Judge: Some Low-Performing Schools Remain a 'Mess'

Raleigh, N.C. — A judge on Thursday chastised several North Carolina school districts, saying improvements he ordered in dozens of low-performing schools are too slow in coming.

Superior Court Judge Howard Manning has been pushing education reform in poor school districts for almost a decade while overseeing the Leandro case, which found the state provided inadequate support to many schools in rural areas.

Educational groups pressing for more changes more quickly at the schools outlined numerous deficiencies in a letter to Manning, which irrittated the judge.

"Do you think that I'm dumb? That I don't know what's going on?" he asked them.

Manning said he has visited 13 of the schools involved in the suit and told officials in various districts Thursday that he doesn't like what he sees.

"In some of these high schools, they're making some progress. In some of them, the lights aren't on," he said, calling some of the 35 schools the case is designed to help "a mess."

Pat Ashley, the state director of high school improvement, said 17 of the schools have a plan about how they will move forward, while the other 18 are working on plans.

"They have good frameworks for action that are a start, but they need to be in a plan of continuous improvement. They don't need to be satisfied if they just accomplish what's on this list because there is a big hill to climb," Ashley said.

Some of the schools have received help from the state in the form of leadership training for principals and curriculum specialists. Many also have started freshman academies to get students off on the right foot in high school.

But Manning said students are being passed along in many school districts and simply aren't ready for high school.

"The daggone principals at the middle schools ought to be skinned for turning them out like that," he said. "The school improvement plan isn't worth the paper it's written on unless people are actually doing what the school improvement plan says."

Some testimony focused on programs that are working to help young people, and the judge said those programs should be role models for other school districts.

Teachers said schools should challenge students but must also be available for them if they need help.

"I think that will make a substantial difference in the citizens that we produce," said Kristin Cuilla of East Wake Technology High School.

Manning said he would revisit the case by mid-summer.

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NC Teacher

I do not understand how your students have made it that far. My son has speech and fine motor delays and receives services for it. They are quick to point out when my son is behind and that he could be retained. He is only in the second grade. They even sent a PE progess report that graded him below level because he can not jump rope.

poohperson2000
April 23, 2007 4:42 p.m.

The whole system is a complete mess with little chance of improvement. To show the lack of priority schooling has in this area. my son's school had some mportant meetings scheduled for March. those meetings were rescheduled because they were in conflict with the NCAA tornament. Give me a break, a basketball games is more important than your childs education. And then you complain that the schools suck. Get your priorities straight, turn off the TV, and get involved. No, someone hitting a 3 pointer is not as important as your childs school meeting. I am personal outragged that they would change a meeting over something as stupid as a basketball game. Grow up folks. College basketball sucks and should never have presidence over your kids school

refiman
April 20, 2007 8:57 p.m.

Until you have parents or guardians rise up to their responsibility of teaching the proper human interaction skills, morals, ethics, positive attibutes and a host of other tools required to live harmoniously in society, you will see very little improvement. Teachers can't do it alone, nor should they have to. Unfortunately, too many parents are illequipped for, or indifferent to, their parenting responsibilities.

yruatwit
April 20, 2007 3:20 p.m.

Independent Thinker---

THINK!!

Fun
April 19, 2007 11:19 p.m.

Rev. RB, How do you measure success? Is it only by the paycheck? If so, perhaps a reevaluation is in order. I try to mesure someone's success as to how they have used and responded to their potential. If I see a student who's not capable of obtaining a college degree but uses all potential and is successful at his vocation and then I see a student who is academically gifted but wastes his gift by flunking out of college and just manages to get by, I certainly think the more successful of the two is the student who rises to his potential. And just for the record, Judge Howard Manning is a N.C. Superior Court Judge NOT a federal judge.