Dennis Walcott and "Failing Schools"
The New York Daily News ran an op-ed today by New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott. In it, Walcott lambastes the lawsuit being brought against the city by the UFT and the NAACP. He paints it as "the NAACP vs. schoolkids," and suggests that while the UFT and NAACP are only fighting for the adults in the system, Walcott is doing the real work to raise student achievement.
The main issue in this case is the NYC DOE's policy of closing district schools deemed to be failing and expanding charter schools, some of which are being co-located in buildings with district schools. Walcott points out that space is at a premium in New York and there is no way the department could afford enough buildings for each and every school. In doing so, however, he denies the perspective of students, parents, and teachers whose lives will be affected by these school closures and co-locations.
In his op-ed, Walcott's primary concern seems to be the "students who day after day are sitting in schools that are failing to educate them." He writes that the NAACP is arguing in favor of "consigning students to failing
The main issue in this case is the NYC DOE's policy of closing district schools deemed to be failing and expanding charter schools, some of which are being co-located in buildings with district schools. Walcott points out that space is at a premium in New York and there is no way the department could afford enough buildings for each and every school. In doing so, however, he denies the perspective of students, parents, and teachers whose lives will be affected by these school closures and co-locations.
In his op-ed, Walcott's primary concern seems to be the "students who day after day are sitting in schools that are failing to educate them." He writes that the NAACP is arguing in favor of "consigning students to failing
