GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

1. 

   reality-based educator

   November 16th, 2009 8:43 pm

   Michael Scott’s death has NOT been ruled a suicide. The Cook County medical examiner ruled it that, but the police have not issued an official cause of death yet and want to complete a thorough investigation before they do.

   Given the ongoing investigation into corruption in the Chicago school system during the Arne Duncan era and Scott’s subpoenaing in that case (see here http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/08/07/illinois-corruption-includes-states-largest-school-systems/) and given Scott’s failure to disclose a financial interest in an Olympic project even though he was a 2016 Olympic Committee member (see here http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-olympic-real-estate-25-sep25,0,2667598.story) and given that his family and friends saw no signs of depression or suicidal thoughts from him before his tragic end and given that it is Chicago we’re talking about here, it behooves us to await the police report before we decide Scott committed suicide.

2. 

   Marty

   November 16th, 2009 9:09 pm

   Here are some reasons why the new schools “outperform” the older ones on the report cards (based on my experience working in both, as well as stories I’ve heard from friends). First, there is a culture of fear in the new schools. Many or most teachers are untenured. Even tenured teachers tend to be less willing to stand up the principal. When you start working at these new schools someone usually whispers in your ear “pass at least 80 percent of the kids and you’ll be OK,” though the passing rate for seniors is expected to be much higher. Second, the report cards are biased against the older schools by comparing “screening” to non-screening schools. At screening schools you get the kids who show up for school regularly, while the non-screening schools have to take the truants. Furthermore, as many others have pointed out, the new schools don’t get as many special ed and ELL kids. This has a big effect on school tone and overall performance.

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