LA SCHOOLS-Dashiell Hammett’s Thin Man had all the answers, the witty wife, the wire-haired fox terrier and the martinis.
We are not so lucky; life’s easier when you don’t have kids.
You walk into the room … With your pencil in your hand …You see somebody naked … And you say, "Who is that man?" You try so hard … But you don't understand … Just what you'll say …When you get home.
Novelists invent worlds and populate them with themselves and people they imagine. The real Dashiell Hammett was thin and liked his martinis, the woman we and he imagine to be wife said "Jail had made a thin man thinner and a sick man sicker…”. She wrote “The Children’s Hour”, a book not for kids. It’s all very complicated and we don’t have time for it now if we ever did.
Because something is happening here … But you don't know what it is … Do you, Mister Jones?
I had a conversation in the parking garage with an undisclosed source one day last week and we agreed that the feeling throughout the District is so much improved. He has contact with many principals; he visits many schools every day. He senses the universal relief. One only needs to look at him to sense his relief.
It’s a contagion and it spreads easily. No protective gear required.
I have met with a couple of principals myself recently. They and their school sites are relieved – but the questions of “What’s next…?” and the rumors abound. The truth is that Deasy’s superintendency was punitive+disruptive and Cortines prior superintendencies were marked with budget cuts and program reductions – driven by efficiency and economic necessity. What will Cortines v. 3.0 do with an increasing budget – even if it’s Deasy’s? Will there be more local districts? …or less? Will ISIC endure? What will happen to Deasy’s initiatives? The Common Core Technology Project? Breakfast in the Classroom? MiSiS?. The alphabet soup of teacher accountability programs? The CORE Waiver?
What will the board do? Do we have to use the MiSiS grade book?
Rumors abound. So-and-so is toast. My favorite is that Cortines is only an interim placeholder; Mayor Tony will soon be superintendent. (Ray Cortines made it clear that he is interim nothing, he is The Superintendent.
Tuesday’s board meeting was a paradigm shift. It started when it was supposed to, superintendent and six board members in their seats at the appointed hour. The latecomer was only slightly late and was probably surprised that the proceedings began on-time without her!
Dylan again: Don't stand in the doorway … Don't block up the hall … For he that gets hurt … Will be he who has stalled.
Urgency is neither an excuse nor a urinary complaint. It is the Order of the Day.
The closed session ended on time too, at 1:30 when the superintendent said it would. At one thirty Cortines was at his lectern and the board was in their seats as the audience filed in.
Cortines’ brief to the Board on MiSiS was short and to the point – exactly like the man himself:
“I have begun to dig into the issues of our student information system. I have learned a great deal about the situation, but still have much more to learn.
“I want to make sure the Board and public are frequently updated on our progress with MiSiS. We will be transparent about what is working and what is not working.
“We need to have a stronger relationship with all of our collective bargaining partners, especially for MiSiS with UTLA, AALA, and CSEA, so that we can inform our work based on the needs of our employees.
“We need to be more direct and forthright about the issues our schools are facing. I see that the system is improving, but there are going to be issues for the rest of this year.
“We need to have a greater sense of urgency in resolving these issues. It is clear that we are going to need to invest more resources in development, training and support to make this work for our schools.”
He will report to the board weekly on MiSiS developments, and when a public comment parent spoke about a student who didn’t have the right classes there was no brush off – there was an immediate response.
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As the superintendent wrote in his message to principals Thursday: “I want you to know that if there is something I should know or an emergency at your school, do not hesitate to contact me. We are here for each other and we will move forward together.”
That’s as good a place to end as any – but I want you to think about the sixteen year old in Houston who was denied getting to take her driver’s test at the Department of Public Safety last week because her birth certificate listed two mothers instead of a mom and a dad as the Good Lord and the vehicle code intended. Yes, I know it’s Texas and the public safety is compromised by the daughter of lesbians behind the wheel. But one of her mothers is the Mayor of Houston.
There is Hope and Hopelessness enough to go around.
(Scott Folsom is a parent and parent leader in LAUSD. He is the former President of Los Angeles 10th District PTSA and represents PTA as Vice-chair the LAUSD Construction Bond Citizen's Oversight Committee. Scott is a member of the California State PTA Board on Managers. He blogs at the excellent 4 LA Kids … where this perspective was originally posted.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 87
Pub: Oct 28, 2014