DISD grading policy questionable?

Everyone who knows me also knows that I am both a critic and advocate for the Dallas Independent School District. As a DISD graduate, I can tell you that I struggled at times to be motivated, productive and successful academically. I had some really bad teachers and some really, really good ones like Michael Terrell and Nina Johnson of Arts Magnet, Marion Deese, Minnie Carter, and Principal Gillum of Boude Story Middle School and Dr. Northouse who got on my ever-loving nerves. They each demanded the best of each of us and were very effective, but they didn't reach everyone despite utilizing a plethora of tools to get the job done; including adjusting grades when they believed it was warranted.

The recent "so called" changes in the DISD's grading policy has gotten a lot of attention lately and in the light of other stories about grades and grade changes being shoved down the throat of teachers I think maybe it is time to take a deep breath and consider that the changes aren't really new. This has been going on in the district since I was a student. The truth is that teachers have always used discretion in grading, especially with students they perceived were trying hard, doing all the work, showing up to class and going to tutoring but somehow just did poorly on tests and with students who would otherwise do well but for changes in their home environment that ultimately negatively impact their ability to come to class, turn in some assignments on time or do well on tests.

The problems in the district, with respect to the drop-out rate and poor test scoring, are a lot more complicated than the recent grading changes. We need to look at a very real problem with pedagogy, the need to lengthen student teaching, adjusting teaching curricula to address conflict resolution, mental health and issues of diversity as it relates to our specific demographic/economic challenges. As for giving a student a 70 when he made a 60; I was a DISD student who benefited from a teacher who made such a change. He also made sure that in a time when he felt my home environment was more of a challenge than I could master that I was cared for by my vocal production teacher, Mrs. Nina Johnson. Today, I hold a Master's Degree in Counseling and am in enrolled in a Doctoral program. Thank God for those teachers who fudged on my behalf. While no student merits this kind of ongoing assistance, teachers do need to have power in discretion with regards to grading. They know their students best.


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Open rebuke

The bickering between two of this city’s greatest treasures reminds me of story my grandmother used to tell me about a house that burned many years ago in an east Texas town pre-dating the civil rights era. Neighbors, black and white came to try and put out the fire. Inevitably there were people, however, who just stood around watching, and the efforts of a few to put out the fire failed. Their reasons for just standing around, she explained, had more to do with bad relations than a real understanding of what Community really means.

Though the family was saved; everything else was lost. Mrs. Culbreath and Mrs. Foreman, it strikes me that Dallas’ house is on fire and this City still needs both of you to put out the flames. The difference in what is at stake, I believe, is this time there are people still in the house while you bicker and argue; fanning the flames and giving the public a taste of what used to be something that we would handle behind closed doors.

This whole discourse saddens me. When is the last time you heard a child say they wanted to grow up and run for City Council, DART, be a school board Trustee or be the head of DHA? There is so much more work for each of you, starting with taking an honest look at the true impact of this open and unending war of words. What do you say, all hands on deck?