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Nov-06-2009Florida recruit driven be personal loss(topic overview)
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On behalf of parents and students, the American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday sued state officials in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. A judge dismissed a similar lawsuit against local school officials in June 2008, ruling that they could not be named as defendants. In the new litigation targeting Gov. Charlie Crist, Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith and others, the ACLU wants the district to improve its graduation rate and to remove a "significant disparity" between the rates of white students and their black and Hispanic peers. [1] The lawsuit, filed on behalf of parents and students in Palm Beach County, charges that state officials violated the state's constitutional requirement that all students receive a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality" free public education. The ACLU said in the suit it wants the school district to improve its graduation rates without pushing students out of the system.[2] Poor graduation rates in Palm Beach County, Florida, demonstrate a failure by state officials to ensure that all students receive a high quality education as mandated by the Florida Constitution, according to a class action lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Florida. At least a third ''' and possibly as many as half ''' of Palm Beach County'''s students do not graduate on time with a regular diploma, well below both state and national averages.[3] State officials do not make sure all students receive a high quality education, according to a class action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Florida. The suit alleges that at least a third - and possibly as many as half - of Palm Beach County's students do not graduate on time with a regular diploma, well below both state and national averages. "Palm Beach County is clearly not upholding its responsibility to provide a quality education to all of its students when so many of them are not graduating," said Chris Hansen, senior staff attorney with the ACLU, in a press release.[2]
" Palm Beach County is clearly not upholding its responsibility to provide a quality education to all of its students when so many of them are not graduating," said Chris Hansen, senior staff attorney with the ACLU. "The problem in Palm Beach County is reflective of a broad national problem of poor graduation rates, and state officials must be held accountable for failing our children."[1]
WEST PALM BEACH -- Incited by poor graduation rates in Palm Beach County, a national civil rights group sued the state Thursday, alleging it failed to ensure that all students receive the high-quality education guaranteed under the Florida Constitution.[4] WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- An American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit alleges poor graduation rates in Palm Beach County are evidence the state is neglecting public schools there.[5] The lawsuit is unconnected to a controversy that has been brewing for months in Palm Beach County over a new academic program focused on improving test scores. Both district administrators and critics of the program, which includes frequent testing and a standardized curriculum, could seize on its allegations to press their case. A new state grading formula for high schools, which will include the graduation rate in its calculation for the first time this spring, could mean fewer schools will earn A's and B's if they don't improve, Superintendent Art Johnson has said.[4] Only the ACLU would think of this: They have banded with parents and student of Palm Beach County and mounted a trailblazing class-action lawsuit, the only of its kind (ever?), claiming that students’ constitutional rights are being violated by the incredibly horribly awful schools there, which result in low graduation rates, particularly among blacks and Latinos. The county, for its part, says it'd doing a fine job, of course.[6] The lawsuit seeks to improve the graduation rates for all students enrolled in Palm Beach County. It notes a particularly startling gap - about 30 percentage points - between the performance of white and black students in each of the past five years.[4] The lawsuit also seeks to put in place a uniform and reliable graduation rate calculation that accurately accounts for every student enrolled in Palm Beach County'''s high schools.[3] "By any measure, the graduation rates in Palm Beach County are evidence of an inadequate school system," the lawsuit states.[1] The lawsuit, filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, does not seek monetary damages but asks a judge to step in and set goals for increasing the graduation rate over time.[4]
Palm Beach County schools spokesman Nat Harrington said, "it is important for parents and the public to know that the district has been working continuously and successfully over several years to increase the graduation rate.[1] The Palm Beach School District has 170,215 students in 186 schools, and graduation rates that varied between 56 percent and 71 percent in 2006, depending on the methodology used to perform the calculations. Florida '''s '''self-reported''' numbers indicate that approximately''two-thirds of students''graduate, but those numbers currently include students who do not receive a standard diploma. Further inflating the numbers, students who repeat a grade are counted with their graduating class rather than the class with which they entered school.[3] About a quarter of Palm Beach County seniors do not earn a diploma or GED after four years, according to the school district's own calculations. That number creeps up to 40 percent among black students. The lawsuit alleges that the district is being generous with its math.[4]
For the 2007-08 school year, 87.2 percent of white students earned a diploma, compared with 59.5 percent of black students. Trying to prove the detrimental effect of not earning a diploma, the civil rights group cites a 2003 study that found that 52 percent of all black male dropouts in their 30s had a prison record. ACLU lawyers acknowledge that students' families, their personal drive to earn a diploma and other factors contribute to the district's dropout problem.[4]
Harvard University professors estimated that just 56 percent of students graduated that year, using a formula that counts only students who graduate with a regular diploma in four years. "When you have a student going into a public school system where the graduation rates are maybe that one-third to one-half of the students don't graduate, they're in an environment that is not conducive to their graduating in four years with a regular diploma," said Muslima Lewis, an attorney and director of the racial justice project for the ACLU of Florida.[4] The suit alleges a third to half of the county's students do not graduate on time with a regular diploma -- well below state and national averages. The county's graduation rates vary from 56 percent to 71 percent, depending on the method used to calculate them. They are even lower for minority students.[5] The state Department of Education's graduation rate has been based on a group that begins in ninth grade and graduates four years later. That included students who earn a diploma through the General Educational Development test in those four years and students with disabilities who earn a special diploma. This year the rate excludes students who get GEDs.[1] Officials from the state Department of Education declined to comment on the suit, saying only that the department is reviewing it. The state has essentially conceded that its current graduation rate formula is inflated. Starting this year, the state's graduation statistics will not include students who get GEDs.[4]
"The problem in Palm Beach County is reflective of a broad national problem of poor graduation rates, and state officials must be held accountable for failing our children."[2] The ACLU has thankfully undertaken to improve the graduation rate in Palm Beach County schools.[4]
According to the complaint, half to one-third of the 170,000 students in Palm Beach's public schools don't graduate, depending on how you calculate the rate. That's about the same as it is here in Mobile County.[7]
Now the national and state arms of the ACLU are bringing a class-action suit against the state on behalf of Palm Beach County students and parents.[4] A study by the Mobile Area Education Foundation shows that nearly half, 45 percent, of Mobile County's students don't graduate from high school in six years. The ACLU suit was filed on behalf of six plaintiffs who are either drop-outs or parents of drop-outs, ages 15-19, who say that if the schools were better, they or their children would attend.[7] One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Barbara Aho. Her son Edward, 17, dropped out of Atlantic High School in the 2007-08 school year. Aho would compel him to re-enroll and finish school if the county "would provide her son with an adequate education," the suit says. Other plaintiffs include students now attending various campuses in the county, who are having academic programs and are "subjected to school discipline."[1]
Critics of the so-called "one size fits all" plan believe that high-performing schools should be left alone. The lawsuit acknowledges that some schools have far better graduation rates than others, which may indicate students are not receiving the "uniform" education they are entitled to under the constitution.[4] Noting that the lawsuit is not against the district, Harrington said local educators have worked with the community to create and run programs to increase the graduation rate. "District schools continue to focus on reducing the drop out rate, increasing the graduation rate and raising the academic performance of both the lowest performing students and advanced learners," he said.[1]
Then it was the leadership at the school needs to be reflective of the school population. so minority administrators were placed in the schools. Now, it's graduation rates. It's the administration that consistently has passed along students who have not mastered grade level material. These kids are identifiable. They are identifiable in elementary school. It's the parents, who fail their children. It's social services who fail the children.[4] Why aren't children with high mobility rates referred to social services. We pay too much taxes to children services and they do nothing to stem the tide of high mobility rates, but do we as a society hold them responsible for not catching these students and their parents. Were is government in monitoring these parents who fail their children. This problem has gone on for years and the ACLU only looks to schools. Start looking at Social Services and their failures. It is very clear that the Superintendent Art Johnson has failed in his job. Those school board members who ate Johnson pablum need to go too.[4]
The utility announced Oct. 29 that it asked Butterworth to provide advice. Butterworth said he met with FPL President Armando Olivera in West Palm Beach a few weeks ago, and Olivera told him he was very concerned with FPL's image. Butterworth stressed that while he plans to meet with groups from hospitals to business and industry to consumers, his job is not to negotiate a settlement. He is known for straightening out everything from the state motor vehicle agency in the 1980s to the Florida Department of Children and Families in recent years. He said he is not out to rebuild FPL's image. Butterworth said he initially expressed his concerns to Eric Eikenberg, who just left a post as Gov. Charlie Crist's chief of staff. He also contacted another former attorney general, Jim Smith, whose Tallahassee law firm lobbies for FPL. Smith's law partner Brian Ballard set up a meeting with Olivera at Ballard's West Palm Beach office.[8] The reason two lines 20 deep snaked from the staffing company's offices before noon was the chance to work. Ervin Hayward, 59, came to the offices at 8144 Okeechobee Blvd. in a garnet Florida State T-shirt and a matching ball cap after his wife read a Palm Beach Post story online about the mass hiring. The reason he drove 50 miles south from Port St. Lucie had more to do with being laid off Friday from his job in construction after 19 years. "I'm a football fan, true, but mostly it was about employment," said Hayward, whose former company of custom home builders saw its workforce cut from 170 employees to 38 in the past year.[9]
Plus, the company was not requiring applicants to have security licenses. It was offering security classes, which can cost $90 or more, for $25. A company spokesperson said about half of the applicants already had their licenses. Luchey, the company president, said they would continue to accept applications after Thursday. It was welcome news to Kendrick Williams, 56, of West Palm Beach, who was laid off from his job in code enforcement earlier this year. He has a part-time job as a skycap at the airport. He showed up with his security license in hand. He once attended a Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl win at the now-demolished Orange Bowl and hopes he gets the chance to go again. Mainly, he's looking for the paycheck. "It's been rough the last year," Williams said.[9] A and A security in Suburban West Palm Beach was selected by the Super Bowl XLIV committee to hire over 1,000 unarmed guards that will be needed from January 7th to February 20th in Miami. "It's exciting to have that opportunity in Palm Beach County to provide these jobs during these tough economic times. It's a good thing," said Andrew Luchey with A & A Security. They started lining up at 5:30 a.m., even though the doors didn't open till 11.[10]
"Yes sir, I am very hopeful. Very, very hopeful," he said. Staffers at A & A Security say while the job fair was held Thursday, they will still take in some late applicants Friday at their office located at 8144 Okeechobee Boulevard west of West Palm Beach.[10]
The state court suit filed Thursday in West Palm Beach alleges Gov. Charlie Crist and other officials are violating a requirement in the Florida Constitution for "high quality" public education.[5] Mr. Alexander paid $350,000 for the 2,290-square-foot house in May 2004. It was built in 1958 in the West Palm Beach East neighborhood. He is a member of the firm's real estate, agricultural law and private client services practice groups. Prior to joining Jones Foster, he was an attorney at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP and at Carlton Fields in West Palm Beach. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law and received a B.S. degree in business from Wake Forest University.[11] WEST PALM BEACH -- Former Attorney General Bob Butterworth's first stint with Florida Power & Light Co. was in 1966, when as a fresh University of Florida graduate, he spent six months in the company's executive training program.[8]
The main problem is that school does not prepare the vast majority of the students for ANYTHING. Most people do not need to go to college. They need to be trained for real trades and the real world. Failed parents defined in palm beach post headline: A painted lesson in black culture: Boynton Beach gives at-risk kids an artistic outlet Just give 'em a paintbrush and let them paint the walls on MLK Boulevard. [4] School districts with similar demographics as Palm Beach'''s perform substantially better, proving that Palm Beach County, too, can do better.[3] A Palm Beach County staffing company, A & Associates International, announced it had won the contract to hire 1,000 people to work security for the NFL's Pro Bowl and Super Bowl at Land Shark Stadium in early 2010. Employees opened their doors to applicants from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and expected to get 200 total. They processed 225 applicants in the first 45 minutes. By the end of the day, they had received 625 applications.[9] SK3 Group, Inc. (PINK SHEETS: SKTO) announces that it has opened a Palm Beach County office which will serve as a marketing hub for the region including Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and Miami-Dade Counties.[12] "I'm putting my name everywhere possible." Palm Beach County is experiencing its highest levels of unemployment since 1975.[9]
"Me and her were so close. It pushes me more." Elam transferred from Palm Beach Lakes to Dwyer prior to his junior year and was determined to use the summer to his advantage. For six hours a day, he worked out with teammates in the hopes of a dominant junior season. He had already displayed terrific talent as a freshman and sophomore at Palm Beach Lakes. Daniels recalls a game during Elam's sophomore season in which he seemingly tackled Dwyer running back Donald Russell (now at Kentucky) every time he burst through the line.[13] Lining up at receiver, running back, linebacker and safety, Elam earned Player of the Year honors from the Palm Beach Post and the Sun-Sentinel. Offensively, he caught 39 passes for 758 yards and nine touchdowns and ran for 435 yards and four scores. He also finished with 91 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and nine sacks on defense.[13]
Government Affairs: Through representation at Town governmental meetings on issues impacting the business community and monthly breakfast-meeting presentations by town council members, the chamber seeks to keep you informed to keep you on top. Annual Awards: Each year, business and community leaders are honored for their contributions to the Palm Beach community.[14] Here are just a few of the benefits that members of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce can enjoy. Breakfast and Other Meetings: Join other business leaders for breakfast at The Breakers Palm Beach each month to learn more about the events and issues affecting business interests.[14] The Chamber's board and staff are eager to provide you with assistance in making your business in Palm Beach profitable and enjoyable -- and hassle-free.[14]
Advertising certificates, too, are offered by Palm Beach Daily News and The Palm Beach Post. Other Services: Area-wide information, display sites for your brochures, mailing lists on disc and more are all a part of your support of the chamber.[14] The Map: The chamber produces and distributes a comprehensive street map of the Town of Palm Beach. Members may stop by any time to get a supply of maps for their customers.[14] The Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce supports the proposed visions for positive change for Worth Avenue, the Royal Poinciana Way corridor and the Royal Poinciana Plaza.[15]
Graduation rates are not just a problem in Palm Beach, but throughout the country.[3] Graduation rates ranged from 97.3 percent at Suncoast High to 61.1 percent at Boynton Beach High in 2008.[4] The county posted a graduation rate of 75.6 percent in the 2007-08 school year, according to the most recent state statistics.[1] When the state releases new data in a few days, district officials are confident that the data will show that our graduation rate has continued to improve and has improved over last year."[1]
County graduation rates overall have improved in the past decade, Johnson said. The district has not been able to close the gap between white and black students, he said.[4] The graduation rate was 87 percent for white students compared to 69 percent for Hispanic students and 60 percent for black students.[1]
"National and state results lead to the same conclusion Georgia students are making tremendous progress in writing," announced Kathy Cox, Georgia's superintendent of schools. Looking at the same results, Bob Wise, former West Virginia governor and now president of the Washington-based advocacy group Alliance for Excellent Education, said: "Of the students entering high school in Georgia, 71 percent are writing below grade level, which means they don't have the writing skills they need to succeed." [3] If the GA tests have been dumbed down, it is probably a direct result of the pressure to obtain the HOPE grant. Students are NOT expected to work for this by their parents. The parents expect the children to be GIVEN this grant. Heaven forbid the student actually have to work, achieve and learn something! When parents realize their children NEED an education to succeed in life and the parents work WITH the teachers and schools, THEN children can be held to a higher standard.[3]
Fights, theft, bullying and continuous classroom disruptions are all ignored because of stats required by NCLB and the goal of "looking" good. Threats to teachers about losing their job if "scores" are not good enough. Lead teachers and coaches that increase teacher workloads with to make them look like they are doing their job and justigy their job. MEASURES? HAH! Please do not call these socialized day care centers schools. What are students learning? How to lie, cheat and scam their way thru life. I teach part time at a university and now tell students to think strongly about their future in education. Why? I want to be honest with them and tell them the truth.[3] I had spent all my time trying to keep order and felt defeated as I really wanted to provide knowledge to my students. This was way back in 1960's! Now I have two daughter-in-laws who are teachers and things are much worse. I truly believe it is ONLY the long summer vacation that has kept them in the job.[3]
While, I do not teach, I work in a job where I go to many middle schools. I was amazed to see listed in the halls teacher's names followed by the students in their classes and to find there were less than 15 students per class in most all classes.[3]
Parents need to teach the importanct of attendance, doing homework, taking pride in you work. Every student in school are taught the same. the difference happens when they go home.[4] Looks like things will ebb and flow during the rest of the school year (test scores WILL be down (but Art will have an excuse), students will have an entire year wasted (so sorry), ESE parents file a lawsuit, and people will be fired up for the election in 2010.[4]
A high-quality education is the cornerstone for success, as evidenced by the fact that in 2001 the unemployment rate for dropouts 25 years old and over was 75 percent higher than for high school graduates.[3] In 2004, for example, county schools reported that 66 percent of high school students graduated on time.[4] Cox was noting the overall improvement in the writing scores, rather than the number of Georgia students writing at the highest levels. She accurately stated that 88 percent of Georgia student scores at the basic level or higher, a six-point jump since 2002, the last time the NAEP writing test was given.[3]
If you look solely at THOSE scores, it looks like our 8th graders are scholars. I've been grading essays this week written by my middle school students and have been assessing them according to a rubric based on the Georgia Middle Grades Writing Assessment.[3] "We don't ignore there are a number of factors and (that) students come to the school from all different backgrounds," Lewis said. "But we do know that the constitution provides that all students, regardless of which backgrounds they come from, their socioeconomic situation or their race or their ethnicity, are entitled to have a uniform and high-quality education."[4] WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE PADDLEstudents can be punished with a provision that proper witnesses be present which would prevent abuse by a teacher or principal. One source says, "Spare the rod, spoil the child," and we are definitely spoiling the lives of our children when we EXPELL them from schoolrather than paddle thembecause they are disruptive; and if we DON'T EXPELL them, we are spoiling the education of the only students who are trying hard to learn.[3] Being from a country school in Indiana, I grew up with two classes in each elementary classroom, i.e. 1st & 2nd together, 3d & 4th, 5th & 6th. These teachers each had about 30 students in their room and they seemed to have no difficultly in controlling them.[3] Parental support of the learning process, teachers, and schools is the key to a successful school system AND successful students. The entitlement generation is all about "gimme, gimme, gimme".never about "let me earn this."[3]
The class action also cites that it includes all 170,000-plus students in the school district, and future students.[1] The American Civil Liberties Union sued the school district directly last year, but the case was dismissed on the grounds that the district was not the right party to sue.[4] I've often noted that lack of discipline is the largest single factor between a mediocre and a quality education.It is very hard to teach with disruptive people around you.This is a fact of life and it isn't going to go away.My daughter was a teacher,"was"being the key word. A lot of my money and her time was spent so she could become a pawn in the education game.Move on Benny.There's life after teaching.My daughter has worked for the District Attorney for several years now and she says she sees less violence and way less stress there.[3] YES, it is the lack of being able to DISCIPLINE STUDENTS which is ruining the federal education system! My college training (at Purdue U.) equipped me to teach, and I did so for one year, then decided it was not for me.[3] Special education students who earn an alternative diploma will not be counted in two years.[4]
A truly accurate tally would show only half the students receive diplomas, producing devastating consequences for the student and the county, the suit contends.[1] One-third of county students do not graduate, according to the "most generous method of calculating graduation rates," the ACLU claims.[1]
The suit also wants the court to come up with an accurate measure of graduation rates. It charges that the state uses inaccurate and inflated graduation rate measures.[1] What was the graduation rate in Arne's schools? Look at Washington DC. FAILED schools.[4] Currently, the Florida Department of Education uses inaccurate and inflated graduation rate measures.[3]
Based on the upbeat graphs and charts, anyone would think that Florida was leading the nation in most key measures, including closing the achievement gap and high school graduation. Literally seconds after viewing Bush's PowerPoint, I opened my e-mail to this news release, which paints a far different view of Florida's formula.[3]
"I decided I did not want to be an accountant, and went to law school," Butterworth said Wednesday in a meeting at The Palm Beach Post.[8] The Leopard Lounge at The Chesterfield Hotel, 363 Cocoanut Row, 659-5800, www.chesterfieldpb.com (Richard Snyder): From 5 to 7 p.m. seven days a week, enjoy reduced drink prices, the bar menu, complimentary snacks and hors d'oeuvres and live entertainment. Morton's the Steakhouse, 777 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, 835-9664, www.mortons.com (Rachel Spillane): From 5 p.m. to closing seven days a week, drink specials include $4 select beers, $5 select wines and $7 select spirits, with a bar menu offering $5 bites such as prime mini-cheeseburgers, three mini crab cakes, spinach and artichoke dip and more.[16] According to BlockShopper.com, there have been 2,013 home sales in West Palm Beach in 2008, with a median sales price of $150,000.[11] Larry B. Alexander, Jr., has listed for sale a three-bedroom, 3.5-bath home at 270 Russlyn Dr. in West Palm Beach for $539,900.[11]
After making a big play in practice, Dwyer (West Palm Beach, Fla.) senior Matt Elam often tries to celebrate with a front flip.[13] WEST PALM BEACH -- A chance to go to the Super Bowl and be paid for it brought out hundreds of applicants Thursday morning. The chance to simply draw a paycheck in a lurching local economy was all the motivation any of them really needed.[9] Hotel Biba, 320 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, 832-0094, www.hotelbiba.com (Jennifer Reichert): From 6 to 11 p.m. seven nights a week, you'll find rotating drink specials and complimentary parking.[16]
Charley's Crab Palm Beach, 456 S. Ocean Boulevard, 659-1500, www.muer.com (Scott Tompkins): From 4 to 7 p.m. at the bars only, order $5 martinis and drink specials, $3 well drinks, $4 wine and $3 and $4 drafts.[16] "Things were done that hurt the reputation of the utility and the PSC." Those things include such conflicts of interest as a PSC staffer attending a party at an FPL executive's Palm Beach Gardens home and secret Blackberry messages exchanged by regulators and their staff and FPL.[8] Every household in Palm Beach, for example, is mailed a copy at the beginning of the season.[14]
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the state of Florida because too few students are graduating. [7] September's jobless rates, the latest available, show unemployment is up to 11.7 percent in the county and 11 percent in Florida, according to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.[9]
Tom Butler, press secretary for the state Department of Education, said officials were reviewing the lawsuit. [1]
SOURCES
1. ACLU sues state over county graduation rate -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
2. Top Story: Lawsuit alleges state failure to provide equal education | graduation, beach, palm : WPEC onSet Site - WAP
3. Are Jeb Bush and ACLU talking about same schools? | Get Schooled
4. ACLU lawsuit: Palm Beach County's woeful graduation rates show failure of Florida's education policies
5. WEAR ABC 3 :: Florida News
6. Suing the State Over Crappy Education | GOOD
7. ACLU sues Florida over drop outs | The Learning Curve - al.com
8. Butterworth to find FPL errors
9. Hundreds line up for chance at Super Bowl security jobs offered by West Palm Beach company
10. Top Story: 1,000 Superbowl jobs available | superbowl, beach, really : WPEC onSet Site - WAP
11. Lawyer selling West Palm Beach 3BD | BlockShopper South Florida
12. SK3 Group Expands Into South Florida
13. ESPN Florida recruit driven by personal loss -ESPN Rise FOOTBALL
14. Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Members Enjoy Many Benefits
15. From Palm Beach Chamber President: What Next?
16. Chamber picks for "Happy Hour" in Palm Beach, West Palm Beach
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