The one and only clear-headed school board member was Rhonda Thurman. The I.Q. represented by her shows a level of leadership and insight missing from the other folk, highly educated in important positions of leadership in Chattanooga. Common sense, I am told, is the ability to see the train coming and you are stalled on the track. Do I save my car or do I run from the car? The school board in a word far from wise chose to stay with the car..
The schools in the city need a bold leader to begin to address the many issues that are present and will not change until and when that person or persons brings the community together with a plan. The plan, however, is not complicated nor should it be. Complications with planning leads to confusion and often failure. The schools are two. There are the old city schools and the county schools. One assistant superintendent not among the present is to be put in charge of changes in the city school complex. Many of those schools are on last rites. The other assistant superintendent can do all the rest of running the schools, including budgeting, long range planning, and building upkeep. The most important job will be that of bringing the school failures to a level of accomplishment that will put Chattanooga in a leadership position envied by the nation.
Every one of the failing elementary schools will have additional staff to work with teachers in grades 1-3. These grades are the critical link to reading success. The additional staff, trained by reading professionals, will be tasked with working with small reading groups and supervised by the classroom teacher. Each child starting in first grade will have his/her own individual education plan showing strengths, weaknesses. Each plan will have goals for achievement and children will move within the three grade model as progress continues. So, the fast moving child will move up and within this construct of grades. The slower moving child will continue to progress within his ability. Is this plan more costly? Yup. The alternative is more expensive.
Why not, say I and others, use the expertise within this rich community to bring change to both schools and community. This is not idle talk, however. The school board seems reluctant to see or maybe it is more than that. Their elected positions do give them a sense of accomplishment and status. But, the role of the school board in any community is to both set policy and follow through. Simple, isn't it? If the school board in Chattanooga cannot fulfill it's duties to the citizens perhaps it is likely that another group could, i.e. 2.0?
Robert Brooks
Chattanooga