was laisser faire ? Conservative
thought from Burke and Hamilton to Reagan. Less government is better government
and equality is the enemy of freedom. An idea of the rich.
The second way
was a passion for equality and
social planning. Government benefits were a payment for social stability
and progress. Tradition liberal thought was about how government should
solve problems. An idea of the poor.
The third way
is about the new economy and growth.
Good jobs are the best benefit and individual wealth the best security.
The third way depends on practical fiscal and monetary policy and
education and training to develop the skills and attitudes necessary for
a rapidly changing global economy.
The issue is that public schools, colleges and most of us are not
ready.
The Democrats have decided that a new benefit ( drugs for Medicare
) will win the election. Republicans are stuck with tax cuts. Neither they
are the third parties have faced the issue.
Through real educational opportunity the passion for equality ( of
opportunity not results ) and the passion for less government and more
freedom of choice can be a reality in peoples lives. BUT no one is prepared,
no one knows how to do it, and resources are wasted in anti-terrorism,
missile defense, and 1000’s of lower priory but more historic issues.
The shift from agricultural workers to the assembly line was traumatic
but a lot easier.
The shift from manufacture to services has gone fairly
smoothly.
The shift to global trade has not caused a panic. But the shift
from low skilled and routine jobs to intellectual capital is much more
difficult.
The shift from low skilled and routine schools and colleges
to intellectual and creative life time learning centers and abilities is
even harder. It is a process not a product. A process of constant improvement
and change.
As parents we are challenged by industrial age education. As a society
we really have to pay attention and go outside the dots.
Continued on - please let me know about errors ! Some of these pages date back up to 10 years ( 1992 ) and have been through many editors and transfers. News about what's happening and for updates use GlobalVillage Excite NewsSearch -
Continued on - please let me know about errors ! Some of these pages date back up to 10 years ( 1992 ) and have been through many editors and transfers. News about what's happening and for updates use GlobalVillage Excite NewsSearch -
Dr. Peter E. Pflaum, AB ( Univ. of Chicago ) Ed. M. ( Harvard
) Ph.D. ( Florida State ) &
225 Robinson Road
PO Box 2176, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170-2176
904 428 9609
Monday, June 19, 2000 4:01:59 PM
I. Agenda:
In order to have a more useful conference or meeting it is common to
understand and agree to an agenda.
The reason is to focus attention on
substitutive issues and not wander around, decrease rather than increase
the chances of misunderstanding or "gripe" secession without positive outcomes.
Is this possible ?
If so it would be a wonderful outcome and would help fix the problems
not the blame.
There is the type I error of rejecting issues when they
are in fact true and significant , there is also the type II error of accepting
gripes about hard work or high standards or other false, insignificant
or invalid complaints.
This is why review is so important and procedures ( simple forms of
due process ) are critical in all institutions and civilized societies
at all times. Due process is no more than an established course for proceedings
or other activities designed to safeguard the rights of the individuals
and getting at the truth. It also is the way to institutional self renewal
and examination. Power corrupts and un-examined power corrupts for longer
and harder to stop. Microsoft can write great software without monopoly
power over the closed standards of the OS - and in fact with open standards
all the users would be better off. Father Lopez can follow a tradition
of excellence without by passing due process and the goals of an open society,
in fact open standards will improve the process and product.
Competition, free markets, democratic process, elections, free debate
and open discussion and freedom of information, are all ways civilization
has crept to being more open, flexible and therefore successful.
The new
economy has a different social as well as economic model - using team work
and flexible organizational structures. Bureaucracy was a product of the
industrial revolution and large scale organizations. Ad-hoc-racy is the
pattern of new global knowledge based organizations.
CE21 ( Catholic Education for the 21st Century ) must prepare students
for a competitive, global economy where the ability to take in new information,
understand new paradigms and models, rethink common practices, and invent
the future is critical.
This is a challenge for an institution seeped in tradition, centralized
authority and resistant to the changes in the secular world such as public
schools. Catholic education can be more flexible and relevant in response
and gain a huge advantage over state run monopoly institutions.
Ad-hoc-racy required a higher ethical and professional standard. Since
there can not be close supervision of knowledge work it depends on the
personal commitments of individuals to follow best practice, to be honest
and open, do what they say and say what they do. We move from shame ( not
getting caught ) and guilt ( or someone will find out, God knows ) to pride
and self-worth - I only do my best - that is the way I am. Pride comes
form organizations and families that promote it - the Marines and the Church
and for me and my house we will follow the lord’s way.
Good faith meeting are based on the understanding that there is the
reasonable possibility of change.
The hope is something will happen and
be different, people will listen, learn and act differently.
So the first item has to be is there a reasonable chance of something
being changed.
Since Sara no longer has Mrs. Wolf, or Mr. Nave the issue with them,
maybe considered moot, but if it they are to be reviewed: I first ask if
Mrs. Wolf has any intention of making a change in the crossword assignment
or selection of primary reading in her classes based on established practices
in teaching of literature in High Schools ? Is Mr. Nave ready to review
the connection between the curriculum, the subjects taught and his tests
as reflected in his grade book and final grades as established practice
in professional education ? If not then I see no point in a discussion
of these issues with these persons since I have made our side clear and
they will not or can not ( are too stubborn or not competent to ) change
because of anything we say or do.
But this kind of problems has raised a more important issue - Since
the teacher and parent can not solve the problem, or the issue is with
the principle ( the awards issue ) the problem then becomes:
Is there an approved administration procedures to raise the issue at
a different level - department chairperson or principles office and can
these people implement changes if they are desired ? Can teachers be ordered
or requested to make changes, according to established professional practice
or other guidelines and if so by whom if not what then ? If the problem
is with the principle, what then ?
I will ask if the Office of Christian Life Education of the Diocese
of Orlando has any procedures for review of issues raised with unprofessional
instruction, teacher competency, and relevance of material actually taught
and grading practices or ethical issues about a teacher ( selling grades
or awards ) or the principle ( the withholding of awards issue ). Should
parents be informed of the correct methods for raising issues with the
teacher, then if not solved at that level, with others including the principle,
and if still unresolved to some outside or higher level.
This may require setting into action clear policies of the school for
parent involvement by the establishment of written, distributed, and simple
process of working through problems with a number of levels of review when
they can not be solved quickly at that level.
The teacher, the chairperson,
the principle, or his "academic deputy" , the school board, and Office
of Christian Life Education of the Diocese of Orlando should have the administrative
authority to review, investigate and solve problems.
Friday, June 09, 2000
Mr. David D. Gonsalves
Principal, Father Lopez High School
Dear David:I assume the official policy of the school follows the policy of the
Office of Christian Life Education of the Diocese of Orlando promoting
an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, cooperation, and support.
All the issues and problems in this long review are the result of your
not establishing this policy into practice.
The operational policy is exactly
the opposite to avoid any inputs from parents.
The working policy is to
attack parents as trouble makers if they say anything.
The real goal is
to silence parents and to get them to withdraw their children or keep silent.
Everything else flows from the fact of there being no respect for parents
ideas or suggestions, no trust of between the parents and the principal,
stone walling and attacking rather than cooperation, ( except forced voluntary
activities ) and no support in finding solutions to any issues.
There are
no PTA or ways of participation other than the booster club.
(
There is mention of a PTA but not listed in the directory, I was informed
that the school board plays no part in instructional issues )
To bring this point home to us Sara who has a 4.2 average in Summa -
NHS - but not a prize this term while she took the majority of prizes last
year. -
Why ?
The principal denied her the rewards she had earned because we
were not silent enough to met your requirements of passive parents. Thought
you strongly deny this any other explanation is incredible.
She took it very well - she knows there is no merit in the merit awards
- just a worthless piece of paper - but we did not take it well because
of the professional and moral questions it represents. How is Sara going
to respect a school that behaves in this way ? Last year Mr. Nave sold
prizes for supplies ! He wanted to sell grades last year but was stopped
or gave it up.
As for your rude and discourteous ramblings in response to my reasonable,
professional and clear requests it fits the pattern of your behavior. As
a administrator you are a negative partner in this educational process,
a clearly hostile to any parent involvement, to anyone or anything that
questions your actions or lack of action.
In conclusion, Sara will be returning to a less than perfect Father
Lopez despite the short coming and lack of principle of the principal.
- I will be please work with you to help make Father Lopez a better place.
I will continue to offer constructive criticism, as I always have; I expect
that we all can behave as educational professionals and constrain ourselves
from the use of destruction diatribes and inappropriate conduct.
We will work with you and Sara and her teachers at Lopez toward developing
the whole person as well as a true professions who while excellent in academic
pursuits will not be without social awareness and a clear sense of values.
Our success is predicated on a smooth working relationship with her teachers,
the office and other parents. To assure this success, I must rely on the
support of all the members of the Lopez community, and the Christian Life
Education of the Diocese of Orlando and the School Board if it is functional.
We have not suddenly become the terrible people you describe in your
letter. I suggest a outside teacher or administrator from the educational
office or a quality Catholic High School such as Bishop Moore Catholic
High School, Orlando, Florida, A premier Catholic High School associated
with the Diocese of Orlando review the facts about Mr. Nave and Mrs. Wolf.
Someone should make an independent review of the facts of this case. You
claim they should reject any complaints from us because we are unreasonable,
excessiveness, violence, INTEMPERANCE people who have disrupted your school.
But what if that is not the real story?
We assert the current state of affairs is caused by a total lack
of response from the school to polite and orderly requests then there was
vengeance on Sara because we were not quiet enough. We claim that intemperance
is not our history or temperament but it is the other way around. You attacked
first - and always attack as a answer to any and all issues. While you
say -
"Father Lopez provides an outstanding education to students in the Catholic
tradition. ( I did not go to Catholic schools so perhaps bulling, intimidation
and "we are always right, anyone else is wrong and a trouble maker" is
central to Catholic tradition ? ) A large part of our success can be attributed
to an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, cooperation, and support It
has become obvious to me that you do not subscribe to this philosophy.
I had hoped that, for Sara's sake, we could work out our differences. However!
the last incident at the Parent Information Night leads me to believe that
this is not possible. ( Within the first few weeks of the start of school
last year, 1998 ) "
Your actions do not conform what you say you do or want. Your goals
have always been to silence and limit participation.
There is no PTA or
real departments or other channels of communication. It is all one person,
one way, top down.
I think the first attack was because I made suggestions how freshmen
could be more welcomed and supported during the first few weeks of school.
Many of the other parents agreed. Your response was to Attacked - Attack
- Attack and - threaten - threaten - It is your principal style.
We took Sara to the IB but she didn’t want to go there.
We understood and were silent.
There are few or no parent meetings all meeting are one way - you talk
we listen.
Then again I was attacked because I asked Mr. Nave what were his goals
in teaching science. Again I was silent.
I was censured because you seemed to have formed an impression of incidents
from second hand reports without being there or asking me. Again you jump
to conclusions without any effort to examine the facts.
I am denounced because I asked about a useless but major assignment
( the cross word puzzle ) which any professional will find bizarre.
We have been driven to distraction over two years and have raised our
level of discomfort because we were forced into silence and get no response
to simple and reasonable requests except to be reviled and after the awards
issue, we have attacked back.
"Mr. Pflaum, your assessment of our academic program, ( what are the
facts ? ) and your persistent insinuations ( no not an insinuation - it
is a direct statement ) of a concerted plot on my part to deprive your
daughter of earned awards is way off base and borders on libel. ( so do
something - about it ) I am afraid, however, that anything I state in this
letter will lead to a waste of paper. For Sara's benefit I have attempted
to downplay your conduct in the past. At this time, however, I want to
set the record straight and ask you to make a decision about her continued
enrollment at Father Lopez
As indicated in our school handbook, 'it is a privilege to go to Father
Lopez not a right, and those, who by their actions abuse this privilege,
will be asked to leave."
You have NOT done as you say. You have not down played unusual behavior
but attacked first on minor suggestions and then ask us to withdraw Sara
from the very beginning. Your behavior gave us the clear message "If her
parents insist on having any input or a voice of any kind we will toss
their child out. Take it or leave " We were the ones that were patient
and reserved for Sara sake. You clearly did not care about o ne of your
top students or a possible National Merit Award -
There is no action you
can name which were positives in the student’s favor.
You can check our references for being educational professional, good
citizens and parents, where are your qualifications, degrees or record
in educational administration or a record for honesty or history of good
temperament ? Making charges does not make them true. We maybe right and
you maybe wrong and the facts are clearly on our side. You have never respond
to the facts or even looked into them
( to the best of our knowledge )-
Father Lopez is Falling behind:
If the school was good in 1970 ( call it an A ) then without serious
and continuous effort at improvement it world be a B still good enough
( in the 1980 ) and a C in the 1990 ( not very good - mediocre ) and a
D now, ( poor to bad ) because the standard keeps going up. While the school
declines the requirements go up. Excellent teachers are hard to find and
not drawn to such schools.
In 1970 most ( say 60 % ) of the economy was low skilled or unskilled
industrial or service jobs and less than 20 % were occupations that required
substantive skills and knowledge, college or more. In 2000 less than 20
% are low skilled and 60 % are higher skilled industrial or service jobs,
technical and professional occupations that required advanced education.
This is the "new economy" you may have hear about. Knowledge workers of
today need to know more and do more that in the past and be flexible and
creative.
The school is stuck in the 50’s industrial model, without major
change.
I will not and have not harassed faculty or staff since we were intimated
into silence. ( I never had any problem with the anyone except Nave, Mrs.
Wolf attacked us out of the blue ) any problem is unintended or does not
exist except for Nave and Wolf and would not be a problem if we had any
response from the school. Mrs. Linda Dowdy, Guidance - has been absolutely
professional and helpful. I am most sorry if you feel we have disturbed
her. We have no problems with any other class or teacher. We have gotten
nowhere with Wolf or Nave or you.
If you can or Mrs. Dowdy can convince Sara it would be in her best interest
to go to the IB program, we would be delighted. She can have a car, a new
wardrobe and other rewards. But she doesn’t want to. We can’t make her.
SO...
You leave me along and I will leave you alone. You want me to go away
I want you to do something, anything in response to issues raised except
attack. I want you do what you say, work with parents, form community,
strive for excellence. Just write a letter that says:
Dear Dr. Pflaum;
I am delighted to know that all the outstanding issues with Father Lopez
Catholic High School are resolved. I look forward to a calm and productive
Junior year with Sara.
As always your obedient servant,
David B. Gonsalves Principal
and it is over or,
If you want to expel Sara rather than deal with our clearly justified
and un-reviewed complaints it would be your choice. We do not like being
intimated into silence as we sometimes have been. and have other parents
and teachers, clearly are; but the awards issue really set it all off again.
It strikes us and many other professionals as over the line of common decency,
a foul, not playing the game by keeping to the commonly accepted rules,
as a very bad thing to do, the actions of a thug. Is this the quality of
moral leadership for which we are paying ?
She has a 4.2 average in summa - NHS - but not a prize - why ? She took
it very well - she knows there is no merit in the merit awards - just a
piece of paper - but we did not take it well because of the professional
and moral questions it represents.
If it is true that it was by fair standards the awards were given and
no administrative interference was present then I would like a letter signed
by the teachers - stating the rank order of the top students in their classes
( the ones that contained Sara ) and who received the awards and why.
They
should also state there is full agreement to this statement that they received
no outside advice, instructions, or interference. That someone who received
most of last years awards and none of them this year - while she is still
first in her class begs an explanation. We do not believe you when you
say;
"I have never made a decision regarding Sara that was not in her best
interest. I have never spoken unkindly of her, nor have I prevented her
from receiving earned awards. She is the type of fine young lady that we
would hope to receive such recognition
The teachers vote on these awards
independent of any input from the administration Such statements as those
sent to me in your correspondence show a real lack of understanding of
me as an administrator.
As a Christian community Father Lopez hopes to promote mutual respect
within the Lopez family. Your inappropriate assaults on my staff; faculty,
our guidance director, as well as your negative remarks about our overall
school program must cease immediately. As indicated in our school handbook,
"It is a privilege to go to Father Lopez not a right, and those; who by
their actions abuse this privilege, will be asked to leave." As a parent
you are a partner in this educational process, albeit a hostile one. I
can usually tolerate your rude and discourteous ramblings because of our
relationship."
This is all about you protecting yourself, not the staff, not your teachers,
not the school but only yourself. Don’t give me any lectures on Christian
ethics and how you promote moral values ! We don’t see any evidence of
it, of patience, understanding, kindness, respect for the standards of
conduct that are called common decency and as parents we are annoyed with
you and your school only because of your behavior in supporting some really
exceptionally bad teaching.
Attacking Sara as lacking "social skills " when you didn’t even know
who she was and because of normal adjustment problems was not in her best
interest, keeping Nave after his qualities as a teacher were clear was
harmful to her, she has to take the class over again, not telling Ms. Wolf
to control her cross word project was harmful - she could not spend productive
time when she had to do this senseless activity - in fact we can’t think
of any case where you were helpful, only harmful or useless, a bully and
a stubborn autocrat.
BUT Sara thinks there will be no problem in next years schedule and
we will become as reserved as possible for her sake. I am in the position
of doing something I think is wrong - bending because of intimidation against
my child - but I will do anything if it is in Sara’s best interest. You
also say you are most concerned with the best interest of the child - we
all agree Sara is a fine young lady. Her quality did not happen by chance.
We are very active parents.
Your letter of June 5th is exactly why I have very little interest in
a meeting.
The letter demonstrates your only approach. First deny " supposed
ills" at Father Lopez. You never deal with any issue or admit to any problem.
( Except the case of Child molestation when threaten with legal action
)
There are real problems which you refuse to even discuss. First you attack:
I am called disruptive since I report that Mr. Nave is completely incompetent
and you know it, the students have told you and so have many parents. Sara
has to retake the class this summer because it was so badly taught. Parents
also have complained about Mrs. Wolf’s crossword puzzle and some of her
other peculiarities.
You try to keep us apart ( no PTA ) so we don’t know all the issues.
How about a meeting of all the parents of students on the Principal’s list
?
These students and families are interested i n quality education. I would
like to listen to their concerns.
They tend to be Sara's friends from NHS
and Drama so we know a little and we are not alone. One of Sara’s friends
is not coming back because of these same two issues. Ask Mrs. Martin what
she thinks of Wolf and Nave. Mrs. Linda Dowdy, Guidance - has been absolutely
professional and helpful. I am most sorry if you feel we have disturbed
her.
The allegations are NOT unfounded as you say and you have never even
investigated to our knowledge. Our points have been clear and simple, they
will withstand any outside and objective review and are completely supported
by the facts. Mr. Nave has not answered at all and Mrs. Wolfs reference
to Sunshine State Standards is absurd. I seems to be from a old form letter
because people have complained for years about this project. What is the
number of the standard ? It is your refusal to deal in a honest and professional
manner that is the problem. It is not the student, it is not the parent
( me ) but real problems in the school and you have not faced the truth
but only attack the messenger.
I would like to withdraw Sara from your school and tried last year (
because you said Sara’s adjustment problems was because of her lack of
social skills and attacked a parent’s ordinary concerns about the first
year of high school. You did not know Sara and had no way of knowing her
problems, but first you blame her, then us, never even looked at the problem
of students coming to Lopez from non feeder schools ) and again this pattern
of blame us repeated this year and we want to move her.
The problem is complicated only because She does not want leave. If
you can convince her it would be in her best interest to go to the IB program,
we would be delighted. Your approach is negative - you are telling me again
this year as you did last that if I don’t like it I am being unreasonable
and Sara should go away. We took her to the IB program but she didn’t like
the big school atmosphere.
A negative attitude does generate a opposite and equal response on both
sides. You are responsible for the withholding of any rewards from the
top 10th grade student who received most of last years rewards. Any other
explanation completely unbelievable. We do not believe you because you
have a habit of evasion.
The statement " well no one else has a problem"
has become a joke among the parents.
You letter is an attack. You think it is a counter attack. I think you
attack first ( as you did last fall ) and always and have no other answer
to any issue.
There we are. I will agree to disagree. What do you have
to offer. NOTHING - just as I have been saying and why a meeting where
you try to intimate and threaten is not useful. When are you ever going
to deal with the issue - any issue ??? Short of legal action ???
Sara is in your school. We remain her parents. We protect her interests.
Maybe we can work to preserve "A Tradition of Excellence" at Lopez. We
are glad to it see on the Father Lopez newsletter, we would like to see
it in action. We see statements about cooperation and involvement of the
family. That is what we have tried to do but feel and have been in fact
rejected.
Although Sara is at the top of her sophomore class, she was awarded
no honors this school year. We believe this is because we (her parents)
complained to the school principal and teachers involved and to the Diocese
of Central Florida about her science teacher (same teacher for 2 years)
and about an excessive and questionable English crossword assignment which
required over 35 hours to complete.
We have been unable to get any response from the science teacher involved
( Mr. Nave ) the science department, the principal of Father Lopez or anyone
in the organization (except for the guidance counselor who has been responsive
and quite professional). We are not accustomed to the type of stone walling
we are receiving from the administration and from this inept teacher. We
have never experienced such total unresponsiveness as we have from the
principal of Fr. Lopez or from the science teacher.
In the Newsletter the motto "A tradition of Excellence".
The school
I gather no longer claims to be a preparatory school but still claims it
seeks excellence.
The issue is about excellence and what appears to be a steady decline
in quality over the decade under the current leadership. While the newsletter
reports a desire to work with parents, teachers and student in a cooperative
manner to achieve high standards, little cooperation exists and is in fact
not tolerated.
The schools results have accordingly declines below the averages of
some large public high schools.
Their results on the SAT and AP tests are
not good and getting worse. Are you ready for the "new economy" ?
The first way was laisser faire ? Conservative thought from Burke and
Hamilton to Reagan. Less government is better government and equality is
the enemy of freedom. An idea of the rich.
The second way was a passion for equality and social planning. Government
benefits were a payment for social stability and progress. Tradition liberal
thought was about how government should solve problems. An idea of the
poor.
The third way is about the new economy and growth. Good jobs are the
best benefit and individual wealth the best security.
The third way depends on practical fiscal and monetary policy and education
and training to develop the skills and attitudes necessary for a rapidly
changing global economy.
The issue is that public schools, colleges and most of us are not ready.
The Democrats have decided that a new benefit ( drugs for Medicare ) will
win the election. Republicans are stuck with tax cuts. Neither they are
the third parties have faced the issue.
Through real educational opportunity the passion for equality ( of opportunity
not results ) and the passion for less government and more freedom of choice
can be a reality in peoples lives. BUT no one is prepared, no one knows
how to do it, and resources are wasted in anti-terrorism, missile defense,
and 1000’s of lower priory but more historic issues.
The shift from agricultural workers to the assembly line was traumatic
but a lot easier.
The shift from manufacture to services has gone fairly
smoothly.
The shift to global trade has not caused a panic. But the shift
from low skilled and routine jobs to intellectual capital is much more
difficult.
The shift from low skilled and routine schools and colleges
to intellectual and creative life time learning centers and abilities is
even harder. It is a process not a product. A process of constant improvement
and change.
As parents we are challenged by industrial age education. As a society
we really have to pay attention and go outside the dots.
It can not be done if we don’t try. Http://www.wiredbrain.net/answer.htm
While there is a national, state and local effort to make education
accountable, Father Lopez does not report it’s performance. While the nations
schools give special attention to math and science, those at Lopez become
weaker. Our efforts to work with the school to improve quality have been
rejected, we have received criticism, and our daughter punished because
we want to make the program better.
C. S. Lewis, in "God in the Dock" (page 116 1970 Eerdmans Publishing,
Grand Rapids Michigan) put the idea this way.
Each generation is taught by an earlier generation None can give to
another what he does not possess himself. No generation can bequeath to
its successor what it has not got. You may frame the syllabus as you please.
But when you have planned and reported ad nauseam, if we are skeptical
we shall teach only skepticism to our pupils, if fools only folly, if vulgar
only vulgarity, if saints sanctity, if heroes heroism. Education is only
the most fully conscious of the channels whereby each generation influences
the next. It is not a closed system. Nothing which was not in the teachers
can flow from them into the pupils. We shall all admit that a man who knows
no Greek himself cannot teach Greek to his form: but it is equally certain
that a man whose mind was formed in a period of cynicism and disillusion,
cannot teach hope or fortitude."
We doubt the current leadership displays or has the qualities we desire
in our children - knowledgeable, informed, skillful, honest, hard working,
straight forward, moral, principled, seeking quality in all things.
Wednesday, June 07, 2000
We are glad to see on the Father Lopez Newsletter the motto "A tradition
of Excellence".
The school I gather no longer claims to be a preparatory
school but still claims it seeks excellence.
The issue is about excellence and what appears to be a steady decline
in quality over the decade under the current leadership. While the newsletter
reports a desire to work with parents, teachers and student in a cooperative
manner to achieve high standards, little cooperation exists or is in fact
tolerated.
The schools results have accordingly declines below the averages of
some large public high schools.
Their results on the SAT and AP tests are
not good and getting worse.
While there is a national, state and local effort to make education
accountable, Father Lopez does not report it’s performance. While the nations
schools give special attention to math and science, those at Lopez become
weaker. Our efforts to work with the school to improve quality have been
rejected, we have received criticism, and our daughter punished because
we want to make the program better.
We doubt the current leadership displays or has the qualities we desire
in our children - knowledgeable, informed, skillful, honest, hard working,
straight forward, moral, principled, seeking quality is all things.
Wednesday, May 31, 2000
Central Florida Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Central Florida
Legal Dept.
CC Burton Green, PA, Cocoa Beach
321 - 784 4957
Fax 321 784 3505
My wife and I are interested in sending to the Diocese of Central Florida
a letter concerning our daughter who is an honor student at Father Lopez
Catholic High School, Daytona Beach.
Although Sara is at the top of her sophomore class, she was awarded
no honors this school year. We believe this is because we (her parents)
complained to the school principal and teachers involved and to the Diocese
of Central Florida about her science teacher (same teacher for 2 years)
and about an excessive and questionable English crossword assignment which
required over 35 hours to complete.
We have been unable to get any response from the science teacher involved
( Mr. Nave ) the science department, the principal of Father Lopez or anyone
in the organization (except for the guidance counselor who has been responsive
and quite professional). We are not accustomed to the type of stone walling
we are receiving from the administration and from this inept teacher. We
have never experienced such total unresponsiveness as we have from the
principal of Fr. Lopez or from the science teacher.
We want something on the table. A clear promise not to take out the
school’s problems with us, on Sara. A response in writing to any future
problems would be welcome. Attempts to improve a situation could include
having a meeting to review facts as though we live in a civilized modern
society where parents have rights (rather than as dogmatic autocrats where
students and parents are subjects without privileges or rights of any kind).
Apparently the current policy is that principals are the first and last
word; they defend teachers regardless of merit; teachers cannot speak their
minds or award students who have earned their awards; the superintendent
defends the principal regardless. Now the principal takes it out on our
daughter who has only been a model student by not letting her get any of
the awards she has earned. Has the Catholic School System no sense of professional
standards or decency ?
Sara Pflaum now in 10th grade at Father Lopez Summa 4 + average in Honors
Program National Honor Society 98 % or better on most national tests -
Presidential Awards for excellence A great student - hard working - honest
a example to her peers
Last year received most of the top awards in her class.
This year she is first in her class - no awards WHY ? She has honor
and lives by a code of integrity, and pride, principled uprightness of
character; personal integrity but will receive no recognition for excellence.
We think they are being unprofessional because they don’t want to respond
to the problems at the school ( To make a short story long see below )
and want their best student to go away.
They don’t care to do better.
These
issues have been raised for two years - and have become worse because of
the lack of any response. Why are we paying for this ? Sara has good friends
- she loves the theater drama group - the NHS people - and want to stay
at Lopez -
My brother Thomas Pflaum and his wife Leanne Frank ( Pflaum ) are attorneys
in Gainesville - She teaches at the Law school.
I see in an article in the Orlando Sentinel Sat. May 20, D1
that honors are a earned right which can effect future earning through
college placement, honors are not to be taken away without due process
or for reason of prejudice and arbitrary behavior.
Our daughter Sara who is first in her class, 4 + average in the Summa
program at Father Lopez was denied honors because her parents complained
about an incompetent teacher. It is a form of intimidation trying to get
us to keep quiet or remove our daughter from the school. She wants to stay
thought we think she would be better off in the IB program.
Thursday, May 11, 2000
Linda Dowdy, Guidance
Father Lopez High School
960 Madison Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-1889
Re: Mr. Nave
Sara ( and several other students ) has been reviewing ( their) her
options. Since she has learned very little science in chemistry and she
needs this knowledge for her future work in science she could:
dual enrollment in DBCC in chemistry
Florida High School Class on-line
Home Study International - ( HSI ) correspondence class
The third alternative seems the easiest to fit in a busy schedule and
she can start in May and work over the summer. HSI ( Home Study ) is accreted
in Maryland and offers a very standard class. It cost $290 tuition and
$ 240 in materials or about $ 500 - we think Mr. Nave should reimburse
us for this amount since this is a case of consumer fraud - he has not
done what was explicit in the offer of a class in Chemistry - it was not
a functional class in chemistry. Sara is deprived of future income as a
professional so has been damaged in a material way, we have paid for a
product not delivered - education not provided, therefore it is a fraud.
We are very proud of Sara who is clear on learning and following her
dreams. She is the perfect New College student - self directed and motivated.
I guess the "system" does accept mediocre is good enough and sports are
more important that academics. We can not and we do not.
There is nothing mysterious or subjective about what we want from Mr.
Nave in his written response.
Then we will meet with him and you and the
principal, the department chair-person and anyone else interested. We need
to look at the grade book ( a public record ? ) with or without n ames
to find where there have been a lot of bad grades - then were the grades
bad because of bad teaching or bad learning ? If the material was never
taught, if the test is bad ( doesn’t cover the material ), the instruction
bad, the reviews bad - rather than the students being bad then it is bad
teaching.
The science department should review his course outline, the quizzes
and exams to see if the tests on what is to be taught. If Chapter 7 is
to be taught in week 7, then the quiz should be on that material,
The midterm
and final should review the same chapters content.
Then look at the grade
book ( without names ) and see if almost everyone received poor grades.
What we believe is going on is he does not cover the right chapter, the
quiz do not review the material taught - wrong book, wrong chapter, wrong
content so the students do poorly.
Tuesday, May 02, 2000
Linda Dowdy, Guidance
Father Lopez High School
960 Madison Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-1889
No longer care ? We give up ?
Sara has another poor grade in chemistry.
The subject wasn’t taught,
the test is from the wrong chapter or book so there was no way of getting
it right. She says she doesn’t care - It is just impossible.
The class
makes little sense and the tests don’t follow from things taught. You can’t
win and do it right. She is learning not to care. Not only is she not learning
the subject she is learning to hate school and learning.
She visited New College over the break - they don’t do remedial classes
and if you want a career in Medicine or sciences you need to know chemistry
- but she has learned very little because it is so badly taught. So she
can’t do well - can’t get top scores on national tests because she is not
being given the chance to learn.
OK she gives up, we give up, what can you do ? She doesn’t care how
she does, We won’t care how she does. She doesn’t care about grades, We
won’t care about grades because they are ill rational and senseless like
the crossword puzzle.
These inadequate activities are irrationally justified
by the claim of professional knowledge, experience and expertise. My wife
and I have more experience, degrees and expertise - but that doesn’t matter
- What ever is done is claimed to be done for expert reasons no matter
how unlikely and defended by an unwillingness to learn or change, or engage
in reasonable discussion.
We don’t care if she gets into New College by being in the top 2 % of
students nationally. We don’t care about what college is like for her.
She can always go to a mediocre school, get mediocre grades in a teacher’s
college, get a certificate and teach mediocre students, in a mediocre school
for 36 years without the desire or responsibility to do a professional
job because she has been taught and has learned not to care about excellence.
Mediocre is good enough.
If we say anything we become the subject - we become the problem. Clearly
the message is that you don’t care - and dislike being reminded of on going
faults in the school, mediocre is good enough.
The Superintendent knows
that - the system knows that, most people know that. That fine - it’s all
fine - what ever - we don’t care - we have learned our lesson - it doesn’t
pay to care - to seek the best, to do your best because it just doesn’t
matter and causes trouble.
This the hidden curriculum of the school. Mediocre is good and expected
because it’s so common and all we can reasonably expect - take it or leave
it - I guess we have to take it because it’s not going to get any better.
Well maybe next year - and we can redo chemistry using home study and/or
Florida High School - but what a waste of time and instead of being excited
and rewarded by trying to do your best and learning for the future you
learn to be frustrated by stubborn incompetence to expect mediocre as good
enough. Better not to go to medical school with that attitude - we don’t
really want sloppy doctors - or scientists or engineers - but where are
excellent professional people to come from - overseas - a few select communities
- good preparatory schools - not from schools that don’t try to do their
best and expect students to do their best. Not everyone is able or interested
in excellence in academics but those that do care should be cared for -
supported and rewarded.
CC;
David Gonsalves, Principal
Re: Sara Pflaum, Grade 10
Dear Linda:
Thanks again for the considerate call and all your help for Sara. It
was very good to hear she is still first in her class - and your attention
to the issues of overload is much appreciated.
The crossword ended up taking
over 35 hours or two weeks of normal homework time while she was also at
play practice every evening. ( homework takes 2 to 4 hours a night plus
weekends - Sara get home at 5 to 6 gets up at 5:15 AM to get the bus at
6:30 ) and the crossword put a lot of time pressure on all subjects - putting
her behind in Algebra and Chemistry.
We still thing it is plain wrong to ask students to do something you
can’t do yourself. Mrs. Wolf’s response is not to the point and misused
the Sunshine State Standards or SAT’s as cover ( the size of the task is
inappropriate to any "possible" educational return not bad in itself as
a small supplemental activity but unsuitable as a big part of the class
). Mr. Nave has not responded at all.
But that is water under the bridge and all issues are resolved for this
year. I have no reason to drag in on or see Mr. Gonsalves. We feel that
you have done a wonderful job in helping Sara as she is doing fine under
fire, which is a useful lesson in itself.
Thanks for your response. We, of course, only wish everything goes smoothly
with our kids schools. We really want to avoid problems or make solutions
a simple as possible.
There is no point in a meeting if you are going to continue to take
the position that there are no problems, there never are and no one has
ever raised any issue before. It is the problem of the student or the parent
but never the school or its staff. Defense is good offence but not productive
of progress.
I just ask why have a Superintendent, a School Board, Department Chairpeople,
Curriculum, Lessons Plans, Course Descriptions, if teachers just do anything
they want in the classroom ? Mr. Nave does not follow the course plan,
does not test on the material, and his grades are not reflective of what
is to be learned. He is a best disorganized, at worse incapable of doing
the job.
Mrs. Wolf made a heavy grade of this impossible crossword - She has
never done it herself because it is absolutely impossible, now Sara has
spent 16 hours on a activity which is not in the course materials but supplemental
at best. Before you say anything about it - try it - then you can have
an opinion, otherwise, I am correct and you have to believe me. But that
is the way it goes - anything goes and nothing is ever done. So if nothing
is ever going to be done - there is never a point in even talking, which
I guess is what you want.
The message is "Go away and don’t bother me".
OK
Today the issue is Mrs. Wolf and the crossword assignment. Sara has
been struggling with this questionable activity for over eight hours. She
is in the final part of play rehearsals and has other, more useful, school
work to do. So I tried to help and find the task close to impossible. How
much time and effort should be devoted to this kind of "bead work" which
is our term for activities that don’t relate to the mainstream of education,
have no application to further studies, and distract from useful learning.
( Making posters, mobiles, et al ) This activity seems especially wasteful,
extravagant, unnecessary, SUPERFLUOUS labor-consuming, time-consuming,
energy-consuming damaging, DESTRUCTIVE and carries a lot of weight in her
grades. We are stuck !
Copy attached - She is required to fill in all but 10 % of the spaces.
As the spaces fill up it becomes progressively impossible to do. Can Mrs.
Wolf or anyone do this ? I can’t ...
The Four Steps under review: for Sara and me and Mrs. Wolf at 3 PM at
your pleasure . What is the connection - ?
First:
The mission or long term goals, what knowledge, behavior, attitudes
should the student display at the end of the program;
Second:
The curriculum or course outline:
The lesson plans for instructional
activities directed to learning and behavior to achieve the goals.
Third: Classroom activity, reading assignments and homework as tasks
related to the lesson plans as steps to objectives and goals.
fourth: Evaluation, tests and grades reflecting progress towards the
goals and the content of the lesson plans.
CC;
David Gonsalves, Principal
Mr. Michael Nave, Science Teacher
Mrs. Jean Wolf, English
Mr. William Hunter, English Chairman
Mrs. Patricia Dailey, Science Chairperson
Ms. Maureen Huntington Superintendent of Schools Orlando
Office of Christian Life Education
Fax 407 246 4940
You maybe interested in this correspondence.
The central issue is lack
of meaningful response so I turn to you. We have given up on getting any
positive response to any changes at Lopez -Last year - We felt freshmen
should have a mentor and guides to make the transition smoother ( especially
for those from small or non-feeder schools ) We felt the Summa program
could be more club like and social as the NHS - We thought of some sort
of PTA ( academic ) besides the booster club ( non-academic ) for parents
to have input. We were worried that a science teacher was boring and out
of date - and could be helped to make his classes more current and interesting.
The stock reply is " no one else thinks that " - when we know others do
" and " we are doing it - or have plans " when there is no action or plans
of taking action - or to suggest not too subtly we shut up and go away.
Well we will and have - but I think you need to be informed.
This is NOT a request that you do anything because we are afraid to
complain or say anything because of our experience of being attacked and
criticized " the shoot the messenger theory" in practice. Sara will be
followed by James Blaine, another honors student - so we have six more
years to go.
Dr. Peter E. Pflaum, AB ( Univ. of Chicago ) Ed. M. ( Harvard ) Ph.D.
( Florida State ) & Mary Anne Watkins Pflaum AB, Ed. M.386822 6788
My wife and I are interested in sending to the Diocese of Central Florida
a letter concerning our daughter who is an honor student at Father Lopez
Catholic High School, Daytona Beach.
Although Sara is at the top of her sophomore class, she was awarded
no honors this school year. We believe this is because we (her parents)
complained to the school principal and teachers involved and to the Diocese
of Central Florida about her science teacher (same teacher for 2 years)
and about an excessive and questionable English crossword assignment which
required over 35 hours to complete.
We have been unable to get any response from the science teacher involved
( Mr. Nave ) the science department, the principal of Father Lopez or anyone
in the organization (except for the guidance counselor who has been responsive
and quite professional). We are not accustomed to the type of stone walling
we are receiving from the administration and from this inept teacher. We
have never experienced such total unresponsiveness as we have from the
principal of Fr. Lopez or from the science teacher.
We want something on the table. A clear promise not to take out the
school’s problems with us, on Sara. A response in writing to any future
problems would be welcome. Attempts to improve a situation could include
having a meeting to review facts as though we live in a civilized modern
society where parents have rights (rather than as dogmatic autocrats where
students and parents are subjects without privileges or rights of any kind).
Apparently the current policy is that principals are the first and last
word; they defend teachers regardless of merit; teachers cannot speak their
minds or award students who have earned their awards; the superintendent
defends the principal regardless. Now the principal takes it out on our
daughter who has only been a model student by not letting her get any of
the awards she has earned. Has the Catholic School System no sense of professional
standards or decency ?
Sara Pflaum now in 10th grade at Father Lopez Summa 4 + average in Honors
Program National Honor Society 98 % or better on most national tests -
Presidential Awards for excellence A great student - hard working - honest
a example to her peers Last year received most of the top awards in her
class. This year she is first in her class - no awards WHY ? She has honor
and lives by a code of integrity, dignity, and pride, Principled uprightness
of character; personal integrity but will receive no recognition for excellence.
We think they are being unprofessional because they don’t want to respond
to the problems at the school ( To make a short story long see below )
and want their best student to go away.
They don’t care to do better.
These
issues have been raised for two years - and have become worse because of
the lack of any response. Why are we paying for this ? Sara has good friends
- she loves the theater drama group - the NHS people - and want to stay
at Lopez -
My brother Thomas Pflaum and his wife Leanne Frank ( Pflaum ) are attorneys
in Gainesville - She teaches at the Law school.
I see in an article in the Orlando Sentinel Sat. May 20, D1 that honors
are a earned right which can effect future earning through college placement,
honors are not to be taken away without due process or for reason of prejudice
and arbitrary behavior.
Our daughter Sara who is first in her class, 4 + average in the Summa
program at Father Lopez was denied honors because her parents complained
about an incompetent teacher. It is a form of intimidation trying to get
us to keep quiet or remove our daughter from the school. She wants to stay
thought we think she would be better off in the IB program.
Tuesday, May 16, 2000
Mrs. Murphy, Spruce Creek High School - IB program Guidance Office
FAX 756 7270
RE: Sara Lynn Pflaum ( Filled out papers in 9th grade but continued
at Father Lopez )
now in 10th grade at Father Lopez Summa 4 + average in Honors Program
National Honor Society
98 % on most national tests - Presidential Awards
A great student - hard working - honest a example to her peers
Last year received most of the top awards in her class.
This year she is first in her class - no awards WHY ? She has honor
and lives by a code of integrity, dignity, and pride, Principled uprightness
of character; personal integrity but will receive no recognition for excellence.
We think they are being unprofessional because they don’t want to respond
to the problems at the school ( To make a short story long see below )
and want their best student to go away.
They don’t care to do better.
These
issues have been raised for two years - and have become worse because of
the lack of any response. Why are we paying for this ?
Sara has good friends - she loves the theater drama group - the NHS
people -
Attached below will give you a flavor of what the problem has been.
Sunday, May 14, 2000
Karen Lyons
St Barnabas Episcopal School
319 West Wisconsin Avenue
Deland Florida 32720
Fax 734 - 1838
Father Don suggested we pray about the 9th Grade. We did and a vision
of St. Barnabas appeared - the Sunday of the Good Shepherd contributed
to the vision of the community of Christians in Jerusalem - a community
that came together under terrible conditions to follow the light, and listen
to the spirit as best they could.
We can not send Blaine to Father Lopez for the reasons below ( lack
of virtue in Educational - becomes evil without the spirit of enlightenment
to be excellent in Mind , logos, pure in Body and have the Ethos or Spirit
- pathos - to care for the good, the true and the beautiful ) We will have
to home study Blaine because of the dangers in Public Education as Father
John at St. Peter the Fisherman, has done with Larry. How can it be a good
school if they don’t care about the truth, ethics or values of education
and peoples feeling. It becomes a soulless ( socially established ) place
to go but not a place of learning and growth in the spirit.
We know that the only way you can do more is to do less. You have to
add an assistance principal for administration - and pay for it with higher
fees. When any institution is full it raises the fees as a form of population
control - then uses part of the higher fees to support scholarships for
the deserving poor.
The high schools fees would also be higher.
There is
also the choice of becoming a Charter school and getting a higher rate
paid by the state and no fees at all.
A high school is one room somewhere to start. ( rent one across the
street ) It is not 50 acres, 50,000 sq. ft. football and a band. It has
a unified program with support on-line, in the community and is a creative
community.
Like St. Barnabas, they work and share and pray together. My ex-father-in-law
taught is a school in Lebanon Vt. With a graduating class of 13 - six national
merit students in a poor rural community. It made Time magazine. Why ?
Because everyone had to do everything - be in the play, play baseball,
help clean up.
Home schools are the smallest schools of all - there are these hundred
of thousands of home scholars in schools under 5 - and there are the millions
in schools of 2000 - who does better - no contest the home scholars without
certified teachers, no labs, no band, no football do much better - and
only a minority are home schooling for academic reasons - most are religious
in motivation and very average or below average in income or education
households. Mary Anne wrote her Masters on Small Schools - they work better
because everyone knows everyone - and cares about each other.
Sara ( and several other students ) has been reviewing ( their) her
options. Since she has learned very little science in chemistry and she
needs this knowledge for her future work in science she could: 1.)
dual enrollment in DBCC in chemistry 2.)
Florida High School Class on-line 3.)
Home Study International - ( HSI ) correspondence class
The third alternative seems the easiest to fit in a busy schedule and
she can start in May and work over the summer. HSI ( Home Study ) is accreted
in Maryland and offers a very standard class. It cost $290 tuition and
$ 240 in materials or about $ 500 - we think Mr. Nave should reimburse
us for this amount since this is a case of consumer fraud - he has not
done what was explicit in the offer of a class in Chemistry - it was not
a functional class in chemistry. Sara is deprived of future income as a
professional so has been damaged in a material way, we have paid for a
product not delivered - education not provided, therefore it is a fraud.
We are very proud of Sara who is clear on learning and following her
dreams. She is the perfect New College student - self directed and motivated.
I guess the "system" does accept mediocre is good enough and sports are
more important that academics. We can not and we do not.
There is nothing mysterious or subjective about what we want from Mr.
Nave in his written response.
Then we will meet with him and you and the
principal, the department chair-person and anyone else interested. We need
to look at the grade book ( a public record ? ) with or without names to
find where there have been a lot of bad grades - then were the grades bad
because of bad teaching or bad learning ? If the material was never taught,
if the test is bad ( doesn’t cover the material ), the instruction bad,
the reviews bad - rather than the students being bad then it is bad teaching.
The science department should review his course outline, the quizzes
and exams to see if the tests on what is to be taught. If Chapter 7 is
to be taught in week 7, then the quiz should be on that material,
The midterm
and final should review the same chapters content.
Then look at the grade
book ( without names ) and see if almost everyone received poor grades.
What we believe is going on is he does not cover the right chapter, the
quiz do not review the material taught - wrong book, wrong chapter, wrong
content so the students do poorly.
Logos, ethos, pathos
We can agree that values matter.
There is great confusion about ideas,
values and religion. Let us see if this helps ?
The first idea of education - lifelong learning is to seek the truth
as best God enlightens us to find truth and to grasp it when we find it.
Ideas are secular, objective and human.
The best guide is the scientific
method properly applied.
The ethics of knowledge is be able to live with
reality.
The reality is that teaching certificates have a error rate. Every
objective use of external examination has shown that from 5 % to 35 % of
certified teachers are in fact unqualified in their subjects or methods.
There is an historic conflict between religion and secular humanism.
The Church look on science as an enemy, and humanist attacked religion.
Revolutionaries and Communist killed nuns and priests and destroyed churches.
Bishops defended the 13th century and condemned progress and the whole
of the modern world. It is not necessary or useful to carry on the war
between objective truth and the true faith.
Education is a branch of applied Ethics. See C. S. Lewis, in "God in
the Dock" below.
There is no Educational value outside of ethics. Ethics
are situations and depend on the realities of the culture, conditions,
and traditions. Most ethical standards are common sense and practical.
Beyond the mundane they depend on visions and hopes of a better world.
Politics involves objective facts and ethics - concepts of fairness and
reasonableness along with practical coalition building of diverse wants
and needs.
Pathos.
The emotional base of the faith is a guide or road map to ethics
not the territory. People confuse the map with the dominion. Moral choices
have to be make in and by the spirit not by immutable rules.
The rules
have to change with the times or die as obsolete regulations no longer
relevant to real choices. Many are afraid of freedom and choice and prefer
the illusion of certainty of ritual and traditions.
The results are often
not pleasant, and what is designed to be moral turns out to be evil. Much
harm is done is misapplication of false principles unsuited to current
realities.
The defense of the faith is through faith and example not by
force, legislation and police.
Education can not take place in an ethical vacuum.
The ethics of education
require honest application of working principles.
The issue here is not
abstract. Have a class outline, follow the outline, test students on material
taught, and follow standard educational practice for content and methods.
The spirit is universal and eternal being a relationship between feeling
- passions and connections to greater causes and concepts - it is a religion
in one form or another. A love of the subject, a passion for excellence,
the desire to help and guide young minds into the truth, faith and love
of God, beauty, wisdom and good sense enlighten and empowers instruction.
The problems arise when facts or rational ideas are overtaken by ideologies
or real ethical and spiritual maters are disregarded as unimportant or
out of style, unscientific or too abstract.
For example:
Education must have values - practical objective teaching and learning
about reality - math, science, English etc.
The value is learning, hard
work, attention to details, focus, and all learning is about doubt. Questions
and answers - probing, skeptical questions.
Education is about knowledge and behavior that can best be done with
spirit - a legitimate concern for truth, the good, the beautiful, leads
to wisdom. Without this love of virtue all becomes hollow and shallow.
The spirit should not overwhelm science and technology, character studies
should not replace math and science, but you need the whole package such
as at West Point ( a historic culture ) or many great secular or religious
schools. Truth, Virtue and spirit - very difficult in the political control
of public education, impossible without true professionals who embody educational
values - rare indeed - and not certified.
In health care - good science with caring and holistic values - a person
is more than the sum of the organic parts.
In politics rational efforts to advance civilization with a proper concern
for the opinions of mankind and the practical needs of a less than perfect
world.
In religion, push and pull along the roads of the spirit - without rejection
of the modern world or practical affairs.
You see balance - the mind, ( logos ) the body ( ethos ) And the spirit
- ( pathos)
C. P. Snow wrote about the two cultures of Science and Humanities. Since
knowledge organization in groups involves both the science and technology
of specialist but also the values, growth and development of ideas and
people, the social structure and community - the insights of literature
and the arts, psychology and philosophy, economics and political science,
sociology, history, ethics, and the physical sciences - focused on effectiveness
and results- teaching and learning, building and designing- selling and
organizing as a collective activity. In this way the abstract become the
concrete, the interesting become useful.
Since becoming human is a social event, correct social habits of child
raising are clearly so important to human history. C. S. Lewis, in "God
in the Dock" (page 116 1970 Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan)
put the
idea this way.
Each generation is taught by an earlier generation.
"
The moment we forget this we begin to talk nonsense about education.
We talk of the views of contemporary adolescence as if some peculiarity
in contemporary adolescence had produced them out of itself. In reality,
they are usually a delayed result -- for the mental world also has its
time-bombs -- of obsolete adolescence, now middle-aged and dominating its
form room. Hence the futility of many schemes for education. None can give
to another what he does not possess himself. No generation can bequeath
to its successor what it has not got. You may frame the syllabus as you
please. But when you have planned and reported ad nauseam, if we are skeptical
we shall teach only skepticism to our pupils, if fools only folly, if vulgar
only
vulgarity, if saints sanctity, if heroes heroism. Education is only
the most fully conscious of the channels whereby each generation influences
the next. It is not a closed system. Nothing which was not in the teachers
can flow from them into the pupils. We shall all admit that a man who knows
no Greek himself cannot teach Greek to his form: but it is equally certain
that a man whose mind was formed in a period of cynicism and disillusion,
cannot teach hope or fortitude."
Tuesday, May 02, 2000
Linda Dowdy, Guidance
Father Lopez High School
960 Madison Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32114-1889
No longer care ? We give up ?
Sara has another poor grade in chemistry.
The subject wasn’t taught,
the test is from the wrong chapter or book so there was no way of getting
it right. She says she doesn’t care - It is just impossible.
The class
makes little sense and the tests don’t follow from things taught. You can’t
win and do it right. She is learning not to care. Not only is she not learning
the subject she is learning to hate school and learning.
She visited New College over the break - they don’t do remedial classes
and if you want a career in Medicine or sciences you need to know chemistry
- but she has learned very little because it is so badly taught. So she
can’t do well - can’t get top scores on national tests because she is not
being given the chance to learn.
OK she gives up, we give up, what can we do ? She doesn’t care how she
does, We won’t care how she does. She doesn’t care about grades, We won’t
care about grades because they are ill rational and senseless like the
crossword puzzle.
These inadequate activities are irrationally justified
by the claim of professional knowledge, experience and expertise. My wife
and I have more experience, degrees and expertise - but that doesn’t matter
- What ever is done is claimed to be done for expert reasons no matter
how unlikely and defended by an unwillingness to learn or change, or engage
in reasonable discussion. As such is anti-intellectual and volatizes the
true spirit of education.
We don’t care if she gets into New College by being in the top 2 % of
students nationally. We don’t care about what college is like for her.
She can always go to a mediocre school, get mediocre grades in a teacher’s
college, get a certificate and teach mediocre students, in a mediocre school
for 36 years without the desire or responsibility to do a professional
job because she has been taught and has learned not to care about excellence.
Mediocre is good enough.
If we say anything we become the subject - we become the problem. Clearly
the message is that you don’t care - and dislike being reminded of on going
faults in the school, mediocre is good enough.
The Superintendent knows
that - the system knows that, most people know that. That fine - it’s all
fine - what ever - we don’t care - we have learned our lesson - it doesn’t
pay to care - to seek the best, to do your best because it just doesn’t
matter and causes trouble.
This the hidden curriculum of the school. Mediocre is good and expected
because it’s so common and all we can reasonably expect - take it or leave
it - I guess we have to take it because it’s not going to get any better.
Well maybe next year - and we can redo chemistry using home study and/or
Florida High School - but what a waste of time and instead of being excited
and rewarded by trying to do your best and learning for the future you
learn to be frustrated by stubborn incompetence to expect mediocre as good
enough. Better not to go to medical school with that attitude - we don’t
really want sloppy doctors - or scientists or engineers - but where are
excellent professional people to come from - overseas - a few select communities
- good preparatory schools - not from schools that don’t try to do their
best and expect students to do their best. Not everyone is able or interested
in excellence in academics but those that do care should be cared for -
supported and rewarded.
CC;
David Gonsalves, Principal
Re: Sara Pflaum, Grade 10
Dear Linda:
Thanks again for the considerate call and all your help for Sara. It
was very good to hear she is still first in her class - and your attention
to the issues of overload is much appreciated.
The crossword ended up taking
over 35 hours or two weeks of normal homework time while she was also at
play practice every evening. ( homework takes 2 to 4 hours a night plus
weekends - Sara get home at 5 to 6 gets up at 5:15 AM to get the bus at
6:30 ) and the crossword put a lot of time pressure on all subjects - putting
her behind in Algebra and Chemistry.
We still thing it is plain wrong to ask students to do something you
can’t do yourself. Mrs. Wolf’s response is not to the point and misused
the Sunshine State Standards or SAT’s as cover ( the size of the task is
inappropriate to any "possible" educational return not bad in itself as
a small supplemental activity but unsuitable as a big part of the class
). Mr. Nave has not responded at all.
But that is water under the bridge and all issues are resolved for this
year. I have no reason to drag in on or see Mr. Gonsalves. We feel that
you have done a wonderful job in helping Sara as she is doing fine under
fire, which is a useful lesson in itself.
Thanks for your response. We, of course, only wish everything goes smoothly
with our kids schools. We really want to avoid problems or make solutions
a simple as possible.
There is no point in a meeting if you are going to continue to take
the position that there are no problems, there never are and no one has
ever raised any issue before. It is the problem of the student or the parent
but never the school or its staff. Defense is good offence but not productive
of progress.
I just ask why have a Superintendent, a School Board, Department Chairpeople,
Curriculum, Lessons Plans, Course Descriptions, if teachers just do anything
they want in the classroom ? Mr. Nave does not follow the course plan,
does not test on the material, and his grades are not reflective of what
is to be learned. He is a best disorganized, at worse incapable of doing
the job.
Mrs. Wolf made a heavy grade of this impossible crossword - She has
never done it herself because it is absolutely impossible, now Sara has
spent 16 hours on a activity which is not in the course materials but supplemental
at best. Before you say anything about it - try it - then you can have
an opinion, otherwise, I am correct and you have to believe me. But that
is the way it goes - anything goes and nothing is ever done. So if nothing
is ever going to be done - there is never a point in even talking, which
I guess is what you want.
The message is "Go away and don’t bother me".
OK
Today the issue is Mrs. Wolf and the crossword assignment. Sara has
been struggling with this questionable activity for over eight hours. She
is in the final part of play rehearsals and has other, more useful, school
work to do. So I tried to help and find the task close to impossible. How
much time and effort should be devoted to this kind of "bead work" which
is our term for activities that don’t relate to the mainstream of education,
have no application to further studies, and distract from useful learning.
( Making posters, mobiles, et al ) This activity seems especially wasteful,
extravagant, unnecessary, SUPERFLUOUS labor-consuming, time-consuming,
energy-consuming damaging, DESTRUCTIVE and carries a lot of weight in her
grades. We are stuck !
Copy attached - She is required to fill in all but 10 % of the spaces.
As the spaces fill up it becomes progressively impossible to do. Can Mrs.
Wolf or anyone do this ? I can’t ...
The Four Steps under review: for Sara and me and Mrs. Wolf at 3 PM at
your pleasure . What is the connection - ?
First:
The mission or long term goals, what knowledge, behavior, attitudes
should the student display at the end of the program;
Second:
The curriculum or course outline:
The lesson plans for instructional
activities directed to learning and behavior to achieve the goals.
Third: Classroom activity, reading assignments and homework as tasks
related to the lesson plans as steps to objectives and goals.
fourth: Evaluation, tests and grades reflecting progress towards the
goals and the content of the lesson plans.
CC;
David Gonsalves, Principal
Mr. Michael Nave, Science Teacher
Mrs. Jean Wolf, English
Mr. William Hunter, English Chairman
Mrs. Patricia Dailey, Science Chairperson
Private - confidential - not a request for action just FYI
Ms. Maureen Huntington
Superintendent of Schools
Orlando
Fax 407 246 4940
You maybe interested in this correspondence.
The central issue is lack
of meaningful response so I turn to you. We have given up on getting any
positive response to any changes at Lopez -Last year - We felt freshmen
should have a mentor and guides to make the transition smoother ( especially
for those from small or non-feeder schools ) We felt the Summa program
could be more club like and social as the NHS - We thought of some sort
of PTA ( academic ) besides the booster club ( non-academic ) for parents
to have input. We were worried that a science teacher was boring and out
of date - and could be helped to make his classes more current and interesting.
The stock reply is " no one else thinks that " - when we know others do
" and " we are doing it - or have plans " when there is no action or plans
of taking action - or to suggest not too subtly we shut up and go away.
Well we will and have - but I think you need to be informed.
This is NOT a request that you do anything because we are afraid to
complain or say anything because of our experience of being attacked and
criticized " the shoot the messenger theory" in practice. Sara will be
followed by James Blaine, another honors student - so we have six more
years to go. FastCounter by bCentral
