Florida School Board Sued for Unequal Education

www.foxnews.com ^ | 11/18/2005

[pleikumud]

Florida School Board Sued for Unequal Education Friday, November 18, 2005

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A first-of-its-kind class-action lawsuit in Pinellas County, Fla., could force the local school board to reveal how it teaches and disciplines its 20,000 black students, who struggle academically in disproportionate numbers to students of other races.

"Public education, to me personally, is specifically set up to dumb us down," said William Crowley, who filed the lawsuit.

Click in the video box to the right to watch a report by FOX News' Orlando Salinas.

Crowley said the white-run school system allowed his son to fall behind. His remedy doesn't call for monetary remuneration. Instead, he said he wants the system fixed.

"The facts are overwhelming and not just in Pinellas County, but nationwide, there is a high failure rate of black students across this country," Crowley said.

The lawsuit cites a consistent gap between black and white high-school graduates in Pinellas County. The class failure rate is more than twice as high among blacks. Discipline problems are 39 percent more frequent than with white students.

School board Superintendent Clayton Wilcox says the explanation is simple: More black students break the rules. He says his teachers can't be held accountable for life lessons some students never learned at home.

[Roccus]

So long as the black community disdainfully looks on good comportment and studiousness as "acting too white," this problem will never be solved.

[commish]

Agree with the expense part. Ours was $5000 a year per child, but the expense was well worth the result. I was much happier with the return on that money over what Uncle Sam and the state take. Now if I could just get the tax part back and quit subsidizing substandard education for everyone else.

[nicolezmomma]

My daughter goes to a 'fundamental' public school in the heart of St. Petersburg (Pinellas County) where the riots were a few years ago.

What is the difference with a 'fundamental' school to a regular public school? Required mandatory parental involvement and student behavior standards. This system has been used to attract the rich kids to the poor neighborhoods. There is a lottery, though if the child is a minority, the waiting list is shorter.

Here is the only difference between a fundamental public school and a regular public school:

* Parents must attend monthly PTA meetings

* Parents must sign homework each night. There is homework M-Th as well as some weekends

* Discipline rules for the kids

* Dress code for the kids

* Cannot be late to school

There are no exceptions to these rules. The elementary and middle schools she attended are in the top 10% of all Florida schools. Now the parent in this suit may have a leg on his arguement because the better teachers sign up for these schools since they don't have to deal with discipline problems and are attracted to parents who are required to be involved.

However minorities have no problem getting into these schools and benefiting from the excellent education.

[nmh]

Tell me about it!

We get this measly $700. for mileage, if you qualify for their radius (20 miles) since there is no bus service. I'd love to see vouchers. Our state spends 12K per student and the results are not there.

[commish]

Having had Experience with the NC school systems I can see your daughter's success. Down here in Alabama public schools are a disgrace. THe straw that broke the camel's back for me was a letter from my Son's 9th grade english teacher -- the letter had 4 grammer error's and 11 mispellings in 4 paragraphs from someonewho was TEACHING High School English.

It was not a pretty sight when I sent the Letter back with RED PEN correction's (along with a copy to the school prinicipal).

[EVO X]

There are no exceptions to these rules

Why aren't the rules district wide?

[YOUGOTIT]

The solution, which the left-wing democrats are fighting is to give them vouchers so they can go the school of their choice.

It has been the policy of the democrat party to keep people uneducated and poor so they can buy their votes. So far it has worked, but I believe that people want to be free and educated and make their own decisions in life. To do this they need education, and not for the government run schools which cannot do their job.

[SouthernFreebird]

It was not a pretty sight when I sent the Letter back with RED PEN correction's (along with a copy to the school prinicipal).

Anyone who dares to correct the teacher would have to pull their kid out from school after that. LOL

[nicolezmomma]

This question has been asked before. I don't know the answer. My guess is because most parents can't live with the rules or are willing to enforce them with their children. They seem like pretty simple, common-sense rules. However, lots of kids get kicked out due to either their laziness or their parents'. Also, where do you put the kids that get kicked out for not following the rules if all schools have to follow the rules? Right now if a kid gets kicked out of a fundamental school, they go to a regular non-fundamental public school. Children in the non-fundamental school system can go to a school of their choice in their zone. Based upon the FCAT scores and other criteria, all schools are graded so parents understand how a school is performing and this can influence their decision on where to put their child. The truth is, most parent don't really care.

[BenLurkin]

"They believe it was an ongoing neighborhood issue that started the fight."

Here in Southern Cali, we call that "gang related".

[EVO X]

This question has been asked before

This is what could happen. I'd put it at a 50/50 chance. Mr. Crowley is going to win his lawsuit. They will end up canceling the fundamental schools becuase of the seperate rules. So instead of making conditions better for everyone, conditions will get worse.

[silverleaf]

Nice solution but it's not going to happen in our lifetimes.

What MIGHT happen is that people of all races feel free to have a dialogue about how demanding that each student develop and adhere to personal standards (including civility and respect for authority) and accountabilty for one's own acts (and acceptance of consequences), is not a "racist" value. And that those who try to use "racism" to excuse themselves and their children, be appropriately faced down.

Otherwise, the thugs, gangsta admirers, and their parents are going to wake up and find themselves all alone in our deserted public schools.

[nicolezmomma]

Nah. The fundamental schools (and their slightly watered down magnet schools) are the county's only example of educational success. Crowley has a few cajones, and is very positive of the fundamental school example and statistics. You will find no better academic performance from so many poor school kids anywhere in Florida, much less the nation.

Of course this county isn't really rich, so if this parent has the infinite supply of ACLU/NAACP lawyers on his side, you may be right. This will be the day our daughter goes to private school.

[EVO X]

I hope your right. My sarcasm meter is moderately high this morning.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"I can't believe that the teachers are not held responsible for these failures."

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. If you think it is so easy to educate black kids, why don't you go teach in an inner city school and get back to us with your success stories.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"There is something wrong and it needs to be investigated."

No Sh*t Sherlock! It has been investigated and the results of the investigation are listed in post #15 above. Now what is your solution?

[Ninian Dryhope]

I see. So there is no difference in failure rates or discipline rates in your classes?

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Also, where do you put the kids that get kicked out for not following the rules if all schools have to follow the rules?"

Digging ditches, making beds, and cleaning toilets.

[DLfromthedesert]

"In this particular situation, I'd say it's more about the breaking down of the family and this race trying to blame others for the results of the family disintegration"



Well, you have to admit they're correct in this regard. After all, it was mainly WHITE liberals that created the present welfare system that was so destructive to black families.

[Amelia]

Having had Experience [should not be capitalized] with the NC school systems I can see your daughter's success. Down here in Alabama public schools are a disgrace. THe straw that broke the camel's back for me was a letter from my Son's [should not be capitalized] 9th grade english [should be capitalized] teacher -- the letter had 4 grammer [should be spelled 'grammar'] error's [no apostrophe - the word is plural, not possessive] and 11 mispellings in 4 paragraphs from someone who was TEACHING High School English.

It was not a pretty sight when I sent the Letter [should not be capitalized] back with RED PEN correction's [no apostrophe - the word is plural, not possessive] (along with a copy to the school prinicipal [spelling should be 'principal']).

They might have gotten a good laugh out of it.