On November 4, the JS reported Annual school report cards. Pleasant Valley was graded a 72.1 on their 2007 SAT scores.
Manual High School was graded a 17.8.
Average expenditure per pupil for Pleasant Valley was $7,438.00
Average expenditure per pupil for Manual was approximately $11,000.00
Both schools serve communities with an approximately 71% poverty level.
On 11/08/07, JS Columnist Pam Adams wrote “Monday morning one Manual student walked down the hallway sporting candy apple red and bright yellow kinky twists, like micro braids, a popular hair style among young black women. The unconventional educator might take time out to help students explore the mathematical concepts beneath some of the most popular hairstyles worn by black women.”
Perhaps Pleasant Valley got 3 1/2 times better SAT scores than these “women” at Manual because the administration had convinced them that learning to read, write and compute was more important than studying hairstyles. Also, Shawnterrya is 12 years old, not even a teen let alone being called a “woman”.
Hmmmmm.
Congratulations to Pleasant Valley School District Administration and Board in quickly reaching an agreement with the ACLU, Don Jackson and the mother. I suspect the dress code will spell out more clearly what appropriate hair styles, clothes and conduct allows all to concentrate on why all kids are in school. That is to learn enough to stay out of trouble and get enough education so that they can get a job and at least support themselves .Future employers are not hiring kids with the most outstanding hairdo, male or female.
Like O’Reilly or not, his book I described, “Kids have rights too” is well worth it’s 30 minute read.
4 comments:
If Manual and Pleasant Valley were the same in every way except one allowed microbraids and one didn't, you'd have a case. But they aren't so you don't.
I'm skeptical that middle schoolers take SATs. Even among high school students, the ACT is much more prevalent in the Midwest.
The Illinois State Board website lists Manual as being 89% low income. Quite different from 71%. It lists Pleasant Valley Middle School at 61%. The scatterplots show a clear correlation here, so it's not an irrelevant variable.
http://iirc.niu.edu/
What data are you using?
I thought the book was called Kids Are Americans Too.
Adamb, Hope you read the letter to the editor in Sunday's Chicago Daily Tribune from a '59 graduate of Notre Dame College saying he would send his kid to a service school today rather than Notre Dame. Reasons why, read the article. Sounds like he was talking about "educators" like you who he believes are ruining the schools reputation.
Hope you enjoyed the football game Saturday. Go Navy.
And as to poverty in the Manual area? Do you believe between 70- 80+ of these families are poor because of lack of jobs or too many of the fathers in prison? (No one can accurately define poverty especially if "poverty people" deal drugs. Not much taxes paid on drug deals.)
As to a "poverty kid" getting an $100 hairdo???
And yes there is quite a connection between Middle Schools and High Schools. Or do you believe that so many Middle School kids become failures only after they reach high schools like Manual?
You should be moving back to Peoria to help bring these people up from poverty instead of taking all your time to prove something which I'm unsure what it is other than to make you sound like an educated idiot. Worst kind out there, you know.
Read the "Letter to the Editor" in today's JS by Molly Messing of the University of Illinois. She saythe"only reason we are in school is to learn. Students should spend less time dying their hair and more time studying. Problem solved."
I'd be proud to hve her as a daughter as I am of my two daughters. Since you don't date, are you going to adopt?
I feel sorry for you.
It appears you have your facts wrong again. I have absolutely no connection to Notre Dame College (in fact I was surprised to learn that it actually exists, in Cleveland). I date quite regularly, though I can't see how that's relevant.
taking all your time to prove something which I'm unsure what it is
I'm sure that you are quite confused. Why would anyone ever ask you where you got your data? The nerve!
It says a lot that when somebody questions your numbers you don't bother to defend them but only attack the person who asks. It sounds like you got caught making up facts and now you're angry.
I had heard about the legendary Merle Widmer research skills, and that's why I started reading here. It looks like that reputation has been based on fraud and misdirection. Maybe it's time to admit that your intellectual abilities might not be what they once were. Maybe it's time to give up the game.
But if you want to pretend that you understand basic econometrics, you should expect to have someone call you out on your BS.
It's not about what you or I "believe", it's about facts. Your facts appear to be fraudulent, unfortunately.
It is very strange that everyone forgets or just don't want to believe that the young lady at Pleasent Valley is an HONOR student. She has a mother that is very engaged in her academic life. Why the school got hung up on her hair is beyond me. I bet there are teachers with streaks in their hair.
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