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Gatsby
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
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 Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:54 am Post subject: Entire Dallas, Texas, School District flunks math |
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Didn't the idea for No Child Left Behind originate from the wonderful job done by the Texas schools under George Bush?
Well, a tiny little error in arithmetic has left 375 teachers behind.
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Math mistake sees hundreds of teachers laid off
(CNN) -- The Dallas, Texas, school district laid off hundreds of teachers Thursday to avoid a projected $84 million deficit.
Second-grade teacher Sandy Keaton says her students lose with the Dallas schools job cuts.
"Today is a day of tremendous sadness throughout the district," Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said in a written statement.
"These teachers and counselors are people who devoted themselves to helping Dallas students, and we will do everything within our power to help them find new jobs."
The district laid off 375 teachers and 40 counselors and assistant principals Thursday, and transferred 460 teachers to other schools within the district.
The deficit was caused by a massive miscalculation in the budget, CNN affiliate WFAA-TV reported.
Children, one crying, crowded Thursday around Mary Crose, a music teacher at San Jacinto Elementary School.
"I've had them since they were in kindergarten," she told The Dallas Morning News, as she wrapped her arms around two of the children. "We've been through a lot at our school, and it's going to be so hard. We need the prayers and support of everyone in Dallas."
"Why do you have to leave?" a girl wailed, through her tears.
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"I've been looking at some of the notes they've already written," Crose said, unfolding several pieces of notebook paper. A pink heart had been drawn on one. Words were scrawled on others in crayon.
"My kids are going to lose out because I'm a very good teacher, and so they're going to lose out because they won't have me," a tearful Sandy Keaton, a second-grade teacher at San Jacinto Elementary, told WFAA. Watch teacher's tearful lament �
The 375 teachers represent about 3 percent of the district's more than 11,500 teachers. Last week, 152 employees -- including clerks, office managers and teacher assistants -- voluntarily left their jobs, the district said. On September 29, 62 central staff members lost their jobs.
Voluntarily resignations and transfers spared 88 jobs, WFAA reported.
The district estimates that the job cuts and unfilled vacancies will save $30 million. An additional $38 million will be saved by cutting various programs throughout the district.
The Dallas Independent School District is the nation's 12th largest, with more than 160,000 students.
"The children are going to suffer," Karina Colon, a prekindergarten bilingual teacher at San Jacinto Elementary, told The Dallas Morning News.
Colon kept her job, but was crying for her colleagues. "I should feel happy," she said.
The Dallas Independent School District will hold a job fair Tuesday for all employees who were given notice. More than 110 employers will attend the fair, which was put together by the district, the United Way and the Dallas Regional Chamber. |
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/10/17/dallas.schools/index.html |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:34 am Post subject: Re: Entire Dallas, Texas, School District flunks math |
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| Gatsby wrote: |
Didn't the idea for No Child Left Behind originate from the wonderful job done by the Texas schools under George Bush?
Well, a tiny little error in arithmetic has left 375 teachers behind.
| Quote: |
Math mistake sees hundreds of teachers laid off
(CNN) -- The Dallas, Texas, school district laid off hundreds of teachers Thursday to avoid a projected $84 million deficit.
Second-grade teacher Sandy Keaton says her students lose with the Dallas schools job cuts.
"Today is a day of tremendous sadness throughout the district," Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said in a written statement.
"These teachers and counselors are people who devoted themselves to helping Dallas students, and we will do everything within our power to help them find new jobs."
The district laid off 375 teachers and 40 counselors and assistant principals Thursday, and transferred 460 teachers to other schools within the district.
The deficit was caused by a massive miscalculation in the budget, CNN affiliate WFAA-TV reported.
Children, one crying, crowded Thursday around Mary Crose, a music teacher at San Jacinto Elementary School.
"I've had them since they were in kindergarten," she told The Dallas Morning News, as she wrapped her arms around two of the children. "We've been through a lot at our school, and it's going to be so hard. We need the prayers and support of everyone in Dallas."
"Why do you have to leave?" a girl wailed, through her tears.
Don't Miss
WFAA: Dallas loses 'some of the best teachers'
Teachers want to flunk new grading policy
"I've been looking at some of the notes they've already written," Crose said, unfolding several pieces of notebook paper. A pink heart had been drawn on one. Words were scrawled on others in crayon.
"My kids are going to lose out because I'm a very good teacher, and so they're going to lose out because they won't have me," a tearful Sandy Keaton, a second-grade teacher at San Jacinto Elementary, told WFAA. Watch teacher's tearful lament �
The 375 teachers represent about 3 percent of the district's more than 11,500 teachers. Last week, 152 employees -- including clerks, office managers and teacher assistants -- voluntarily left their jobs, the district said. On September 29, 62 central staff members lost their jobs.
Voluntarily resignations and transfers spared 88 jobs, WFAA reported.
The district estimates that the job cuts and unfilled vacancies will save $30 million. An additional $38 million will be saved by cutting various programs throughout the district.
The Dallas Independent School District is the nation's 12th largest, with more than 160,000 students.
"The children are going to suffer," Karina Colon, a prekindergarten bilingual teacher at San Jacinto Elementary, told The Dallas Morning News.
Colon kept her job, but was crying for her colleagues. "I should feel happy," she said.
The Dallas Independent School District will hold a job fair Tuesday for all employees who were given notice. More than 110 employers will attend the fair, which was put together by the district, the United Way and the Dallas Regional Chamber. |
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/10/17/dallas.schools/index.html |
Well, this wouldn't be the first time that DISD has done this. I know a lot about DISD. When George Bush was governor and after, they covered up the drop out rate. The school districts of Houston and Dallas are a big joke and Dallas is one of the first in America, and that's horrible considering that it's the 12th largest in the nation. The school district is worse than many of the schools in third world countries. For years, the administrators were trying to hide the gang problem from the media and all kinds of other problems including 25 kindergarteners assaulting each other. It is not unusual to see huge fights in the schools of Dallas.
There was also a graduation factory in Dallas where they would pass a bunch of students. Recently, one of the deans at one of the largest schools in Dallas was arrested for forging so many grades. |
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Kikomom
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: them thar hills--Penna, USA--Zippy is my kid, the teacher in ROK. You can call me Kiko
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:19 am Post subject: |
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Maybe they need Bill Ayers in Dallas showing them how to run things. (Blow them up and start all over)  |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:44 am Post subject: Re: Entire Dallas, Texas, School District flunks math |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
Well, this wouldn't be the first time that DISD has done this. I know a lot about DISD. When George Bush was governor and after, they covered up the drop out rate. The school districts of Houston and Dallas are a big joke and Dallas is one of the first in America, and that's horrible considering that it's the 12th largest in the nation. The school district is worse than many of the schools in third world countries. For years, the administrators were trying to hide the gang problem from the media and all kinds of other problems including 25 kindergarteners assaulting each other. It is not unusual to see huge fights in the schools of Dallas.
There was also a graduation factory in Dallas where they would pass a bunch of students. Recently, one of the deans at one of the largest schools in Dallas was arrested for forging so many grades. |
So, what to do? |
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cangel
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
Location: Jeonju, S. Korea
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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| This happened in Minnesotta years ago and the school district got sued. There is no way for them to lay off so man yteachers at once. If they do need to lay off this many people, most teachers' unions apply a rolling layoff based on seniority. This is where the state of Texas needs to 2-step in and ask some serious questions. The first person to go would be everyone in the district's accounting office! |
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nakamurahikaru
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Kikomom wrote: |
| Maybe they need Bill Ayers in Dallas showing them how to run things. (Blow them up and start all over) |
Kikomom,
I couldn't agree with you more. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:38 am Post subject: Re: Entire Dallas, Texas, School District flunks math |
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| mises wrote: |
| Adventurer wrote: |
Well, this wouldn't be the first time that DISD has done this. I know a lot about DISD. When George Bush was governor and after, they covered up the drop out rate. The school districts of Houston and Dallas are a big joke and Dallas is one of the first in America, and that's horrible considering that it's the 12th largest in the nation. The school district is worse than many of the schools in third world countries. For years, the administrators were trying to hide the gang problem from the media and all kinds of other problems including 25 kindergarteners assaulting each other. It is not unusual to see huge fights in the schools of Dallas.
There was also a graduation factory in Dallas where they would pass a bunch of students. Recently, one of the deans at one of the largest schools in Dallas was arrested for forging so many grades. |
So, what to do? |
There should be more transparency. There has to be a more effective way to monitor school districts and their budgets. How can they overestimate the amount of money they had like that to the tune of $84 million. That's quite excessive, and Dallas supposedly has a shortage as it is.
The district loses around 50% of its new teachers within 5 years.
The schools should be monitored by the federal government to ensure there is no corruption, misappropriation of funds etc...Many of the students at DISD expect their grades handed to them. I am not sure whose fault that is....
Last edited by Adventurer on Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:57 am Post subject: |
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| I wish they would realize that it's better to invest in the truly intelligent and put the others to work. That would help productivity a bit |
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