Comments on: UWS parents and politicos took central role in McCourt’s building http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Furtgo http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-217620 Furtgo Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:25:11 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-217620 To restrict admissions to District 3 goes against the message that Frank McCourt gave us in his books. He grew as a person because he taught students from all walks of life, from all types of homes, from all 5 boroughs. It is experience that makes a great writer/journalist, and District 3 children cannot grow if they only meet those who live within a mile. As a former student of McCourt, I don't think he'd want such an insular environment. To restrict admissions to District 3 goes against the message that Frank McCourt gave us in his books. He grew as a person because he taught students from all walks of life, from all types of homes, from all 5 boroughs. It is experience that makes a great writer/journalist, and District 3 children cannot grow if they only meet those who live within a mile. As a former student of McCourt, I don’t think he’d want such an insular environment.

]]> By: Michael M. http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-213032 Michael M. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:06:00 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-213032 More from the pertinent quotes bin: "Sunlight makes the best disinfectant." -- Justice Louis Brandeis Because irony is alive and well at Tweed. Note the striking difference in the main article between the philosophies driving school size of 800-1000 per the Principal, and 432 per a DOE "spokesman." There's been a lot of charter chatter here on GS about "choice." But once a student's IN a school, especially at the high school level, choice is perhaps even MORE vital. And as Principal Danielle Salzberg wisely points out, that takes a certain scale. 108 kids per cohort ain't it. More from the pertinent quotes bin:

“Sunlight makes the best disinfectant.”
– Justice Louis Brandeis

Because irony is alive and well at Tweed.

Note the striking difference in the main article between the philosophies driving school size of 800-1000 per the Principal, and 432 per a DOE “spokesman.”

There’s been a lot of charter chatter here on GS about “choice.” But once a student’s IN a school, especially at the high school level, choice is perhaps even MORE vital. And as Principal Danielle Salzberg wisely points out, that takes a certain scale. 108 kids per cohort ain’t it.

]]> By: Arthur Goldstein http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212700 Arthur Goldstein Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:12:24 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212700 Michael M., I think Frank would agree with you completely. What a brilliant writer, what a unique voice he was. What a shame his name is used to help close yet another neighborhood school this administration deems not worth the effort to fix. Michael M.,

I think Frank would agree with you completely. What a brilliant writer, what a unique voice he was.

What a shame his name is used to help close yet another neighborhood school this administration deems not worth the effort to fix.

]]> By: Michael M. http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212692 Michael M. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:45:43 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212692 One Building ! One School !! One Community !!! Not only Mr. Klein, but everyone from both DOE and SCA who I have heard in public asking parents to find candidate locations. One Building !
One School !!
One Community !!!

Not only Mr. Klein, but everyone from both DOE and SCA who I have heard in public asking parents to find candidate locations.

]]> By: Ellen http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212678 Ellen Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:16:02 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212678 I thought that parents had no business in "the siting" of schools? or maybe Mr. Klein didn't read that memo from the Mayor? I thought that parents had no business in “the siting” of schools? or maybe Mr. Klein didn’t read that memo from the Mayor?

]]> By: Leonie Haimson http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212653 Leonie Haimson Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:55:10 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212653 Frank McCourt was a powerful advocate for smaller classes; and he clearly expressed his distaste for the policies of the Bloomberg/Klein administration. I wonder if those priorities will be realized in the school named after him. It would be truly tragic if they were not. See my huffington post column on this; called "What Frank McCourt Could Teach Joel Klein and Arne Duncan" Question: why does the DOE stubbornly stick to creating schools of 500 or less students; long after the Gates foundation and other groups have found that they have no advantage over larger schools, and in fact, are inefficient as to the use of space and resources? Frank McCourt was a powerful advocate for smaller classes; and he clearly expressed his distaste for the policies of the Bloomberg/Klein administration. I wonder if those priorities will be realized in the school named after him. It would be truly tragic if they were not. See my huffington post column on this; called “What Frank McCourt Could Teach Joel Klein and Arne Duncan”
Question: why does the DOE stubbornly stick to creating schools of 500 or less students; long after the Gates foundation and other groups have found that they have no advantage over larger schools, and in fact, are inefficient as to the use of space and resources?

]]> By: Michael Fiorillo http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212526 Michael Fiorillo Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:35:01 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212526 One irony of this regime naming a school after Frank McCourt is that, were he teaching today there'd be a strong likelihood that he'd be in the rubber room or an ATR. His style of teaching - open-ended, informal, humanistic, anecdotal, digressive - would make a him a target of the Neo-Taylorists who are taking over the schools. And that's to say nothing of his honesty and good sense, which would have doomed him, as well. One irony of this regime naming a school after Frank McCourt is that, were he teaching today there’d be a strong likelihood that he’d be in the rubber room or an ATR. His style of teaching – open-ended, informal, humanistic, anecdotal, digressive – would make a him a target of the Neo-Taylorists who are taking over the schools.

And that’s to say nothing of his honesty and good sense, which would have doomed him, as well.

]]> By: peter http://gothamschools.org/2009/10/20/uws-parents-and-politicos-took-central-role-in-mccourts-building/comment-page-1/#comment-212487 peter Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:59:23 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=25445#comment-212487 A simple question: Will the phaseout Brandeis and the new schools have adequate space? the planners of the school keep calling for an 800-1000 seat school ... the DOE for a 432 seat school, the phaseout of Brandeis is a four year process ... I foresee that "fighting for space" that has characterized too many campuses. A simple question: Will the phaseout Brandeis and the new schools have adequate space? the planners of the school keep calling for an 800-1000 seat school … the DOE for a 432 seat school, the phaseout of Brandeis is a four year process … I foresee that “fighting for space” that has characterized too many campuses.

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