Ken Eastwood won’t be a consultant studying the Rochester City School District after all, according to a statement today from the New York State Education Department. Commissioner MaryEllen Elia rescinded his appointment to the job, “after he could not come to an agreement with the school board on the terms of his contract,” Elia’s statement says.
In late March, Elia announced that Eastwood would be a “distinguished educator,” a decision she made because of concern about the district’s ongoing problems with improving student performance. He was to assess the district’s operations and make recommendations for improvement. But the Rochester school district was to pay his salary, and the school board was to be responsible for negotiating his contract and salary.
“We didn’t end the negotiations,” Board President Van White said in a phone interview today. “We fully expected him to start work on April 26. We had an office cleared for him near the superintendent’s office.”
White said he asked Elia if there was something the board did in the negotiating process to cause the change in decision. “She said, ‘Absolutely not,'” White said.
This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2018.
This story isn’t anything new. It is a recurrent story happening across the country. Think about it: if you were an educator administrator would you want to go to a City school district? The challenges are insurmountable compared to a Suburban school district. The number of disenfranchised parents, students, and educators are astronomical when compared to a suburban area. Parents don’t care, students don’t care, and the teachers don’t care. Why? Because they are impoverished. We need to offer more aid to our city residents and less aid to others in our State. By assisting the desolate we can help lift them up to be more productive. They will be able to purchase the better things in life like fine tea from China while growing like their brethren in the Suburbs. Then, and only then, will we be able to attract talented school administrators who are in it for the children and not just the money.
Nonsense. The overwhelming majority of students care and care a great deal. The overwhelming majority of their parents care and care a great deal. The overwhelming majority of teachers and school leaders care and care a great deal. What we DON’T need is any more bile from the I-love-to-hate-the-city-school-district crowd, who love having nothing to offer except their hatred.
Based on contacts that I have with teachers in the district, it seems like it’s certainly a major stretch to say that the overwhelming majority of students care a great deal. Possibly the majority of parents do (although maybe not an “overwhelming majority”), and the majority of teachers and school leaders.