[regional_school] Re: WXXI-TV hosts forum to discuss Mayoral control of Rochester City Schools
- From: stell5@xxxxxxx
- To: regional school <regional_school@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:36:31 -0500 (EST)
Potential problems with the “ Mayoral Control of the Rochester City School
District: Citizen Survey ” by the Center for Governmental Research (attached
for your information).
1. the survey begins by characterizing the issue in the following way:
“Mayor Robert Duffy is seeking to change how the Rochester City School District
is supervised.” The use of the word “supervision” mystifies the essence of the
matter. The mayor is seeking to seize control of the city schools, he is
seeking to be the main authority over schools, the chief decision-maker. He is
seeking to eliminate the school board in effect, thereby violating the public
interest. Mayors in Chicago, NYC and DC do not “supervise” their city schools,
they control them.
2. the first question in the survey states: “Which of the following best
describes your current opinion on this proposal?” The problem with this is most
people lack any information or have only minimal information about the topic.
Many have stated they do not know what exactly to make of the issue because
basic, accurate, factual information is absent. The D&C, for example, promotes
mainly pro-mayoral control articles and the mayor has many means to make sure
his pro-mayoral control position is spread broadly. Most people seem opposed to
mayoral control or do not have a good feeling about it—even if they can’t or
don’t always articulate what they are feeling.
3. the next question asks people: “Compared to a few years ago would you
say Rochester city schools are.” This is a set-up: practically everything in
society has gotten worse over the last few years! More poverty, unemployment,
inequality, homelessness, hunger, depression, etc.
4. question four is framed this way: “When considering your position on
management of the Rochester City School District , how important are each of
the following.” The use of the word “manage” obscures what the mayor is seeking
to do: seize control of city schools. Mayors in NYC, Chicago , D.C. and
elsewhere do not “manage” the schools, they control them, they have final
authority over them, they appoint people from the private sector who are
beholden to them and carry out their dictate.
5. question three presents people with a list of things they value in and
about schools. The problem with this is that all these things (except maybe one
or two) are important and should not be pitted against each other and ranked.
6. Question four asks: “When compared to the Board of Education how
difficult do you think it would be to hold the Mayor and City Administration
accountable for student achievement?” Parents, teachers, and students in cities
where mayoral control exists have a much harder time accessing the mayor, let
alone influencing him, than they did accessing and influencing public school
boards when they existed. Every one has the experience that it is hard to get
the ear of the mayor of a large city. Everyone knows that public school boards
hold tons of meetings and basically anyone can go to these and many times can
influence things.
7. Question five, like question three, pits numerous positive things
against each other and pressures survey-takers to treat separately things that
need to be considered together and holistically.
8. question six asks: “How much do you agree or disagree with each of the
following?” Fourteen items are listed. A main problem here is that if people do
not have basic, accurate, factual information broadly and easily available to
them then the results can be used in a self-serving manner.
9. some of the remaining questions are innocuous but some could be
critiqued in ways that could probably shed light on how responses to them may
be used in a self-serving manner, especially given how unscientific many of the
other survey questions are.
Regards,
Shawgi
----- Original Message -----
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Cc: "Regional School" <regional_school@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 3:32:47 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [regional_school] WXXI-TV hosts forum to discuss Mayoral control of
Rochester City Schools
-----Original Message-----
From: Petronio, Tom
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 12:25 PM
Subject: FW: WXXI-TV hosts forum to discuss Mayoral control of Rochester City
Schools
For immediate release
Contact: Kristin Tutino, 585-258-0253
WXXI HOSTS A LIVE, TELEVISED FORUM TO ADDRESS MAYORAL CONTROL OF
ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOLS
Rochester , New York (March 10, 2010) – As the debate over mayoral
control of the Rochester City Schools continues, the Center for
Governmental Research (CGR) is conducting a scientific poll to assess
the concerns Rochester city residents have regarding the issue. In
conjunction with the poll, WXXI will host a live, televised forum to
discuss CGR’s findings and examine all viewpoints. Point by Point: A
Forum of Mayoral Control will air Thursday, April 1 at 8 p.m. on
WXXI-TV (DT21.1/cable 1011 and 11 ). WXXI is partnering with City
Newspaper and WDKX-FM to provide viewers with in-depth information
and analysis throughout the broadcast.
Mayor Bob Duffy and Rochester City School District Board President
Malik Evans will meet at WXXI studios to answer questions from
panelists: Bob Smith, host of AM 1370’s 1370 Connection; Liz Medhin,
co-host of WDKX’s Wake Up Club; and Tim Louis Macaluso, education
writer for City Newspaper. Duffy and Evans will also take questions
from a studio audience of individuals who participated in the CGR
poll.
Analysis will be provided by Joseph P. Viteritti, PhD, chair of the
Hunter College Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. Dr.
Viteritti specializes in education policy, state & local governance,
and public law, and is editor of When Mayors Take Charge: School
Governance in the City. WXXI’s News Director Julie Philipp will
moderate the forum.
Point by Point: A Forum of Mayoral Control will simulcast on AM 1370,
and will stream live on WXXI.org.
You can read more WXXI news stories about the debate regarding
mayoral control of the Rochester City Schools at [
http://interactive.wxxi.org/news/specials/mcs
]wxxi.org/news/specials/mcs.
###
WXXI is the essential, life-long educational media resource for the
Greater Rochester area. WXXI puts the community first with
programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit,
opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of diverse
community issues. Log on to wxxi.org for more information about our
services and programs.
Kristin Tutino
Station Publicist
WXXI
280 State Street
Rochester , NY 14614
(585) 258-0253
ktutino@xxxxxxxx
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