Orr Parents tell Councilmember Catania: Our Children Deserve Classrooms
By Candi Peterson
I've covered the story about Orr elementary school in SE Washington, DC since I visited and learned of special needs students being taught in a vault and a music classroom with 42 students, much to my horror back in January 2014. I attempted to no avail to get the mainstream media including Bruce Johnson to cover this story. I even posted photos of the Vault classroom but Chancellor Henderson told Bruce Johnson there was absolutely no validity to my claims despite photos and my actual live reporting that I stood inside the vault classroom and certainly there's no denying that I am a newsworthy credible source dating back to the Michelle Rhee days. Afterall I warranted my blog was mentioned in Michelle Rhee's book, The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on The Nations Worst District.
.Here's an update on a recent meeting parents held with Councilmember David Catania, and also chairman of the Education Committee and mayoral hopeful. Allyson Criner Brown, Associate Director of Teaching for Change who works with the parents of Orr in a partnership and advocates for modernization of the school wrote me the following email about the meeting with Mr. Catania: " Hi Candi, We had a very good meeting with David Catania. Parents took him on a tour of the building and I asked the teacher of the vault classroom to leave the Masterlock key so we could take him into the vault. He and his staff were stunned. We had about 30 parents that evening, plus kids and staff. Maybe 80 people or so in all. His staff said they'd never seen turnout like that in Ward 8. The principal welcomed Catania before leaving. We alerted his staff about our concerns with the principal but that we wouldn't address them that night. Parents noticed she didn't make arrangements so she could stay and advocate for the school...
Have a great weekend, I'll be in touch.-Allyson"
Too Bad Principal Niyeka Wilson couldn't make arrangements to stay and advocate for Orr Elementary School and her students. Shame on her.
Cross posted from Teaching for Change:
Orr (DCPS) parents invited David Catania, Councilmember and chair of the Education Committee, to hear their stories and tour the building which badly needs modernization. Nearly 30 parents attended with th