Faced with yet more challenges in the Rochester school
district, the public reaction – “get rid of Adam Urbanski”
– has been predictable. Urbanski has headed the
Rochester teachers union for 34 years, making him an easy target. But that’s
misguided. And focusing on him diverts attention from the real roots of the
district’s problems: the severe poverty in which many students live and the
community’s failure to deal with that poverty and its impact – some of that
failure based in racism.
The school district has been in crisis for a long time, and
the school board’s decision to not renew Superintendent Bolgen
Vargas’s contract has added to the tension. But Adam Urbanski
is not the reason thousands of Rochester children fail to graduate. And he’s
not the reason thousands of Rochester children who do graduate lack the
knowledge and skills to enter college or get a job.
Rochester’s child poverty rate is among the worst in the
nation. And this is a highly segregated community, racially and economically.
Growing research indicates that living in high-poverty neighborhoods has a
debilitating effect on many residents. Poverty and isolation can snuff out hope
and breed violence, and all this causes real, documentable trauma, especially
in children.
Contributing to that poverty, and exacerbating it, is racism.
The South’s history of brutal racism and segregation is well documented, but as
the current presidential campaign shows, racism knows no geographic boundaries.
And that it may sometimes be unconscious makes it no less harmful.
Local activists have charged for years that too many
Rochester teachers and administrators treat children of color differently than
they treat white children. The district’s own data, included in a report by
Metro Justice and other activist groups, indicate that in 2012-2013, black
students in Rochester were suspended more than twice as often as white students,
Latino students 1.45 times as often.
Significantly, 88 percent of the suspensions were for
non-violent offenses – usually for disruptive behavior.
Disruptive behavior is disruptive. Teachers can’t do their
job if students are talking or fighting, and certainly, teachers should be
adequately trained to keep students engaged in class.
But some students’ behavior is much more than “disruptive.”
During a protest at the school board meeting last week, Edison teachers told of
verbal assaults and threats, students shoving them against the wall as they
tried to break up fights, large groups of students skipping class and hanging
out in halls smoking pot.
For several years, the district has struggled to find a way to
deal with students’ behavior problems without suspending students. Too often,
seemingly good ideas weren’t executed well. Too little
staffing.Too little training.Too little communication.Too little
funding.Too little oversight.
Earlier this year came more ideas, from a district Task
Force on School Climate. Its recommendations included training staff better on
how to help students who need support, improving parent engagement, and
mandatory anti-racism training.
That is important, and it will take all of that and more. Certainly
teachers must be receptive to change. But teachers are not miracle workers.
They are not psychologists, and they are not social workers. And public attacks
on teachers – and an attack on Urbanski is an attack
on teachers, who elected him to lead their union – distracts us from the
enormous challenge ahead of us.
Some of Urbanski’s critics say
that as student achievement has declined, Adam Urbanski
has been the one constant. Nope. The big constants have been poverty, its
concentration in city neighborhoods, and racism.
Attacking those constants will take enormous effort and
leadership, by the entire community – city and suburban, public sector and
regional business people, elected officials of all parties, unions, activist
groups, and ordinary citizens.
Calling for Adam Urbanski to
resign may make us feel good. But can we just stop throwing stones and start
addressing the problems of poverty and racism, together?
This article appears in Nov 25 – Dec 1, 2015.
Reading the headline, I thought this would be an article I could agree with. But, then Towler went back to blaming everything but the actually problem in the RCSD, especially this imaginary segregation and racism.
Again, the RCSD is the LEAST segregated school district in Monroe county, so how’s that work out?
I think the problem with Dr. Urbanski is the same problem with Dr. Vargas. They seemed to be “untouchables”. And throughout the District there are more “untouchables in high places.” These people do not have to listen, as long as they have their jobs. And so you have an attitude of deafness to outside ideas and criticisms.
Yes, I agree that the problem is “poverty”, a poverty of fresh ideas and hope.
Why not try new leadership? Why must we continue being BORED of EDUCATION? Where is our excitement to reinvent education? It starts with inspiring and open minded leadership.
I don”t get it…
http://www.SavingSchools.org
Mary Anna, you are correct to point out that Urbanski is not the problem in city schools; however you continue to mistakenly redirect the blame on “concentrated” poverty and racism.
You “cherry pick” and take data out of context to support your claim, like:
” in 2012-2013, black students in Rochester were suspended more than twice as often as white students, Latino students 1.45 times as often.”
Well of course that’s true because the overwhelmingly majority of students in the RCSD are black and Latino, not white.
Although poverty is a viable obstacle for many to succeed, there have been many programs offered by the Federal gov. to help those who want to succeed and are willing to work for it; many just do not take advantage of that.
To gift all people living in poverty with an entitlement without any payback, on their part, is just unfair to those who have toiled their whole lives, paid into the social security system, and continue to contribute to our society,
There is personal responsibility, that EVERYONE should take to better themselves.
For those who are truly unable to help themselves, there is help but to say one needs help because of their race, religion or belief (nowadays) is wrong (in my opinion).
I know you will continue to hammer us with this “concentrated poverty/ racism” scapegoat thing but you are spinning your wheels in a mud bath. ( in my opinion)
Don is right on. Earlier this month we were treated to this gem out of the RCSD. Now, he’s black and lives in the city. Isn’t he supposed to be a victim of racism and poverty? The truth is each individual holds their future in their own hands. Why is this such a hard concept for so many, like Towler, to grasp?
“I just worked hard and I got an $88,000 scholarship,” Radcliffe exclaimed. “Now I’m going to school for free!”
What an amazing concept. Working hard pays off no matter your race or economic status.
http://13wham.com/news/local/rcsd-senior-e…
Agree with the general argument from the others. I am tired of City giving excuses when you could be giving solutions. Poverty is an issue-of course, but there are successful classrooms and schools around and instead of digging deeper and finding out they are doing, for 20 years you have blamed poverty. How depressing is that? As some people say say, “If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem.” Are you brave enough to print solutions?
The democrats have been in charge of both the city and it’s school district for as long as I can remember. Maybe that is why there is so many problems with the income disparity and RSCD. Seriously, for Mary Anna to continue week after week spouting the same old garbage week after week is simply a waste of space. And then to continuously endorse the lefties! Jeez, for the sake of the children and the very survival of this city what is your problem???
Despite the comings and goings of school superintendents and, occasionally, school board members, the only constant factor in the RCSD is Adam Urbanski.
We might as well face it, there is no way to fix the RCSD. It is broken beyond repair.
We should sack the whole lot of them.
While I am loathe to entrust the school system to Mayor Warren and her gang, I think that it’s time to opt for mayoral control of the schools.
The mayor certainly couldn’t do worse than they have.
Even she didn’t entrust the education of her child to them.
Urbanski does nothing to help students and it is not his job to help students. Urbanski supposedly helps and protects teachers.
After 34 years of changes, Urbanski has remained. That says something. Maybe he is more of a problem than a solution. New blood at the top of RTA might work wonders. To discount his bad influence on all that is wrong in RCSD is a mistake.
This is why I stopped writing to City. I was wasting my time. Unless you have worked in the RCSD(or probably any urban district) you (suburban letter writers) don’t get it and you never will. I appreciate Ms. Tower continuing to make an effort , but she is banging her head on the wall. David Reilly.