The origins of the 2011 Egyptian revolution

Taking a break from the educational side of this, but I may post an article about early childhood development next week.

In light of the chaos taking place in North Africa, there looks to be a common thread weaving its way through the madness. In short, it is that citizens have felt oppressed and voiceless. While similar situations have existed for thousands of years, it is interesting to see how the influence of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have allowed these people to speak up for themselves and get their message out to the rest of the world. Tunisia and Egypt have managed to overthrow their leaders and Libyans appear to be close to showing Moammar the door. But how does a revolution start? In Egypt, it appears that the citizens got a look at the success their neighbors were having and used the social media as an outlet to "Just Say No!" In the end, Mubarak and his multi-billion dollar empire was left with no choice but to resign.

The concept of holding a revolution in Egypt was not unique; in fact, the 2011 uprising was the fifth to take place in modern Egyptian history, although the first since 1950. In the wake of the civil unrest and consequent successful overthrow of the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali leadership in Tunisia, the stage was set for the oppressed citizens of Egypt to make a move. In reality, the seeds for the movement may have been planted as many as ten years earlier. The successful outcome in Tunisia helped to give Egyptians hope that their movement would also accomplish its objective. For 18 days, beginning on January 25, scores of protestors took to the streets, under mostly peaceful circumstances, to denounce the leadership of President Hosni Mubarak. At first, Mubarak offered to not seek re-election, but after further protests, the president of 30 years resigned.

Reasons for fighting back

There are many reasons for the revolution, and most of the reasons focus on economic, as well as political issues. In the end, an Egyptian people tired of being held back decided to retaliate. Mubarak, like many other African dictators, headed a corrupt system. Free elections were not a reality in Egypt and freedom of speech was frowned upon. The unemployment rate was excessively high, while Egyptians, who were able to work, did so for low minimum wages. Many Egyptians work for less than $2 a day. The price of food was uncharacteristically expensive and police brutality ran rampant on the streets. While many Egyptians toiled in poverty, the Mubarak family amassed a fortune, known to be as high as $70 billion.

Larger Issues

The issues which sent Egyptians to the streets were not unique in the Middle East. The problems which have been forcing uprisings in countries since the Tunisian and Egyptian takeovers are tied to the broader issues of capitalism within the region. Two are of particular importance. First, the global economic recession and nature of neoliberalism in Egypt are causing concern as the country becomes more dependent on American capital investment, while shifting to single crop production for export and the privatization of public companies.

The second issue is the role which Egypt has held in fostering American dominance in the Middle East and North Africa. Many Egyptians felt as if Mubarak was more concerned with his country’s relationship with the Western world than his own people, profiting from American business contacts while the gap between the wealthy and the starving widened.

Social Media

Although many Egyptians lived in an oppressed state, there had been no means of mobilizing the masses to protest. This changed with the advent of social media outlets, such as Facebook and Twitter. In one well known occurrence, Wael Abbas “tweeted” his arrest while being moved to jail, and found hundreds of protestors outside the police station upon his arrival. While the movement in Egypt was uncoordinated from a planning standpoint, the ability to transmit moving images to a fixated public put the upheaval as the lead story on many news outlets.

Timing Was Right

In the end summary, the timing was right for an Egyptian revolution. The negative economic and social factors came to a boiling point just as the Tunisians were overthrowing the Ben Ali regime. Looking for an example to follow, the citizens of Egypt learned of people like Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian who set himself on fire in protest of the Tunisian regime, or Khaled Saeed, an Egyptian who was brutally beaten by police for refusing to pay a bribe. Using modern technology, the Egyptians quickly crafted a message and sent it out for the world to see. After 18 days of protest, their mission was accomplished and President Mubarak resigned.

Closing the Achievement Gap -- What's a Building Leader to do?

I hope that everybody had a successful SPRING forward! YAWN!! I want to take a brief look at the role of the educational leader in terms of closing the achievement gap for this week's topic. The root of many school's SOL (Standards of Learning) problems mirror their ability to close the achievement gap.

Personally, I think that many problems with achievement gap have to do with cultural competency issues. In other words, some teachers do not understand the members of their classes on a racial, religious, economic, gender, disability or other level. I am going to veer in this direction with some future writings as it is the centerpiece of my dissertation studies.

     As a building leader, the responsibilities of closing the achievement gap fall on several levels. The core traits involved with being a successful school leader are an ability to serve as a model teacher, a continuing awareness of cultural competency and the ability to analyze data, develop effective teaching strategies designed to improve learning deficiencies, and communicate the findings to the teaching staff.    First, as an administrator, one is expected to be an educational leader. As such, the school leader needs to be a capable teacher in the classroom. A wealth of classroom experience helps when it comes to working with teachers to develop strategies. Therefore, any strategies aimed at closing the achievement gap can be modeled on a daily basis.
     Secondly, in order to improve the achievement gap situation, the administrator needs to work with the leadership team to promote cultural competency among the members of the teaching staff. This should be an ongoing process. Cultural competence is more involved than simple cultural awareness and it cannot be taught in a single professional development session. This is especially important in more diverse school systems. This concept could be the most important element to be overcome in order to truly make progress toward closing the gap. It is not simply a black or white issue, but transcends many nationalities, and includes issues such as learning disabilities and socioeconomics.
     Third, as a building leader, one must be skilled at reading into the most appropriate data to identify trends in achievement and to determine what needs to be improved. Effective teaching strategies are best employed when the available testing data has pointed to the deficiencies that need to be addressed. Studying the evidence and clearly communicating a plan of action to the teaching staff is crucial to closing the achievement gap.  Having the ability to analyze data becomes a useful skill when the information can be shared among staff members. A competent assistant principal will promote an environment of positive collaboration and shared experiences among teachers.
     These are the most important skills for a school leader to possess, but they must be encompassed with the ability to build and develop teams of teachers, to foster an environment of cooperation and trust and to show empathy with teachers when needed.
 
 
 

Evaluating the purpose of teacher tenure

I recently completed a set (OK, ten) annotations shadowing various opinions on teacher tenure, which may be one of the centerpieces of any reform movement. As one of my William and Mary professors claimed, "Change is on the way..it's going to happen." The other centerpiece is merit pay, which is difficult because it is difficult to determine how to evaluate teachers. Do we measure by test scores, student surveys, principal evaluations, etc..?  Both sides feel strongly about their views. One side suggests that the teaching profession is inundated with low-performing employees whose motivation could be summer vacation. On the other side are those who believe that academic freedom can only be achieved by teachers who have job security. Personally, I agree with the tenure concept, but see the current measuring stick (2-4 years in most states) as rather short. I also see merit pay around the corner and the distribution of money to teachers will probably be affected by all the evaluation methods suggested above, along with a few others.

I'd like to come back to the topic of teacher tenure from time to time, especially as the changes are being put into place. It will be interesting to see how the negotiating techniques of a certain Governor or two will affect the overall mood of educators. This may lead to another question entirely, that being, "Are unions relevant anymore?"

One of the most controversial topics in education today is that of teacher tenure. While a group of educators argues that teachers need to be protected with a reasonable level of job security in order to perform their duties, the detractors fire back with tales of low performing teachers who cannot be removed because they have earned tenure.

Reasons for Tenure

The two main reasons for establishing teacher tenure were to protect academic freedom for the teachers and to provide simple job security. In the 1983 book, “Critical Elements of the Employment Relationship,” legal scholar Joseph Beckham notes that tenured status is the most substantial right in employment that state statute or school board policy can convey to the public school employee. In terms of its intent, the author adds that the other purpose of tenure is to “compel procedural due process in dismissal or other adverse employment actions and thus to protect competent professional staff from unjust or arbitrary employment decisions.” (p. 10)

Does Tenure Allow for Incompetent Teachers?

Tenure is granted after the completion of a probationary period, which allows school building leaders ample time to judge the effectiveness of a classroom teacher. Generally, this period lasts between two and four years. As each teacher, regardless of tenured or non-tenured status, is observed and evaluated several times each school year, the argument against the detractors is that there are numerous opportunities to examine the effectiveness of a new teacher and to dismiss incompetent ones before they are granted tenure. In a 1982 article, Ernest Brown notes that the problem of incompetent teachers lies not from tenured status, but “is the result of administrators who avoid preparing cases for dismissal.” (p. 54)

How Do Teachers Feel?

In a 2003 article for School Reform News, George Clowes conducted a study among a group of New Jersey teachers and his findings were unique to the debate. Surprisingly, there are a majority of teachers (58 percent) who admit that being awarded tenure does not necessarily mean such teachers have worked hard and proven themselves to be adept at their craft. Fifty-nine percent acknowledge that some of their colleagues should not be teaching as they fail to do a proficient job.

In the same survey, looking at possible alternatives to tenure, most teachers were not in favor of merit pay, but 70 percent were receptive to the concept of “combat pay,” a bonus for teachers who work in rough neighborhoods at low performing schools. If the standards are changed, 93 percent believe that they should be set by educational professionals and not elected officials.

Reforming Tenure

Many questions about the usefulness about teacher tenure arose after the A Nation at Risk report in 1983. Over the past 27 years, academicians have searched for new and innovative ways to improve the system which grants continuing contract status to qualified teachers.

In a 2010 article on teacher tenure reform for www.americanprogress.org, Patrick McGuinn of Drew University and the Institute for Advanced Study raises several interesting points on the subject. The author notes that a great deal of recent research on teacher quality has devoted scant attention to the enactment and implementation of teacher reforms. While focusing on the costs and benefits of tenure, there has an absence of scholarly argument about genuine solutions to improving the tenure process. McGuinn offers nine recommendations, ranging from the Department of Education funding research and pilot demonstration programs, to think tanks and organizations such as the National Governor’s Association providing more informational resources and policy guidance to states wishing to pursue teacher tenure reform.

Suffice it to say, the argument surrounding the purpose of teacher tenure continues to be echoed throughout the halls and meeting rooms of school boards and legislators alike.

Grafton Girls Win Region I Basketball

Figure I'll throw a changeup here and switch to sports this week. The Grafton HS girls were seeded ninth in their district, but managed to win the whole regional championship and enter the state tournament this weekend with a 24-3 record. This was in last Saturday's WYDaily and made it to air this (Mon.) afternoon.

By Jim McGrath

It’s amazing what one can learn from watching pre-game warm-ups.

Forty-five minutes before last night’s Region I Division 4 Girls basketball championship game at Grafton, while her teammates stretched under the basket, Morgan Heath walked out to a point on the left wing, 40 feet away from the basket and breezily swished a jumper. She then dribbled to the opposite side of the court and swished another 40-footer from the right wing. Later, Rose Mulherin worked five points from outside the three point arc, reminiscent of the NBA three-point shooting contest and practiced her far outside jumpers. The left wing shot seemed particularly favorable.

Imagine if one of them had to shoot an important long jumper.

Fast forward to the last ten seconds of the first half. The Clippers, down 19-16, had been worked over by a Cyclone team that lived up to its nickname. The visitors from Culpeper left little doubt that it was the same team that defeated heavily favored Courtland in the semi-finals. The team showed little fear, whether it was diving for loose balls, wrestling for rebounds or sprinting back down the court to thwart a Clipper fast break. Mulherin, in particular, had one breakaway shot blocked by a hustling Cycloner, much to the delight of the 100 or so fans who made the four hour drive from northwest Virginia.

As the clock ticked down, the Clippers were about to head into the locker room having not held the lead at all, and in jeopardy or seeing their undefeated home season end.

Not so fast.

Mulherin dribbled up the left side as the clock wound down...four…three...two. At one, the junior guard found herself about 40 feet from the basket, in roughly the same spot that Heath had drained a jumper about an hour earlier. Barely stopping to set, she let one fly.

SWISH!!!!

As the home crowd roared, the Grafton players and coaches jumped up and down and the team ran into the locker room, tied at 19 and ready to play with a renewed sense of purpose.

As for her long range shot, as well as Heath’s, Mulherin said is that it is something they do ‘as fun in practice.” However, she added, “it gave us a boost of confidence and we were able to turn it around. It helped loosen us up because we were tense. We weren’t shooting very well up to that point.”

Coach Tommy Bayse agreed.

“A big momentum thing was hitting that three at the half. It kind of got us excited as we went out.”

The feeling was in the Clipper locker room at halftime was one of confidence. Added Mulherin, “It made us realize that they’re just a team, they’re just people.”

Early in the second half, Mulherin’s three-pointer from the left wing, exactly from the same spot she was hitting from before the game, gave the Lady Clippers their first lead of the game at 24-22.

Without question, the Cyclones matched up physically with the usually powerful Grafton team.

“Numbers 33 (Taylor Shanks) and 25 (Courtney Shanks) are real physical and they hurt us on the boards,” said Bayse.

Taylor Shanks was an unstoppable force inside, leading her team with 18 points, many coming from her own offensive rebounds. On defense, she held Olivia Wilson, who had averaged 21.3 points over the past three games, to four points. Shanks’ sister was scoreless, but tenacious on defense. One example of this ended up putting Grafton in the lead for good.

Early in the fourth quarter, with the Cyclones leading 33-32, Courtney Shanks grabbed a defensive rebound and was quickly surrounded by a trio of Clipper defenders. In her attempt to get away she clutched the ball in her hands while swinging her elbows side to side. One caught Grafton’s Hannah Olson in the side of the head and the freshman fell backwards, eventually banging her head on the floor. As Shanks was called for a flagrant foul, Olson was awarded two foul shots which she calmly made to give her team the lead. On the ensuing possession, Wilson caught the inbounds pass under the basket and laid in what would be her only field goal of the game. However, it gave Grafton a 36-33 lead, a lead they would not relinquish despite several spirited runs by Eastern View who were down 40-39 with 59 seconds left before Tiffany Shanks fouled the Clippers’ Savanna Baxley. With the game on the line, Baxley drained both free throws, a sequence which Bayse called “the other turning point of the game. I don’t know how many she scored (four), but those were two of the biggest ones.”

From there, the home team ran out the clock and the celebration began. Riding the crest of a 10-game winning streak as well as completing a perfect season at home (16-0), it was easy to agree with Bayse’s final comment.

“I hate to leave this floor.”

Wilson did a fine job of summing up her team’s season to date as they prepare for the state tournament.

“It’s so unreal. We were picked to finish ninth in the district, but we came together as a team. We had doubts with ourselves, but we started winning and started to flow together and we started winning more and more and our confidence went up and everything started going right.”

The Clippers (24-3) will not have to travel far for their next game, playing against the Region II runner-up next weekend at Kaplan Arena on the campus of William and Mary.

EASTERN VIEW (17-9)    10    9    11    9  -  39

GRAFTON            (24-3)     4    15   11   12 -  42

Eastern View –  C. Jackson 6, Bowles 4, Mills 6, Mauck 3, T. Jackson 2, T. Shanks 18. Team 14 9-13 39. Three pointers (Mills 2).

Grafton – Heath 7, Mulherin 15, Brown 6, Olson 6, Wilson 4, S. Baxley 4. Team 14 11-18 42. Three pointers (Mulherin 3).

What education can learn from corporate America

In light of the problems in Wisconsin between their governor and the teachers, I have wondered if there is something that legislators could learn from the corporate world. My numbers may not be exact, but it appears that teachers make about $30,000 more per year than the typical state worker in the cheese state. A fairly amazing statistic even if the gap is only half of this. As a teacher by trade, I probably shouldn't complain, although a successful hard line from the Wisconsin governor could have ripple effects in other states, including Virginia, where I am back to looking for a full-time position after a semester as a full-time student at W&M.

There are two sides to the argument regarding the relationship between the educational world and corporate America. Those who are against the two having a relationship argue that the industries have little in common and that a school cannot be run like a business.

On the other hand, we see the influence of corporate America infiltrating itself into the educational arena. Leaders such as Arne Duncan, the current Secretary of Education, and Michelle Rhee, former superintendent of Washington, D.C. schools, cut their teeth in the business world and brought CEO-like qualities to their positions in education. Even more recently, in 2010, Joel Klein, long time chancellor of New York City schools, resigned. Mayor Michael Bloomberg selected Cathleen P. Black, a former CEO of Hearst Publishing, and a business leader with no background in education, as his replacement.

In a 2007 speech to the Athens (GA) Torch Club, Dr. Ronald Simpson, director of Instructional Development at the University of Georgia, spoke of the importance of the corporate and public sectors and how they do not fundamentally understand what the other does. However, Simpson noted that the majority of people on the boards of higher learning institutions were from the corporate or business world, citing the Board of Regents at his own school, with all 18 members coming from the private sector, and 15 specifically from the business industry.

Undoubtedly, members of corporate America are finding themselves more involved with education. The question remains, what is being learned?

Customer Service is Key

In business, the customer is always right. Failure to serve the needs of a customer means risking the loss of business. If enough customers are dissatisfied, the company runs the risk of failing.

While opponents of school vouchers and the No Child Left Behind Act complain of the extra demands being put on school professionals, there is little question that the expectations of educators have been raised and learning institutions are now being treated more like businesses. If a school fails to meet the benchmarks set at the state or national level, it runs the risk of losing students to other schools, and may even close if the benchmarks are not met for several consecutive years.

Incoming Funds Will Decrease

In the past, school system budgets were usually spared from cutbacks because of the importance placed on education. However, with a recent economic downturn, administrators have been forced to learn to “do more with less.” This is a skill associated more with corporate America. Leaders who are business driven and have experience with creating smaller budgets and working through cutbacks are in demand in the education industry.

Plan Ahead

Just as a successful business will conduct research and development to plan for the future, a competent school leader will also develop and maintain a vision. Many learning institutions and school systems have developed strategic plans, usually stretched between three and ten years, and there appears to be an influence from the corporate community with this method of long term planning. This is especially important for both industries as evolving technology is creating new types of jobs for the workforce and the educational system needs to be prepared to train students for positions which may have not been created yet. Informally, it is called having the ability to “see around the corner.”

Women in Leadership Positions - Must They Work Harder?

Thinking about the influx of females into superintendent positions, I examined the idea of whether women have to work harder, in other words, are the expectations higher. A more cynical question might be, is there less room for error?

In 1909, when Ella Flagg Young became the first woman superintendent of the Chicago public schools, she declared: Women are destined to rule the schools of every city (cited in Blount, 1998, p.1). By 1928, 1.6% of all superintendents in the U.S. were women (Shakeshaft, 1989). However, not much changed over the next 70 years. In 1998, 12 percent of public school superintendents in the U.S. were women (Hodgkinson & Montenegro, 1999). Generally, the superintendency is seen as a male-dominated position (Bell & Chase, 1995), which is unusual considering that 70% of all K-12 teachers are female.

In thinking about the topic of power, influence and authority, I wondered how it worked differently for female superintendents. Although they are a minority among their peers, there are new heads of school districts, both in the city where I live (Newport News) and where I work (Hampton). The question I looked to answer from my readings is, Does the emerging female superintendent look at power, influence and authority differently than a male in the same position?

One interesting position comes from a school of thought that women stalk the position of superintendent. This comes from a system of beliefs forwarded by writer Carlos Castenada (1974, 1981, 1987, etc..), who introduced a system called the seven principles of stalking. The term originally derived from the custom of training Yaqui Indian warriors. In spite of the negative connotation associated with the word stalk, Castenada insists that it should not be taken negatively. In fact, because of the barriers involved with earning the position, they have to stalk it out.

Dr. C. Cryss Brunner of the University of Wisconsin has devoted much time to studying the role of female as superintendent, and has many thoughts to share. In one study, he examines the different ways that women use the power of the superintendency to build stronger relationships and how their feminism works as an asset in the ability to perform the job. Brunner calls it an ethic of care. (Beck, 1994; Noddings, 1984). By relating the topic to Euro-American women who hold the position, Brunner (1995) notes the feminine use of power holds the promise of transformed practice for anyone, female or male, who accepts the challenge.

In another study, Brunner cites the work of Hartsock (1987), who associated gender with the concept of power. While avoiding domination, Hartock says that women adhere to a theory of power which stems from the point of

view of the subordinate. They draw on their own capacities, abilities and strengths to gain empowerment in the superintendent position.

The authors of my readings all appeared to agree on the basic idea that men and women view power, influence and authority in a different way. It is also suggested that women do show awareness of this theory in several ways. First, women interested in becoming the superintendent of a school system will seek out the position and in a sense, stalk for the job. This is not an exercise of using dominating power, but is rather borne from an awareness that the position is male-dominated and that a female will have to make an extra effort to make her interest in the position known to the local school board.

Another point of interest comes from the leadership style of the female superintendent as opposed to her male counterpart. Brunner (1995) believes it is difficult, but not impossible for superintendents to behave in an ethical caring way toward the less powerful, such as teachers and children, and believes that natural female instincts allow these leaders to practice collaboration and consensus-building which relies on positive, less hierarchical relationships between people.

In an earlier study, Brunner (1994) had hypothesized about this gender-specific type of power and found three items. First, when women operate according to the female concept of power, their chances to acquire positions of power decrease dramatically. Second, women are most likely to be empowered in those communities that have pluralistic or diffused power structures. Finally, women who attain positions of power are most successful when they adopt female approaches to power that stress collaboration, inclusion and consensus building models.

In a sense, the argument is a paradox. On the one hand, females are supposed to possess qualities which are beneficial to performing the superintendent position. Yet, the same traits are known to keep one from acquiring the job, leaving potential applicants to stalk the job and go against their normal demeanor. From this information, it would seem that performing the duties of the job is easier for a female than being selected for it.

The author has gone on to research the process by seeking the answer to the question: If women make up over 70 percent of the teacher ranks, then why are only less than ten percent in the ranks of superintendents of schools? While acknowledging that people may find gender-specific research to be offending, it can be useful and help to gain a better understanding of educational administration in the future. The information from these various studies can certainly beneficial to women who are working their way up the pipeline from teacher to principal to central office director, and hopefully on to the top position in their school district.

Zero tolerance: A contemporary educational ethics issue

(Editor's note: I was going to go with a piece written about the Hall of Fame inductions of two of my favorite Redskins, Darrell Green and Art Monk, but changed my mind after reading some of the derogatory comments about sportswriters in the article. Seeing as I cover high school games these days, my opinion on typewriter jockeys is now a work in progress :) Anyhow, it looks like I'll be taking a seminar on legal issues this summer, so it seemed like a good excuse to go back and examine one or two old writings on educational legal issues. This was a piece on "zero tolerance" composed for a spirited debate for my School Law class at U. VA. For the record, I believe our team won that debate.)

In spite of the negative connotation the two words cause, there is a place for "zero tolerance" policies in schools today. I believe that the three main reasons for this are as follows. First, when one looks at the climate within schools today, it is obvious that a zero tolerance policy is necessary to ensure school safety. Secondly, statistics show that zero tolerance policies are successful. Finally, in awareness of the extreme consequences which have occurred under this policy, court decisions have been made which give school administrators more discretion to enforce the policy while using common sense.

To understand the need for "zero tolerance," one must understand the events which caused its formation. Popular theory suggests that the policy started about 15 years ago, but as a generation celebrates the 40th anniversary of the "Summer of Love," one must remember the behaviors that made the summer of 1967 memorable for its participants. Certainly, the music has left a lasting impression, but others expressed themselves through free love and illegal drug use. When Richard Nixon became president, he took a look at the youth of America, and decided that they were having too much fun. With this in mind, Nixon's "war on drugs" was launched in 1969. As far as schools are concerned, zero tolerance policies began to evolve in the late 1980's. In 1989, school districts in California and Kentucky introduced policies that mandated expulsion for drug possession, or participation in gang-related activity. In Yonkers, N.Y., the program included restricted access to schools, a ban on hats, immediate suspension for any school disruption and increased use of law enforcement. Within a four year period leading into the early 1990's, zero tolerance had become a way of life in educational institutions. With Congress' passing of the Gun-Free Schools Act in 1994, the zero tolerance policy had reached a national level.

The Gun-Free Act required states that receive federal funds to expel any student who brought a weapon to school for at least one calendar year. It also required state provisions permitting the local school superintendent to modify the expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. This allowed states, such as Virginia, to enact their own statutes. In many cases, like with Virginia, the altering of zero tolerance policies gave more leverage to individual schools and administrators. Partly because of this newer legislation, which promoted common sense, especially where guns and drugs are concerned, we see several reasons why some form of "zero tolerance" policy is necessary.

The truths are these. Society is not safe. There have been cases of students bringing guns to schools. Students do abuse drugs. Violence, especially with the emergence off gangs such as MS-13 in Virginia, is becoming a more common way for young people to resolve conflicts. This may not be encouraging news, but it is the reality of life in the 21st century school. Zero tolerance policies in schools make them safer, and schools have to provide students with a place that protects them. In the absence of a safe environment, the ability to educate students is compromised.

The important aspect is to continue to realize why we need this policy. Last year, as reported on CNN and other national news organizations, two Long Island teenagers were taken into custody. They were arrested on charges of plotting a terrorist attack at their Suffolk County high school complete with a "hit list" of specific students. Their attack, which would have used guns and homemade explosives, was scheduled to coincide with the 9th anniversary of the Columbine H.S. massacre, and was to occur sometime around April 20, 2008. Columbine's immediate impact on "copycatters" was obvious six "would be" assassins were caught in one ten day period of 2001 alone. The fact that Columbine is still noteworthy NINE years after the tragedy is bone chilling, and should speak volumes about the seriousness of the episode, as well as for the need of zero tolerance.

Does the policy work? History says it does indeed work; unfortunately, the public eye is blinded by visions of overzealous principals.

In Texas, a survey found that from 1993 to 1998, the percentage of teachers who viewed assaults on students as a "significant problem" dropped 22 points, from 53 to 31, after beginning their zero tolerance policy. In Baltimore, an aggressive zero tolerance law produced a 30 percent drop in student assaults on other students and a 50 percent drop in student assaults on teachers and staff IN ITS FIRST YEAR! Also, in its first year with the policy, Granite City H.S. in Illinois reported a 60 percent drop in student expulsions. The National School Safety and Security Services notes the false perception given by zero tolerance critics and comments in its opinion report on zero tolerance that the "vast majority" of school administrators strive for firm, fair, and consistent discipline.

It is important to recognize that the applications of zero-tolerance policies have gone overboard on several occasions and I do not condone a long-term suspension for a six year old who brings a nail clipper or an Advil to school. Admittedly, a few administrators have taken the definition of zero tolerance to extreme levels. But, in almost all cases, this is a successful policy. It is unfair to base a judgment on several rare, but highly publicized events.

However, when the policy has been put to the test in court, decisions have backed up the school administrator. In Brian A. v. Stroudsburg Area School District (2001), a federal district court considered the case of a 15-year-old student who was expelled because he wrote a note stating, "There's a Bomb in this School bang bang!" Being three weeks after Columbine, the matter was taken seriously. In making their decision to expel the student, school officials considered the fact that the student was already on probation because of blowing up a shed on the property of another school. The court held that the schools act of expelling the student was a reasonable response.

In another case, Lovell v. Poway Unified School District (1996), a federal appeals court considered the appropriateness of the suspension of a 15-year-old student who threatened to shoot her school counselor because of unhappiness with her schedule. Like Brian A., the student said she was not serious and apologized for what she called "merely uttering a figure of speech." Still, the counselor felt a real threat and the suspension was upheld in court. In its comments, the court noted "in light of the violence prevalent in schools today, school officials are justified in taking very seriously student threats against faculty or other students."

There are several truths about zero tolerance which the general public may not be fully aware of. First of all, school officials have been held liable for failing to protect students from foreseeable harm (e.g. Eisel v. Board of Educ. 1991). In the Eisel case, a school counselor was made aware of suicidal statements made by a student, who then died in a murder-suicide pact with a friend. Second, the zero tolerance policy is legal. In 1985's case of New Jersey v. T.L.O., the Supreme Court was forced to address the constitutionality of student searches as a violation of the 4th Amendment. By a 6-3 vote, the Court ruled that the rights of children and adolescents are not the same as adults and that school officials have a responsibility to maintain the discipline necessary for education. Third, the flexibility within the policy allows for school administrators to discipline the true offenders while remaining sensible to the less serious and accidental violations. The policy has been altered from the "one size fits all" that many people still believe exists. Finally, the practice of zero tolerance works because the "due process" rights of a student are not violated. One well known example of this comes from Goss v. Lopez (1975), in which the court noted that minimum due process must be provided before a student is suspended for even a brief period of time. Bethel v. Fraser (1986) adjusted the ruling on minimal due process stating that a two day suspension, in this case for a violation of free speech, does not "rise to the level of a penal sanction calling for the full panoply of procedural due process protections applicable to a criminal prosecution."

In short, the zero tolerance policy does work. It ensures the safety in schools, which is needed for a positive learning environment. Also, past history, and statistics show evidence that the policy is successful. Finally, there is little recent evidence that administrators' judgments have been extreme, and court decisions have backed this up.

Understanding Governmental Scrutiny of For-Profit Colleges

Sticking on the topic of for-profit colleges for another week. There may have been some disagreement over the positive outlook on these schools in last week's blog, but they do seem to be holding up, even in a slow economy. At least the one where I work doesn't appear to be short on prospective students. Anyhow, I'd like to dig back into some older articles over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I'll be tackling the usefulness of teacher tenure, as well as the idea of running schools like businesses -- good or bad idea?

By Jim McGrath

Because of its business model, some may question the reason for governmental scrutiny being placed on for-profit colleges. To fully understand the breadth of the argument from either side, there are several topics to take into consideration.

Scope of the Market

Without question, the for-profit, or proprietary, college industry is a growing business. According to an October 2010 Washington Post article, one of every 10 postsecondary students is now served by this sector of the education market. The report states that roughly 25 percent of federal Pell grant funds go to for-profit school students. In terms of the amount of federal financial aid being dispensed, a December 2010 article from the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader notes that the share of money received has increased from $4.6 billion in 2000 to $26.5 billion last year.

Another number to consider is 225. This represents the percentage growth of enrollment at 14 publicly traded for-profit college chains between 1998 and 2008, according to a study conducted by the St. Petersburg Times last December. Since 1998, the number of students in these proprietary schools has now reached 1.4 million.

Need for Government Income

According to the same Times study, the for-profit college industry depends on public money, much of it financed from the federal government. In fact, 80 percent of the income collected by these schools is in the form of student loan aid. While representing 25 percent of student borrowers, for-profit students also account for approximately the same percentage of funds borrowed. In short, one-quarter of federal funding goes to students enrolled in proprietary schools. This may explain the concern from the government as to how useful this money is being spent.

Because much of the federal government student aid money is going to for-profit college students, lawmakers at the local and national levels have started to emerge with questions about the usefulness of this type of spending. On the other side, proponents of proprietary education have stepped up their efforts to deflect these criticisms, through the use of advertising campaigns, hiring of lobbyists or position pieces in educational journals and newspapers.

Response from the Obama Administration

Over the past several years, states have put more restrictions on for-profit schools, including acts which make them adhere to the same accreditation standards as non-profit colleges. For example, in Virginia, all non-profit and for-profit colleges are now required to adhere to the standards set by SCHEV (Schools and Colleges of Higher Education in Virginia). This upgrade of accreditation standards, which became required in the late 2000’s forced several for-profit schools to close its doors. Others chose to change their business model, changing their brand name and offering only two and four year degree majors, while dropping its certificate programs. Many adjusted their curriculum to emulate the semester model used by public institutions, thereby allowing for an easier transfer of credits for students who wished to pursue higher education at a four-year school after graduating from the proprietary school.

However, lawmakers in a number of states have noted the higher loan default rate of for-profit school students when compared to their non-profit brethren. Federal data acquired for the Washington Post article show that 11.6 percent of for-profit borrowers default within their first two years, as opposed to six percent from public colleges and four percent from private, non-profit institutions.

Because of this new concern, the Obama administration has taken notice. While continuing to recognize for-profit schools as a way of educating American students and achieving the goal of having the highest percentage (by country) of graduates by 2020, Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, has agreed to meet with for-profit school owners on a number of issues. According to the Post, among the issues to be discussed will be the plan to implement several rules requiring more disclosure from the schools, especially on topics such as graduation rate, issuing federal aid based on job placements among graduates and prohibiting recruiter payment based solely on the number of students enrolled. Duncan promises flexibility, but says that his department wants to “get it right.”

Conclusion

The for-profit education sector is rapidly growing, but can be expected to face more governmental regulations in the coming months. These new mandates will primarily address the issue of federal financial aid being tied to a school’s job placement rate and requiring for-profit schools to disclose graduation rates. Also, according to a Washington Post article from December 2010, there may be reinforcement of a federal law which prohibits school recruiters from being paid solely based on the number of students they enroll.

Evaluating the Future of For-Profit Colleges

In spite of several concerns, including a taxed status and lack of state funding, the future of for-profit, or proprietary, schools looks bright for the foreseeable future.

There are a number of reasons for optimism. Topping the list is demand. President Obama has set a goal of making the United States the largest producing nation of college graduates by 2020. In a May 2010 speech, Education Secretary Arne Duncan echoed Obama’s wish at a policy forum sponsored by a for-profit college, noting the “vital role” that such schools play in training students for jobs. With a tight economy forcing job seekers to acquire new skills, the availability of for-profit colleges remains an appealing option.

One of the reasons for the appeal is the flexibility offered by for-profit institutions. Many of the students who enroll in proprietary schools are adults who work full-time jobs while maintaining families and raising children. The for-profit schools have found success by catering to the needs of the working adult, offering options such as flexible scheduling and online courses. In many cases, an associates or bachelors degree can be earned in less than the two or four years proposed by non-profit colleges. Students can attend school without sacrificing job income or time away from their families.

Another advantage which the for-profit school holds over its non-profit competitors is its status as a business entity. Unlike a public non-profit school, which is largely funded by state supported income, the proprietary school is in direct competition with other schools and must function in a businesslike manner to maintain success. Schools that fail to progress are destined to lose potential students to competitors, similar to any other business. Because of this, for-profit schools are forced to bring a more innovative approach to the educational arena. By introducing new degree programs and course offerings, the for-profit school remains on the “cutting edge” of education.

Because of its business model, for-profit colleges should also remain successful in the future because of their ability to properly utilize funds. Most of the for-profit schools are not required to channel money into athletic programs, student life activities and other non-academic interests. The money received by a proprietary institution is budgeted with a higher percentage geared toward servicing the educational needs of its students.

For-profit schools have gained success and acceptability because of their commitment to vocational training. While adhering to their state educational standards, which have become more stringent, the proprietary school serves its students best by offering specific vocational programs in fields such as paralegal training, medical assistance, and aviation maintenance, which allow a student to train for a specific career rather than a general field. This degree track allows students to complete the requirements in a shorter amount of time, but ready to enter the job market with the skills necessary for their chosen career. This trend should continue in the near future as there are still many students looking for the specific training offered by for-profit schools.

For-profit schools will face challenges in the future. Some of these challenges will come from within as proprietary schools directly compete against each other for students. Other threats will develop as non-profit colleges, facing their own budget cuts, begin to emulate some of the educational models which have been successful with the for-profit schools. However, with more Americans seeking educational alternatives, coupled with an executive administration committed to helping more adults earn college degrees, the future of for-profit schools looks optimistic.

York Upsets Tabb in 61-59 OT Thriller

Big boys basketball game in the Bay Rivers District last week. Working on a couple of articles on for-profit schools for next week.

By Jim McGrath Thursday, January 13, 2011

When York and Tabb square off in sports, the rules are like that with any other great athletic rivalry. Throw away the records and let them have it at.

The Falcons entered the sports complex of the “Big Orange” in a precarious position within the Bay Rivers District. Several recent losses had left the team mired in eighth place, battling a 3-5 district mark.

On the other hand, Tabb was soaring among the elite AA teams in Virginia, opening the season with a 10-1 record. Even a pair of close losses to Bishop Sullivan and Walsingham had barely affected the Tigers' ranking, with the team maintaining a third place statewide status in the most recent VirginiaPreps.com Division 4 poll.

But within the first few minutes of last night’s matchup on Big Bethel, it was obvious that Tabb was ready to bring a heaping load of intensity and York was ready to match it.

With the Falcons down 5-2 early, York’s sophomore sensation Brandon Harvell stole an errant pass and rushed down the court en route to what would have been an easy layup. Except he was fouled by Tabb’s Patrick Corbett. Hard. As the vocal York crowd roared its disapproval, the equally vocal Tabb crowd cheered a strong and decisive defensive play from Corbett. In the meantime, Harvell calmly sank both free throw attempts and the teams resumed business.

In the end, intensity was the word of the day. Both teams missed many open jumpers, but followed after the potential rebounds with abandon and vigor with four, sometimes five, players jumping simultaneously after the bouncing ball.

Throughout the game, the lead changed hands. Twice before the end of the first quarter. Five more times before the end of the half. As the teams went into the locker room, underdog York was clinging to a 26-25 lead.

Then it got interesting.

Two free throws early in the third quarter by Chase Gibson bumped the cushion to 32-28, but neither team would lead by more than six for the rest of the game. Each thrust by one team resulted in a parry from the other. As Tabb’s Quinlin McCormick drove to his left for a layup with 15 seconds remaining in the quarter, the margin had been cut back to one, 36-35.

Harvell opened the fourth with a steal and layup, hoping to set the tone for his team. However, Tabb clawed back, making one of two free throws on successive possessions to make the score 38-37. After a York miss, 6’3” senior Cy Cole buried a three-point jumper from the left corner, giving Tabb a 40-38 lead. Another Cole bank shot upped the lead to 42-39. With 3:24 remaining in the game, Will Baggett drained two free throws after a Harvell foul to make the score 46-41, Tabb. After Quinton Martinez made one of two from the charity stripe, junior Joseph Nelson responded with a basket and with 2:36 to go, the Tigers had opened a 48-42 spread.

But the Falcons fought back. Branson Tew buried a three-pointer from the left corner, halving the deficit. Tabb looked to take their time to set up a good shot, but Shaq Rodney was fouled and made one of two. 49-45. A Martinez drive and basket cut the lead to two. Then, Tew stole a pass and drove for a layup to tie the game at 49. Each team exchanged a pair of baskets and the game headed into overtime, tied at 53.

The teams exchanged the lead a couple of times in the first three minutes of overtime, but the outcome was almost decided with 44.7 seconds remaining. Clinging to a 56-54 advantage, Falcon guard Taylor Kinney was fouled by Joseph Nelson, his fifth.

Despite the vocal pressure from the boisterous crowd, Kinney swished both free throws and the four point lead looked to hold.

Tabb’s Baggett disagreed with that assessment and responded with a three-point basket to make the score 58-57 with thirty ticks left on the clock.

York hoped to hold the ball for one last possession, but Rodney fouled Martinez with 17.4 seconds left. The junior made the first shot, but his second attempt bounced off the front of the rim, giving the Tigers one last chance.

Tabb passed around the perimeter, looking for one good shot as time ran out. With six seconds left, Baggett gave his best effort from the top of the key, but fell short and a timeout was called with York in possession.

Immediately off the inbound pass, Rodney fouled Martinez again. But this time, Martinez made the first shot and watched the second roll in from the front of the rim to give the Falcons a four point lead. Tabb scored at the buzzer, but it wasn't enough to grab the win.

When asked about the importance of the win, Falcon coach Jeff Slade noted the importance of the local rivalry and added, “anytime you win against a (Tabb coach) Doug Baggett team, it’s huge.” Reflecting on his team’s possible resurgence, Slade added, “we have five losses within the district. Even though we’re in eighth place, there are some teams with four losses that we're looking up at.”

With the win, York improves to 6-6 (4-5 in the BRD), while Tabb has now lost three straight and drops to 10-4 (8-2 in the BRD). Martinez led the Falcons with 16 points, while Cole paced the Tigers effort with 15.

York (6-6, 4-5 BRD)   16   10   10   17    8   -  61
Tabb (10-4, 8-2 BRD)  14   11   10   18    6   -  59

Profiles in Leadership - Joe Gibbs

Our great leaders come from every walk of life. Football season is about to end, and with the Redskins out of the playoff picture, us diehards like to watch the John Riggins show on cable and yearn for yesteryears. Here is a profile I wrote on Joe Gibbs - Hall of Famer and arguably the Skins greatest coach ever.

       It is difficult to compile a list of the greatest leaders in sports without giving serious consideration to Joe Gibbs. Gibbs is unique among his peers. As a football coach in the 1980’s and 90’s, he won three Super Bowls as the coach of the Washington Redskins. Only Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll has won more (4) NFL titles. New England’s Bill Belichick and the late Bill Walsh of the San Francisco 49ers also won three. But Gibbs had the unique accomplishment of winning each Super Bowl with a different quarterback (Joe Theismann -1983, Doug Williams - 1988, and Mark Rypien - 1992).

       After the 1992 season, Gibbs retired. Like many ex-coaches, Gibbs made a move toward broadcasting, but there was a surprise behind his story. While most coaches retire from the burnout of 16-18 hour days, Gibbs had other ideas. In 1993, to the surprise of many sports fans, he announced the formation of Joe Gibbs racing, a venture into the competitive, and increasing lucrative, NASCAR auto racing series. Unlike the NFL, the Winston (now Nextel) Cup series begins its season with its most important race, the Daytona 500. In their first major race as a team, Gibbs Racing and its driver, Dale Jarrett captured the Daytona race, an amazing accomplishment for any racing team. For a brand new team without a first tier driver, this was a phenomenal feat.

       Although Gibbs made another unsuccessful foray into the NFL, his record as a football coach and racecar owner is unparalleled. He is one of a very select group to have led a team to a championship in two separate endeavors. He has also accomplished this while leading a diverse group of personalities, as bold and brash as Joe Theismann or Tony Stewart, to the low-key and cerebral, such as Jarrett. Along the way, he has shown the capacity to change strategies to help his team’s situation. In football, his Redskin teams were known as a run first, pass later offensive attack during his early years, but may be best known for a Super Bowl record 35 point outburst during the second quarter of Super Bowl XXII against Denver. This barrage of points was due to a heavy passing attack, which was considered to be very unlike Coach Gibbs.

       When deciding on a subject, it seemed more sensible to focus on a more traditional type of leader, like a CEO or a general. However, Coach Gibbs has always fascinated me because of his demeanor as a leader in two sports best known for their speed, fast pace and violence. Race drivers have died from accidents and even Theismann’s career ended on a gruesome  note, as Giant linebacker Harry Carson  landed on his leg during a sack, causing one of the most disgusting breaks ever seen on live television, illuminated by the slow motion replays.

       In spite of his environment, Gibbs is a very quiet, low-key individual. He is not a man of few words, but unlike many of his coaching colleagues, all of them could be repeated on television during the family hour. Gibbs is notorious for his religious upbringing, his devotion to Christ and his squeaky clean language. In an  interview from the early 1990’s, one Redskin noted that the worst word he ever heard out of Gibbs’ mouth was “buns,” uttered during a halftime pep talk.

       Fortunately, Gibbs has been generous in offering his views about leadership and life success. His book, “Game Plan for Life” begins with a large dose of humility from its principal author. Says Gibbs,

·         “But despite what a few sportswriters and a kind business associate or two have said along the way, I'm about as far from being an intellectual as you can get. I was a P.E. major. You know, physical education: ballroom dancing and handball!”

       He goes on to note that it should be no surprise that his name is Joe, as he is as average as any other man, and aside from three Super Bowl wins and three NASCAR championships, he is really not much different from anybody else.

       Gibbs’ two greatest leadership traits are determination and integrity. As a coach, his nights at Redskins Park were long and legendary. The story of the coach sleeping in his office three nights a week are true as is the story of Gibbs taking a nap on the locker room floor right before a crucial playoff game. His integrity is based on Christian-centered beliefs.

       In terms of leadership theory, Gibbs adheres to two main focal points. He emphasizes the importance of having a game plan. In his model, the coach contrasts his former position as the guy on the sideline with the white pad in hand to one of his crew chiefs on the NASCAR circuit, also noted by a headset and white drawing board. He believes in making the plan and most importantly, sticking to it.

       However, Gibbs’ leadership theory also is contingent on working with the best people available. He notes the importance of finding the best man for the job. While not a gender friendly term, he is quick to note that he is known for his work with men on the football field and the racetrack. He believes in giving the man a plan and allowing him the opportunity to see it to completion.

       This ability to lean on others has worked best with the skills model. Gibbs’ teams have been well known for their ability to adjust on the “fly,” whether it was during halftime of a football game, or in the pits at Darlington. One theory behind the Redskins to reach the Super Bowl during Gibbs’ second stint suggested that the shortening of halftime from 15 to 12 teams affected his team’s ability to make adjustments. The art of  making a quick adjustment is problem solving at its best. Because it involves everyone’s input, the style would best resemble Team Management on Blake and Mouton’s Leadership Grid.

       The personal qualities that attribute to Gibbs’ success are rooted in his religious convictions, but his loyalty to colleagues and devotion to family cannot be overlooked. Looking at the old Redskin coaching staff from the first and second Gibbs eras, there were a lot of the same coaches, even though Gibbs went 12 years between jobs.

       Coach Gibbs was assisted in his quest to become a successful leader with the help of some quality mentors. His best-known assistantship came with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he became a disciple of the offensive system used by head coach Don Coryell. Coryell’s system, nicknamed “Air Coryell,” was the precursor to today’s West Coast offense. Although Gibbs added a pounding running game to the system, he could adjust and alter his system to pass first, when the circumstances and personnel allowed. Gibbs was also surrounded by great by a great football team owner in Jack Kent Cooke, and a quality general manger with Bobby Beathard. Although Beathard and Gibbs often had differences in which personnel to draft or trade for, they agreed often enough to develop and maintain a strong team, one that went 140-65 over a 12-year period. In fact, during the players’ strike of 1987, the free agents drafted by the two allowed the Redskins to win all three of their games without their regular players, including a stunning upset of the Dallas Cowboys, who had seven of their players come back to the team for the game. The Redskins success during the strike was the basis for the movie “The Replacements” starring Keanu Reeves.

       It is easy to determine the rewards that Gibbs has earned from his success as a leader. Three Super Bowl wins have translated into three Super Bowl rings and a lucrative coaching salary. After his first retirement, Gibbs signed on as an analyst for CBS Sports and earned five figure sums to speak to groups of businessmen. His net wealth is not known, but the cost of starting a NASCAR team is known to cost $10-15 million dollars. It is known that when Gibbs returned to the Redskins in 2002, his contract as for five years and $25 million.

       Yet, like most great leaders, Gibbs had to make great sacrifices. In his case, the main sacrifice was family, but only for the first part of his career. Between July and January, Gibbs was known to sleep in his office three nights a week, and was notorious for his response to a question about Oliver North during the 1988 Iran-Contra hearings. Gibbs had no idea who Lt. Col. North was. His wife Pat had to accept the role of both parents, lugging sons J.D and Coy to football practices and other activities.

       In later life Gibbs evened the score. When he formed Joe Gibbs Racing, he was determined to make it a family affair. In doing so, he made one son the president of the company, and the other took charge of the racing division. Gibbs still serves as CEO of Joe Gibbs Racing, but defers all business decisions to his sons. It was his inactivity with his own company that allowed him the time to come back and coach the Redskins for four years recently.

       In 2009, Gibbs had retired from football again and decided to collaborate with his fellow leaders in football and business to brainstorm ideas on what makes for a successful life. This meeting of the minds turned into the book “Game Plan” and was published earlier this year.

A Super Bowl for the Kids

Summary from the recent championship games from a local pee-wee footbll league. From wydaily.com and 92.3 Tide Radio

By Jim McGrath

            The future of high school football on the Peninsula was on proud display last Saturday as the Peninsula Youth Football Association (PYFA) hosted its annual Super Bowl at Wanner Stadium in James City County.

            The league, now in its 51^st year, has expanded from a four-team York County league to an organization with 61 teams representing 14 leagues from around the Peninsula, as well as Gloucester. In all, over 1,600 athletes and nearly 800 cheerleaders participate in what the league likes to call the “Best Game in Town.”

            As evidenced by Saturday’s action, the product is a success. Over 1,000 fans were in attendance at the final game in the junior division between the Back River Patriots and Gloucester White Knights. From the enthusiastic supporters of Back River banging thunder sticks together to the phenomenal rendition of the National Anthem and halftime cheerleading shows, the game had all the energy of a Bay Rivers playoff contest. And the level of football was surprisingly high from a team of 12-14 year olds, featuring high school sets on offense, flea flickers and precision passing rarely even seen at high school games.

            In that final game, Back River rallied behind a rugged defense to withstand a late White Knight rally and defeat the Gloucester squad 12-0. Cole Walker and Ethan Bryce scored for the Panthers who finished the season undefeated at 12-0. With the loss, Gloucester finished its season with an 11-2 mark.

            In other action, the 10-11 midgets age group saw a mild upset as the Williamsburg Green Hornets (12-1) defeated a previously undefeated Patriots team from Yorktown 14-6. The Hornets took an early 6-0 lead, but just before halftime, the Hornets Malcom Lee followed a wall of blockers to break away for a 63 yard touchdown run. An early second half Patriot fumble was recovered by Caden Darber at the Yorktown 11. Three plays later Rashaun Jones plowed in for the touchdown. The Patriots finished the season 11-1.

            Other champions included the Back River Panthers, who defeated the Williamsburg Hornets 20-0 to capture the Mite (6-7) division, while the Poquoson Bulls won the Mighty Mites (8-9) crown with a hard fought 13-6 win over Yorktown.