I could be wrong, but I think Eugene is trying everything–anything–to make the district work.

Ideally, a year-round school would better-utilize facilities. That would likely mean another round of school closings, which they need.

That system is bleeding cash. Their facilities’ cost is ridiculous. They’ve got to try something.

He’s got 1-3 years til retirement. He is IPS’s last great hope. It’s a Hail Mary, but it might just work.

It won’t harm education. Why not stand back and let ‘er rip?

Miracles never cease. Pascal, you and I agree, at least partially.

Tony Bennett was a lousy district school superintendent…something for which Abdul never holds him accountable during their multiple on-air lovefests–and he brought similar “talent” to IDOE. I have no hope that the state would do it better. Different faces, delayed improvement…

New Orleans isn’t a great example. I mean, if we have to bend over and take a hurricane to nearly-demolish our city, and permanently evacuate half the population, no thanks.

One thing that does work: smaller school districts. In some states, each high school and its feeder system, constitute one school district. There is no Superintendent (hoo-ray!)–the chief administrator oversees the high school and the district. Because the ultimate goal is to graduate literate high schoolers, the focus begins in kindergarten, with the ultimate boss the guy who’s held accountable for the statistics.

Still, the overwhelming majority of what’s left at IPS, is the most-difficult-to-educate, the poorest, the most troubled sociologically. I don’t have any constructive ideas on how to alter that. Those kids are much more expensive to teach and reach.

If IPS were a house, it’d be the most beat-up house on the block. Tough decisions lie ahead. Year-round school will free up some money pretty quickly. If that money is properly spent, instead of Eugene’s fascinating with athletics, hiring former Colts for make-work jobs, etc., we’re doomed.

By the by, thank you to the three school board members who voted against that ridiculous hire. Finally, some common-sense questions are being asked there. It might be too late.

Remember, Abdul, when Mrs. Bentley asked for a full copy of the budget, and was rebuked for awhile by Eugene? Fellow board members actually defended the superintendent. That’s how nutso things are. Alice in Wonderland. Kelly got out—she was too frustrated.

That full-detailed budget would’ve had things like this ex-Colt’s new job at 72K a year. Those kidns of make-up jobs are Eugene’s forte: he got one for his own son, and the (old) board approved it. Seriously.

Eugene treats the school board the way he wants to treat taxpayers: like mushrooms. Feed us shit and keep us in the dark.

Those days are over, thankfully. 4-3 votes don’t change things overnight, but believe me, one thing Eugene knows, is how to count to 4 on that board. He hears the footsteps, louder and louder behind him.

Abdul,

Please have Tony tell us what he would do to turn around the IPS and MANY rural Indiana schools which are not meeting Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goals, other than get rid of his enemies and sell off schools to his buddies.

Abdul doesn’t ask questions folks don’t want to answer. Especially the ol’ ball coach.

Nobody cares about the rural schools…there is no money to be made there. We’re only concerned about taking over schools where there are numbers. Students=dollars. The companies have figured that out.

The proposed new schedule just presents more start-of-’year’ opportunities for IPS students to not show up during the first week or two.

Neither Dr. White nor the IPS school board have defined graduation goals for IPS. I know. I asked and no one could give me a number. Abdul, you should ask that question too.

Can you imagine running a private organization or business without a clearly defined goal that every single player in the organization knew?

I work for a very successful company. And you can bet the company goal and our personal goals are known, measured, recorded, and watched constantly. That’s how we achieve success.

Tony’s own school system of which he was the superintendent was a failing system. If you can’t succeed in a small rural
Sourthern Indiana school system, what do you have to offer the state of Indiana. Nothing???

Sometimes one takes too much for granted when making an allusion. New Orleans junked, pretty much in toto, their version of IPS and went with Mr. Vallas’s view of providing value to kids. What had been a cesspool of democrat parasitism is now a super performing school system based on a model that has prospect of success even if it is a way station on the road to success.
I’m sure Super Bennett would like to have the success that his compatriot in New Orleans has enjoyed. Probably Super White would as well? However, Dumbocraps have interest in maintaining Indiana as an educational backwater and lying to kids, parents, and anyone else stupid enough to listen to them.
I’m looking forward to the R’s plan for reformation of so called schools with the hope that Mitch will do for those losers what he did for the BMV.

One prospect for spell check is to compose in Word, utilize it’s spellchecker, then, copy and paste. But, I concur with most that large hands and small keyboards will make for errors and we don’t really care if there is an occaisonal miscue or mispelling.

I never thought of that Good point. It’s hard on an iPhone keyboard, but easier at the desktop

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was the superintendent of the Chicago Public School system. No greater example of failure in government education exists.

You libs do a great job of keeping your outrage local.

You can have your own opinion, Rico, but not your own facts. He helped turn that system around. Tremendous improvement.

And even if he didn’t, I’m talking about OUR state Super, right here in INDIANA. Whose district Superintendency was not marked by good test scores. Get it?

If it takes the state taking over to get rid of the bully, arrogant idiot Eugene White then I say “Come on State”.

A farmer gets a hoe, a rake, a watering can, and essentially, all the tools he needs to grow stuff. Your Legislature took away from Eugene (and all other supers) many of the needed tools a person needs to instruct large numbers of kids. Some of those tools they gave to Super Bennett (who does not use them and who may not know how to use them) and they are pristine for lack of use. Over the years then, impossible jobs like Indy Super come to be filled by lesser men….men willing to put up with Legislative and other BS. But, one ought not to complain about the quality of those men seeing as how the public has demanded them by driving out the real men from the profession.
I’d be willing to give Super White the tools. Remember the Tully interview at Broadripple High where their leader reminded folks that 70 % or so of his work force was coasting or loafing and that Super Bennett would wind up with the same results unless he had new tools?

Dave, do you have a dictionary of overused, trite cliches that you review before posting your rants?

It seems that “dr” Eugenia White and our recently “politically deceased” DMV Chief have a great deal in common. Both believe they can wear the trousers around their ankles in public and, garner admiration. The only difference being that one faces forward and, the other aft. As an observation, it would seem to make little difference what sort of Onanism one were to practice, it shan’t ever raise the dead.

As a 12 year teacher for IPS, I go into the classroom each day and give it my all. I have been cursed at, spit on, hit, told how worthless I am and much more. Still I continue to try. Many days I put my own children and their education second while I try to FIX the issues in my classroom and help the children become the best they possibly can be! The problem is not soley with our educational system but more likely with our government. My 7 year old students feel it is unlikely they will succeed. They will tell me they don’t care because they have no goals and ambitions for their future. The state will take care of their basic needs. Why work so hard if you don’t have too. Many of the children don’t want an education. They don’t respect it or find value in it. We are constantly fighting them and trying to force what we feel is best for them down their throats and often they refuse in rage. I’m not certain what more someone else could do but you cannot make someone learn if they do not want to. I love my summer breaks with my own children but would eagerly give them up if only I thought it might make a difference. But I am afraid it will not matter because the difference has to come from the children we serve and until we can help them see the value and meaning for education nothing will matter.

Wow.

You’d really consider shoving anything, including education, down a 7-year-old’s throat?

You need to get out. Yesterday.

Government schools are as described. From Reps Porter and Crawford we have Planned Parenthood’s Sex Education bill they wish to force down the throats of parents and kids. Government schools have their own agenda wherein, surprise, surprise, the growth and extent of government is extolled and its role in “history” is praised. Not to mention, the instructors are not, generally, of the first academic rank but are willing to consider themselves as “educators” when their own “education” is closer to a bad joke.
No knock on our poster, a person trapped in a bad system

Michelle Rhee needs a job.