I started teaching in 1962 in a Rochester, N.Y. suburb. I taught there for 11 years, two in Cobb County, Ga., six at the University of Kentucky and 20 in the city and county system of Hamilton. It was a unique experience base. I chose to work with those children that were often the worst behaved, boys nearly exclusively. What did I learn from all that exposure to the raw side of educating? The simple answer is, a lot. The more complicated answer is what does the school do to create the multiple levels of anger some children feel towards their teachers, staff and etc.
This school system has seen a lot of the dark side and most, if not all of us, are concerned enough to care that something other then the status quo must be done. Chattanooga 2.0 attempts to do just that, but who is listening? The present school board appears to be giving face time to the ordeal of how to manage the schools and then seemingly in the face of the caring public put Kirk Kelly in charge. Nothing will change in this community until the community demands changes and that can come from voters selecting new board members most likely to succeed.
Many children in the inner city never have a chance at what could be an exemplary education. The same education that children receive at Normal Park Elementary should be standard for all. Changes must be made to what is education for the poor. The person or persons that advocates for that change might change what is the inner city of any city. All it takes is one or two brave people willing to stand for change, not watch status quo be foisted upon us all.
Robert Brooks