A Looming Showdown over No Child Left Behind

While the Bush administration's version of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act, AKA "No Child Left Behind" expired in 2007 and many of the punitive effects set to take place for schools and districts as every student is scheduled to be 100% proficient by 2014, can anyone reform this bill and put an educational structure in place that makes sense for all of America's students? A Looming Showdown over No Child Left Behind

The Last Day on Earth

Since the beginning of man, some group or religious sect has predicted the "End of the Earth."  Well, thankfully so far, neither they, Nostrodomus or anyone else has predicted Earth's demise correctly.  Today, May 21, 2011 was a day some religious groups thought would be the end of the world.  Most reports of their beliefs were met with sarcasm and jokes.  It did however make me think; what if today was my last day on Earth?  What if it was yours?  How would you spend it?  This is how I spent mine.

My "Day of Doom" began at 7:30 AM as my 7 year old daughter woke me up.  Like me, she is an early riser compared to my wife and my son, and just wanted daddy's company.  Not a bad start.  My son had a make-up baseball game scheduled for noon, so we awakened him - which on some mornings is like waking a bear from hybernation - so we could run a few errands before his game.  My oldest daughter had to work, therefore she dropped her 4 year old son, my grandson, over so my wife could take him to his final soccer game of the season.

My son, finally dressed, and I started our errands.  I grabbed a cup of warm coffee (2 Splenda's & cream) from Tim Horton's and we headed for the barbershop.  Today was slated to be a gorgeous day, so while we got our hair cut, I got the SUV washed at fellow Eastmoor High School alum's car wash "Sammy's Auto Clean."  The barbershop conversation was lively and centered around LeBron James and his leaving for Miami (still!?).  The consensus was that comparing Cleveland to Miami, we all would have left!  No one even minded "The Decision" because how many times have you heard a player learning about being traded to a different team on ESPN rather than from his organization?  If that's the culture owners set, then they can't be mad when the shoe get's on the other foot.  I would have taken my talents to "Souf" Beach too!  Plus, no one mentions the millions of dollars donated to charity "The Decision" created.

Arriving to his game, we discovered that despite the sunny morning, the field was completely unplayable due to the immense amount of rain we've received.  His game was cancelled.  Good thing because while taking my mom and my grandson to his soccer game, my wife suddenly became violently ill.  I left my son with his team at one Gahanna park to rescue the rest of my crew at another.  Fortunately, her parents live only a 6-Iron away from Headley Park and I came as my father-in-law was driving my wife away in her car.  As I came upon my mom and young daughter, my mother-in-law arrived to bring them back to the house.  Luckily, I was able to watch the rest of my grandson's soccer game before heading back to pick up my son.

While picking up my son, my cousin called and needed a ride to an auto repair shop to pick up his car.  Since my wife was sick, they told my grandson that he couldn't go to the year-end pizza party at Massey's Pizza.  Poor little guy's face clouded up, and to him, it was the end-of-the-world.  Grand Dad to the rescue!  I was able to take him to his pizza party and watch him receive his medal, certificate, and eat the piece of cake with his name on it!  Not bad. 

I picked up my cousin and his three young children and took them to pick up his car.  He really appreciated the favor, but really, the favor was to me because I was able to spend a few moments with him and his adorable children.  The rest of the afternoon was spent trimming bushes, cutting grass and purchasing flower bowls from DeMonye's for the beautiful hanging garden on our deck.  With all the rain this spring, everyone's yard looks like a resort when freshly cut.

It was early enough when I finished that I decided to take my two youngest children and my grandson to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4 at Easton.  My wife enjoyed the several hours of piece and quiet and I enjoyed several hours with the most important young people in my life.  Driving to the theater, Will Smith's song "Summertime" played and all seemed too right in the world for it to end today.

The movie is over, the Earth is still here and the kids are safe in the bed.  Currently, as I write to share my day with you, I am on my deck sipping a delicious glass of Sunstone Estate 2006 Syrah while taking soothing drags from a lucious Monte Cristo Reserva Negra cigar.

Some may have had a more exciting "last day," but as I reflect, I spent quality time with my youngest children and grandson, saw my in-laws, spoke to my eldest daughter, saw my grandson recieve his medal, spent time with my cousin and his children, spend quality "alone" time in my yard, spoke with and attempted communication with both women who call me son, thought fondly of my sisters, took in a movie, and had a great glass of wine and cigar.  At the very end to this day, I will thank God for all my blessings and beg forgiveness for all of the dumb things I've done in my life.  And at the end, I will fall asleep next to the best friend I ever had.

If today is my last day on this Earth, it was a pretty damn good day and it has been a damn good life...but I'm glad they were wrong.

Can't Get No Satisfaction: Students Say High Schools Are Failing�Them

Many high schools espouse the new "3 R's" - not Readin' Ritin' and Rithmetic, but Rigor, Relevance and Relationships. Clearly, from the survey response outlined in this article, many schools have incorporated the rigor and relationship piece, but lack the relevance craved for by students. With the explosion of information available to students at the touch of a finger, high school teachers are transforming from the givers of information to the guiders of information. With that, students want to know how the information they are learning in high school will help them when they walk out of the school doors.

Can't Get No Satisfaction: Students Say High Schools Are Failing�Them

What's Next for Ohio Senate Bill 5?

I can’t recall another bill that has stirred such intense reaction in Ohio as Senate Bill 5. It seems daily there are protests at the statehouse accompanied by articles in local news publications outlining the differing perspectives of the bill. State legislators are bombarded with correspondence from constituents trying to persuade them to their point of view. Public employee unions have become very powerful entities, and the typically democratic supporting organizations are under assault like at no time since their inception. Those against Senate Bill 5 cry out that this is an assault on the middle class itself and on the rights of public employees to protect their working conditions, while those in support of the bill say that it is high time to rein in the power and perks of union employees and give government officials the capabilities of controlling spending. Even private unions are wary of a possible attack on them.


A prominent former state official recently shared with me that this measure is politically bigger than public unions, but is a once in a generation opportunity for republicans in Ohio to seize control from the democrats for the foreseeable future. Clearly, this is a perfect storm of a crisis in the economy which is allowing elected officials to take radical measures that wouldn’t ordinarily be supported in prosperous times. Additionally, republicans in Ohio control both houses of the General Assembly as well as the governorship at a time when the state redistricts state and congressional boundaries which will have an effect on the outcome of the next several elections. The former official stated that weakening unions and their ability to support democratic candidates will strengthen the Republican Party in Ohio and turn the Buckeye State into a clear “red” state for the 2012 elections. The official also said that republicans would like nothing better than for public employee unions to spend all of their campaign funds on the 2011 Senate Bill 5 referendum than on state and national candidates in 2012.

As evident as it was that Senate Bill 5 was going to pass both houses of the General Assembly and receive the governor’s signature (legislative votes were secured before the bill was even introduced), is as evident that this impending law will surely end in a referendum. We have heard much about the effects that Senate Bill 5 will have on educators, police officers, fire fighters and other public workers, but what can we expect as this bill heads to a referendum?

A referendum is the right of Ohio citizens to challenge a bill passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor. If the required amount of registered voters signs a referendum petition, then the bill will go before the citizens in a statewide vote with a simple majority needed for passage or failure of the bill. This act is democracy at its finest.

Governor Kasich signed Senate Bill 5 into law on March 31, 2011 with the bill becoming law 90 days from the date it is signed. During the 90 day period, which we are currently in, signatures are collected to place the bill on the November ballot. Since the Secretary of State’s office received the bill on April 1, 2011, that places the deadline for filing the signatures with the Secretary of State at June 30, 2011. The number of signatures of registered voters must be at least 6% of the total vote cast for the office of governor at the last gubernatorial election. Therefore, the estimated number of signatures that must be collected to place Senate Bill 5 on the ballot has been determined to be just over 230,000 signatures. In addition, signatures must be collected from at least 44 of the 88 Ohio counties.

Once the signatures have been filed, the Secretary of State’s office must determine the validity and sufficiency of the signatures no later than 105 days before the election. Therefore the deadline to determine if there are enough valid signatures to place Senate Bill 5 on the ballot is July 26, 2011. If it is determined that there are not enough valid signatures, ten additional days will be allowed to file additional signatures to the petition. If that happens, the Secretary of State has no later than 65 days before the election to determine sufficiency, which is September 4, 2011. If the deadline date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the date DOES NOT move to the next business day.

If there are any challenges to the validity of the signatures, those challenges must be filed no later than 95 days before the election, which is August 5, 2011. The Supreme Court of Ohio will rule on any challenges. If there were any addition signatures added, challenges to those signatures must be made no later than 55 days before the election, or September 14, 2011. Again, the Ohio Supreme Court must rule on those challenges no later than 45 days before the election.

Once it is determined that the bill will be placed on the November ballot, ballot language will be determined and it will be advertised statewide and voted on at the November 8, 2011 general election. If no valid referendum petition is filed by the legal requirements, Senate Bill 5 will become law on July 1, 2011. If a petition for referendum is filed and all requirements are met, it will become law immediately after the general election if it passes, or will not become law if the measure fails.

Hang on for an interesting “off” election year.

Innovative Black History Month Activity at Westerville North HS

In recognition of Black History Month, Westerville North High School is infusing a school-wide activity in which significant African-American figures are introduced, discussed and voted upon by students.  Merging the spirit of the March Madness NCAA tournament brackets, the newly formed Big Ten divisions "Legends" and "Leaders," and the Electoral College process, WNHS has developed its own daily competition among historical African-American figures.

To begin with, 16 historical African-American figures were selected and divided into two divisions.  The "Legends" division contained those people who are no longer living while eight living icons were selected to be in the "Leaders" division.  Once the selections were made, each division was seeded 1-8.  The final seedings are:

LEGENDS
1. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2. Rosa Parks
3. Frederick Douglass
4. Thurgood Marshall
5. Malcolm X
6. Harriet Tubman
7. Jackie Robinson
8. George W. Carver

LEADERS
1. Jesse Jackson
2. Barack Obama
3. Colin Powell
4. Condoleezza Rice
5. Maya Angelou
6. Oprah Winfrey
7. Muhammad Ali
8. Michael Jordan

Each day, the students at Westerville North meet for several minutes in an Advisory period where this activity takes place.  Like the NCAA tournament, the #1 seed is paired of against the #8 seed and so on.  Students are given a brief biography of the accomplishment of each "contestant" and then discuss and vote within the classroom on the figure they believe have made the greatest historical impact.  Like the Electoral College concept, the icon that wins the most votes in the class receives the entire singular vote for that class.  After adding up the votes of all the advisories, the figure with the most votes moves on to the next round of competition.  Each day the competition rotates divisions until a champion is crowned at the end of the month.

Displayed on a large bulletin board at the entrance of the school is the bracket shown below along with the biographies of the icons pitted against each other for the day.  Those figures selected, their seed placement and the outcome selected by students are far less important than the daily discussions of historical figures along with their impact on our country, and the interest over the course of the month that stokes anticipation for coming matchups.  Many schools display posters or read famous African-American quotes during the month of February, but this activity fosters rich discussion over the course of an entire month that hopefully will introduce deserving people to students and help all students realize that there is no such thing as black history or white history, but a history of all peoples that are interwoven to tell the story of AMERICAN history.

As you can see from the bracket, there has already been several upsets!

What Race Are You?

Many contest that there is no true scientific basis for "race" and that it is a poorly contrived man-made classification system.  As America has evolved over the 20th and now 21st Century, the extreme diversity in our country is now resulting in a very large percentage of Americans who are made of multiple races either directly from their parents or from their ancestors.  That is causing a great delimma as our government and educational systems try to maintain an archaic racial classification system of which many people no longer fit. 

Federal funding for many programs and educational accountability systems, such as the measurement of the achievement gap and the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), are still based upon the archaic racial classification system.  Organizations representing minority groups are resisting multiple racial classifications because it has a direct impact on minority government funding and sometimes political strength.  The NY Times article points out that today 1 in 7 marriages in the United States are either interracial or interethnic.  How on earth can their children be neatly classified into a racial category?  If those with multiracial backgrounds are allowed to check multiple boxes for each race in their heritage, then is there any validity or accuracy in the racial classification data?  I suspect that if everyone who was multiracial checked the "multiracial" box on the many forms where race is asked, the multiracial group would be the largest "race" in America. 

As a person who is multiracial, I find it curious that I even have to define myself, by others rules mind you, by any classification at all.  Why should I even have to choose a particular race and deny the other?  Or do I select "multiracial" and as a person of the African-American and White race, lump myself into a general category no different than someone who is Asian-Hispanic, Black-Asian or any of the thousands of other possibilities that truly exist?

I grew up in an African-American household, was reared within the African-American culture and define myself as an African-American.  However, for me, that is a cultural distinction rather than a racial one.  I also hold no illusions that as I am researching my genealogical heritage, I've discovered that I am equally or possibly even slightly majority White, but based upon the unfortunate racist practices, policies and laws throughout the history of this country, I could NEVER claim to be White in the same manner that I claim to be African-American, and not be looked upon with a straight face.  And because of that, I would never want to be - but again, that should be MY choice.

I recently watched a program where NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith discovered his family heretage and learned through a DNA test that he was 81% African, 13% European and approximately 6% Native American.  The examiner said that 81% African was the highest percentage she'd ever seen of an African-American, with most being between 60%-70% African and the rest a myriad of other races. That makes me wonder, is it the color of your skin or the culture with which you were raised that determines most your personal classification of race.  Tiger Woods once said that he was Cablinasian, which was a word he devised to recognize his Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian biological heritage.  I remember that many in the "black" community were outraged at him for not claiming to just be "black" because White Americans will only view him as a "black man."  As someone equally as multiracial as Woods and with a far fairer skin tone, I concur that that is how I am viewed.  But he isn't "just" anything, clearly from his Asian mother and apparent other mixtures in his background...and why should he or any who are multiracial (which is nearly all of us) be "just" anything?  Thoughts?

New York Times Article:  Counting Race Can Throw of Some Number
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/us/10count.html

Harvard Report Questions Value of 'College for All'

Having been an educator in both an urban and suburban settings, there are aspects of this article that ring true. In many of Columbus suburbs, approximately 80-85% of graduating students submit college applications to 2-year or 4-year colleges. With many urban districts across the United States struggling to even graduate that percentage, I guess the big question is if the "college for all" mantra is too narrow and too unrealistic of a goal? More importantly, are schools preparing the students who do not go on to college to successfully transition to the working world? What do you think?


Harvard Report Questions Value of 'College for All'

Jefferson Thomas: A Quiet Hero

On the 60th anniversary of nine black students integrating Little Rock Central High School with the support of the National Guard, I find myself reflecting on an encounter I had with a true hero of the civil rights movement.  A quiet gentleman who lived among us in Central Ohio in preferred anonymity, but displayed as much courage amid adversity as any man I have ever had the privilege of meeting.  A man who unknowingly shaped American history and made equal education and the achievement that comes with education possible for me and many others in my generation.  After spending precious minutes with this gentleman, I left with a profound sense of responsibility as I rest on the shoulders of giants on which I and many others stand.  I fondly recall a few moments with Mr. Jefferson Thomas.

In February 2009, while still in my tenure as principal of Pickerington High School Central, I was invited by neighboring junior high principal, Chuck Byers, to view a Black History Month project being conducted by some of his students.  Mr. Byers knew that I enjoyed coming to programs at Ridgeview Junior High to show support for the future Central Tiger students.  The project was held in the Media Center and featured several well-done reenactments by students dressed in-character of several key figures in the civil rights movement.  Mr. Byers shared that Jefferson Thomas, who had a relative participating in the project, was in attendance and offered to introduce me.

Most people have no idea who Jefferson Thomas is, or of his historical significance.  However, those who know even a little about the history of the civil rights movement in America recognize the moniker "Little Rock 9."

One of the most significant moments that kick-started the legal reformation of the civil rights movement was the historic Brown vs. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education in 1954.  That case, led by future first black Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, reversed the "Separate but Equal" doctrine from the Plessy vs. Ferguson case more than 50 years earlier.  It was easily provable that schools for black children and white children were not only separate but far from equal.  In a decision that in 1954 could be considered courageous, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that even if physical conditions were equal, the learning experience would still be unequal in a forced segregated condition.  That decision set off a firestorm not only in the rural South but in many American cities over the next several decades.  That storm blew into Columbus in 1973 with Penick vs. The Columbus Public Schools Board of Education federal discrimination lawsuit.  Columbus along with many urban school districts attempted to or were forced to comply with the Brown ruling and desegregate their schools.  The first major test of this case was in Little Rock, Arkansas where nine students from the all-black Horace Mann High School, were selected to attend the all-white Central High School in 1957.  One of those students was sophomore Jefferson Thomas.

When Principal Byers took me to meet the smartly dressed Jefferson Thomas, he was seated with members of his family in the Media Center.  The soft-spoken gentleman cordially shook my hand as we were introduced.  I remember thinking immediately that I did not recognize him, however, the only images I had seen of him were as a 15-year-old student in the documented footage of the Little Rock 9 from the award-winning Eyes On The Prize series.  At this stage of his life, he was well into his 60's.  Before our hands parted, Mr. Byers noted that I was the principal of Pickerington Central. It's difficult to explain that moment, but Mr. Thomas struggled mightily to conceal his surprise from that information.  His eyes opened wide and focused intently on me as he smiled, regripped my hand and shook it vigorously.  I cannot pretend to speak for Mr. Thomas, but I got a notion that he felt a sense of accomplishment.  Not specifically about me personally, but for all who may have reached a level of achievement, in part, because of what he endured.

He immediately introduced me to his family and engagingly sat with me for over 45 minutes.  The first question I remember asking him wasn't necessarily about his own experience, but that of his parents.  I shared with him that as a father of three, there was no way I could let my children be subject to the dangers that he and his classmates faced daily.  He said that on the first day of school, September 4, 1957, they were famously barred from entering Central High School by armed members of the National Guard that were called up that day by the governor to deny their entrance.  The troops would move aside to let white students enter the school, but would stand with bayonets crossed when they tried to enter.  Classmate Elizabeth Eckford somehow did not get the message that the group was to meet at NAACP member Daisy Bates' home to go to school together.  Eckford was famously etched into history as the young lady who was filmed walking alone to school only to find herself quickly surrounded by an angry mob that swore at her, shouted racial slurs and spat on her as she sat frightened at the bus stop.  With my own daughters in mind, my gut wrenches just thinking of one of them in that position.  After realizing that they were not going to be admitted to the school, the group shuffled back into the waiting cars to head back home.  When he arrived home, Mr. Thomas said that his mother burst through the door in tears and embraced him nearly to the point of suffocation.  When he asked what was going on, they were shown the television as the scene of the mob outside of Central was being replayed.  He recalled that he had no idea of the magnitude of the mob around them because the media surrounded them in such a way which actually shielded them from the scene.  We laughed as I said that would have been the last day for my child!

I asked him how was he chosen to attend Central, and most importantly why did he want to go?  The teenagers had no intention of being civil rights pioneers or aspirations of doing something great; they were just kids who wanted to go to a good school.  He also said that he thought far more than nine would be attending Central and that he might not have volunteered had he known there would have been so few going with him.  Mr. Thomas shared that initially, there were over 100 students slated to go to Horace Mann who volunteered to go to Central.  That number, however, fell quickly as many of the families of the volunteers began receiving harassing calls, death threats, and were even being fired from their jobs.  The number, he said, shrank to about 25 when they were forced to sign an agreement that said they would not be permitted to retaliate in any way whatsoever on a white student that may disparage them verbally or physically.  In addition, they were not permitted to participate in any extracurricular activities:  no dances, clubs or sports.  As a result, the final number of "acceptable" volunteers dwindled to nine.

He shared with me what his day-to-day experience was like.  After weeks of being banned from attending school at Central, President Eisenhower ordered them admitted and instead of using the National Guard to prevent their entrance, they were ordered to protect them.  On September 25, 1957, the nine students integrated Central High School.  Each student had a National Guardsman escort them everywhere in the school.  After a short while, though, the individual escorts ceased.  The students would regularly hear remarks and threats in the hallways, restrooms, and in the lunchroom.  He said that inside the classroom was the most normal for him.  He went on that he had little issues in his classes and developed decent relationships with some white students and some of his teachers, who he noted were surprised at his level of intelligence.

Thurgood Marshall was their attorney and met with them regularly to ensure that the school was treating them fairly.  He said that Martin Luther King spoke to them to offer encouragement to complete their struggle and let them know the importance of what they were doing.  At that time, Martin Luther King wasn't yet the civil rights and American icon he would come to be, but an up and coming southern preacher who recently led a successful bus boycott in Alabama.  Mr. Thomas chuckled quietly when he reminisced about wondering why Dr. King would want to talk with them because they weren't boycotting anything.

He talked about his experience on the Oprah Winfrey Show when on January 15, 1996, she celebrated the Little Rock 9 and reunited them on air with a few of their white classmates.  He recalled the entire event as very emotional.  Mr. Thomas remembered that many of the former white students that were invited to attend the show still harbored their racial prejudice and refused to participate.  He went on to describe that during the show, a few of the students asked them for forgiveness and apologized profusely, but some could not.  Off the air backstage, one former student, in particular, apologized profusely to him, but explained that he could not do so on-air because "I still have to go back to Little Rock after this."  Wow.

I asked him if he ever tired of being recognized for something he did as a teenager or talking about his experience as a member of the Little Rock 9.  He said absolutely not, and in fact, he watched and read everything he came by regarding the group to make sure the information was accurately portrayed.

After that 1957-58 school year, the Little Rock Board of Education voted to cancel school the next year instead of continuing with their desegregation plan and temporarily shut the four Little Rock high schools down.  Mr. Thomas went on to join the military after high school and faced heavy combat in Viet Nam.  His post-war work with defense agencies brought him to settle in Columbus, Ohio.

I humbly thanked him for the time he spent with me as I could have listened all day to the stories of his experiences.  When I walked out of the Media Center at Ridgeview Junior High School into the hallway, I noticed dozens of posters displayed on the walls of historic people and moments of the civil rights movement to commemorate Black History Month.  The first to catch my eye?  The poster of the Little Rock 9.  Sadly, Mr. Thomas was the first member of the group to pass away in September 2010.  I've never been to Little Rock, Arkansas, but if I ever do, I will be sure to visit their memorial outside of Central High School and reflect once again on my time with this quiet hero.