guidance. And the Oakland Charter Academy High School shares a campus in Chinatown with one of American Indian’s three schools.
November 4th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
At our school, lower performing children of color either cannot or will not stay later. Parents of other children seem to send their kids to Score or a tutor so their learning issues are not as visible.
I think that if everyone is working longer hours, then it all works. However, what about the kids who understand the material and comprehend what to do with one or two repititions rather than so much work? Do all children stay for a long day? Can you “test out” of staying? Are children who know the material given harder work, or are they hot-housed for test scores?
November 4th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Catherine,
The students sound like they enjoy the school. In college, we have a great deal of work. I have friends who stay after school and help me with my work. What would make this school any different?
Could you direct me to the nearest school where students are”hot-housed for test scores? Could it be these “children of color” are learning?
I recommend you either visit the school or give them a call regarding your questions.
November 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Putting aside attention to the corporate American Indian Public Charter school’s unusually high test scores, why shouldn’t unusually high scores of all schools (public or charter) be subject to verification?
Shouldn’t the Superintendent of Public Instruction be able to rely on the test results he or she uses for rewarding a State Blue Ribbon as an outstanding educational program?
High stakes testing cries out for better management of testing. Currently, testing is by the teachers and the teachers are on their honor not to cheat. Corporate charter schools administer the tests that become the metric that they are to be judged. Even if the teachers are honorable it is the charter school administrators that handle testing materials and the security of these materials. Compared to public schools, corporate charter schools are under greater pressure to produce higher and higher student test scores. In theory, the failure of a corporate charter school to perform will be cause for a district to dissolve the school.
Since the corporate charter schools have less oversight, and greater pressure to perform than public schools, they should be the first ones to have their test scores verified.
And, because corporate charter schools are an institution depending on test results for their survival, they should not be administering their own tests. But, unfortunately, that is how current charter school law is written.
Shouldn’t there be a law against corporate charter schools administering their own high stakes standardized tests?
Jim Mordecai
November 5th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Mr. Mordecai-
I wish you step into our neighborhood and deal with us the street way cause Oakland Charter has shown that Mexican kids can outperform your people with academics, but you would not be able to survive a day on our streets talking that old white out of touch hippy crap.
Yet it is you, and people like you you have been surpressing us minorities all of these years. your Corporation called the NEA earns millions of dollars, do all of you know that teachers MUST be a part of Mr. Mordecai’s union and CANNOT elect not to have out of the union? Their building is about 2 blocks away from the White House in Washington DC!
Truth is NEA and CTA make alot more money than any charter school, and support board members and teachers who have innappropriate relationships with kids in Oakland and other towns right?
Corporation? Oakland Charter sits in the hood (30th and East 14th ) in a former bank on a corner used by prostitutes and day laborers, yet your Corporation sits by the lake in a building much nicer than the school and you criticize? People like you should visit the 30′s and San Antonio and say what you got to say.
I cant believe the union, for their sake ,has not told you to shut up!
Why dont you visit Oakland Charter, and when you do let all of us know, so we can give you a big East Side greeting you sucker.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:00 am
The only person I know who works miracles is Jesus. Chavis is no Jesus.
You can claim that who goes to these schools have nothing to do with it, but I’d like to see how these “miracle” schools would do if all there students were poor blacks and Latinos from the flatlands. These schools are filled with middle class Chinese kids. I’ve seen them running around on the blacktop at “American Indian.” I don’t see no blacks, Mexicans, or American Indians. It isn’t racist, it’s just the truth. Even the hot shots in the district say the same thing. They know these schools are cooking the books with smart Chinese kids. And the school tries saying the Chinese kids hold them back. Everybody knows Chinese are better at maths. The district knows this to. They even say it at there meetings.
And another thing, even smart Chinese kids from Oakland aren’t going to score so high on these tests. If American Indian, and Oakland Charter School aren’t cheating, why don’t they prove it? Wny don’t they allow someone from the district to monitor there tests? I’m going to talk to the district and demand that they send someone to watch them. How hard can it be to catch a cheater? I watch them. They say the last two years they have all students pass high school exit exam. But no other Oakland schools do that. I’m going to call the disctract and see if they watch this school.
I’m so tired of listening to supporters of these schools. These schools give false hope to all these minorities by lying and cheating. Mr. Mordecai, I agree with you. I don’t believe in magic either.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Mordecai is right. You cannot have high stakes testing and allow the schools to do the testing. As in Europe and Asia the standardized testing should be run by a state agency in public auditoriums or large college halls. All on one day.
Whether the scores are being cooked or not, the system can’t be trusted state wide or nation wide without completely independent testing.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Razon, I consider the teacher union(s) to be disgruntled, NOT racist, because the charter schools constitute a threat to their economic interests, especially at the state and national levels. The interests of BIG teacher UNION INC. is represented locally by the (OEA) Executive Director(s).
It’s all about market share Razon. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and The National Education Association (NEA), OEA’s national parent organization, compete through their state level surrogates for the opportunities to represent educators and deduct from their pay checks in different school district.
With the advent of NCLB and its consequences for (especially) urban schools BIG teacher UNION INC. (AFT, NEA) have realized an unprecedented threat to its public education (teacher pay check deduction) revenue stream. As “low performing” public schools shut down and public funded students enroll in non-union public charter schools union (NEA, CTA, OEA, etc.) coffers are realizing decreased revenue streams.
I disagree with your assertion that the union believes, “If you’re brown you’re dumb.” I think they believe if you’re brown, black, white, or other and attending a public charter school there’s less green coming into their coffers. I don’t know the current break down, but I recall local teacher union dues being split three ways, one third retained locally (by OEA), one third going to the state level (CTA), & one third to the national level (NEA).
There’s truth to your assertion that, “The union argues for teachers, but never for kids” As a retired 25 year Oakland school teacher & OEA member it’s my observation that BIG teacher UNION INC. doesn’t do a very good job for local teachers and uses children at the local, state, & national level as public relations fodder to promote its corporate interests.
You’re not going to see the teacher unions (or OPS) showing much appreciation for improved student performance at charter schools because it impacts their economic interests.
I remember a well known Afro American community activist employing the phrase, “It’s not about me. It’s about the children.” Perhaps a fair slogan for BIG teacher UNION INC. might be: “It’s not about the children, maybe a bit about the teachers, and ALL ABOUT US!”
Although he’s a biased proponent of teacher union interests, I agree with Mr. Mordecai’s point regarding the importance of testing oversight for ALL schools receiving public money.
Anyway Razon, I greatly appreciate your observations and comments. BIG teacher UNIONs INC. is richly deserving of serious scrutiny because, for THEM it’s NOT about the children – it’s about THEM!
November 6th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Tim S-
There ain’t no Chinese in the Fruitvale man, have you seen Oakland Charter? There ain’t nothing but Latinos. The Indian school is on 35th and Mac right?
W#hy don’t you and the other whites set an appointment to meet with Mr. Lopez, the principal , and ask him about the Chinese! Be ready though, he don’t take stuff man.
You guys are scared to come to the hood and talk your crap , not out of safety, unless its after dark for you whites of course, but you will be proved wrong.
Razon: Whites, will never admit to racist agendas cause they they haven’t dealt with the institutionalized form. They just get dealt with through beat downs.
That is what you create, that what we must resort to do. Your people are weak anyways, kind of like this anonymous writing BS you people come up with
By the way, how come the paper has not come up with such a News title to a story when talking about schools in the hills.Is it because w3hites are better , or more believable to be successful students than brown kids?
According to you all, No, it ain’t racist, its the truth?
Come visit the flatlands where we are proud and will defend Oakland Charter from wimpy intellectuals like you all.
Dont get stuck in the 30′s block at night, or you might be stuck for a while. Thank the OUSD non racist white teachers for creating such savage animal instinct in us in the flats.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Jesus: Since you asked… Newspapers tend to write about what’s different and what’s new, and schools that perform so far above statistical norms — such as Oakland Charter Academy and the American Indian schools — are newsworthy.
For that reason, I probably wouldn’t even write about the test scores at Piedmont Middle School or other `hills’ schools, to be honest, unless they dropped or some groups of students scored much lower than others. A few years ago, when an affluent school in Castro Valley won the National Blue Ribbon award, I wrote only a short brief.
In this case, I thought it was important to look at the ways in which the accomplishments of these Oakland charter schools are so frequently discounted: Why do some seem to doubt that low-income students (who aren’t Asian or white) can beat kids from Piedmont on these tests? What does that say about our expectations of black and Latino students, as a society?
As a side note, if you look closely at the comments posted on the subject (here and on the American Indian blog posts), you’ll see that it’s not just white people who share those doubts.
November 6th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Katy-
The best thing about your paper and my neighborhood, is that we do not buy it! My brother, whose kid is at charter, bought and passed out the paper.
So, you say you wrote about Castro Valley getting the Blue Ribbon right? I did not see anything about the Blue Ribbon at charter. There were cameras at the ceremony, but no story. I agree that papers , for the most part, write about what is new, but more importantly, what is controversial.
Why dont you write about charter without tying in other schools like the Indian school that has a principal who has a big mouth and chinese students? You said yourself you dont write stories about schools that are producing the norm with students that are white and chinese, yet that Indian school is all over the place in your stories right? Everyone knows there is no indians there, but he is your darling. Smut sells right?
Say what you want, the impression is that the school is good but cheats. The news is like man made weather and can spread disbelief like you just did. Do you know what a coconut is Ms. Murphy? Its a brown person who causes more damage to his own cause he believe what your crappy paper says.
What happened to the previous education writer for the trib? I heard he works for the district now! You dont get it.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Razon: Do you really think the paper was trying to “spread disbelief” by writing about a cheating allegation which the principal, himself, displayed around the school — and then by describing, at great length, all of the hard work that students do?
Are you saying there’s no connection at all between OCA and American Indian, and that I didn’t mention the OCA’s blue ribbon award in the story?
Please.
The story highlighted the achievements of the school, while raising the issues of race and class. Anyone who wants puff pieces to order about awards ceremonies should invest in a newsletter.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Did we just say that Piedmont schools being outscored by a minority school would be a “man-bites-dog” news story??
Well it would.
The sooner people face up to the fact that social evolutionary pressure keeps the Piedmont Scores up and the OUSD scores down the sooner that we could maybe do something about it.
Within OUSD there are a set of students that could give the far smaller Piedmont Schools a run for their rankings if OUSD were to concentrate it’s best students into a selective school and push them to the very best they could produce. OUSD won’t do it because they refuse to openly operate a selective district-wide school.
And the main reason why is that there would be relatively few blacks in it, and those that were would not closely resemble East Oakland (meaning more Africian immigrants such as Nigerians/Eithiopians and Mixed kids – exactly the principal benificiaries of AA).
Easier to keep the status quo and claim there’s nothing OUSD can do to compete with Piedmont.
Well OUSD can compete with Piedmont. They just refuse to do so.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Jose:
I can show you MANY schools where children who have already achieved above the grade level content are kept in the same class and not taught signifcantly beyond the curriculum so that they can learn every day. That is what I call “hot housing for test scores.”
For example: I have a hispanic 2nd grader, reading at 7th grade level, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, converting fractions to decimals, putting together solar panels to run a clock, and plays several instruments.
A sample of the spelling words given this week: stop, shop, scope. Math was 2 digit addition and subtraction. School has a policy of not advancing student to the next grade. The teacher will only teach grade level material.
That, my dear Jose, is “hot-housing” for test scores.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Of course the Indian School and the Oakland Charter School are grouped together. Nobody watches either school. American is about checks and balances, but who holds these schools feet to the fires? I don’t have any faith in the district. Maybe Oakland Tribune can go to these schools and watch them while they take teats. I would read that story because I think it shows alot about the truth at these schools. I think the press can visit schools whenever they want. Isn’t that in the constitution?
Jesus seems very angry about being Mexican. I don’t think it is that bad to be Mexican. I still think Oakland Charter School cheats like Indian School but I don’t live by Oakland CHarter School. I see the Indian School from my window. I remember reading about Oakland Charter School in the paper. The article was about the dictator. He is King Gordo. He seems like a person who cheats. In the article it says he is friends with the Indian chief. Now they have a little girl as Indian chief. I hope newspaper finds out if she cheats too.
I think soon we can see these schools cheat, even if the district still does nothing. All these schools say these kids go to college soon. Even I know you can’t cheat on SAT test. I don’t think these kids get into college. How will these schools explain when kids are working at gas station or selling drugs?
November 7th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Excerpts from my letter to the Trib. Unlike you naysayers, I am intimately familiar with the school; I don’t sit there throwing out unfounded charges based on my sad, jaded, racist perspective, a la Jim Mordecai. What a complete ass. Anyway, here are some excerpts:
“I (am) quite familiar with OCA’s story, as I assisted them in their search for additional space two years ago, had come to know their administrators quite well, had visited their campus in the heart of Fruitvale more than 30 times, had become acquainted with several of the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students there (not to mention their success stories), and had learned even more from the inside via my son, Jarrett (UC Berkeley Class of 2007), who tutored students at the school for several months.
The Tribune’s headline Monday, rather than praising these academically-inclined inner city students for their remarkable and long strived-for achievements, instead planted a stark and obvious seed of doubt mostly because these kids happen to be of a certain race. (Had this award-winning school consisted of an all-white student body from Piedmont, I greatly doubt the headline would have been, “High Marks, High Skepticism… Critics Wonder if They’re Too Good to Be True”).
The article’s reporter went out of her way to dredge up a quote from some retired Oakland teacher (someone named Jim Mordecai), a man who has no standing in OUSD administration or with the teachers’ union and has never even visited the school but feels free to accuse its teachers, administrators and students of cheating on standardized tests. The tiny blurb about the Blue Ribbon Award is essentially lost in the haze of a nuclear detonation from this random, sour grapes product of our mostly-failed Oakland educational system. The implication is racist, pure and simple: These students are not white or Asian; they’re Hispanic. If they’re doing this well with their test scores, they must be cheating.
My best friend’s daughter is a ninth grader in their program, and through super-hard work and perseverance, has gone from previously institutionally-ignored Mexican-American student (not expected to do well) to a wonderfully and academically-inclined young woman. What began with late-night, tear-filled study sessions with her mother has evolved into a remarkable interest in reading and schoolwork, all performed with a bright and promising eye to the future. That story has taken shape time and time and time again at OCA, as I have spoken to those children and been witness to it. When their hard-work and effort (including after-school tutoring and Saturday school) results in the highest national award for education, the Tribune’s reporter concludes that it is worth a short paragraph or two within an article which freely casts aspersions.
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth has accepted 38 OCA kids into their nationally prestigious program, all based on an additional, JHU-administered entrance exam (similar to the SAT). Are the Oakland Tribune and Jim “Keep Them In Their Place” Mordecai going to imply that these children cheated on the JHU tests, as well?
These students deserve better, especially from their hometown newspaper. A celebratory article should have run front page the day after the school received this wonderful award, so that each and every one of those kids could proudly show it to his or her parents and grandparents. Instead, the article taught the children a sobering lesson about the world they live in: In Oakland or not, if you’re a Hispanic kid doing well on standardized tests, it couldn’t possibly be because you’re working hard, aiming high and achieving. No, the Jim Mordecais of the world will conclude, without ever meeting you, that you’re cheating their failed system.”
November 7th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Katy-
I dont know about who is tied to what, do you ? So the schools have leadrs who are friends, that sounds like guilty by associaiotn.
The purpose of you article is too sell newspapers, and that is all. You did not answer my question? What happened to the last tribe writer?
Another white cinic with a pern is all you are like your candy ass bloggers. My name is Juan Quintero an I live on 27th street. When would anyone of you white breads or chumps like to meet me?
This process is for cowardly gripes.
We know what we got in our streets, you whites are a dying breed anyway.
Im proud to be Mexican and from the hood because your kids will listen to us not you in the future. They know they are the weak ones in this city. Do you have kids Katy? Where do they live and go to school?
November 7th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Too many people making baseless, racist accusations.
Too many people who have probably never visited either one of these schools. Katy has been there and she says these kids are working hard. Could it be that this is why they do well on state tests?
Every time someone rises up in this town, everybody tries to knock him down.
Instead of vilifying two successful school leaders, why aren’t we demanding that these men go out into the community and teach other schools how to accomplish what they have accomplished? Why do we always trumpet failure and throw success under the bus? It’s some kind of mental disorder.
Jim Mordecai seems to have plenty of time on his hands, why doesn’t he visit OCA during the state tests. I’m sure they’d welcome him with open arms. It sounds like they are already using him to motivate their kids.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Its easy to fix these arguments. Visit the school and take notes!!
To quote our great american inspirational leader Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?”
November 7th, 2008 at 8:45 am
G. Bird: “racist” accusations? That line of hooey is commonly used by people who want to suppress free speech and silence those who ask sharp questions. You will never get taken seriously using it.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Nextset, it is obviously racist. No chance in hell the Tribune would have cast aspersions and Mordecai would have gotten on his high, uninformed horse if these kids were white and living in Piedmont.
The most interesting aspect of all of this is as follows: The last 30 years in Oakland have shown that OUSD teachers-as-failures (Mordecai’s a shining example) had no idea how to teach black and Hispanic students much of anything, and treated them like they were stupid, so when others show it is possible, those failing teachers treat it as a reflection of their failure, and they’d rather call them cheats than come to terms with their own shortcomings.
Modecai’s never even been to the school. Give me a break. He just pops off like the idiot he is. I’ve been to the school more than 30 times and know pretty much every detail about their administrators, teachers, curriculum, teaching methods, philosophy and outcomes. I KNOW these kids, many of them personally. Mordecai sits in his sad world, slinging mud at high-achieving minority students because he has proclaimed himself God and decided that because they’re Hispanic, they’re cheating. Then he adds posts to the website treating it as fact. He should climb back under his rock.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Mr. Mordecai subbed in my class at Rooselvelt a while ago. He was the best sub I have ever had, so I dont know what all of you are talking about.
He let us do whatever we wanted and we did not do anything in English. Some of us thrw things at him and cussed him out, and he just stood there looking at us saying nothing.
Remember that Mr. M? Damn, those were the good ol days!
Those charter schools should hire you to see the quality of your work. Dont let them get you down Mr. M!
November 7th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Classic post, Joe.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Steve Moyer: I think you are protesting too much. If the kids are that good – which I sure hope so – auditing of scores will confirm it and continue to rub in the fact that some minority schools turn out strong students and others with similar demographic don’t.
As far as Mordecai – you can’t personalize these policy arguments. Let him have any opinion he wants to. Proof is in the pudding. Personal sniping at critics is a hallmark of those who have something to hide.
I’m really not saying the Catholic Schools are the answer – they do make a good example though. Their scores were better even comparing demographic to demographic. Maybe there was a time where somebody could have accused them of faking the results. But in time there was no mistaking the fact that the products of the Catholic primary and secondary schools in the East Bay were superior to the Urban Schools even adjusting for demographic.
When I worked at a retail chain in downtown Oakland in the early ’70s my employer mentioned to me that they generally hired (entry level) black graduates from the Catholic Schools because they had too many problems trying to deal with black OUSD kids. At the time I though, well, that explains a few things I noticed… like the behavior of the many black co-workers wasn’t “typical”.
Some of these Charters from all the whining I see here have similar approaches to operating a school. Old School sort of stuff. I’ve been there before. Yes, you do get higher performance if you don’t run the school like a massage parlor.
Goodnight all, I’m going home.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Congratulations to Oakland Charter on receiving national recognition for their success. The work the kids, faculty and staff put in is admirable.
To those who assume cheating without evidence, I think you are part of the problem with the system and you should give those kids the benefit of the doubt.
Razon/Juan, Jesus, you seem to object to the discussions on this blog (“cowardly gripes”, “anonymous writing BS”), to Katy’s reporting (“spread disbelief”, “such a news title”) and to the Oakland Tribune and Media News Group (“smut sells”, “racist agendas”).
Those are serious points you raise. They might be correct, and they are definitely worth considering.
But you are wrong to make threats. Not only is it adolescent, but it undercuts your legitimate comments. If someone is strong and proud as you claim, you don’t need to do it. If right is on your side, the argument is strong enough.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Katy,
Keep it up! At least you have made us aware of this school and their hard work.
Where is Mr. Mordecai? I thought he was a techer not a sub. Which one is it?
November 8th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Not protesting too much; livid that the Tribune failed to run a story about their Nationally prestigious award, then stained their accomplishment with that pathetic headline. Then they gave the podium to some failed teacher (Mordecai) who’s never even visited the school. What a bunch of losers.
Just so you know, their tests scores rose in a progression over four years’ time. They did not suddenly jump. All the tests have been scrutinized by the watchdogs because of charges thrown out the last few years.
The kids prepare for the tests, yes, the same way high schoolers take SAT preparation courses, and they do it while continuing their full course-load. These kids know their stuff; they are not cheating one bit. Testing at this school is treated like an annual trip to Mecca; it is important and targeted each year as a measuring stick in terms of how well their students are doing.
I’ve gotten to know these kids over the past two years and they’re smart, studious and interested. I’ve been in their classrooms, seen them at work, asked them questions about their favorite novels or subjects. They’re are kicking ass and feeling great about it, and they’re all smarter than their peers and certainly smarter than I was when I was in middle school in Oakland, learning from the Jim Mordecais of the world.
November 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
It sounds like this school is what we really need in Oakland. And more like them. I hope Katy runs more stories explaining all the differences in the way it is run in comparison with OUSD schools with the same demographic and less performance.
And I’m probably wasting my time hoping but maybe one day OUSD will see what has to be done and start running their schools more like the sucessful Charters. Or at least some of the OUSD schools.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:42 am
I have been raked over the coals for questioning the incredible high-achieving test results the American Indian Public charter and their spin-off achieved.
Today’s Tribune article by J.M. Brown on Thornhill (High-achieving Oakland school to celebrate 50 years)lists Thornhill’s language arts score at 82% and math score at 85%. Yet, American Indian Public Charter scores top these impressive scores at 87% for language and 93% for math.
It is understandable because many students, teachers, parents, and administrators were working hard to achieve superior test score results that there would be offense taken by my comments doubting the reliability of their test scores.
But, under current charter school laws, testing is in the hands of the charter schools and not administered by an independent agency. In testing there is no check and balance probably because testing had not been high-stakes before the charter school laws were written.
It would be unfair to single out the American Indian Public charter, or any charter schools’ test results, to be checked unless the law required all charter schools were checked.
But, I believe OUSD needs to pay more attention to how the American Indian Public Charter, and its spin offs, achieve their test results. Their academic achievement domination is starting to rival the small Concord Catholic School De La Salle’s continuing record of dominance in high school football.
Some will say that other charter schools employ the same techniques as American Indian Public charter. But, discipline emphasis, uniforms, focus on standards, heavy amount of homework, and other criteria, are evident in other Oakland charters, such as KIPP Bridge, and Oakland Military Academy, without the same test score results. Not clear why outcomes are not similar for these other charter schools.
And, each time a new American Indian Public Charter is spun-off there is a superior separation of testing scores between AIPC type of charter school and the others.
I remain a critic of corporate charter schools. But, am curious of how American Indian Public Charter does it.
Jim Mordecai
November 9th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Understand something, people.
If something is too good to be true it’s NOT true.
Only a fool wouldn’t suspect numbers such as Mordecai mentions here. There is an explanation for them all right… Now what are the odds of each possibility?
November 9th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Nextset,
You noted, “Only as fool wouldn’t suspect numbers such as Mordecai Mentions here.” Are you including the hill schools with these charter schools in regards to questioning test schools?
Mordecai,
Who oversees the testing of the school district’s testing each year? If they are independent agency?
November 10th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Jose, I don’t understand your question. If you are talking about Piedmont – their numbers represent a norm that is old, stable and reliable. The Piedmont stats can be replicated in other schools with similar socioeconomic student bases such as Kensington, Belmont, Hillsboro, Grosse Point or whatever.
Charter Schools are new and when you allow them to administer their own tests you have to suspect anything that is statistically too good to be true. That is, until enough time has passed so that some kind of stable norms emerge.
Remember, in high stakes testing the motive to cheat is extreme. It would be better if all the annual testing was done independently on one day city wide.
November 10th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Nextset,
Who administer the test in Piedmont, Hollsboro, etc, schools?
Does the charter schools administer the SAT test to their students?
I think Mordecai can give us some insight to this testing process.
Thanks,
November 10th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
As far as I know the school districts administer the standardized tests to their own students. But I don’t work inthe schools – maybe somebody with more current info can address this. I understand in Europe and Asia such testing is done nationally in regional or municipal centers so the schools do not handle the tests at all or proctor their own students. That’s important because the results are used to allocate a limited number of seats in undergraduate and graduate programs. Similar high-stakes testing is done in CA and across the USA for state licensing such as the Attorney’s Bar Exam and other occupational licenses. The schools would have motives to cheat – they don’t handle the exams in any way. everyone is able to trust the scoring as being honest.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Testing in California is handled by both the charter schools and by the public schools. In the past this has not been a big problem because there was no such thing as NCLB testing requirement or an exit examination requirement.
Now that testing has become high-stakes activity there is an obvious need for a change.
My point is that testing has consequences for students
in California public schools but, in theory, testing has greater consequences for charter schools that are suppose to be outcome based. Poor test results would mean not only an impact on students, but if a charter school is closed, it will mean administrators and teachers loose their jobs. And, if a charter school gets outstanding test scores it could mean more students and more money. It is much easier to trust when there is no consequences for an activity.
The hold up in the logical need to separate testing and the schools that benefit from testing is money. Ignoring the need to separate the two means that the cost of testing can be kept down.
Another reason that the two are not separated is that both public and charter schools don’t want someone else testing as they often feel that a stranger will not get as good a result as the teacher that knows his/her students.
Finally, change does not come easily to an institution such as public education that has always been the exclusive agent for testing.
Jim Mordecai
November 10th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
60613. A school district is an agent of the State Department of Education for the purpose of administering a test or assessment required pursuant to this article.
The above education authorizes school districts to do standardized testing as an agent of the State Department of Education. Charter schools are treated as school districts and are also agents of the State DOE.
However, when it comes to practicing for standardized tests the State, School Districts and Charter Schools ignore the prohibition on practicing for standardized tests contained in the education code below.
Many schools practice to bring up their scores. Although many high scoring zip code schools do not bother with such action and spend their allotted time on more enriching activies than test preparation.
60611. (a) A city, county, city and county, district superintendent of schools, or principal or teacher of any elementary or secondary school, including a charter school, shall not carry on any program of
specific preparation of pupils for the statewide pupil assessment program or a particular test used therein.
(b) A city, county, city and county, district superintendent of schools, principal, or a teacher of an elementary or secondary school, including a charter school, may use instructional materials provided by the department or its agents in the academic preparation of pupils for the statewide pupil assessment if those instructional materials are embedded in an instructional program that is intended
to improve pupil learning.
Jim Mordecai
November 11th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Mordecai and Nextset,
Based on this information both the charter and public schools are in charge of their testing, therefore, any of these schools could be cheating on the test.
Do the charter schools administer the SAT for their students?
Thanks again for the information.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Jose:
Although teachers sometimes pick up extra money by moonlighting as proctors for the SAT, the administration of that test is run by a private company. There is nothing to gain by a proctor cheating.
Not only could any public school or corporate charter school cheat on the required standardized tests, but the State Department of Education encourages schools to “… carry on … [a] program of specific preparation of pupils for the statewide pupil assessment program or a particular test used therein” by releasing 1/25 of STAR test items from last year’s test. A motivation for DOE is that other states often have the same practice of releasing the previous year’s test items.
The laws that instruct publishers of test material to make 1/25 of their test items available provide the source for practicing for the STAR testing.
District’s ignore the education code requirement that forbids practicing for the STAR testing.
I have witnessed DOE released test items being practiced in an Oakland public school and believe the source of the released items was the Oakland Unified District Administration.
Would it be a surprise if charter schools engaged in the same practice of using released former test items to practice for the STAR testing? I think not.
Therefore, public schools and corporate charter schools equally have the opportunity to cheat before STAR testing by practicing for the test and both have the opportunity to cheat during and after the test is administered by each type of school.
The only difference between a public school and a corporate public charter school is that the latter has a greater motivation to boost its test scores with charter schools adults’ jobs and money at stake.
Jim Mordecai
November 11th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Jim-
is this what you consider CHEATING ON TESTS? Practicing with sample test questions released by the Department of Ed, with the purpose of helping students do better on their own test?
how do you make sense of this yourself?
so much in this world depends on tests, ask any lawyer, doctor, grad student etc, all of these occupations require passing or doing well on a test, for which the sample questions are always released to help the test takers prepare.
All seems fair to me. Where’s the cheat?
November 11th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Why dotn you guys (the naysayers) visit the schools?wHY DONT YOU GUYS CALL THE TEST AGENCIES TO REPORT YOUR CONSPIRACY THEORIES? tHERE IS ANOTHER SCHOO THAT IS IMP[ROVING CALLED tHINK cOLLEGE nOW. tHEY BUCK THE TRENDS DONT THEY?
IS THAT A CHARTER?
November 11th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Mordecai just keeps popping off, like the jackass he is. He’s never even visited these schools. Of course he compares their scores to predominantly white schools because he is, by definition, a racist.
Because of people like Mordecai, the powers-that-be have been watching these schools like a hawk with respect to these tests. Their scores are legit; I’ve been there countless times and know their wonderful administrators well.
For instance, go to the schools and ask these students what their five favorite novels are. They’ll give you five that the Jim Mordecais of the world likely can’t even read. I’ve done it; these kids are super-academically-inclined and excited about learning, and their reward is some idiot in the newspaper who tells them they’re cheating because they’re not white or Asian. Great job, Mordecai, you must be very proud.
The best part is that Mordecai’s an ex-Oakland teacher! What does this say about his perception of Hispanic kids back when he was teaching?
Here was Mordecai in his day: “Jose, you’re Hispanic and not capable of much. I won’t expect much from you but rest assured, if you ever do well, it will probably be because you were cheating. Now get out there and harvest some vegetables for me, will you?”
Loser.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Does anyone know who administers the SAT for these schools?
November 11th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Former Teacher:
Education Code 60611 states that “…shall not carry on any program of specific preparation of pupils for the statewide pupil assessment program…”
Yes, I take that to mean the law in California says no practicing for the STAR tests.
The idea I believe is that the STAR tests are suppose to be an evaluation of what is being taught by testing a sampling of the standards being taught. The sample is not supposed to be the curriculum. A concern of the legislature could have been that practicing for the STAR test will render the test results inaccurate while taking time away from instruction in the standards-based curriculum.
Practicing to pass the Bar or other professional tests is not a violation of any laws, whereas practicing to pass the STAR tests is against the Ed. Code 60611. The STAR tests are given only once whereas the Exit Examination is given repeatedly. The STAR test is suppose to be identifying where a student is in terms of learning standards by grade level and in comparison to other students at that grade level and the other is a bar to be passed in order to able to graduate.
Professional tests are also bars to be cleared as part of joining a profession and this type of test is a test with a different objective than assessment of a student’s performance during his/her years of taking instruction.
The question of what should a school be about is connected to a discussion of testing. I doubt if there is general agreement that school should be about high test scores (although generally parents want their child above average).
But, what NCLB did was define for most American schools that the purpose schooling is to achieve high test scores on standardized tests. I say most American schools because for those schools located in the right zip codes they almost automatically get high test scores and don’t need to pay attention to the pressure to making schooling about test outcomes.
No matter the justification for the law, I believe 60611 is current law in California and not to follow the law could be defined as cheating if practicing for the STAR tests provides higher scores.
Jim Mordecai
November 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I started this blog in June of 2007 to create a space for people to discuss tough educational issues, and even to disagree passionately about those issues, while maintaining a reasonable level of civility.
This particular topic has sparked a robust debate, which is a good thing. I’m not comfortable, however, with the tenor and the personal nature of some of the comments I’ve read recently.
There is no reason dialogue must degenerate into personal attacks simply because it is happening online and mostly anonymously — although those conditions do seem to encourage us to treat one another in a way we wouldn’t think of otherwise.
Here are the guidelines I set out in my first post, since many of you probably haven’t read them:
“All I ask, for now, is that the discussion remain thoughtful and respectful (I’ll do my best). Whenever you can, use your full names. We all know how quickly meaningful discussion can devolve into petty bickering in these forums, and there’s enough of that going around these days.”
November 11th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Practising for the STAR tests by studying questions from the previous years tests may be illegal, but I suspect it is common – why would the state publish the old questions otherwise?
I suspect studying old questions happens in a lot of schools – so I wouldn’t discount high test scores at charter schools for that reason.
I don’t think that there is much cheating on the STAR test, and I also don’t believe that there is more incentive for charter schools to cheat compared to low-performing non-charters.
I do agree that a testing scheme similar to the SAT tests would be a good idea to remove the possibility of cheating.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Katy: Steve Moyer’s comments above are useful because it demonstrates the sort of man he is which needs to be considered when entertaining his policy arguments (note that I post no conclusions of what that might be!). In a public blog you are going to have revelations of the personality of the various speakers. Some people will post in all caps – as if that gives their thoughts extra importance. Others will behave in ways that reveal themselves to be unimportant in terms of opinions. But as long as the blog is public and free these things occur. It’s certainly no fault of the Trib or yourself.
To some extent you should allow them to occur. Serious people in positions of responsibility or those who are heading in life to those positions know who is who and why and will not be affected very much by lower orders popping off. The Trib can require advance registration of all bloggers, can directly censor a post (and plese do that openly so we can see something was censored) or even strike a post. But the censorship – which is your right and obligation – should be done openly so that all can see that something is being held back by you in your editorial capacity.
But – we do need the different points of view on educational policy and we do need the passion we have nere. it’s what makes the blog important and over time will make it more influential. It would be best is this blog isn’t kept safe and tame. Just post more edtorial commentary from yourself on how you think the dialog is going. Cats can be herded…
November 17th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Here we go again. According to Jim Mordecai, I suppose any high school student who takes a Kaplan SAT preparation course is cheating, too, right?
These kids aren’t given the tests ahead of time; they work on the subjects that are most prevalent in the tests a bit more as the test dates get closer, while maintaining their entire regular course-load. I’ll say it again; go talk to the students about their studies, then come back in here and throw out your charges.
Meanwhile, Katy Murphy chimes in as the voice of reason after she rakes this award-winning school over the coals by quoting some random former “teacher” who knows nothing about the school other than that it is 96% Hispanic. She and her newspaper decide not to run the REAL story — which is that this amazing school won THE most prestigious national award.
The Tribune and Murphy got what they wanted: Controversy based on racially-charged, unfounded accusations by a dredged-up, retired Oakland “teacher.” The paper and Murphy were more than willing to throw these hard-working students to the dogs in order to sell newspapers. Meanwhile, Mordecai goes on and on and on and on in this forum and Murphy writes in, pleased as punch that this sad, sickening debate continues.
Mordecai, Murphy and the Tribune don’t give a whit about these children and their amazing achievement. I do. And you want to know why I’m upset? Give me a break.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I’m sure that he didn’t do this on purpose, but Mr. Mordecai left out a crucial piece of information – the second part of the state law on preparing for standardized tests. Here it is:
(b) A city, county, city and county, district superintendent of
schools, principal, or a teacher of an elementary or secondary
school, including a charter school, may use instructional materials
provided by the department or its agents in the academic preparation
of pupils for the statewide pupil assessment if those instructional
materials are embedded in an instructional program that is intended
to improve pupil learning.
The STAR test is based on the state standards. If teachers are doing their jobs, they are teaching the standards. If, as part of their effort to ensure all students have mastered the standards that they are responsible for teaching, teachers have students review released test questions from previous exams, then they are in the clear because the materials are embedded in an instructional program that is intended to improve pupil learning. This seems pretty clear to me. Am I missing something?
Is this what everyone is talking about when they are talking about cheating? It seems foolish to me if you DON’T use this as a method to improve student acquisition of the materials covered in the standards.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Mr. Moyer:
Kaplan preparation courses for the SAT is not cheating but the rules also are not fair for those without the resources to have the option of paying for Kaplan test preparation.
However, the SAT rules have nothing to do with a STAR test administered at each grade 2-11 by the State of California. That same state has passed laws pertaining to the STAR testing and test preparation that prohibits practicing for those STAR tests.
As I have indicated in previous posts the SAT, the Exit Examination, these are different tests than the STAR tests. The objective of the STAR is to identify strengths and weakness of a student in relation to the the universe of students taking the test for a grade level 2-11. The test is to be taken only once and not practiced or the norm or comparison would be invalid.
The SAT type of tests are not normed on a population except that there is a cut score defining passing. Colleges will define for themselves their cut score for admission. California defines the cut or passing score for its exit examine.
The law’s prohibition against practicing for the STAR is not absolute as the law allows instructional materials [that]are embedded in an instructional program that is intended to improve pupil learning.” G Bird has correctly pointed this out.
What I believe the law is referencing is the state adopted textbooks that included practice test questions that relate to STAR testing.
The law requires release of one-quarter of the test items for each STAR test each year mainly as a check on the viability of publisher test items.
To some it might seem that the released test items could be used to practice for the test. But, practicing for the test is prohibited and against the law.
A case for using the released test items might be made if the test items were broken down and used as the standards were covered. However, using the items at one time is practicing for the test.
That the State Department may encourage the use of the released test items; and that the school districts and charter schools of California use these released items for practicing for the STAR; is not an activity embedded in an instructional program such as a publishers’ practice test items; but an activity added to an instructional program to improve student test scores.
Therefore, using State Department released test items is, in my opinion, a violation of existing law by all–the State Department of Education, districts, and schools both traditional and charter.
Yet, if these high achieving charter schools were not to use release items and there scores dropped a few points, these scores would still be so high as to still deserve national recognition.
The question would still remain as to the source of the magic that differentiates these four charter schools from all the other charter schools with a similar population. Discipline, hard work, longer time on task, how are these schools different from Jerry’s military school or KIPP that seem to have the same elements but are less effective?
Jim Mordecai
November 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Mordecai,
You continue to prove you know nothing about OCA. Explain the Johns Hopkins CTY program, as an example, since you know so much about what they are doing over there.
Tell us about the textbooks they use at OCA, their curriculum, their after-school tutoring program (my son tutored there), their detention system, their Saturday school system, the way they find their teachers, their policies and procedures, etc. Go on, you’re an expert OUSD “teacher” and all; give us the rundown.
I’ve never been to the other schools you cite, so far be it from me to venture a guess about how they operate. I don’t sit here pretending to know everything about something I know nothing about. But you do about OCA, all day and all night, ’til the cows come home, despite the fact you have never even been to the school. YOUR SOLE CRITERION IS THE RACIAL MAKE-UP OF THE SCHOOL. Simply pathetic. Go fight a cause over something you know something, even anything about.
I pity the poor saps you taught in the Oakland school system. I’m sure your Hispanic students are all working the fields by now, since you continually write into this blog to say that because OCA’s students are of a certain racial make-up, they are obviously cheating on their tests.
Sickening, sickening, sickening. I know these kids, and you are a pathetic excuse for a “teacher”.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Mr. Moyer:
You are correct sir, my sole criteria in looking at the four Dr. Chavis model charter schools are their collective test score outcomes that are extraordinary, and beyond any other California schools with similar poverty composition based on free and reduced lunch count.
Last year’s test scores indicate that these four schools are not closing the achievement gap but destroying it.
Latest testing outcomes places all four Dr. Chavis model schools in the top ten for the State of California.
If I knew more about OCA, or the other Dr. Chavis American Indian Public charter schools I may no longer be skeptical about their extraordinary test scores.
Yet, confidence in the reliability of the test scores for certain schools would not change the fact that the current STAR tests scores are not reliable until the STAR testing system is better supervised.
Jim Mordecai
November 18th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Katy Murphy — ever the hard-hitting reporter, on a mission to smear the reputation of a few award-winning Oakland schools and their high-achieving minority students — takes the time (and has the audacity) to write me to ask if I am an advisor to AIPCS. Great work, Katy.
As I said in my first post on this blog, I am the commercial realtor who helped these schools find additional space for their programs two years ago. That’s how I became familiar with them in the first place. In the process I discovered these amazing programs doing amazing things in the city I grew up in, while the rest of OUSD offers up its daily “Jim Mordecai”.
I am the real estate advisor for AIPCS, although not for OCA, which is the program I know better. My four sons are now grown (the youngest is at Yale), but I would have sent them to any of these fine schools without any hesitation.
These kids — honored by the United States Department of Education, the State Superintendent of Schools and the Oakland City Council for their wonderful achievement — deserved a celebratory, praising article for their Blue Ribbon.
What they got, instead, was some guy (a “teacher” who’s never been to the school) named Jim Mordecai and a jaded “education reporter”, Katy Murphy, raking them over the coals on Page One. Wow. Impressive stuff.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Apparently, asking someone (in a private e-mail) if they served on an advisory group for a charter school is a pretty loaded proposition.
Thanks for the response, Steve. I guess the short answer to my question is yes!
November 18th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Steve Moyer: I’m trying to follow your posts and your thoughts.
I am finding your raw emotion distracting. The level of acrimony in your writing is unusual for this blog. You seem to have personal relationships with some of the other people here outside of taking positions on policy. Are you writing to close associates, or posting for public discourse?
November 18th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I’m not in an advisory group. I’m the real estate advisor for AIPCS.
I’m not at all surprised you’re trying to muddy the waters.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Steve, I’m not trying to muddy the waters. Your name is listed in the most recent American Indian charter school petition (Page 9) as a member of an “advisory group.” I’m not sure why the distinction matters, in any case.
http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:v4JNwyFbLfsJ:boe-webextender.ousd.k12.ca.us/attachments/10912.pdf+American+Indian+charter+Janet+Roberts+petition+2008&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a
November 18th, 2008 at 9:50 am
All right, Nextset, I’ll explain why I’m so troubled by this. Pull up a chair.
I’m a 13 year Oakland Public Schools kid. I went to Crocker Highlands, McChesney Jr. High and Oakland High School. I got a very fine education and thoroughly enjoyed my public school experiences.
In the years since, I have witnessed the deterioration of Oakland Unified, ultimately leading to a receivership of our school system by the State of California. I am well aware of what is going on in my hometown system.
In my adulthood, I have served on educational partnership committees for both Oakland High School and McClymonds, served on the Principal selection committee for Skyline, and served on Oakland High’s Wildcat Alumni Committee. I’ve seen what’s up over the years.
I’ve seen our revolving door superintendency, our gross mismanagement downtown. I’ve seen some of the district’s best schools begin to fall off as part of the OUSD’s general malaise.
Then, through the course of my business activities, I stumble upon a few small schools, 150 students each, doing it all RIGHT! I know what I’m looking at; I’ve been a part of the Oakland schools in one way or another since I was five years old.
These schools have a remarkable model, and one that is working. They’re not cheating, they’re not using magic. They have discovered a system that works, and I’ve been there, seen it, experienced it myself.
And they’re accomplishing it in inner city neighborhoods, getting incredible results from kids who aren’t expected to learn according to Jim Mordecai but have seen the light and are excited about their education and about their future. I can’t tell you how excited I am about that. So much so, if they ask me to help out in any way, I am 100% there every time.
It takes several years to win a Blue Ribbon Award. It doesn’t happen overnight. There are various criteria the school needs to satisfy, to qualify for, in order to win this prestigious award. I’ve seen it taking shape since the fall of ’06 when I got involved, and I was truly elated for them when they won the award. Incredible!
I even called my hometown newspaper — the Oakland Tribune — to make sure a reporter would be there for the ceremony. The paper sent its education reporter and a photographer. I was most pleased.
The story never ran! Unbelievable! Then, a month later, this smear job makes Page One, starring Jim Mordecai.
Do you know why Katy Murphy tracked down Mordecai? True story. Because the principal of OCA (Jorge Lopez) read a quote from Mordecai in an article a couple of years ago (“They’re either cheating or it’s a ‘magical’ school”), so Lopez blew it up in big letters and pasted it all over the school. He uses it as motivation for the students, as in, “See, people, even teachers, think you’re cheating because you’re Hispanic. That’s what the world thinks of you. So you better be inspired by that and work hard or that’s what you’ll find out there when you leave school.”
So Katy Murphy visits the school to cover the award ceremony, sees this quote all over the place, goes out of her way to contact Mordecai, who promptly gives her this earthshaking quote (“I stand by my statement”). The man has never visited the school, and she smears their accomplishment with that quote in that article. And on that basis, Murphy and the Tribune kill the award story. Sheesh.
This whole thing is beyond tragic for me, and it’s irreversible. It’s like watching a great and close friend get murdered on the street. All the talking in the world won’t bring him back.
So, yeah, I’m as pissed as pissed can be, and there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. All these years of being a fan of the Oakland schools, rooting for the underdog, rooting for exactly this kind of wonderful story that this is, and here are some of the great underdogs of all-time doing exactly what it is we all supposedly aspire for them to do if we’re wildly optimistic.
They win the highest award attainable, only to get smacked around by this “teacher”, this reporter and this newspaper.
And people want to know why I’m emotional.
I guess I’m the only one who is outraged, which says a lot, I suppose.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Steve, take a deep breath. Maybe three deep breaths…
Now, can’t you use this “smear campaign” in the same way as the principal used the negative quote?
Outsiders’ disbelief is a common reaction to unexpected success, but it doesn’t take anything away from the successful person or institution. OTOH, in reading all the comments on this topic, I’ve come away shaking my head a little about yours, and found myself paraphrasing that old Shakespeare quote: “Methinks the [gentleman] doth protest too much.”
November 18th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Steve: The history helps a lot, thank you.
I also went to public schools – and am concerned that quality and performance has gone out the window in modern times. Those who went to public schools then send their kids to private schools now. This is not good for society – to have public schools that block social mobility.
November 18th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Steve,
Mordecai job is to look out for the union’s turf just like gang members do in Oakland.
Why would you think he cares about the students in the Oakland Charter Academy?
November 19th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Points well taken. But I refuse to act all calm and detached when steam has been coming out of my ears for about four weeks straight.
Sometimes in a free society you need to rise up and shout down the (uninformed) naysayers, not to mention the sad sack reporters who seek them out. It’s the American Way. Let everyone else sit there quietly.
The bad guys in the story are the Oakland Tribune, Katy Murphy and Jim Mordecai. If they continue to rule the roost, kids like this will stay “in their place” and progress will never be made. Forget that. It’s because of people like this that our Oakland school system is where it is.
If underdogs like this achieve success, it’s time to whip out the trumpets and hand out the awards. It’s not time to ignore the big story and try to create controversy so a failing newspaper can sell more copies.
So, yeah, I’ll continue to protest my ass off when great accomplishments are crapped on by the establishment. The establishment, by definition, wants everything to stay the same, even if it means educational failure and structural poverty.
November 20th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Steve: We have something in common in our concern that OUSD and it’s ilk are killing the futures of their students.
You must know that intemperate commentary is less effective in pursuasion. Anything that makes you look like a UC Berkeley 20 year old telling grown people how they have to think hurts your effectiveness.
You’re not 20 are you? In reading your writing style I can’t discern age and experience.
As far as saving people, I learned the hard way that you cannot save everybody, only some people. And you can’t always tell which people are felixible enough to get through emergency exits. To some extent you have to let them sort themselves out. There will be winners and there will be losers and we can’t always decide who that is. Your writing style seems to emote that it’s your own responsibility the ghetto kids of OUSD are being fed to the meat grinder. You seem to be in pain that you can’t save them, from Mordecai I suppose.
Life doesn’t work that way. Some of these people were born to lose. And the Educrats were born to destroy students to employ themselves.
Brave New World.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Nextset, I feel you. I thought about going the detached, mild-mannered route. Then I realized that what the Tribune did was indefensible. Just a paper trying to sell newspapers at the expense of inner-city kids doing great things. You want to be erudite about it, I respect you; don’t hold it against you. But my Oakland High English teacher, Miss Casey (may she rest in peace), told me that my strength in writing was that words blister off the page. “Write with that passion, always,” she told me. She was the best teacher I ever had (and, BTW, she never slotted her students based on their ethnicity, a la Jim Mordecai).
These kids are the “some people” I choose to support. They’re not cheating; they’re doing one helluva job. They deserve the highest praise. The naysayers have never met these kids, other than the reporter who did the hatchet job.
My age? My sons are 26, 23, 21 and 19. That’s the best I can do to answer your question. I’ve been around the OUSD block many times. Had I followed your lead and thrown out a nice little tepid response, it would have weighed on my conscience. Fact is, the Jim Mordecais and Katy Murphys of the world must be shouted down.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:25 am
To each his own I suppose. You know the Oakland Tribune and papers like it will go bankrupt and liquidate. They are on the way out and they know it, and it won’t be very long either.
But the inner city families have only themselves to blame in the end for what happens to them.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Steve-
What did Katy do? I thought the article was pretty well balanced.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
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