One more story about the Locke/Green Dot transformation—-this time on Wednesday’s Nightline.
“I don’t think parents have ever been welcomed to this school before,” said Locke High School’s teacher turned assistant principle, Zeus Cubias, just before the Green Dot transformation began, his voice breaking with emotion. “It’s like — almost like a combination of wanting to prove people wrong. It’s like, I’m going to show you that everything you said about this place is not true. And for the first time I think we’re going to do that.”
In the past, Locke had lost as many as 75 percent of its freshman class by graduation.
In May of 2008, before Green Dot took over, there was a massive riot on Locke’s campus that involved around 600 kids.
It didn’t get much worse than this school.
Nightline followed Locke during its first nine months under Green Dot’s direction as a high school transformation unlike any other in the nation was attempted.
In truth, while good, the Nightline story isn’t all that comprehensive. KCET’s SoCal Connected is doing it better. But this report is still very much worth watching.
Green Dot has not magically vaporized the problems of the neighborhood around it. Last April a Green Dot student was shot and wounded in front of the school as other students were arriving. But there are signs that the changes on campus are precipitating changes in the lives of the kids attending, so that even when difficulties occur—and they do occur—the students are better able to cope.
Whatever it’s imperfections (and nothing this new and challenging can be without a misstep or two), the Locke transformation is one of the most important public education stories in the U.S.—arguably the most important story— and it is happening in our collective backyard. Thus it is heartening to pay attention.
The full story has yet to be reported. That will take a year or three. But Nightline has contributed one more chapter .
If you missed it on air, you can read their report here.
By the way, here is another Green Dot story written by the LA Times Howard Blume this past June. I was out of town with my Bennington sojourn when it appeared so missed it. But it’s quite good, so worth a read now if you are so inclined.
(NOTE 1: Excuse the link to it on the Green Dot site. With the redesign, the LAT archives seem to have…..issues.)
(NOTE 2: It is no secret that I am a fan of this project. So a big thank you to my former student, Mat Mendez, for flagging the Nightline story.)
I’m surprised there’s been no comment on this thread!! Did anyone watch the Nightline clip? It’s pretty impressive, numbers don’t lie. Also its a great example of how sometimes old institutions need to be completely uprooted and “re-rooted”. All the teachers at the old Locke High were summarily fired and made to apply to be rehired. The Green Dot organization may really have something going here. Maybe it’s more than just another private entity trying to reconstitute an established public domain. You have to hand it to them for taking on a gutsy challenge. Sure it’s a for-profit enterprise, that’s the essence of an open market, but if ever a market were in need of new investment it’s this school and the kids trying to make their way over a tough road. I give them credit because it’s due. What do you think? Watch the clip.
Thanks for the comment, Gava Joe. I thought the report was cool too.
One small correction: Green Dot is a nonprofit.
Celeste, I am surprised that an industrious blogger like you still has not realized that the charter movement is about privatizing public schools to make a few people very rich! Where were these people 10 years ago? 20? 30? Ever? These people have never cared about education in the inner-city nor do they now. If they did, they wouldn’t need to form a fake “Parent Revolution” and exclude dissenters from their townhall meetings. Please visit the South Central blog for a different point of view on charters.
Hi Avalon,
Thanks for the link to the South Central blog. I am reading it with interest.
A couple of factual questions however:
1. I’m not sure who you imagine is getting rich off the Locke conversion or any of the Green Dot schools. Can you point to some person or company?
2. “These people have never cared about education in the inner-city nor do they now.” And you know this how? Do you have any indications, examples, or evidence to back up this statement?
3. “If they did, they wouldn’t need to form a fake ‘Parent Revolution’ and exclude dissenter from their townhall meetings.”
This I’d like to know more about. Any information would be most welcome. Email me separately and I’ll follow up.
By the way, I see that your group has really championed Aurora Ponce, which is a very, very good thing.
Please keep the comments coming.
Although charter schools often fall under the non-profit umbrella, their CEO’s and CMO’s often draw a hefty salary. Management positions are often quite hefty in comparison to the quite humble salaries and reduced benefits of teachers. I know this from fellow teachers who currently work at charters, and through articles such as:
http://bit.ly/4r16Y and
http://bit.ly/KkZTJ and
http://bit.ly/11qeYh
As a 20 year vet who has worked the entire time in the inner-city, I have seen funding pulled, criminal mismanagement and neglect, and nary a soul to want to come to the rescue. I wonder where the school volunteers were when my students were getting mugged to and from school. I wonder where the non-profits were when our schools were crumbling in decaying buildings. I wonder where Steve Barr and Ben Austin were when we couldn’t fund arts or electives. For 20 years, and frankly since much longer than that, the inner-city has been abandoned, with no motivation to improve it. Now, all of a sudden, there is money to be made, and the profiteers are lining up. I don’t buy it.
Look, there is room at the table for charters. Parents should have school choice as do you and I. But parents need to be offered the same type of education that the children of Steve Barr and Ben Austin are getting. Not no-frills, military-style type schools that stifle creativity and dissent. You really have to listen to what the CMO’s are saying, because Locke was just their way of getting their foot in the door.
You can read about the dissenters who were excluded from the Townhall meeting by doing a “lausd townhall” search on twitter, but you can also read about that in the latest LA Times editorial at http://bit.ly/iNyfE
Thanks for publishing my comment.
Avalon, you sound like you are very devoted to public education and I agree a thousand times over that the inner city schools in LA have been abandoned at a level that is, to me, criminal.
I can’t speak for all the charters, and I’m appalled at what happened to Aurora Ponce. I was out of town when that story broke or I’d have covered it.
But, honestly, I think—while not perfect—Steve Barr’s the real deal. Go over and check out Locke and talk to the kids and see what you think. Plus there are some other fine charter operators. I just have followed Green Dot the most closely.
Thanks for the link to the townhall meeting article. (And I did follow your Twitter link earlier.)
Unless I’m mistaken, it sounds like the exclusionary tactics are the doings of the mayors office. Not cool. Not cool at all.
But on some of your other points, I don’t think we can hold the charter folks who are doing a good job responsible for the evils of the district over the past 20 years.
Yet certainly we have to keep an eye on everybody—charter and not charter alike—and hold them accountable for what they do now.
So please keep at it.
By the way, your links to examples of charter money making don’t seem to apply to LA as two have only to do with out of state school groups, and a third is some Northern Cal guy who is an out and out crook.
I work at Locke. I worked there before the transformation to Green Dot and currently. I must say it is extremely easy to point fingers and assume that what you read in the paper and what you see on TV is the true story. I challenge anyone to come to Locke (unannounced if you will) and see for yourself the changes. Obviously the visual changes will be immediate. That is only a small part. The true test will be the state tests over the next few years. To assume that in 1 year Green Dot could reverse 10 years of neglect and woeful education practices is asinine. It takes time to change culture. It takes time to address the true needs of the underachievers. At least now someone (Green Dot) is taking the time to address these needs. LAUSD as an entity should face criminal charges for the conditions they have provided for their students at many of their inner city schools.
Green Dot is not perfect by any means. There have been hiccups and mistakes. But what I have realized is that these mistakes come from a genuine place. Change is difficult for everyone. But if we sat on our hands and waited for the district to finally realize that they needed drastic change at Locke (and schools like it) we would still be waiting.
Saint, thanks so much for the comment. As this thread is a bit older, I’m not sure how many will see it so I hope that you will come back and comment the next time I put something up about schools, as what you have to say is informative and valuable.