Black students in Pinellas lag behind black students elsewhere

And in math and science, it’s not really close. Why?

Prompted by this St. Petersburg Times story about an applied math camp for minority kids, we took a closer look at the 2008 math and science FCAT scores for black students in Pinellas and Florida’s six other big urban districts. (The state Department of Education says the demographic breakdowns for the 2009 FCAT won’t be available until later this month.) The results, for Pinellas, are not pretty.

In every grade, in both subjects, black students in Pinellas do worse than black students in those other districts. In almost every case, it’s significantly worse.

In tenth grade math, 31 percent of black students in Pinellas are at grade level. That’s 13 percentage points behind Miami-Dade and 16 percentage points behind Hillsborough.

In fifth grade science, 12 percent of black students in Pinellas are at grade level, compared to 18 percent in Hillsborough, Orange and Duval. In Miami-Dade, it’s 21 percent. In Palm Beach, it’s 24 percent.

Granted, the numbers are not good anywhere. But why would black students in Pinellas be performing that much worse than black students in Tampa and Miami?

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Comments

[Chuck]

Maybe black people in Pinellas aren't as smart as black people elsewhere. Seems like a simple explanation. You act like there's no such thing as regional intelligence.

[teacher and taxpayer]

First of all, don't generalize. This article makes it look like all black students are failures. NOT TRUE. Secondly, school is not a place to "mess around" as one blogger complained about the fact that his cousin was kicked out of school for. Bayside is a discipline school,so if he was sent there it's not the first time the cousin "messed" around and should have known better. I have seen many AFAM students constantly being enabled by fearful administration instead of being disciplined. They know nothing will happen when they misbehave, so it continues. When a negative consequence finally happens it's allegedly driven by racism. not!
lastly: Take your education seriously and you'll get ahead. We all have to face challenges in society. It's not easy, white black or otherwise. Stop blaming others. Make better choices. Education, hard work and leaning how to get along with others without a chip on your shoulder are keys to success.

[Timmy!]

If someone somewhere would say "There is a grain of truth in what you're saying, maybe we can build on it (or address it, or fix it, or acknowledge it, or try and change it) instead of denying it or worse, defending what is obviously incorrect - we might make some progress.

[idiots!!!]

Mark, WHY do Af. Amer. children have tracking/vision problems? Shakeela, or whatever your name is, KEEP YO' LEGS SHUT!!!!!

[Cantbelieveit]

All things being "equal" Pinellas needs to explain this! If other large districts can do, then so must Pinellas. Stop the excuses! Get busy and narrow these discrepancies now!!!

Personally, I think it emanates from a lack of belief in these students and the lack of leadership at the top. Certainly, there are enough high-paid administrators to rectify the situation, if they only knew what to do! So far, they only blame society and the home. Those other districts had the society and the home to deal with too, and they have done a much better job of teaching their children. So sorry we didn't get the administrator from Miami! Jansen is inept!

Thank you St. Pete Times for getting out this important information!

[andrea]

you make a lot of good points.

right now i am getting a master's in education at usf and i learn again and again that children's prior knowledge (exposure to ideas, vocabulary, experiences, etc) make a HUGE difference for children in reading comprehension and overall preparedness for school. i know schools can't substitute for homes but the educational system could address issues such as the disproportionate number of inexperienced teachers being placed in "at-risk" schools, racial biases in testing, and/or the "sorting" of children into different tracks within the system. i am not sure many people realize how important program placement is in determining which program their child will end up in during high school. crazy--but true. so if kids are entering the system already disadvantaged due to lack of early childhood experiences and maybe they do poorly on the FCAT--they potentially have already missed the boat in terms of getting in the more advanced high school programs.

interestingly the same arguments leveled against helping minorities are often used against funding programs that help children with disabilities. some say "why should we help these kids who aren't going to improve cognitively--those monies would be better spent on the kids that can truly benefit" of course, this is just as absurd as many of the statements made about minority or lower SES children. i don't know if you have heard of STAND--one of the BEST advocacy groups in the Tampa Bay area--but they are wonderful for advocating on behalf of children with disabilities and educating families about how to protect their children's rights.

and i agree about the constant switching of schools--it is stressful on everyone invovled!

[Julia]

Andrea, it is complex.We do have parenting classes that are available and the free lunches program.

I really wish I knew why some parents don't care.It runs the range.I think the biggest problem is the mentality that the school should be doing everything. Hey-it's daycare right?Many parents don't want to have to be bothered.It could be children raising children, drugs, working 2 jobs, unstable home life, mental illness, too many kids, you name it. Even people like my cousin-married, stable for a long time ignored her child's reading problems and felt the school should handle it. Finally, she saw the light and has worked diligently w/ her child and viola - huge improvements.

I am very pessimistic of real solutions. I shared my story to demonstrate to you how much work goes into working w/ a child that even has mild special needs (he also has visual/tracking/auditory processing issues). The more I have worked w/ him and observed other children, the more I realize there's no substitute for family. Reading at bedtime,taking them to the store and weighing fruits & veggies, making them pay for their own toy and getting change, doing workbooks, going to the library (headed there now w/ the little guy). The list goes on and on.He comes from a stable home and does not have emotional/behavior/discipline issues - you add that on top and it would be next to impossible. No one knows your child as you do or is going to work w/ them, love them, fight for them the way a parent will.

Getting back to Pinellas specific things another problem is the ridiculous, constant, assignment plan changes. Yes, children are resilient, but I don't think it helps kids to keep shifting their schools around on them all the time. It also makes parents feel less connected to the school etc...

It would be nice if there were that magic, easy solution, wouldn't it?:(

[andrea]

mark--i really appreciate those insights--especially in terms of the tracking and visual processing....i have never heard that before....

julia-my original post is similar to what you point out...our focus must be why the discrepancies exist...

in terms of throwing money at a problem that isn't being resolved, my response is that our approach lacks the social underpinnings that will support educational aims. like i mentioned before, if a child is suppose to come to school to learn but comes to school hungry or from an abusive home--clearly that child's potential isn't going to be fulfilled. maybe the funds that are going toward these new education programs could be redirected towards building more integrated connections with social agencies? no one wants distractions in the classroom because of misbehavior--but the schools cannot address these issues alone--there needs to be connections with social agencies to reinforce the school's efforts, imo.

anyways....these issues are complex and sometimes overwhelming because the solutions are going to need to be equally sophisticated and well choreographed....and i just don't know that there is the public support that will be needed to see these initiatives put into place--the public's perception of schools seem to be so pessimistic and guided by the ridiculous "grading" of schools under No Child Left Behind...but that's opening another can of worms.....

on the issue of families: why is it that families are not helping students or being more supportive with regard to behavioral or academic issues? (this applies to all races not just one group) is is it that they are illiterate themselves? is it that their parents are working multiple jobs or late-night shifts?

[Mark Halpert 3D Learner]

African American students struggles are a multi-dimensional challenge

More often than not:
- They are more visual learners -- and are not engaged by traditional methods

- They are 3 times as likely to have a tracking and visual processing issue -- but it is rarely identified or addressed

- They do have trouble paying attention -- and they need both interesting teaching and more discipline

- They also may not have the parental support others have

Having tried to help Pinellas schools address the issue - we were told they had too many things on their plate -- there is a need for innovative and effective approaches -- that give principals some slack -- so they can innovate -- and find what works

There is now money for both ESE and Title 1 schools

Parents also need to partner with schools

[Rita]

Pinellas needs to crack down on discipline.Kids need to be in a learning environment. That means no cellphones in classroom. It needs to be enforced. There are way too many distraction for kids to enjoy learning. Put the focus on the classroom. I also agree with Pinellas having too many experimental programs. My child in elementary was exposed to the "Everyday math" curriculum. I am sorry but math starts with knowing the basic really well. Everyday math is trying to put too many concepts in a short amount of time. Lets go back to knowing the fundamentals first. Take time to understand the fundamentals first. Look at the fcat scores in math for those schools with the everyday math curriculum. They are a lot worse. Everyday math is confusing for the kids, parents and teachers alike.
I know for sure there are a lot of 5th and 6th graders out there missing the fundamentals, which will make math hard for the rest of their educational career.
Make sure kids are fluent in adding, multiplying, fractions etc... before moving on to algebra concepts. It is practice, practice, practice.
But at the middle and high school level, discipline first.One can not learn in a distracting and misbehaving classroom. For those kids that do not always have the parental support, a disciplined classroom environment is a must.

[Julia]

Termie,I usually have respect for your posts in regards to funding and creating more vocational schools.However, you are veering into territory that is making me disappointed in your usually interesting posts. Sweeping racial generalizations and stereotypes do not help.

Andrea, thank you for your comments. However, I don't believe that most minority students are being given lesser opportunities and resources today in 2009. Look at per student funding and you will find that minority schools have much higher funding. The district has rebuilt expensive new facilities in south Pinellas. I don't mind the double funding and that low income schools have been rebuilt first. They need it more than higher income kids. At a point though, you have to say enough. Throwing more $ at it won't help. It's the law of diminishing returns.

I even recognize this w/ my own younger child who is ESE (not autistic, but has certain "spectrum" behaviors). The district could give him Language and OT every day of the week for an hour plus and there's a point where it's just not going to help. He simply can not absorb information as rapidly as my other child (who is gifted). They had the same opportunities etc...Trust me, I don't enjoy saying that.I wish there was a magic cure to make him more advanced but there's not.The district is providing him w/ appropriate services.All I can do is a)work w/ him myself. I truly believe there are things that only a parent consistently on a one on one basis can provide. Right now, he's ahead for an incoming Kindergarten child. 75% of that is due to his hardwork and mine. 25% goes to LT and OT. Don't get me wrong, they are great, but consistency and home re enforcement are key!!!Until more minority families realize this, the children will always struggle. b) Hope for the best and that he matures out of this (he's only 5).

Again, let's focus on why Pinellas is lagging more than other districts. I have to agree w/ Warren, the leadership is a HUGE problem. Largo is full of overpaid admins who come up w/ their idea de jour that they want to push on the schools. Let teachers teach:))

[andrea]

terminator--

i think we've come full circle. it seems like you are saying that minority groups are to blame for the downfall of our society and i'm saying that such claims are overly simplistic (not to mention racist) and deny societal structures that have actually created and reinforced discriminatory practices against such groups. it is no wonder the ails you describe are found in groups that have been regularly denied access to equal access to resources. their situation is not indicative of some "genetic deficiency" but rather it reflects of these societal discriminatory structures--the fruit of inequalities within our society.

now, let me be clear, i am NOT in favor of a perpetual welfare state but i do believe that resources need to be directed towards healthcare, job creation, and education. when we talk about education as being an important part of people improving their lives, how can that happen without these social issues being addressed as well? for example, how can we ever expect a hungry child to successfully access an education?

well....gotta go...

[warren]

What a surprise? While the Pinellas school district is much smaller in comparison with the schools in Hillsborough, Broward, and Dade. It truly shows a lack of leadership on the top. How much money and resources have been invested in improving the minority student's performance over the years? Yet, there is such a big difference in Black's math performance as we look into the data between Broward and Pinnelas. In most areas, there are more than 15% difference, with some areas even larger than 20% (10th grade math-25%)

[terminator]

andrea:
while you seem like an intelligent person with worthwhile things to say you are a far left wing liberal in your political ideology.
If you look at most of what ails American society, the majority can be traced back to certain minority groups(primarily African-American but also poor Hispanics as well).
Keep in mind we are talking groups not individuals. There will always be good or bad individuals in each race/ethnicity/religion etc.
Compare statistics regarding educational attainment levels, income levels, crime and incarceration levels, those more prone to disease by virtue of unhealthy living habits, those more likely to die by violent criminal acts, those who are a drain on society living off entitlement programs, quality of life issues, etc. and you will see very distinct breakdowns by race.
I know this isn't a pretty picture for most but I think everyone is in full agreement. What baffles this cyborg is how so many people of all races want to sugarcoat it and push it to the side.
Remember Obama's speech about openly discussing race? I guess that was just a campaign ploy to help him get elected but it generated alot of publicity at the time. Funny how we haven't heard much about it lately.
Charles Darwin's theory (only the strong survive) distinctly coincides with the distribution of wealth in this country.
Or as Lenin/Marx pointed out, history is a class struggle between the haves and have nots.
The have-nots are primarily in the position they are in due to inherent genetic deficiencies. One has to wonder why so many blacks aren't good parents, why so many black fathers are deadbeats or in prison or shot dead in criminal acts, why so many black women get pregneant as teenagers out of wedlock, why so many are jobless, etc. Of course there's always bad breaks and luck but we're pretty much a by-product of what our educational attainment levels are, how hard we work, how much we value following rules and laws, the daily decisions we make and living in a community that respects one another.
My point is, we have to stop throwing money down the drain on closing the achievement gap (at least the way it's being done presently).
These majority black and hispanic schools that are D/F need to be closed and radically restructured utilizing the European model of college bound/vocational/technical/alternative tracking from an early age (say 14-16).
To continue wasting money on improving schools that are fundamentally broken and can never improve is folly at best!

[terminator]

10:58
I'll take that (termie is a pig) as a compliment.
When you've got no other argument then just cry "racism".
(Playbook strategy 1-100 in the Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton shakedown hustle).
Termie ain't stupid, he knows what he talks about.
It may be things others are too polite or too afraid to say but termie is a cyborg. He doesn't have to be worried about stupid things like people's feelings.

[Terminatorisapig]

If anyone thinks "Shakeela" is a real person...than I have some property I'd like to sell you at a really good discount. That id is clearly satire. It was probably made by terminator to bolster his ridiculous arguments. I don't even know why he is allowed on this site anymore, he clearly mentally unstable. Anyone else who made such flagrant racist comments would be kicked off. Please Jeff...do us all a favor!!!!!!!!

[andrea]

great insights, julia. i wish i knew more about the programs that have been purchased but which have resulted in little to no gains to students.
i worry, too, about the increasing trend toward "scripted teaching" which often diminishes the professional role of the teacher. i'd like to read more comments from teachers to see what they believe are the contributing factors in the difference in scores between counties.

[andrea]

k- i completely agree. there is a professor at usf st pete that is working on a grant to establish centers of excellence among pre-k programs where they can model effective teaching methods to the preschools throughout their area and so that, ultimately, children will be better prepared upon entering kindergarten. i really hope that the grant comes through--it would be such a boon to our local community.

terminator--you misunderstand me. i have no "pollyanna" view of the world. to the contrary, i am all too familiar with the realities of the human condition. however, in the face of this, i believe that people can treat each other with respect, even when they disagree.

i take issue with your view that higher levels of education equates to superiority.....having an education opens doors but it is not the full measure of a person.

also, i don't have a problem with the term african-american. in my view, it describes a cultural group within the US.

lastly, if you are worried about the decline of the US educational system, i think attributing this decline to immigrant groups is not only scapegoating but it also reflects a too short sighted view of the situation. if you look at the foundation of education in the US and trace it through to contemporary times, it is clear that the educational system has always reflected our culture. initially education was founded around needs of business and, in my view, that hasn't changed....it is just more subtle. corporations have really influenced how the schools look in today's world but because the system as a whole is so complex, it is difficult to see how these forces influence our schools.....there is a lot more i could write but, i am probably going off on a tangent beyond the scope of your comments....better stop now :)

[Julia]

I would like to touch on something that has not been brought up.It seems no one is answering the real question:why is Pinellas lagging behind other counties?A common complaint on the GB is the incestuous relationship Pinellas has w/ numerous vendors and whoever the latest, trendiest educational/FCAT improvement trendsetter is. PCS spends a lot of $ on this stuff. It has for decades in the name of being "progressive".The end result:a very confusing,non-cohesive curriculum combined w/ micromanagement from PCS. Teachers have almost no say on how/what they teach.I hear this from strong teachers all the time.Let's try this: get rid of the trendy, $ edu crud and use cheaper,tried, traditional methods. Use leftover $ to help lagging kids.Give teachers back their freedom. Constructive comments folks!

[!]

All you have to do is read these blogs to see the hatred, prejudice and racism that lurkes not to far from the surface in Pinellas county. Many of the bloggers here work in the school system.

Many students step into Pinellas classrooms with the idea they are not liked, respected or expected to accomplish much.

They live up to the reputation the adults around them create.

[k]

As a S. St. Pete teacher, I can agree with both the positive and negative opinions on this blog. Sadly, when the students enter K. this year, it will be business as usual. In almost every case, the black students come in with zero skills and the white kids know their ABC's, can write their name and letters, understand shapes and numbers etc.. The county curr. does not take into account the huge gap that starts with 5 year olds. The pacing guide must be followed (sadly) at all costs. Add into that the oral language component and I can understand how black students never catch up. Children must come to school prepared to learn and they must be ready. Taxpayers have demanded quality instruction, and trust me, they get it. If the rest of America is willing to spend time talking with and teaching their very young children, perhaps it is time that the black community takes on that responsibility as well. Education does not start in school. It is a life long experience. I for one would love to start my school year without seeing this glaring stereotypical gap in my class. And yes, my school provides excellent resources to help students catch up and enrich their learning. However, most of the kids that need it the most are extremely tardy or absent. You have to want to learn and value knowledge in order to obtain it. Most adults have figured this out, our job is to encourage and guide the kids until they figure it out as well. They are after all only children who are at the mercy of the adults around them.

[Paul]

Durmond, I think you're putting way to much faith in our President. I seriously doubt he'll be fixing much in St Pete ... he's got alot bigger problems to deal with honestly. So your cousin got kicked out of school... well there's always the GED program. You get a GED and you are automatically accepted into a state community college (get loans, grants, etc. to pay for school) then get this, once you get an Associates Degree... you are then automatically accepted into the State University system. So don't think anything is over for your cousin. Its only over when he stops trying. I know, I was quite the failure in high school and pretty much took the path I mentioned above. Anyone can sit for the GED as far as I know. Have him hit the books, get a tutor, hang out at the library, I know that sounds horrible for a young kid, but you have to learn something in life or you will be forever stuck where ever it is you are at. There has to be at least one person in this City willing to help the young man prepare for a GED exam... post an ad on Craigslist asking for free help.

See, no yelling, just conversation.

[terminator]

andrea,
it's pretty much fact if you have studied your history.
look at countries like England Japan, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan.
China and India are the new rising powers.
the US has become too balkanized which is leading us to ultimate destruction.

save me the multi-cultural garbage. all the hyphenated-americans, PC and making allowances for those not capable of exercising personal responsibility is what's killing this country.

funny how most of the states with the largest Anglo/non-minority populations have the highest educational attainment levels.
One must wonder why that is?

Ok Andrea, join hands and in the words of the immortal Wacko Jacko sing "We Are the World"!

[Durmond]

I so glad sombody call em on this. my cuz been kicked out to bayside for just messin around. i no it because he black. I cant wait for Obama to fix this schoool system.
shakeela gimme a holla so we can kick it...
uhuru4lyfe

[andrea]

paul--
i appreciate your comments. :) it is certainly true that it is possible for people to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" so to speak but it must be more difficult when your community is seeped in gang culture, absent fathers (in jail), and teenage pregnancy. honestly, i am not making excuses---in the end we are responsible for our own actions--but in order create more effective solutions, we need to better understand the situation. another issue is that any "solution" that is create but is perceived as coming from the existing power structure is likely to be resisted or viewed with suspicion--the solutions really do have to come from the community's own leaders. community leaders, imo, have made some progress but, especially in terms of the educational system, any solution is going to need the coordination of many parties and, so far, progress has been slow....

terminator--when you say that some races are superior--i'm not sure what you are implying exactly? are you saying that some cultures are more effective in certain areas? it is true that the US could learn a lot about improving education by studying countries like japan and india. but if you mean that races are inherently superior--i'd strongly disagree--cultures around the world have contributed uniquely to our world--to try to quantify or compare these things would seem a bit narrow and self-serving.

[Paul]

Now that's a post I can understand Andrea. Something with some context to it. I agree with not having any answers for the things you pointed out... but community leadership could be one of them. Saying that, I've seen some of the self-appointed leaders of St Pete's black community (sorry, I reject the term 'insertanyrace-American', because we're all Americans) and I can't say the communication / messaging was as clear and concise as yours. Perhaps an outside PR person could help craft some speaking points...

Anyhow, back to black kids doing poorly in school here in Pinellas, its a darn shame for sure. But, if people in third world countries can figure out how to send a kid from their poor, remote village to a university and eventually land a great job in the USA, certainly there has to be answers for us right here in St Pete / Pinellas. I've met and know people who came to this country with literally nothing, not even speaking English, and they have down quite well for themselves... and actually laughed at the welfare, foodstamps, etc. that people in the US have at their disposal, because in their homeland, they had no support at all from their unstable governments. Not to dwell on it, but when's the last time we were bombed by radicals or warlords, here in St Pete? Never.

Look at what you have, not at what you don't have... but then again, I have an education (which I earned on my own dime) so that is perhaps easier for me to say/see at this point.

Off my soapbox now.

[terminator]

andrea:
you sound like a classic far left loonie tune liberal!
funny how millions of immigrants came to the US over the past one hundred years and built successful lives for themselves and they were every bit as discriminated against as blacks have been.
Face the facts, all the social tinkering in the world won't level the playing field.
Some races are superior to others and that's a fact. Funny, how most Asians are able to knock the socks off standardized tests. Same can be said for Indians.
Caribbean Island blacks have far better education attainment levels than 'African-Americans". Why is this the case?

J:
uhurus, mamma tee and the other black leaders are selling out and exploiting their own people just like the hucksters Sharpton and Jackson. They be laughing all the way to the bank while Shakeela has to stay knocked up on welfare in the housing projects!

[andrea]

terminator--

it is easy to throw around judgements about how people are lazy but i believe to better understand the poverty found in african-american communities, it is necessary to look within a larger historical context. many people do not know about the various social, political, and economic structures that have systematically discriminated against the african-american/black community. for example, many of the government backed programs that were intended to lift people into the middle class (fdr's new deal) through home ownership were denied to blacks. the wealth that home ownership gave to families impacted generations. also, some laws have discriminated against the black community. for example, possession of crack cocaine (a cheaper form of cocaine found in poorer communities) resulted in much harsher prison terms than did regular cocaine (found in upper class communities). (fortunately obama has overturned this discrepancy. ) in the educational system, tests have been written with racial bias, blacks have been disproportionately placed in special education classes, etc. my point is that there are reasons why poor, minority communities have the problems that they do....and it does not serve us well just to blame it on personal irresponsibility (though, of course, that can be found--in any community). these problems have been festering for generations and it is not enough just to blame--we must understand first--and then work toward solving problems.

reading over these posts, it is clear that there is a lot of anger between racial groups.....i don't know what the answer is....but i think a beginning is to educate ourselves so we can better each other.

[J]

Gee is this a surprise. Maybe the Uhurus can start their own school. Thugville High. The black leaders in St. Pete have been no where to be found, These kids have no role models and their parents came from poverty and it breeds more poverty. The Uhurus, Mama Tee, and the rest of the useless leaders are not doing a damn thing to help their community they blame it on everyone else. Its BS.

[Paul]

Wow, this thread took a left turn. I have to ask the Uhuru person just how the 'precious children' are being neglected by the school system. I'm serious, I'm not being a smarty pants here... I am curious, how are certain kids being neglected? I wouldn't know as I never went to school here in Pinellas and don't have any kids of my own. By the way, what do you think of my flash cards exercise? You ever try that out with the kids? I remember it being really fun! You should get some blank index cards, write the problem on one side and the answer on the back, have fun playing math games :)

[terminator]

Bob:
terminator is a cyborg. I cannot return to my planet until my mission is accomplished.
Public education and the teaching profession must be restored to the greatness they once held in American society.
All those who stand in the way must be eliminated.

[Bob]

shakelea
I'm dying to know - was it white people that made you get pregnant in high school? Where is personal responsibility? It sounds like your situation was your own making and you are trying to blame others for your own situation. Reparations? Get over it! You personally were not harmed and are not harmed by slavery. Just whining excuses for your own sorry decisions.

All people of all races need to deal with whatever hand they have been dealt - fair or not - and move on. Accept your own poor decisions and move forward without blaming others.

terminator - that "move back to Africa" stuff is just cr*p. She is as American as you. Why don't you leave America?

[Pete]

Not only that, but they grow up and get out in the real world where the rest of us have studied hard and know how to use the English language. They're illiterate and expect the rest of us to turn a blind eye to their lack of basic grammar. I am sick to death of the black slackers in our organization that try every tactic they can to get out of actually working anywhere near as hard as the rest of us, but demand the same pay. Fire them all, I say.

[Connie Burton - Uhuru Movement]

Please click on my name to join the movement.

[WinningLooser]

Again, affirmative action will fill the gaps, keeping it a fair, level and feel-good playing field.

[terminator]

andrea:
you have to wonder why the black kids are ALWAYS from a poor socio-economic background?
could it be because MOST (not all) don't want to get an education, aren't willing to work hard and think white people should hand them stuff on a silver platter?
welfare is a cycle of dependency. the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Rather than smoking crack and drinking Schlitz Malt Liquor Bull and hanging out on the front porch with the "bros" all day try getting off your butt and working for a living (what a novel concept)!

Timothy Ward: see previous quote. Teachers can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t. I suspect you fall into the latter category!

Connie: get off the Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson "it be racism" kick. You aren't going to get any reparations so you may as well forget about it.
How bout going back to the homeland?
And most of your "children" aren't precious, they're just sub-human thugs with a bad case of anti-social behavior.
Good thing you didn't live in Nazi Germany during the 30's and 40's. Hitler wasn't entirely crazy.

[South St Peters]

uh oh here come the boohooroos!

[It's always whitey]

Shakeela, shut yer yap and go back to south St Pete, whitey this and whitey that, don't blame whitey blame yourself. Complications from a pregnancy wouldn't let you graduate you say? I'm sure that's whitey's fault too

[Connie Burton - Uhuru Movement]

As someone who has seen and dealt with racism all of my life, this is obviously one of the worse cases I ever have seen. Our precious children are being neglected by the school system and this will lead to their neglect in later life. Communities must unite and hold the school system accountable!

[Uh huh]

Oh and it's The White Kids' fault you were out on booty call and having babies instead of being in school, I guess.

Shak, you need to shut up. You're not helping your case. Your grammar is atrocious and you're a drain on the rest of us.

[Uh huh]

"...not allowed to graduate"
--shakelea

LOL.

Well you know you do have to show up for class once in a while and complete a few assignments.

I'm sure it was The White Kids' fault you were "not allowed to graduate".

[parent of school age children]

I am not racist, in fact some of my best friends are black, but geeze, get off the slavery thing, let it go. How long do we have to pay for something that we in this generation did not do??????

Raising children is a full time job, you have to look at your time and your income before having too many. If your income does not support it, don't have them; if you have to work 3 jobs to make ends meet, you obviously won't have time for more children. Make better choices all around!!!!!!

[Timothy Ward]

The teachers in Pinellas County are not properly trained. These teachers are overpaid and still producing horrible results!

[andrea]

could it be a matter of socio-economic status? perhaps black students in pinellas come from poorer backgrounds than do the students in these other school districts (which could contribute to a larger discrepancy in school readiness in kindergarten)? there is no denying that there is racial bias built into school systems but there must be some variable that distinguishes pinellas from these other school districts--if we can figure out what it is then at least we could start to make the needed changes.....otherwise, i'm afraid we fall back into the oversimplified and well worn debates that lack the specificity to get us anywhere.

[NIcole]

WHAT A VICTIM!!!! take some responsibility for yourself. teachers ARE TEACHERS!!! they are not supposed to be your parent, best friend and social worker! they give you the tools and skills to learn but it MUST be reinforced at home!! Teachers spend more time dodging chairs being thrown at them and getting disrespectful kids to leave the classroom so other kids that WANT to learn have the opportunity to do so! But teachers don't have any support from parents or the school board. everyone is affraid to touch the subject because it's somehow "racist." This "no child left behind" is hurting our school system. Some kids will not graduate! plain and simple...some aren't smart enough to follow a traditional school cirriculum. We have continued to lower the standards every year so "no child is left behind" and now everyone is earning a diploma! You should have WORK for it. SHow up to class everyday and so your HOMEWORK! Get over yourself...take some responsibility. the only person that is holding you back!

[Worked in School]

That is because they're coddled and treated with kid gloves. If they're asked to do actual work, they cause trouble then their parents come in and say their babies are being treated "diffrunt" because they're black. The Uhurus propogate a culture of ignorance and encourage thuggish behaviour. "It's not cool to be in school" is pounded into these kids heads. No one is allowed to tell them what to do or how to do it, because of course, that's "racist".

[Shakeela]

Once again you all live in your white world and do not realize the struggle of a black youth. You keep thinking this is the fault of our African American society and you wrong. I was unable to graduate high school because my baby was born in my junior year and I had commplicatons from the pregnacy. I did what was right and took care of my child. Now I am trying to get a GED but am required to hold down a job at the same time. There is no work out there as I have tried to find it. As far as these "entitlements" you all talk about this is how my family is able to survive. What if I talk about taking your livelyhood away from you? These moneys I get I consider somewhat to be reparations for the slavery of my peoples. Until you lived in the shoes of any black child you have to first remove you white rose color glasses and try to understand there struggle.

[Ashley]

Once again, everyone feels its geared toward "white" kids. Maybe if black parents would take more time to spend with their children, provided the parents are even in their lives, the education standard would be equal. And I agree with the welfare statement. If you had to have a diploma or GED to get government aid, we'd have a lot less people, regardless of race, sucking the system. It's not hard to graduate high school with a 2.0. Give me a break!

[terminator]

Shakeela:
how about moving back to Africa?
you could help your poor brothers and sisters in Botswana.
just think, it would be an upgrade from the "hood", no drive by shootings to worry about!

[Steve]

Let's tell these kids and parents if they don't finish high school or a vocational school, they will never get any federal or state aid in the form of welfare/ foodstamps etc. This goes for the parents also. Keep your kid in school or lose your entitlements. See how fast grades will go up