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In reply to the discussion: A 13-Year-Old's Slavery Analogy Raises Some Uncomfortable Truths in School [View all]HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)The former super (Brizard) was a Broad Academy grad. He's moved on to Chicago.
At last years State of Our Schools address about the Rochester schools, there were several hundred picketers mostly teachers and some parents tromping around in the cold in front of School of the Arts, there to protest Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard. As I recall, just a few weeks later, the Rochester Teachers Association confirmed a no confidence vote in Brizard.
http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/editorial/?tag=jean-claude-brizard
One of Brizards downfalls, as weve editorialized, is that he did a poor job bringing along teachers and the community. Even principals complained to me that he was trying to push too much change at once. Poor relationship building was a big problem for Michelle Rhee in Washington, and Cathie Black in NYC in her short tenure.
http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/editorial/?tag=jean-claude-brizard
The new super (Vargas, who's mentioned in reports on the Jada Williams story) is reportedly following Brizard's plans:
The Flower City Parents Network posted a conversation from the Bob Smith radio show with Board Commissioner Willa Powell. It is clear from that conversation that Dr. Vargas is moving full speed ahead with the Brizard plan for our schools. Regardless of the fact that this community had no confidence in Brizard, the Board seems not only to have had the utmost confidence in him but is also confident that his replacement, Dr. Vargas, will carry out this plan whether he agrees with it or not.
http://educabilityrocs.wordpress.com/?s=brizard
The plans = "the portfolio plan," the usual "closing failed schools," etc.
Vargas was co-author with Brizard of an article in Education Week: "Beating the Odds In Our Urban Schools"
Vargas' candidacy was suggested by School Board member Cynthia Elliot, who was also mentioned in the Jada Williams story as her supporter. She credits "God's intervention" for the Vargas pick.
http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/editorial/?p=16457
Forces pushing for mayoral control in Rochester:
State Assemblyman David Gantt says Brizards pending departure shows the school board cant get the job done. He says he will push even harder his proposal for mayoral control.
http://blogs.democratandchronicle.com/editorial/?tag=jean-claude-brizard
We continue to loose families to the suburbs and charter schools while the district bemoans the decreasing student population, using that as a reason to close schools. Meanwhile, absolutely nothing is being done to enhance the system of education within the district in order to entice families to return to our district and draw our students back from the charters.
It cannot be said enough, if we, as a community, continue to sit back and let the Board make decisions that not only fail our children but destroy our district then they are not to blame for our childrens failure or the destruction of our district, we are.
http://educabilityrocs.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/and-then-there-were-two/
Brizard takes credit for a reported slight bump in test scores...Plus he's married to a charter school entrepreneur who could do well in Chicago's booming charter market.
In Rochester, Brizard is embraced by local biz reformers but despised by many teachers and parents. In February, he received a vote of "no confidence" from an overwhelming majority of Rochester teachers. He was originally hired by Mayor Duffy to push the corporate reform agenda in Rochester, including school closings, war with the unions, privatization, and "merit pay."
Last week, Brizard was accused by parent groups and by RTA president Adam Urbanski, of grossly overstating the district's budget deficit in order to justify the firing of 800 city teachers.
"I've seen a lot in my many years as a spokesman for the teachers in Rochester," said Urbanski. "I have never seen anything like this. Something is wrong with this picture."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-klonsky-phd/chicagos-ceo-short-list-b_b_847898.html