She's BAAAAACK!

WOW! I thought I had lost my blogging privileges! I had put off blogging for a while and when I tried to go back I got an error message that inactivity had shut down my blog. Then, today, out of the blue I received an e-mail to confirm my e-mail address as the blogger and I found my blog intact! YAY! It was quite nostalgic to go back and read those earlier blogs. Bittersweet really. Those stories are still little pinpricks in my heart. And I realize with chagrin that nothing is any different today. I even have a few new ones.

So here's a new one with a slightly different twist....

Two years ago, my first year in the high school, I had a sophomore female student I'll call Serena. She was an exotic looking beauty but very interested in maintaining her street-wise persona. At first I thought she was blowing off doing homework or studying because she didn't want to lose her street "creds" by being too smart. Over time, and after I tried to decipher her essays, I realized that she couldn't really read above an elementary level and writing wasn't any better. I went to the counselor and suggested that we work towards having her tested. After soothing me with promises to "look into it" I came back after the winter break to find that Serena had been transferred to another teacher! O.K., it's not my problem anymore. I thought that at least the counselor would follow up on my suggestions.
Cut to this year, Serena shows up in my class in the fall to repeat the semester she failed with me before. I was surprised but anxious to hear what had happened since I last had her in class. The answer? Nothing. As soon as she was out of my class the issue was dropped like a prom dress. I checked in with some of the other teachers she had been assigned to since she was in my class and found that they had also questioned her literacy. Then I checked on her results for the High School Graduation Tests (passing is required in order to graduate) and her grades. She had failed every graduation test but she had a B average for her overall gradepoint average! I went to the counselor who seemed exasperated that I was back in there questioning the system. After all, Serena is a senior now. I asked if her mother was aware that she may not graduate if she doesn't pass the graduation tests."Don't know" answered the counselor. AAARRRGGHH!
We have a new principal this year and at an early faculty meeting she was pointing out how important it was for us to focus on improving performance for three groups , blacks, Hispanics and Special Ed. students in order for us to make the Adequate Yearly Improvement goal for the No Child Left Behind federal mandate. This seemed like the perfect situation to present to the principal as evidence that there was a flaw in the system.
Within a few days of the faculty meeting I went to see the principal. I gave her the facts of Serena's case. Although I agreed with her that as a senior, there was not much sense in trying to test Serena now (although colleges also recognize IEP's) there were students I currently have in class, Shanille for example, who would be following the same path. We discussed the situation of students having a B average but failing the graduation tests. Grade inflation seemed to be an explanation. I left with the principal's assurances that the issue would be addressed.
To cut to the chase...nothing happened. I expected to hear something about it at the next department meeting. Nope. After I inquired of the counselor if there was another meeting scheduled about Serena, the counselor unwillingly scheduled one. Only myself and a Foods teacher showed up. Right off the bat the counselor stated that the principal had made it very clear that no senior should fail. I said that I could certainly make anyone pass, I control the grading but it did not seem right to just pass a student who so obviously lacked the skills necessary. I left the meeting angry and disillusioned.
So Shanille has a 14 grade average in my class. We had one meeting (same counselor as Serena), nothing was accomplished and no other meeting has even been called to evaluate his progress.
I fervently hope that my new grandchild possesses the innate skills to succeed in school. If not, I fear she may become one more of the students who languish in schools unnoticed.

A week ago I read in the paper that Principals will receive a $10,000 bonus for raising the graduation rate and testing results of students from the previous years performance.